Gen Z Still Tuned In To Radio Despite Streaming Upswing

Gen Z has grown up with more entertainment options than any generation before, giving AM/FM more than its fair share of competition. Yet the fears that the kids aren’t listening to radio anymore appear to remain unfounded, even with on-demand audio pulling ahead.

As Edison Research continues to roll out its tenth annual Share of Ear, they are shedding light on the listening habits of today’s 13-to-22-year-olds.

While Gen Z shows a preference for on-demand listening, with 37% of listening time going to streaming music, the difference is ever so slight by platform. Spotify and YouTube hold 22% and 23% share, respectively, while traditional radio still accounts for 20% of their audio consumption.

When including podcast listening on these platforms, Spotify’s share rises to 24%, while YouTube reaches 28%, as the latter becomes a hotbed for podcast discovery with younger audiences.

Even as AM/FM lags in share of audio listening time, there’s still plenty of opportunity for Gen Z to connect with radio. Earlier this year, Edison found 53% of 13-34 year-olds tune into radio daily, with 56% of that listening taking place in-car.

Radio also has a leg up on over-the-air television with younger audiences. According to Nielsen’s Q2 2023 Total Audience Report, radio boasts a weekly reach of 81% in the 18-49 age group, significantly outperforming TV’s 61%. This shift is accentuated by a steep decline in TV viewership among 18-49-year-olds, which has seen a 28% drop in reach and a 56% decrease in daily viewing time.

AM/FM accounts for 36% of all audio listening among Americans aged 13 and older, but its worth noting that streaming music has increased its share to 20% on average – bringing it even with Gen Z’s time spent listening to the radio.

Hopefully, US radio can tap into some of the magic that is going on in the UK with younger listeners. In the first quarter of 2024, Ofcom reported commercial radio listenership reached a 20-year high with more than 70% of those 15 and older in the country tuning in at least once a week.