As students return to class, their listening habits are shifting and bringing fresh data for radio and podcast brands to rethink how they engage audiences during key fall dayparts, including how Gen Z consumes audio and where attention is heading next.
According to new Spotify data, student listening jumps sharply in September, especially during morning commutes and study sessions, offering broadcasters and podcasters prime windows to connect as well.
Between 7 and 9a, Spotify reports a double-digit increase in music and podcast streams by student users compared to the summer months. In the US, music listening is up 20% at 7a and 23% at 9a, while podcast listening grows by 19% and 16% during the same hours.
The data reinforces what the radio industry has long known: mornings matter. But in the streaming era, the pressure is on to retain Gen Z’s attention not just with music or headlines, but with relevance and ritual.
Edison Research’s 2025 Gen Z Audio Report shows younger listeners have more diverse audio habits than anticipated. Gen Z listens to over four hours of audio daily, with AM/FM radio accounting for 16% of that time, behind streaming and YouTube, but ahead of podcasts and SiriusXM combined.
Notably, 10% of teens aged 13–17 say radio is their top music discovery source, more than double the rate among 18–24-year-olds.
As Gen Z racks up more subscription costs, they are starting to re-evaluate free media options like AM/FM. New data from Motley Fool Money shows that 42% of Gen Z spend over $100 a month on subscription services, and nearly half say they feel oversubscribed. 36% of Gen Z say they’re spending more than last year, radio’s no-paywall access and local relevance could offer a welcome contrast in a subscription-saturated world.
Podcasters should also take note of where attention is going.
Among Gen Z student users, science podcasts see the largest lift in September (+23%), followed by business and technology (+20%), music (+19%), sports (+17%), and news (+16%). That signals a growing appetite for smart, genre-driven content with a credible voice, especially in formats that can mix entertainment and education.
