Nearly four hours. That’s how much time the average American spent with audio every day in Q1 2026, according to Nielsen, and despite an ever-expanding menu of listening options, the vast majority of that time went exactly where it has for decades: radio.
The latest edition of The Record from Nielsen and Edison Research finds both over-the-air and digital streaming radio claimed 62% of daily ad-supported audio time among persons 18+, with podcasts adding another 20%. Streaming music services, by comparison, accounted for just 16% of the ad-supported audio day.
Data was sourced from Edison Research’s Share of Ear survey and Nielsen PPM Cross-Market AQH Share. Radio’s share of daily listening posted gains across most key demographic groups compared to the prior quarter, a sign of the medium’s staying power even as the audio landscape continues to fragment.
News/Talk led all formats with a 10.9% share of total radio listening among persons 18+, edging up from 10.8% in Q4 2025. All News also climbed, moving from 2.7% to 2.9%, with both formats benefiting from heightened interest in domestic and international news events during the quarter.
Adult Contemporary saw the sharpest single-format swing, retreating from an 8.4% share in Q4, inflated by holiday programming, to 7.1% in Q1, settling back near its historical baseline.
Country stayed flat at 5.8%. Classic Hits and Hot Adult Contemporary each posted gains among 18-34 listeners, with Classic Hits moving from 5.1% to 5.4% and Hot AC climbing from 4.9% to 5.6% in that demo. Alternative also grew among younger listeners, rising from 3.8% to 4.2%. Nielsen attributed the music format stability in part to a busy awards season and a wave of major album releases in the quarter.
Among Black and Hispanic-focused formats, Urban Adult Contemporary/R&B held at 5.1%, while Urban Contemporary/Hip-Hop R&B ticked up from 2.7% to 2.8% overall and from 4.6% to 4.8% among 18-34 listeners. Mexican Regional rose from 3.0% to 3.1% overall and grew its 18-34 audience from 3.4% to 3.6%.
