Americans spent nearly four hours a day listening
to audio in the third quarter of 2025, with traditional radio and podcasts together accounting for more than 80% of all ad-supported listening, according to Nielsen’s
latestThe Record report, produced in collaboration with Edison Research. The quarterly study
tracks how U.S. consumers divide their listening time across platforms such as AM/FM radio, podcasts, streaming music and satellite radio. It found that total daily audio consumption averaged 3 hours
and 53 minutes, with ad-supported platforms making up 64% of that total.
Radio Still Leads Ad-Supported Audio Among ad-supported options, radio maintained its lead,
representing 62% of daily listening time in the third quarter. Podcasts followed at 20%, while streaming music services captured 15% and satellite radio accounted for 3%. The findings
highlight the continued strength of AM/FM radio even as digital formats expand. Nielsen noted that 82% of all ad-supported audio time went to radio and podcasts combined, underscoring their central
role in advertisers’ cross-channel strategies.
Demographic And Format Insights The report also detailed differences in listening habits by format, age group and
platform across the top 15 radio genres, distinguishing between over-the-air and streaming versions of AM/FM stations. While specifics vary by audience segment, the data showed that radio continues to
reach the widest range of listeners across demographic categories.
Implications For Advertisers For marketers, Nielsen said the findings reinforce the importance of
maintaining a balanced audio strategy that includes both traditional and digital channels. As advertisers seek to improve targeting across fragmented audiences, more granular data is increasingly
vital for planning effective audio campaigns. Nielsen’s broader
Network Audio Today report also points radio’s enduring reach, noting that more than 93% of U.S. radio
listeners tune in weekly to a network-affiliated station, a trend that positions national radio as a key pillar of mass-reach advertising.