Cumulus Media/Westwood One’s Chief Insights Officer Pierre Bouvard has a lengthy examination of the latest Edison Research Share of Ear report, “Q3 2025 Edison “Share Of Ear”: AM/FM Radio Dominates Ad-Supported Audio While Podcast Audiences Age As Older Audiences Surge.”
The study is a look at the U.S. market.
Bouvard’s takeaways:
- AM/FM radio dominates ad-supported audio with a 64% share, followed by podcasts (20%).
- Ad-supported music streaming platforms have audience shares in the low to mid-single digits: Spotify (6%), Pandora (5%), YouTube Music (1%), and Amazon Music (1%).
- Marketers and media agencies significantly overestimate audience shares to Pandora/Spotify and massively underestimate AM/FM radio audiences.
- As older demographics flock to podcasts, the median age of the podcast audience ages sharply from 29 in 2017 to 39.
- You’ll miss two-thirds of America if your audio media plan only has digital audio; Adding AM/FM radio causes reach to surge from 33% to 74% of the U.S.
- To reach consumers on the path to purchase, look no further than AM/FM radio; With an 84% in-car share, AM/FM radio is the “queen of the road.”
There’s more from Bouvard to digest at the link.
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