iHeartMedia has unveiled new consumer research, fielded through Critical Mass Media, examining Gen Z's relationship with audio and the surprising resilience of broadcast radio among younger audiences. The study reveals that Gen Z's desire for community and belonging is driving a surprising resurgence in radio engagement, with the medium continuing to serve as a key source of music discovery, social connection and shared cultural experiences for young listeners.
According to Nielsen, broadcast radio reaches 90 percent of teenagers (13–19) monthly, ahead of YouTube (75 percent), TikTok (58 percent) and ad-supported Spotify (26 percent). Crucially, radio dominates Gen Z's ad-supported audio time with 47 percent, according to Edison Share of Ear, outpacing 31 percent for streaming music and 21 percent for podcasts.
"While Gen Z is conventionally thought to want everything on-demand and tailored to their needs, the data shows that teenagers are gravitating to the safety and anonymity of radio to create community," said Lainie Fertick, President of Insights for iHeartMedia. "In a world where young people often feel pressure to curate how they present themselves online, radio offers a shared experience where identity isn't being evaluated and personal taste isn't on trial."
The new study explains why Gen Z connects with radio:
Fear of Judgment Is Shaping Gen Z Behavior - Growing up in an era defined by social media, mobile technology and AI has created a heightened sensitivity to judgment among younger consumers. 40 percent of Gen Z say they have decided not to post something they care about on social media because they worried peers might use it to embarrass them. Additionally, 44 percent say they have actively reduced their social media usage, while 43 percent of teens report feeling pressure to only post content that makes them look good to others. More than one-third (37 percent) feel pressure to share only content that will generate a high number of likes or comments, and 45 percent have deleted posts that received too little validation from others.
Music may define Gen Z's identity, but radio helps them connect without judgment: For Gen Z, music is far more than entertainment, it's a reflection of personal identity. Nearly all Gen Z listeners (96 percent) say the music they choose says something about who they are, and 68 percent update their playlists daily or weekly, compared to 44 percent of all listeners. Yet that self-expression comes with pressure: seven in 10 worry about being judged for what they play, more than double the rate of listeners age 35 and older.
Radio offers an alternative. Rather than putting young listeners in the position of selecting the soundtrack for a group, radio removes that responsibility and the potential criticism that can come with it. 85 percent of Gen Z respondents say they feel less likely to be judged when listening to radio with others, while 77 percent say radio feels safer or less risky to play in a group setting. Eight in 10 consider it appropriate for virtually any audience, including friends, parents, coworkers and children. This dynamic helps explain why 84 percent default to radio when riding in a car with others and 60 percent say it's simply easier to enjoy as a group, making Gen Z the biggest co-listening generation to date.
Co-listening is a Gen Z behavior, not a legacy one: This co-listening trend is unique to Gen Z. 63 percent listen to radio with others frequently or nearly always, versus 42 percent of all radio listeners — a 50 percent higher likelihood than any other age group. Compared to all listeners, they over-index on listening with friends (59 percent vs 36 percent) parents (59 percent vs 14 percent) and siblings (39 percent vs 13 percent). Unlike older generations who typically listen in the mornings, Gen Z’s co-listening time is concentrated in the late afternoon and evening when they’re often around others. For 57 percent of respondents, co-listening happens naturally when friends are together, and that’s often in the car (93 percent), running errands (61 percent), road trips (57 percent) and commuting (54 percent).
Airplay converts to conversation, and conversation moves product: An added bonus of co-listening is that it leads to more discussions between groups influenced by the shared experience. In the study, 80 percent of Gen Z respondents say they like to talk to others about what they hear on the radio, whether that’s songs, artists, news headlines, DJ bits and content, and even advertisements. Overall, 91 percent say radio gives their social circles something to talk about and 90 percent say hearing it together sparks conversation afterward. In addition, 81 percent say they’re more likely to talk about what they hear when listening with others than alone -- and 6 in 10 say mentioning a song, artist, brand or product out loud makes them more likely to search for more information about it.
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