The Infinite Dial 2025, an annual survey tracking U.S. digital media consumption, found that 74% of Americans aged 18+ who had driven or ridden in a car in the past month used AM/FM radio in-car.
This figure, highlighted in an Edison Research suggests a robust return to pre-pandemic norms for in-car radio listening. Pre-COVID data from Edison’s Share of Ear study (2016-2019) showed in-car listening accounting for 49% of all AM/FM consumption among adults 25-54, a share that dipped during pandemic lockdowns—hitting 41% in Q4 2021—before rebounding to 50% by Q3 2023. The 74% reach in 2025 indicates not just a recovery but sustained dominance, aligning with historical Infinite Dial trends (e.g., 82% in 2018, 73% in 2022).
This resurgence reflects commuting patterns normalizing post-COVID, with radio benefiting from its built-in presence in vehicles—nearly all cars have AM/FM receivers, unlike the 40% with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto (33% actively used, per Infinite Dial 2025). Radio’s free, live, and local appeal contrasts with the 55% of drivers also using online audio (e.g., Spotify, podcasts), showing it holds ground even as digital options grow.
The finding ties to broader audio trends—like the Opry 100 special’s 5.3 million viewers on March 19, 2025, or Nashville’s influence in the IFPI’s 2025 Global Music Report—where traditional media retains cultural pull. For radio, it’s a validation of its role as a default in-car companion, even as podcasts (32% in-car use in 2022) and online audio chip away at its share. The “back to pre-pandemic levels” claim likely nods to this restored equilibrium, with radio’s reach and resilience echoing pre-2020 patterns despite a shifting audio landscape.
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