A new Nielsen report, Audio Today 2025: The Power of Radio Among Black Consumers, highlights AM/FM radio’s unmatched dominance as the leading audio platform for Black Americans in 2025. Key findings include:
- Reach: Radio reaches 92% of Black Americans monthly, the highest among major media platforms, compared to YouTube Music at 31%. For Black adults aged 25-54, the reach is 94-95%, and for teens, it’s 87%.
- Listening Share: Radio accounts for 73% of daily ad-supported audio listening among Black adults, 14% higher than the general market average. Urban formats (Urban Adult Contemporary and Urban Contemporary) capture 50.2% of Black radio listening, with Urban AC at 5.5% and Urban Contemporary at 2.8% of total radio listening share.
- Listening Habits: Black listeners spend about 13 hours and 32 minutes weekly on radio, with peak listening from 3-7 PM during commutes. Out-of-home listening, especially in cars, dominates at 86% of ad-supported audio consumption.
- Advertising Impact: Black consumers are twice as likely to try products advertised on local radio, per the 2024 Nielsen Attitude on Ads study. Investments in Black-owned stations have grown, with campaigns achieving in one week the reach previously delivered in a month.
- Cultural Relevance: Radio remains a trusted medium for entertainment, news, and community connection, with 55% of Black Millennials identifying as trendsetters responding to local radio endorsements. Black-owned media connects with 48 million Black Americans, representing $2.1 trillion in buying power.
- Demographic Insights: Black radio listeners are economically influential, with 60% of adults 18-49 and 71% of women 25-54 having some college education, and 35% of listeners aged 25-54 in households earning $75,000+.