AM/FM radio continues to dominate in-car audio listening, capturing 83% of all ad-supported audio time spent in vehicles according to Edison Research's Q4 2025 "Share of Ear" survey.
Pierre Bouvard, chief insights officer for the Cumulus Media/Westwood One Audio Active Group, describes this hold on the dashboard as "firm," with the medium remaining the top choice for drivers—including 77% among the 18–34 age group.
Over the past decade, however, listening has increasingly migrated to cars even as overall radio reach has declined. According to the Q4 2025 “Share of Ear” survey from Edison Research, the shift to in-car listening is most evident among female listeners.
In-car tuning now accounts for 53% of all over-the-air AM/FM radio time (up from 42% in 2015), while daily reach among adults 18+ has dropped from 69% in 2017 to 54% in 2025. Podcasts, by contrast, saw their daily reach rise from 8% to 23% over the same period.
The in-car shift is especially strong among younger listeners and women:
- For ages 18–34, 63% of over-the-air radio listening occurs in the car.
- For ages 25–54, 57% happens while driving.
- Among women aged 18–34 who listen to radio, 72% of their tuning time is in-vehicle—higher than for men across major demographics.
This concentration in vehicles aligns with broader audio trends, including reduced workplace listening (down to 14% of ad-supported audio for ages 25–54 from 19% in 2016–2019) and increased home listening (up to 54% from 44%), driven by remote work, podcasts, and streaming.
Despite a gradual multi-year dip in radio's in-car ad-supported share—from 90% in 2018 and 86% in 2024 to the current 83%—the medium retains strong dominance across car brands.
Drivers of domestic models (e.g., Chevrolet, Ford, Jeep) saw in-car radio's proportion of total tuning rise from 43% in 2016 to 53% in 2025, while import drivers experienced a similar increase from 50% to 55%.
Edison's quarterly Share of Ear study, now in its 11th year, surveys about 4,000 U.S. listeners annually to monitor these evolving audio consumption patterns.