AM/FM radio holds a 62% share of ad-supported audio listening, far ahead of Spotify’s ad-supported service at just 6%, according to a new analysis of Edison Research’s Q2 2026 “Share of Ear” study.
The findings, detailed in a Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group blog by Chief Insights Officer Pierre Bouvard, challenge widespread industry assumptions about Spotify’s advertising reach and audience.
Many marketers and agencies believe Spotify commands about 25% of the audio audience, yet Edison data shows its ad-supported tier accounts for only 6% of ad-supported listening time. Overall, 78% of all time spent with Spotify occurs on its ad-free subscription tier, leaving just 22% available to advertisers.
An Advertiser Perceptions survey cited in the analysis underscores the gap: agencies and marketers estimate Spotify and Pandora together hold a 41% share of audio listening while putting AM/FM radio at only 26%. Actual Edison figures place radio at 62%.
Spotify’s ad-supported listeners also differ sharply from its subscribers. They are more likely to have household incomes below $50,000, less likely to work full-time, and less likely to have completed four years of college. Ad-free subscribers tend to be more affluent and better educated—differences that can lead advertisers to misjudge the platform’s true audience.
Radio’s strength extends to overall campaign reach.
Digital audio platforms (Spotify, Pandora, and podcasts) reach 32% of Americans on a typical day; adding AM/FM radio lifts that figure to 74%. In the car, AM/FM remains dominant with an 82% share of ad-supported audio overall and 75% among adults 18–34.Podcast listening is growing.
After three years at a steady 19% share of ad-supported audio, podcasts rose to 22% among adults 18+ in Q2 2026.Edison’s quarterly “Share of Ear” study, now in its 11th year, surveys roughly 4,000 Americans annually to track daily audio consumption across platforms.