Deborah Norville, a veteran broadcaster and two-time Emmy winner, is stepping down as anchor of Inside Edition after an impressive 30-year tenure.
She announced her departure on the show during the Wednesday broadcast, stating that she will leave at the end of the current season. Norville, who joined the syndicated CBS newsmagazine in March 1995, has been a cornerstone of the program, making her the longest-serving female anchor on American television.
In her on-air announcement, Norville reflected on her time with the show, saying, “It has been such an honor and privilege to be here at Inside Edition for all these years. A milestone like this is a time for reflection, and on reflection, I have decided that now is the time for me to move on.”
.@DeborahNorville, the longest-serving female anchor in American TV history, says this will be her final season at @InsideEdition.
She shares some of her favorite memories from anchoring the show for three decades and provides more details on what's next for her. pic.twitter.com/gLe0wKtoty
She revealed that the network offered her a “lovely” deal to stay, but she declined, explaining, “There are things I’d like to do and places I want to do them that continuing here doesn’t permit.” Norville teased “exciting things in the works” but kept specifics under wraps for the moment, emphasizing her gratitude for the team and viewers who welcomed her into their homes daily.
The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) are set to air on CBS for the first time in the show’s history, marking a significant shift for the long-running music awards ceremony.
Scheduled for Sunday, September 7, 2025, the three-hour event will broadcast live from the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. ET (5:00 to 8:00 p.m. PT). Alongside its debut on CBS, the VMAs will be simulcast on MTV, the network that has traditionally hosted the awards since their inception in 1984. This dual-network approach reflects a strategic move by Paramount, which owns both MTV and CBS, to broaden the show’s reach. The ceremony will also stream live on Paramount+, offering viewers additional access beyond traditional TV.
A one-hour pre-show will precede the main event, airing across various Paramount Media Networks, though specifics on which networks beyond MTV and CBS remain unconfirmed at this stage. Historically, the VMAs have leveraged Paramount’s extensive cable portfolio—channels like BET, CMT, Comedy Central, and VH1—for simulcasts, a tactic that boosted the 2024 show to 4.09 million viewers across 12 networks, its largest multi-network audience in four years. However, for 2025, the focus appears narrower, with CBS and MTV as the primary live carriers, potentially signaling a streamlined approach to maximize viewership on broadcast and streaming platforms.
Details on nominations, performers, and hosts for 2025 are yet to be announced, with such reveals typically coming closer to the airdate.
Morgan Wallen recently made headlines after abruptly exiting the stage at the end of the March 29, episode of Saturday Night Live (SNL), where he performed as the musical guest alongside host Mikey Madison.
Typically, at the close of an SNL episode, the host, musical guest, and cast gather onstage to exchange goodbyes and hugs as the credits roll. However, Wallen broke from this tradition by quickly leaving the stage after a brief interaction with Madison, walking past the camera and out of sight. Shortly after, he posted a photo of a private jet on his Instagram Stories with the caption "Get me to God’s country," sparking widespread speculation about his intentions and feelings toward the show.
Within days, Wallen turned this viral moment into a business opportunity by launching a line of merchandise on his official website. The collection includes T-shirts and trucker hats emblazoned with the phrase "Get Me to God’s Country," priced at $45 each. The swift release of this merch—less than 48 hours after the SNL episode aired—demonstrates Wallen’s knack for capitalizing on buzz, whether positive or negative. The phrase, now tied to his exit, has become a meme among fans and critics alike, amplifying its marketability.
➦In 1906...Actress Beatrice Benaderet born (Died at age 62 from lung cancer – October 13, 1968). She was a radio and television actress and voice actress. Born in New York City and raised in San Francisco, she began performing in Bay Area theatre and radio before embarking on a Hollywood career that spanned over three decades. Benaderet first specialized in voiceover work in the golden age of radio, appearing on numerous programs while working with comedians of the era such as Jack Benny, Burns and Allen, and Lucille Ball. Her expertise in dialect and characterization led to her becoming Warner Bros.' leading voice of female characters in their animated cartoons of the early 1940s through the mid-1950s.
Bea Benaderet
Benaderet was then a prominent figure on television in situation comedies, first with The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show from 1950 to 1958, for which she earned two Emmy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress. In the 1960s, she had regular roles in four series up until her death from lung cancer in 1968, including the commercial successes The Beverly Hillbillies, The Flintstones, and her best known role as Kate Bradley in Petticoat Junction. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame honoring her work in television.
In 1926, Benaderet joined the staff of KFRC San Francisco, which was under the new ownership of Don Lee and where her duties included acting, singing, writing, and producing. Initially seeking work as a dramatic actress, she switched to comedy and performed on multiple shows in nine years with the station, in particular the Blue Monday Jamboree variety program, where her castmates included Meredith Willson, Elvia Allman, and future I Love Lucy producer Jess Oppenheimer. She additionally hosted the musical variety show Salon Moderne and gained attention for her work as a female announcer, which had become a rarity in radio in the 1930s.
Benaderet moved to Los Angeles station KHJ in 1936. She made her network radio debut upon being hired by Orson Welles for his Mercury Theatre repertory company heard on The Campbell Playhouse. The following year she received her first big break in the industry on The Jack Benny Program, where she played Gertrude Gearshift, a wisecracking Brooklyn-accented telephone operator who gossiped about Jack Benny with her cohort Mabel Flapsaddle (Sara Berner). Intended as a one-time appearance, the pair became a recurring role starting in the 1945–46 season, and in early 1947, Benaderet and Berner momentarily took over the actual NBC switchboards in Hollywood for publicity photos. She performed in as many as five shows daily, causing her rehearsal dates to conflict with those of The Jack Benny Program and resulting in her reading live as Gertrude from a marked script she was handed upon entering the studio.
Other recurring characters Benaderet portrayed were Blanche Morton on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show; school principal Eve Goodwin on The Great Gildersleeve; Millicent Carstairs on Fibber McGee & Molly; Gloria the maid on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet; and Iris Atterbury on the Lucille Ball vehicle My Favorite Husband, opposite Gale Gordon. Benaderet voiced various one-time parts before joining the main cast as Iris, the neighbor and friend of Ball's character Liz Cooper. The 1950 CBS program Granby's Green Acres, a perceived spinoff of My Favorite Husband, was her one radio lead role and reunited her with Gordon as a husband and wife who abandon city life to become farmers, but it lasted only eight episodes.
Beginning in 1943, Benaderet became Warner Bros.' primary voice of adult female supporting characters for their Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes animated shorts.
Benaderet was Lucille Ball's first choice as Ethel Mertz for the sitcom I Love Lucy; Ball said in a 1984 interview that she had "no other picture of anyone" for the role of Ethel. However, Benaderet had to turn down the offer since she was contracted to the television adaptation of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, so Vivian Vance was eventually cast. Benaderet guest-starred on the January 21, 1952 first-season episode "Lucy Plays Cupid" as the character of Miss Lewis, a love-starved spinster neighbor.
➦In 1906...John Cameron Swayze born (Died – August 15, 1995), He was a news commentator and game show panelist during the 1940s and 1950s who later became best known as a product spokesman for Timex watches.
Swayze
Swayze first wanted to be an actor; however work on Broadway ended when acting roles became scarce following the Wall Street Crash of 1929. Swayze returned to the Midwest and worked for the Kansas City Journal Post as a reporter.
From there he graduated to radio, doing news updates for Kansas City's KMBC in 1940 and, reportedly, an experimental early television newscast. In Kansas City, Swayze broadcast news items prepared by United Press Kansas City bureau overnight editor Walter Cronkite. Four years later, Swayze went farther west, to Los Angeles and Hollywood, where NBC hired him for its western news division before moving him to its New York City news operation in 1947.
During 1948, Swayze provided voiceover work for the Camel Newsreel Theatre, an early television news program that broadcast Movietone News newsreels.
At the same time, Swayze proposed and obtained a radio quiz program, Who Said That?. The radio version lasted only a year, but Swayze was an occasional panelist in the television version of the program, which was broadcast on NBC from 1948 to 1955.
NBC, meanwhile, made Swayze the host of its national political convention coverage in 1948, the first commercial coverage ever by television. (NBC Television did broadcast the Republican National Convention from Philadelphia during 1940 on a noncommercial, semi-experimental basis, seen in just three cities: Philadelphia, New York City and Schenectady, NY).
In October 1948, Swayze was a permanent panel member of the quiz show Who Said That? and was referred to as the anchorman in what may be the first usage of this term on television.
Swayze was chosen in 1949 to host NBC's first television newscast, the 15-minute Camel News Caravan. He read items from the news wires and periodically interviewed newsmakers, but he is remembered best for reporting on the Korean War nightly and for his two catchphrases: "Let's go hopscotching the world for headlines" and his signoff: "That's the story, folks—glad we could get together. And now, this is John Cameron Swayze saying good night." Veteran broadcaster David Brinkley wrote in a memoir that Swayze got the job because of his ability to memorize scripts, which allowed him to recite the news when the primitive teleprompters of the time failed to work properly.
The projected local radio ad revenue for 2025 is estimated to reach $12.3 billion, encompassing both over-the-air and digital radio. This figure indicates a slight adjustment compared to 2024, as reported by BIA Advisory Services' latest U.S. Local Advertising Forecast.
RAB, in partnership with BIA Advisory Services, has conducted a comprehensive analysis of the evolving radio landscape to help broadcasters navigate the economic environment of 2025. Local radio ranks as the fifth-largest advertising medium within the $171 billion local advertising marketplace.
Several key categories are driving investments in radio advertising: investment & retirement, quick service restaurants (QSRs), supermarkets, commercial banking and hospitals. Advertising trends indicate robust engagement in digital radio advertising from both the finance and insurance sectors, as well as QSRs, with expected investments exceeding $95 million for each.
After a brief hiatus without DJs to gear up for a major overhaul, KQRS, the iconic Minneapolis-based rock station, has triumphantly returned to the airwaves, complete with a refreshed lineup of DJs and an exciting new format.
The relaunch kicked off bright and early at 6 a.m. this morning introducing listeners to an expanded musical scope, fresh on-air talent, and a slate of innovative new shows designed to reinvigorate the station’s legacy.
The revamped KQRS is leaning into a broader musical palette, building on its longstanding foundation of rock legends like Tom Petty, Led Zeppelin, and the Rolling Stones. According to station owner Cumulus Media, the new format will place a heightened emphasis on '90s rock anthems and spotlight Minnesota’s rich musical heritage, featuring homegrown icons such as Prince, Soul Asylum, The Replacements, and Bob Dylan. The relaunch playlist on Thursday morning offered a taste of this evolution, with tracks like Beck’s “Loser,” The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army,” and New Radicals’ “You Get What You Give” setting the tone for the station’s bold new direction.
WLW moved swiftly to name his replacement. On Thursday, April 3, 2025, the station revealed that 61-year-old Thom Brennaman would take over the morning show starting Monday, April 7, 2025.
Brennaman, a well-known broadcaster with a history calling Cincinnati Reds and NFL games for Fox Sports, has been working with Cincinnati-based Chatterbox Sports since 2022 and has occasionally filled in at WLW.
His appointment makes him only the third morning host at WLW in over 40 years, following Jim Scott (1984-2015) and McConnell (2015-2025). iHeartMedia’s division president, D.J. Hodge, praised the transition, calling McConnell a legend and Brennaman a seasoned professional, emphasizing the station’s excitement about the move.
Now, regarding the confusion with 77-year-old Bill Cunningham: earlier reports and posts on X suggested that Cunningham, WLW’s midday host, might shift to mornings to replace McConnell. This speculation likely stemmed from Cunningham’s prominence at the station and his prior announcement that he was postponing his own retirement to stay on air through the current Trump presidency, extending his tenure potentially to 2028.
However, these reports were inaccurate. WLW clarified that Cunningham will remain in his midday slot, and Thom Brennaman is the confirmed new morning host. The mix-up may have been fueled by Cunningham’s high profile and the rapid succession of retirement-related news at the station, but the official announcement on April 3, 2025, settled the matter: Brennaman is taking the morning reins, not Cunningham.
Kevin Ryder has made a notable return to KROQ 106.7 FM in Los Angeles, taking on the role of afternoon drive host from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays.
His return is a significant homecoming for Ryder, who spent over three decades at the station, most famously as co-host of the legendary "Kevin & Bean Show" alongside Gene "Bean" Baxter. His return comes five years after KROQ fired him in March 2020, a move that shocked fans and the radio industry alike.
Ryder’s career at KROQ began on January 2, 1990, when he teamed up with Baxter to launch "The Kevin & Bean Show." The program quickly rose to prominence, becoming the top morning show in the Los Angeles market and the longest-running morning show in the country. Their irreverent humor and authentic style earned them a spot in the Radio Hall of Fame in 2019.
However, the partnership ended when Baxter retired and moved to England in 2019. Ryder continued with a retooled morning show, "Kevin in the Morning with Allie & Jensen," but it was abruptly canceled in 2020, along with the entire morning team, just weeks into the pandemic. Ryder used his final broadcast to openly criticize KROQ management for their handling of the situation.
After leaving KROQ, Ryder joined KLOS-FM in Los Angeles in 2021, co-hosting afternoons with Doug "Sluggo" Roberts, another former KROQ personality. That gig lasted until September 2024, when both were let go.
Now, Ryder’s return to KROQ reunites him with the station where he built his legacy, under the programming leadership of Kevin Weatherly, who also returned to KROQ in 2022 after a stint at Spotify. Weatherly, a key figure in KROQ’s past success, described Ryder’s comeback as a "full circle moment in the best way possible."
Ryder’s first day back coincided with April Fool’s Day, a nod to the playful spirit of his earlier tenure, though he confirmed it was no prank.
He’s signed a one-year deal with an option for a second year. During his debut, he included familiar elements like comedy bits from former "Kevin & Bean" collaborator Ralph Garman and listener call-ins for Coachella tickets, though he humorously slipped up by mentioning "KLOS" instead of "KROQ." Ryder has expressed excitement about returning to the station he helped make iconic, noting his long history with its audience and his eagerness to reconnect.
This move also shifts KROQ’s lineup, with current afternoon host Megan Holiday transitioning to evenings. Meanwhile, Ryder is reportedly close to finishing a book about his 30 years at KROQ, promising a deep dive into the station’s wild history. His return has been met with enthusiasm from fans and industry observers, signaling a potential revival of KROQ’s classic vibe under familiar leadership.
Cumulus Media’s Westwood One, the largest radio network in the U.S. and the exclusive national audio broadcast partner of the NCAA, will present comprehensive live audio coverage of the 2025 NCAA Men’s Final Four and national championship game live from San Antonio, Texas in both English and Spanish. The network will also broadcast the NCAA Women’s Final Four and national championship game live from Tampa, Florida.
Westwood One’s coverage of the Men’s Final Four will begin at 3:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 5 with “The Final Four Show” followed by the game broadcast at 4:00 p.m. ET. The first national semifinal, between the Auburn Tigers and the Florida Gators, tips off at 6:09 p.m. ET. The second national semifinal, between the Duke Blue Devils and the Houston Cougars will begin 40 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.
On Monday, April 7 audio coverage will commence at 6:00 p.m. ET with the “Championship Monday” pregame show followed by game coverage at 7:00 p.m. ET. The men’s national championship game will tip off at 8:50 p.m. ET.
Westwood One will also broadcast all three men’s games in Spanish, presented by Werner Ladder. Spanish-language coverage of the Final Four commences at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 5 and at 8:30 p.m. ET on Monday, April 7 for the national championship game.
Westwood One will also provide complete play-by-play coverage of the Women’s Final Four® on Friday, April 4 beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET when the defending champion South Carolina Gamecocks take on the Texas Longhorns. Immediately following, the network will air the second national semifinal, between the UCLA Bruins and the UConn Huskies. Coverage of the women’s national championship game on Sunday, April 6 at 2:30 p.m. ET. Westwood One’s broadcasts of all three women’s games will be presented by Intuit TurboTax.
Johnny Tillotson, the renowned singer-songwriter best known for his 1960s hit "Poetry in Motion," passed away on April 1, 2025, at the age of 86.
His death was confirmed by his wife, Nancy Tillotson, who shared the news in an emotional tribute on social media on April 2, 2025. According to Nancy, Johnny died at their home in Los Angeles, surrounded by family, following a battle with Parkinsonism, a condition related to Parkinson’s disease that had impacted his health in recent years.
Nancy described Johnny as "the sweetest, kindest man" she had ever met, calling him her "best beloved" and "Knight of my heart." She highlighted his gratitude toward his fans, noting that he once said they "made every dream I ever had come true." His passing came just days after the release of his final single, "Everything I Touch Turns to Blue," in March 2025, leaving behind one last musical contribution for his audience.
Tillotson, born on April 20, 1938, in Jacksonville, Florida, rose to fame in the early 1960s as a teen idol.
His signature song, "Poetry in Motion," peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a global hit, reaching No. 1 in the United Kingdom. His career also included other notable successes, such as "It Keeps Right on A-Hurtin’," which earned him a Grammy nomination in 1962 for Best Country & Western Recording and was covered by over 100 artists, including Elvis Presley. He received a second Grammy nod in 1965 for "Heartaches by the Number." Over his decades-long career, Tillotson sold tens of millions of records and left a lasting mark on both pop and country music.
Chuck Todd, once the face of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” has stepped into the role of media entrepreneur, launching a podcast network after leaving NBC News in January 2025. The move caps nearly two decades with the network, shifting him from a stalwart of traditional TV journalism to a pioneer in the digital media frontier.
Todd’s 18-year NBC career included stints as political director, chief White House correspondent, and, most prominently, “Meet the Press” moderator from 2014 to 2023. Leading the nation’s longest-running TV show, he pushed to refresh its format—introducing “MTP Daily” on streaming platforms and even launching a film festival. He handed the “Meet the Press” reins to Kristen Welker in September 2023, exiting NBC entirely in early 2025 to chase entrepreneurial ambitions.
At the heart of his new chapter is “The Chuck ToddCast,” a podcast he brought with him from NBC. Relaunched on April 2, 2025, its debut episode featured a 45-minute, unscripted chat with Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), tackling the Democratic Party’s future, Trump’s lingering impact, and Fetterman’s possible 2028 White House run. Todd’s focus on long-form dialogue over TV’s clipped soundbites reflects his view that today’s officials need room to explain themselves—a space he believes legacy media can’t provide.
But Todd isn’t stopping at hosting. He’s crafting a wider podcast and video network, planning to bring on new voices to build a platform for sharp, no-frills political talk. The network will dive deep with top journalists, insiders, and newsmakers, bridging D.C.’s corridors to small-town America. This aligns with his goal to restore media trust “from the ground up,” prioritizing local angles over the national lens he critiqued in his NBC goodbye note.
Todd’s leap comes amid media industry turbulence, with NBC navigating its own leadership shakeups and a broader pivot to streaming and digital dominance.
An article in The Athlete highlights consequences and accountability for all forms of talk radio
The article titled "From Don Imus to Pat McAfee, talk show hosts face consequences of the digital world" by Andrew Marchand, published Wednesday in The Athletic explores the evolving landscape of accountability for talk show hosts in the digital age. It draws a parallel between the careers of the late Don Imus, a veteran radio shock jock, and Pat McAfee, a modern sports media personality, to illustrate how the permanence and reach of digital media have heightened the stakes for controversial on-air statements.
The piece revisits Don Imus’s infamous 2007 incident, where he referred to the Rutgers women’s basketball team as “nappy-headed hos” on his WFAN and MSNBC show. At the time, Imus’s long career had thrived on provocative commentary, often shielded by the ephemeral nature of pre-digital broadcasting—where remarks could fade without a lasting record unless actively preserved. However, the rise of platforms like YouTube changed that dynamic, creating a permanent “receipt” of his words. This led to widespread backlash, advertiser pullouts, and his eventual firing, marking a turning point for talk radio accountability.
Fast forward to 2025, the article shifts focus to Pat McAfee, a former NFL punter turned ESPN talk show host, who faced scrutiny for amplifying a false rumor about Mary Kate Cornett, an Ole Miss freshman, on his February 26, 2025, broadcast. The rumor, originating on anonymous social media platforms like YikYak and spreading via X, falsely alleged an affair involving Cornett and her boyfriend’s father. McAfee’s discussion of this unverified claim on The Pat McAfee Show—viewed by millions—escalated its impact, leading to severe harassment and emotional distress for Cornett, who has since engaged legal representation to pursue action against McAfee, ESPN, and potentially others.
Marchand argues that both cases highlight a consistent thread in talk radio: the pursuit of attention through edgy or unfiltered content.
However, the digital era amplifies the consequences. According to The Athlete story, where Imus’s words once relied on manual recordings to persist, McAfee’s are instantly archived and disseminated online, leaving little room for deniability. The article notes that sports radio has historically operated as a “Wild West,” where hosts prioritize being entertaining over being factual, a trait McAfee embodies with his brash style and $85 million ESPN deal that even permits on-air swearing. Yet, this freedom comes with new risks, as evidenced by Cornett’s intent to hold him accountable for the real-world harm caused by his platform.
Amazon has submitted a last-minute proposal to purchase TikTok in its entirety, the widely used video-sharing platform, as it nears an April deadline to divest from its Chinese parent company or face a U.S. ban, according to three sources familiar with the offer.
According to The NY Times, several parties engaged in the negotiations reportedly view Amazon’s bid with skepticism, the sources noted. The proposal was delivered through a letter directed to Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, as per an individual informed about the correspondence.
Amazon’s move underscores the frantic, late-stage efforts in Washington surrounding TikTok’s ownership. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have voiced significant national security worries tied to the app’s Chinese ties, leading to legislation last year mandating TikTok’s sale, originally slated to take effect in January.
President Trump, despite repeatedly vowing to protect the app amid these security concerns, pushed the law’s enforcement deadline to Saturday, even following its unanimous affirmation by the Supreme Court.
On Wednesday, Trump convened with senior White House officials to weigh TikTok’s future. Insiders familiar with the discussions have floated a possible arrangement that might involve onboarding new American investors, such as tech titan Oracle and private equity powerhouse Blackstone, while avoiding an outright sale. However, it remains uncertain whether this approach would meet the federal law’s requirements.
Woodward Communications Inc. (WCI), based in Dubuque, Iowa, is expanding its presence in the Springfield, Illinois, radio market.
On November 13, 2024, WCI announced an agreement to acquire four radio stations—WNNS-FM (98.7), WQLZ-FM (97.7), WMAY-FM (92.7), and WMAY-AM (970)—from Mid-West Family Broadcasting, a deal that closed on April 2, 2025. This acquisition follows WCI’s purchase of four other Springfield stations from Neuhoff Media, finalized on October 1, 2024, marking a significant growth spurt in the region.
The newly acquired stations bring a mix of formats to WCI’s portfolio: WNNS-FM offers adult contemporary music, WQLZ-FM delivers mainstream rock, WMAY-FM focuses on news/talk, and WMAY-AM, branded as “102.5 The Lake,” plays classic hits with FM translators at 94.7 and 102.5 MHz. This complements WCI’s existing Springfield cluster, which includes hot AC WXAJ-FM (99.7 The Mix), country WFMB-FM (104.5), and sports-talk WFMB-AM (1450). To comply with FCC ownership limits, WCI divested WCVS-FM (96.7 Bob FM) from the Neuhoff deal, ensuring the new additions fit within regulatory bounds.
Tom Woodward
WCI’s leadership, led by President and CEO Tom Woodward, sees this as a strategic move to strengthen their foothold in Springfield. The plan is to eventually co-locate all eight stations in Mid-West Family’s current facilities, aiming to boost operational efficiency and enhance listener and advertiser experiences. Kevin O’Dea, a veteran broadcaster who started at WMAY-AM in 1978 and now serves as WCI’s Springfield Market Manager, will oversee the integrated cluster, reporting to Kelly Radandt, the overall marketing manager for WCI’s radio groups in Wisconsin and Illinois.
The Springfield expansion, paired with divestitures of two Bloomington, Illinois, stations (WIHN-FM and WWHX-FM) and a local marketing agreement for WBBE-FM with Great Plains Media, reflects WCI’s focus on concentrating resources where they see the most potential—Springfield being a key piece of that puzzle as of April 2, 2025.
MusicWatch, a market research firm focused on music consumption trends, 50 million more Americans are buying music in 2024 compared to a decade ago, in 2014. This significant increase highlights a robust growth in the U.S. music industry, driven largely by the rise of streaming services, alongside continued interest in physical formats like CDs and vinyl, as well as digital downloads.
The report indicates that in 2024, approximately 132 million Americans aged 13 to 70—roughly half of that age demographic—paid for a music subscription, such as on-demand streaming services or satellite radio.
This surge in music buyers far exceeds the U.S. population growth of about 19 million over the same period, suggesting that the increase isn’t just a result of more people but a genuine rise in interest and willingness to spend on music. In total, when factoring in various forms of music purchases (subscriptions, physical formats, and downloads), the number of music buyers in 2024 significantly outpaces the figures from 2014.
Spending on recorded music has also risen. In 2024, Americans spent an average of $112 per capita on recorded music, up from $80 in 2014 (about $91 when adjusted for inflation), marking a roughly 32% increase over the decade. This growth reflects not only more buyers but also higher spending per person, even as the industry has shifted away from digital downloads—which dropped from $2.3 billion in 2015 to $329 million in 2024—toward streaming. Meanwhile, live music spending saw an even steeper rise, increasing 17% from 2023 to $281 per capita in 2024, driven by strong demand for concerts despite some inflationary pressures on ticket prices.
Interestingly, older formats haven’t disappeared. Despite a 61% decline in CD sales over the decade, 56 million Americans still listen to CDs in their cars, and 48 million use digital downloads while driving, showing that these formats retain a substantial audience. Vinyl has also seen a resurgence, contributing to the overall growth in physical music purchases. However, piracy persists as a challenge, with 14 million Americans admitting to stream-ripping music files in 2024, though it’s less pervasive than it was 20 years ago.
The MusicWatch findings align with broader industry data, such as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) reporting an average of 100 million music subscriptions in 2024, with satellite radio provider SiriusXM ending the year with 31.6 million self-pay subscribers.
What platform do Gen Z listeners turn to most for podcasts? A recent report has sparked debate by suggesting Spotify reigns supreme among 13- to 29-year-olds. To dig deeper, Edison Podcast Metrics rook a look at how a representative sample consumes podcasts across various platforms.
According to Transistor, a podcast hosting service, Gen Z is twice as likely to tune into podcasts on Spotify compared to YouTube. Yet, Edison Podcast Metrics paints a different picture, showing YouTube slightly edging out Spotify as the top choice for Gen Z podcast listeners.
So, why the conflicting findings? The answer lies in methodology. Transistor’s insights stem from over 100 interviews gathered via ads on Reddit, Tumblr, newsletters, and social media. In contrast, Edison Podcast Metrics analyzes more than 5,000 quarterly surveys from a broad, representative pool of U.S. weekly podcast listeners. Narrowing it down to Gen Z, their Q4 2024 data includes 1,568 respondents aged 13-29, weighted against The Infinite Dial®—a trusted benchmark survey—to mirror the broader Gen Z population.
Podcast listening habits will keep shifting across time and demographics. Still, two truths hold firm: platforms must adapt to changing listener preferences, and Edison Research will continue delivering reliable, methodologically robust insights to track these trends.
