AM/FM Radio has long been the king of the audio space. That continues in 2026, according to new data from FMR and Eastlan.
In a new National Radio Listening Survey, it was revealed that 84% of adults aged 25-64 listen to radio weekly. That figure has remained steady in recent years, with the figure falling from 86% in 2024 to 85% in 2025.
The data remains the same when split between those living in the top 30 markets and those in markets 31 and up. Both demographics responded at an 84% weekly usage.
The two widest gaps in listening between those two categories came in podcast and satellite radio usage. 42% of those living in markets 1-30 responded that they are weekly podcast listeners. Those in markets 31 and up responded similarly at 37%.
Meanwhile, in the smaller markets, listening to SiriusXM was slightly larger at 18% compared to 14% in markets 1-30.
Of the 84% listening to AM/FM radio weekly, two-thirds said they did it with a terrestrial radio signal. 16% said they listened to an AM/FM station’s stream, while 11% said their primary point of listening to those brands was via a mobile app.
FMR and Eastlan also asked respondents which video platform they use most often for podcast listening. 72% said YouTube, which dwarfed Instagram and TikTok, which each received 10%. It marked the first time that question was asked in the survey.
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