Over the last decade, the location of over-the-air AM/FM radio listening has fundamentally shifted, with the vehicle now accounting for a majority of all tuning. But it comes as its overall reach has declined during that same period.
According to the Q4 2025 “Share of Ear” survey from Edison Research, the shift to in-car listening is most evident among female listeners.
Pierre Bouvard, chief insights officer of the Cumulus Media/Westwood One Audio Active Group, highlighted in his analysis that AM/FM radio’s share of ad-supported audio in the car currently sits at 83%.
Bouvard characterizes the medium’s grip on the dashboard as “firm,” but the 83% figure does represent a multi-year decline from 90% in 2018 and 86% in 2024, according to the Q4 survey.
Even with that broader decline, radio remains a primary choice in the vehicle: Among the 18–34 demographic, for example, AM/FM radio still captures 77% of in-car ad-supported audio time.
The shift occurs as radio’s overall daily reach, or the percentage of persons who listen daily, among persons 18+ has fallen from 69% in 2017 to 54% in 2025, according to Edison. The reach of podcasts increased from 8% to 23% during that time.
The dashboard migration
Edison’s data tracks a long-term migration of the radio audience from the office to the vehicle. In 2015, car listening represented 42% of all over-the-air radio tuning; by late 2025, that proportion rose to 53%.
This concentration of listening in the car is most pronounced among younger age groups:
- Ages 18–34: 63% of their over-the-air radio time now happens in the car.
- Ages 25–54: 57% of their tuning occurs while driving.
Across all audio forms, among that 25–54 demographic, the proportion of all ad-supported audio listening occurring at work fell from 19% in the 2016-2019 period to 14% in late 2025.
But home listening for all ad-supported audio rose from 44% to 54% in that same timeframe — a shift largely driven by the persistence of working from home and the growth of podcasts and streaming, Edison said.
Demographic and vehicle trends
The reliance on the vehicle as a tuning hub is especially high among women.
Across every major demographic, the car represents a greater proportion of total radio listening for women than for men. Notably, for women aged 18–34 who listen to over-the-air radio, 72% of that time is spent in a vehicle.
This trend holds across various car brands. Among drivers of domestic models — Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, GMC or Jeep — the vehicle’s share of total over-the-air radio time grew from 43% in 2016 to 53% in 2025. Drivers of popular imports saw a similar trend, with the in-car proportion moving from 50% to 55% in the same period.
Edison’s quarterly study, now in its 11th year, surveys approximately 4,000 U.S. listeners annually to track these shifts in audio consumption.
The industry also awaits the annual “Infinite Dial” report, scheduled for release on March 20.
