Radio Remains Stable and Dominant
• That’s the good news, based on new data from the 2026 FMR / Eastlan Ratings National Radio Listening Survey which reveals that 84% of adults 25-64 listen to Radio weekly. Radio has been remarkably consistent over the last five years, revealing stable dominance in the audio space.
Podcast Listening has stabilized at 40% weekly in 2026 after sustaining a significant increase during the 2025 election year. However, that large increase did not affect weekly radio, streaming or satellite consumption, instead it appears to represent additional weekly audio listening.
Two thirds of all primary radio listening came from the traditional AM/FM radio, while 11% of primary listening was through a phone app and 16% from a stream. In markets 31+, 68% of all primary listening is from traditional AM/FM radio.
New in 2026 listeners were asked when they watch a podcast which video platform they used most often. Among users who tune-in to podcasts on video, YouTube is clearly the most popular platform at 72%. Significantly fewer identify Instagram or Tik Tok at 10% each.
The statistically projectable national survey of 1,000 25- to 64-year-old adults was demographically balanced and geographically representative. For more information, visit fmrassociates.com.
