The first quarter of 2025 marked a major milestone for the audio industry in the U.S. Americans are now spending nearly four hours a day with audio content. According to Edison Research’s Share of Ear® and Nielsen data, daily audio consumption hit an average of 3 hours and 54 minutes, spanning radio, podcasts, streaming music, and satellite radio. It’s a clear sign that audio isn’t just alive—it’s thriving.

The Power of Ad-Supported Audio

While the overall listening time is impressive, what matters most to advertisers is how much of that time is spent with ad-supported audio. In Q1 2025, 64% of audio listening was on ad-supported platforms. That’s a massive opportunity for brands looking to connect with highly engaged audiences across scalable and measurable channels.

According to Nielsen’s Ad-Supported Gauge, this number mirrors trends in other media, such as TV, where 72% of viewing time in Q1 was on ad-supported platforms.

Where Listeners Are Spending Time

Drilling down into ad-supported audio platforms, here’s how listeners divided their time in Q1:

  • 66% – AM/FM Radio
  • 19% – Podcasts
  • 12% – Streaming Music Services
  • 3% – Satellite Radio

Radio continues to dominate listening time. While it saw a minor 1% dip from Q4 2024, podcast listening increased by 1%, indicating the steady rise of on-demand spoken-word content in consumer habits.

Generational Listening Habits

Not all listeners engage with audio in the same way. Age plays a significant role in platform preference:

  • Ages 35+: Radio dominates with a 73% share of daily ad-supported audio time.
  • Ages 18–34: More fragmented, with radio at 47% and podcasts surging to 32% of daily listening.

These insights confirm that audio is far from a one-size-fits-all channel. Diverse age groups are tuning in differently, which is key for advertisers fine-tuning their targeting strategies.

Format Matters: Radio’s Reach by Genre

The report also examines how radio listening is broken down by format, age, and demographic. Music genres vary in their pull across age groups, but one thing remains constant—radio continues to be a cultural and community connector, particularly among Black audiences. Radio holds a strong position with Black listeners, and more data can be found in the Black Diverse Intelligence Series report.

Why It All Matters for Advertisers

Ad-supported audio is more than just scalable—it’s strategic. With the average American spending almost 4 hours daily with audio, and nearly two-thirds of that time offering advertising opportunities, the space is ripe for smart, context-aware brand messaging. Whether emotion-driven podcast ads or high-recall radio spots, audio provides a screen-free, high-attention environment that cuts through the digital clutter.

At AdTonos, we help brands activate this power through innovative, programmatic audio solutions that reach listeners at scale, with precision and privacy-first tools.

Source: Nilsen website, Edison Research, “Share of Ear®” Q1 2025