Edison’s Q4 2025 “Share Of Ear”: In-Car Listening Grows In Importance For AM/FM Radio As It Dominates The Path To Purchase
Click here to view an 8-minute video of the key findings.
Edison Research’s quarterly “Share of Ear” study is the authoritative examination of time spent with audio in America. The study, in its eleventh year, surveys 4,000 Americans annually to measure daily reach and time spent for all forms of audio.
Currently, nearly 1,700 AM/FM radio salespeople, programmers, and managers are active users of Xperi’s DTS AutoStage, the new in-car AM/FM radio audience measurement system powered by six million U.S. vehicles. Given this significant interest, our focus for this analysis is AM/FM radio listening in the car.
Here are the key in-car findings from Edison’s Q4 2025 “Share of Ear” report:
- Over the last decade, the proportion of over-the-air AM/FM radio listening occurring in-car has surged +25%. In-car listening has grown from 42% of all tuning in 2015 to 53% today.
- Among younger listeners, the car is the dominant location of listening. 63% of all 18-34 over-the-air AM/FM radio listening occurs in the car. Among 25-54s, 57% of all AM/FM radio time spent occurs in the car.
- Among women, the vehicle is by far the dominant over-the-air AM/FM radio listening location.
- The proportion of in-car listening has grown +23% among those who drive domestic vehicles. Most vehicle brand drivers devote over half of all in-car audio time spent to AM/FM radio.
- To reach consumers on the path to purchase, look no further than AM/FM radio. With an 83% in-car share of ad-supported audio, AM/FM radio is the “queen of the road.”
Over the last decade, the proportion of over-the-air AM/FM radio listening occurring in-car has surged +25%
In-car listening has grown from 42% of all tuning in 2015 to 53% today. The pandemic caused the amount of in-car listening to dip but in 2023, the proportion of in-car listening surged to exceed pre-pandemic levels.
Among younger demographics, in-car listening represents the vast majority of over-the-air AM/FM radio time spent
63% of all 18-34 over-the-air AM/FM radio time spent occurs in the car. 57% of all 25-54 AM/FM radio time spent is in the car.
Among women, the vehicle is by far the dominant over-the-air AM/FM radio listening location
Across every demographic, in-car represents a greater proportion of female AM/FM radio listening versus men. Among women 18-34, in-car listening captures 72% of over-the-air AM/FM radio listening. Among women 25-54, two-thirds of all AM/FM radio time spent happens in-car.
The proportion of in-car listening has grown +23% among those who drive domestic vehicles
Among those who drive a Ford, Chevy, GMC, or Jeep, the vehicle share of AM/FM radio time spent has grown from 43% in 2016 to 53% in 2025. Among those who drive imported brands such as BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Lexus, Nissan, Subaru, or Toyota, the proportion of AM/FM radio time spent in-car was high even in 2016 and now represents 55% of all AM/FM radio listening.
Most vehicle brand drivers devote over half of all in-car audio time spent to AM/FM radio
Edison queries consumers about the auto brand of their primary vehicle. Edison rolls up auto brand ownership to the OEM parent company. Overall, 54% of all U.S. in-car listening to audio goes to AM/FM radio.
Across most auto brands, AM/FM radio is the most listened to audio source, accounting for over 50% of all in-car audio time. AM/FM radio is particularly strong among General Motors vehicles, accounting for 62% of all in-car audio time.
To reach consumers on the path to purchase, look no further than AM/FM radio; With an 83% in-car share of ad-supported audio, AM/FM radio is the “queen of the road”
Across every major buying and selling demographic, AM/FM radio’s in-car share of ad-supported audio is dominant
Even among 18-34s, 77% of all in-car ad-supported audio time spent goes to AM/FM radio.
Here are the key in-car findings from Edison’s Q4 2025 “Share of Ear” report:
- Over the last decade, the proportion of over-the-air AM/FM radio listening occurring in-car has surged +25%. In-car listening has grown from 42% of all tuning in 2015 to 53% today.
- Among younger listeners, the car is the dominant location of listening. 63% of all 18-34 over-the-air AM/FM radio listening occurs in the car. Among 25-54s, 57% of all AM/FM radio time spent occurs in the car.
- Among women, the vehicle is by far the dominant over-the-air AM/FM radio listening location.
- The proportion of in-car listening has grown +23% among those who drive domestic vehicles. Most vehicle brand drivers devote over half of all in-car audio time spent to AM/FM radio.
- To reach consumers on the path to purchase, look no further than AM/FM radio. With an 83% in-car share of ad-supported audio, AM/FM radio is the “queen of the road.”
Click here to view an 8-minute video of the key findings.
Pierre Bouvard is Chief Insights Officer of the Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group®.
Contact the Insights team at CorpMarketing@westwoodone.com.