AM/FM Radio Dominates In-Car Audio Among Young Americans.

Edison Research’s latest Insights report finds that AM/FM radio remains the dominant ad-supported audio platform among Americans ages 13 to 34 when they are listening in the car.

The report, based on Edison’s Share of Ear data, found that Americans ages 13 to 34 spend an average of just under an hour a day listening to audio in the car. About 63% of that listening time is devoted to ad-supported audio platforms.

AM/FM radio, including both over-the-air broadcasts and radio streams, accounts for 70% of ad-supported in-car audio listening among the younger demographic, putting it well ahead of other platforms.

“AM/FM Radio is the way for advertisers to reach the youngest consumers in the car,” Edison said.

Podcasts rank a distant second, accounting for 11% of ad-supported in-car audio time. Streaming music ranks third at 10%, although Edison noted that a significant share of streaming-music listening is ad-free and therefore is excluded when consumption is filtered to include only ad-supported platforms.

Music and music videos on YouTube account for another 7% of ad-supported in-car audio listening among 13- to 34-year-olds.

The findings suggest that traditional radio continues to play a substantial role in reaching younger consumers in the vehicle, even as they have access to an expanding range of digital audio platforms.

Edison also noted that Share of Ear measures listening by everyone in the car, rather than only the driver. SiriusXM, where only non-music channels carry advertising, accounts for 2% of listening time among the younger audience.

The results highlight the continued importance of the automobile as an audio listening environment and the leading position of AM/FM radio within the ad-supported portion of that audience’s in-car listening.