AM/FM Radio’s Ad-Supported Reach Is Growing Among Teens.

AM/FM radio continues to reach more teens than any other ad-supported audio platform, and its audience has grown over the past five years. According to an analysis of Edison Research’s most recent “Share of Ear” study, not only is ad-supported AM/FM’s reach ahead of other audio choices among teens (defined as ages 13-19), it has grown 9.8% since 2021.

“While streaming music platforms dominate the cultural conversation for teens, a closer look at the actual ad-exposed listening behavior reveals a surprising reality: AM/FM radio remains one of the most potent, resilient and vastly untapped vehicles to reach and engage teen audiences,” Audacy Senior Manager, Research & Insights Deepika P Das says in Audacy’s Insights blog.

As Das notes, the key is where advertisers can actually reach teens. “Commercial exposure isn’t necessarily happening on the platforms marketers might expect,” she says. “While teens spend significant time with streaming music, much of that listening occurs behind subscription paywalls, often through shared family accounts. As a result, many marketing messages never reach those listeners.”

According to Edison, while streaming music platforms boast a 71% reach of teens, nearly half of teens listening to streaming music (47%) do not listen to ads. “Their mere presence does not automatically equate to marketing access,” Das says, “This exposes the true vulnerability of a streaming music-only media buy. If you aren’t accounting for the subscription firewall, you are missing half the room and negatively impacting your KPIs.”

While AM/FM radio’s reach stands at 55%, its ad-supported reach doubles that of streaming music, which is 1.6 times the reach of ad-supported music videos on YouTube. “AM/FM radio continues to lead where it matters most,” Das says. “AM/FM radio isn’t just competing, it is actively dominating the platforms marketers assume have replaced it.”

“Over the past five years, the trajectory of ad-supported audio has fundamentally split,” Das says. “Growth in ad-supported streaming music reach has slowed down with the rise of ad-free subscription tiers, which are slowly becoming the default choice. Conversely, AM/FM radio’s ad-supported reach among teenagers has steadily grown.”

AM/FM radio listening in cars is what gives the medium its advantage with teens, resulting in more time spent listening than to any other audio or non-audio platform, as 40% of teens listen in the car every day. 

“That’s where radio doesn’t just compete, it unplugs listeners from their phones and provides an ad-exposed listening environment, delivering a reach which is nearly twice the reach of overall streaming music (ad-free and ad-supported) in-car, and seven times the reach of ad-supported streaming music in-car,” Das says.

What gives AM/FM radio its advantage with teens is, she says, “real-time connection. This is not your isolated playlist. With updates on local weather, school closings, DJs, personalities, concert contests and community moments, it’s an engaging, even comforting live feed of what’s happening now - an unplugged, lean-back listening experience that also creates a sense of safety and belonging.”

Therefore, the importance of teens to advertisers, and of AM/FM radio for reaching them, can’t be underestimated. “Teenagers may not have full-time paychecks, but they have something just as valuable – influence,” Das says. “And while parents make purchasing decisions, kids increasingly shape them. As tomorrow’s core consumer base, the time to capture their hearts and minds, and influence loyalty, is now. For marketers seeking scale and meaningful audience connection, radio’s role in the teen audio ecosystem deserves a closer look. AM/FM radio continues to deliver substantial reach and engagement, providing advertisers with an opportunity that is often overlooked.”