Survey Finds Podcasting’s Election Year Gains With Adults Have Held Into New Year.

Radio continues to dominate the U.S. audio landscape, with 84% of adults ages 25-64 reporting weekly listening in the 2026 FMR/Eastlan Ratings National Radio Listening Survey. The figure is largely unchanged from recent years, slipping just slightly from 85% in 2025 and 86% in 2024, underscoring radio’s consistent reach despite the continued expansion of digital audio options.

The survey finds stability across market sizes, with weekly radio listening at 84% in both the largest markets (1-30) and smaller markets (31+).

Streaming audio ranks as the second most-used platform, reaching 63% of adults weekly in 2026, compared to 65% in 2025 and 63% in 2024. Personal music listening — including music libraries and downloads — stands at 60% weekly, up from 52% in 2025.

Podcast listening appears to have leveled off after a surge during the 2025 election cycle. The survey shows 40% of adults 25-64 listening to podcasts weekly in 2026, compared to 39% in 2025. That figure had jumped significantly from 24% in 2024, suggesting the election-year boost added incremental listening rather than replacing other audio sources.

Satellite radio listening remains comparatively modest, with 16% of adults reporting weekly use in 2026, similar to 2025 levels. Meanwhile, only 4% say they listen to none of the listed audio platforms weekly.

While digital platforms continue to grow, traditional broadcast delivery remains the dominant way Americans listen to radio. The survey finds two-thirds of all primary radio listening still occurs through traditional AM/FM receivers. Another 16% comes via streaming, while 11% is delivered through smartphone apps.

The reliance on traditional receivers is even more pronounced in smaller markets. In markets ranked 31 and smaller, 68% of primary radio listening comes from AM/FM radio recievers.

The 2026 survey also explored the growing intersection of podcasting and video platforms. Among respondents who say they watch podcasts on video, YouTube overwhelmingly leads as the preferred platform, cited by 72% of users. Instagram and TikTok each trail far behind at 10%.

The nationally projectable survey included 1,000 adults ages 25-64 and was designed to be demographically balanced and geographically representative. The data reflects weekly listening to varied audio mediums, and not time spent listening.