Radio & Podcast Personalities Are Key Players

Audacy’s new State of Audio: The Creator Effect study highlights the growing power of radio and podcast personalities as key players in the creator economy, with audiences rewarding authenticity and local connection over social media polish.

According to the report, audio creator revenues have more than doubled since 2020, driven by what Audacy calls “the creator effect” — hosts and DJs whose influence stems from trust and personal connection rather than follower counts. The study found that radio listeners are twice as likely to trust recommendations from their favorite personalities as they are from traditional social influencers.

Listeners also see their favorite hosts as part of their daily lives. Eight in ten music station listeners tune in specifically for their favorite radio personality, while a third say they feel more connected to their community because of local radio. Among podcast audiences, nearly six in ten trust ads read by their host, and three-quarters have purchased a brand after hearing it endorsed on their favorite show.

For advertisers, the halo effect is clear: 44% of listeners feel a stronger connection to brands that support their favorite creators, and campaigns featuring authentic host partnerships have delivered measurable lifts in awareness, sales, and ROI.

Audacy’s CMO Jenny Nelson said the findings reinforce the power of voice in modern marketing. “The future of the creator economy is mic-powered,” she wrote. “Authentic, influential, and impossible to ignore.” Download the full State of Audio: The Creator Effect report from Audacy here.