Most AM/FM Radio Listening Remains On Radio Receivers

A decade of rapid growth in digital audio hasn’t displaced the traditional radio receiver as Americans’ primary way to listen to AM/FM radio, according to new findings from Edison Research’s Share of Ear study.

While streaming on phones, computers, smart speakers, and smart TVs has surged across the audio landscape, Edison reports that the classic radio set continues to far outpace all other devices for AM/FM usage among listeners 13 and older.

In 2015, 93% of AM/FM listening occurred on a traditional radio receiver. Ten years later-with smart speakers widespread and mobile listening steadily climbing-that number has dipped only slightly, to 87%. Edison notes that although digital platforms have gained ground, the radio receiver “continues to dramatically outperform all other devices for radio listening.”

In-car listening remains a major factor behind radio’s dominance, with nearly all AM/FM consumption inside vehicles occurring through built-in receivers. But even outside the car, most AM/FM listening still happens via over-the-air signals rather than digital streams.

Broadcast groups have invested heavily in apps, smart-speaker skills, and other digital extensions, yet Edison’s long-running measurement shows that the traditional receiver remains listeners’ preferred gateway to AM/FM radio.