Podcast Listening Ties AM/FM Among 18-29 Year Olds
By Edison Research
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One of Edison Research’s flagship studies, Share of Ear, has captured how Americans 13+ spend their daily time with audio since 2014. Over this eleven-year history, podcasts have gained significant ground as an integral part of Americans’ daily audio diet.
While podcast listening has grown across all age groups, the growth has been particularly notable among young people. In 2014, among 18–29 year olds, AM/FM listening enjoyed an advantage in listening time over podcasting by a ratio of more than 7:1. With our most recent update, and for the first time, Podcast listening and AM/FM listening are tied among 18-29 year olds, each accounting for 14% of daily listening time.
It is worth noting that when it comes to time spent listening among this age group, both streaming music services and YouTube for music and music videos far surpass each of these platforms. And the daily reach for AM/FM radio among 18-29s is still a bit higher than what podcasts achieve. But for Share of Ear among ad-supported audio options, AM/FM and Podcasts are the leaders, and advertisers will find equal value from each.
Inquire on our website to learn more about Share of Ear and all the audience segments available.
We are proud to announce the Top 50 Podcasts in the U.S. for Q2 2025 from Edison Podcast Metrics.
The Joe Rogan Experience, Crime Junkie, and The Daily remain the Top Three shows in terms of weekly reach among U.S. listeners 13+. Edison Podcast Metrics now includes data from individuals who exclusively engage with podcasts through video platforms. Respondents are now asked if they’ve watched a podcast in addition to if they’ve listened to a podcast in the past week. Video-heavy shows, such as No Jumper and The Pat McAfee Show, climbed 11 and 26 spots, respectively.
Edison Research Unveils New Podcast Badge for Top U.S. and UK Shows
Edison Research released new official Top Podcast badges for shows with the largest weekly listening audiences in both the U.S. and the UK, determined by Edison Podcast Metrics.
The Top Podcast badge is available for shows in the Top 10, Top 25, and Top 50. Shows and networks who qualify for the badges will be contacted by Edison Research and may also reach out to Edison Research at info@edisonresearch.com. Visit our website to learn more.
Edison Research and Nielsen Launch Groundbreaking Podcast Dataset
We are thrilled to share the news that Edison Research and Nielsen are collaborating to launch Nielsen Podcast Fusion powered by Edison Research.
For the first time, advertisers and agencies will be able to plan, optimize and compare all major media types – including podcasts, TV, radio, digital and social – in one place. This new data fusion will integrate the industry-leading Edison Podcast Metrics into Nielsen’s widely used media planning tool, Nielsen Media Impact (NMI). NPR and Ocean Media are among the charter subscribers at launch.
“Nielsen Media Impact is a critical tool for cross-platform media planning, and we are excited to bring our best-in-class podcast measurement data to this ecosystem.” said Melissa Kiesche, Senior Vice President at Edison Research. “Our strategic partnership will help advertisers better understand the power of podcasting and its role in the broader media landscape.”
For more information about NMI and Podcast Fusion Data powered by Edison Research, contact your Nielsen representative.
