Nearly four hours of audio a day
In November 2026 Nielsen released the latest edition of The Record, its quarterly report on audio listening in the United States, produced with Edison Research. In the third quarter of 2026, Americans spent an average of 3 hours and 55 minutes a day with audio. That time is spread across more devices and services than ever, yet the core of ad-supported audio has barely moved.
Within that ad-supported universe, AM/FM radio, whether heard over the air or streamed, and podcasts together account for 83% of daily listening time. Music streaming services take only 15%. Each month, radio reaches 92% of American adults, more than 242 million people, and 87% of 18-34 year olds.
In streaming, spoken word counts double
The most useful insight for online broadcasters concerns the digital streams of AM/FM stations. When audiences listen to a station online, talk formats take a much bigger share than on air. News/Talk, sports and all-news together represent about 36% of station streaming among adults 18+, compared with 17% of total radio listening: twice as much.
- News/Talk takes 22.1% of station streaming among adults 18+, more than double its overall 10.2% share. It rises to 24.2% among listeners 35+.
- All Sports is the number one streamed format among 25-54 year olds, at 13%, and takes 10.3% among adults 18+.
- Among 18-34 year olds, music takes over again: Adult Contemporary leads station streams with 13.1%, ahead of sports (11.9%) and News/Talk (8.5%). Pop (7.2%) and adult R&B (6.6%) also over-index with this group.
Podcasts are catching up with radio among young adults
Edison Research's Share of Ear data included in the report, as highlighted by Podnews, shows podcasts capture 21% of ad-supported audio time. Among 18-34 year olds the gap narrows sharply: podcasts make up 33% of their audio time, against 42% for radio. Edison Research also notes that total podcast listening time in the US has grown by 386% in ten years.
What it means for internet radio stations
These American figures suggest several practical directions for internet radio publishers, whose entire audience comes through streaming.
- Spoken word belongs online. People who pick a stream often come for news, debate or sport. A music station can benefit from regular talk slots: news bulletins, features, local or themed magazines.
- Music still drives young listeners. 18-34 year olds favour music formats on streams, with a preference for Adult Contemporary, pop and R&B.
- Podcasts are now essential. At a third of 18-34 listening time, they are no longer a bonus. Turning flagship shows into on-demand episodes lets a station exist in both uses.
- Measurement makes the difference. Nielsen stresses the value of measuring radio, podcasts and streaming in a single system. For an internet radio station, reliable listening statistics remain the strongest argument with advertisers.
The US market is not the European market, but the trend is clear: online listening does not replace radio, it reshapes how people use it. Stations that adapt to these habits have a real opportunity.
Source: Nielsen