The latest Nielsen Audio January 2025 survey indicates a significant rise in radio listenership, marking the highest audience levels since 2021. The findings show an upward trend across key listening periods and demographics, reinforcing AM/FM radio’s position as a powerful and enduring medium (Nielsen Audio, January 2025 Survey Radio Advertising Bureau, 2025).
Key Findings: Increased Engagement Across Dayparts
Nielsen’s report, the first to implement a 3-minute qualifier for measurement, highlights double-digit growth in key listening periods:
• Drive-time listening (morning and afternoon commutes) rose 16% among all listeners aged 12+.
• Weekend radio listening also increased by 16%, suggesting more engagement during leisure time.
• For adults aged 25-54, drive-time listening climbed 14%, while weekend listening grew by 13%.
These numbers reflect a continued demand for real-time audio content, with radio remaining a go-to source for information and entertainment, particularly during high-traffic hours (Nielsen Audio, January 2025 Survey Radio Advertising Bureau, 2025).
Audience Composition: Younger Listeners Tune In
One of the most notable shifts in the January survey is the increase in younger demographics within the overall
radio audience:
• Adults 18-49 grew by 0.6% in audience share.
• Adults 25-54, a key segment for advertisers, saw a nearly 1% increase.
This data challenges the assumption that younger audiences are migrating exclusively to digital platforms. Instead, it suggests that AM/FM radio continues to attract a broad and evolving listener base (Nielsen Audio, January 2025 Survey Radio Advertising Bureau, 2025).
National Trends: Overall Listening Continues to Climb
By combining January’s PPM (Portable People Meter) survey results with Spring 2024’s Nationwide Diary Survey, Nielsen projects:
• Total radio listening increased by 3%.
• Adults 25-54 listening rose by 3%.
• Adults 18-49 listening grew by 2%.
This suggests that despite the increasing availability of on-demand audio services, live radio remains a preferred medium for many Americans (Nielsen Audio, January 2025 Survey Radio Advertising Bureau, 2025).
What This Means for the Radio Industry
For broadcasters, content creators, and advertisers, this report underscores radio’s resilience in a changing media landscape. AM/FM continues to provide one of the broadest audience reaches, a factor that remains crucial for effective advertising.
Higher audience engagement also presents new opportunities for advertisers to reach consumers in real-time, particularly during commuting hours and weekends, when listeners are actively engaged with programming.
Looking Ahead
The findings from Nielsen’s January 2025 survey reinforce radio’s position as a vital component of the modern media mix. As listenership continues to grow across demographics and time slots, AM/FM radio remains a reliable and effective platform for both audiences and advertisers alike.
For those considering where to allocate media budgets in 2025, radio’s continued strength suggests it should remain a key part of the conversation.
Source: Nielsen Audio, January 2025 Survey (Radio Advertising Bureau, 2025).
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