Morning drive has been the foundation of AM/FM Radio for decades. But new data from Crowd React Media shows that listening habits are changing.
What We Know: This is the third State of Media report issued by Crowd React Media. It surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. adults over the age of 18. The report details data from several media types, including social media and video games, in addition to TV, Radio, etc…
What the Numbers Show: 34% of respondents said that afternoon drive was their primary daypart. That has risen from 28% in 2024. Conversely, morning drive was at 52% in 2024. That has fallen to 40% in 2026. Additionally, those who identified as “frequent” radio users remained flat from 2025 to 2026. Those using AM/FM radio actually rose one percentage point from 2025 to 2026, at 76%. That figure has fallen since the 80% the medium garnered in 2024. When asked why they listen to local radio, 40% of those aged 18-34 said that local content is the key reason. That’s higher than the overall level (30%) and the 55+ crowd (20%).
What They Said: “What we are seeing is not audiences abandoning media. It is more subtle than that, and frankly more interesting. There is a growing anti-algorithm sentiment showing up in consumer behavior, and you can see it in the data before you see it in the think pieces. People are not logging off. They are just a little more tired, a little more checked out, a little less deep in the feed than they were a year ago. The formats that cannot be gamed by an algorithm or flooded with AI content are the ones holding their ground, and that is not a coincidence.” -Crowd React Media Vice President of Strategy Katie Miller
What Remains Unclear: What led to the overall increase in AM/FM radio usage. Crowd React Media did ask questions about the increase in afternoon drive listening, with many respondents noting that they were either working or exercising during the window.
What It Means: The data points are largely positive for the AM/FM Radio realm. It is especially interesting to see that younger listeners point to local content as the chief reason for why they tune into the medium.
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
