From 10% to 40% in a Decade
For the first time ever, podcasts have passed AM/FM radio as the top platform for talk audio.
Edison Research's latest Share of Ear data shows that as of Q4 2025, podcasts now capture 40% of daily non-music listening time among Americans 13+. AM/FM radio sits at 39%.
Edison calls this category "spoken-word audio," which basically covers everything that isn't music: talk shows, news, commentary, interviews, storytelling, and yes, podcasts. It's the content people actively choose to listen to because they care about the topic or the person talking.
That one-point gap might not sound like much. But look at where this started.
A 65-Point Lead, Gone
In 2015, radio owned 75% of that share. Podcasts had 10%. A 65-point gap.
This wasn't a sudden flip. Edison's data shows the shift happened quarter by quarter, year over year. Radio's share kept sliding while podcasts kept climbing. But the result is hard to miss: the platform that dominated talk audio for decades no longer holds the top spot.
And it makes sense. People don't wait around for scheduled programming the way they used to. They pick a podcast, hit play, and listen on their own time. That shift in behavior is what's been driving these numbers for years.
Talk Audio Makes Up 25% of Daily Listening Time
That's a massive share of attention, and the majority of it now belongs to podcasts. Not because radio stopped being relevant, but because listeners found a format that fits how they actually consume content today. They want to pick a topic, choose a host, and listen on their own schedule. Podcasts do that really well.
And the way people listen to podcasts is different. They subscribe. They follow hosts. They build habits around specific shows. It's active, intentional listening. That's what makes endorsement-style sponsorships so effective, and it's a big reason this shift keeps accelerating.
For advertisers, the takeaway is straightforward. The talk audio audience is huge, it's growing on the podcast side, and those listeners are engaged in a way that drives real results for brands.
Where This Is Heading
This isn't a plateau. Edison's data shows consistent, steady movement in one direction for a full decade. The trend line is clear, and it favors podcasts.
For brands thinking about their audio strategy, the opportunity is pretty straightforward. A growing share of the talk audio audience is choosing podcasts, and they're not just listening passively. They're choosing shows, engaging with hosts, and trusting their recommendations.
If your media plan hasn't caught up, the listeners already have.
Sherry Del Rizzo
Sherry leads ADOPTER Media’s inbound content marketing, SEO strategy, brand authority, and knowledge base development. Translation: she makes sure the agency’s expertise shows up in the right places from search rankings to industry conversations. For her, marketing isn’t just about promotion, it's about translating ideas into content people actually want to engage with.
