Gen Z may have grown up with streaming, social media and on-demand entertainment, but new research from iHeartMedia suggests younger consumers have not abandoned traditional radio. Instead, broadcast radio appears to fill a different role: creating a shared, low-pressure environment where music, advertising and cultural moments can be experienced collectively. The findings offer marketers a counterpoint to the assumption that Gen Z's media habits are defined entirely by personalization and individual choice.

iHeartMedia has released new research examining how Gen Z interacts with audio, with findings suggesting that the generation's desire for community and belonging may be helping sustain radio engagement alongside streaming platforms, podcasts and social media.

The study, conducted by Critical Mass Media in June 2026, surveyed 1,090 U.S. adults who listen to radio. The sample included adults ages 18 to 64, with 46% between 18 and 34 and 54% between 35 and 64. Because the methodology is based on adult radio listeners rather than a standalone nationally representative Gen Z sample, the findings should be viewed as a study of Gen Z radio listeners rather than a complete measure of all Gen Z media behavior.

Within that audience, iHeartMedia identifies a notable pattern: radio can function as a social audio environment, rather than simply another way to consume music.

That is an important distinction in an audio market increasingly dominated by algorithmic personalization. Streaming services can build highly individualized playlists, recommendations and listening histories. Radio does almost the opposite. A station makes a programming decision for the audience, creating a shared soundtrack rather than asking every listener to select one.

The iHeartMedia research suggests that this difference can be valuable to younger listeners who experience significant pressure around online self-presentation.

Forty percent of Gen Z respondents said they had chosen not to post something they cared about because they feared peers might use it to embarrass them. Another 44% said they had reduced their social-media use, while 43% of teens reported pressure to post content that makes them look good to others.

That context helps explain one of the study's more striking findings: 85% of Gen Z respondents said they feel less likely to be judged when listening to radio with other people, while 77% said radio feels safer or less risky to play in a group.

The behavior extends beyond music preference. Eighty-four percent of respondents said they default to radio when traveling in a car with other people, and 60% said radio is simply easier to enjoy as a group.

In fact, iHeartMedia says Gen Z is becoming the strongest co-listening generation in its research, with 63% saying they frequently or nearly always listen to radio with others, compared with 42% of all radio listeners.

The finding is particularly interesting because the conventional image of Gen Z media consumption is highly individualized: smartphones, headphones, algorithmic feeds and personalized recommendations. The study suggests that personalized media and shared media can coexist, with each serving different social purposes.

Independent Edison Research data provides broader context. Its Q1 2026 Share of Ear research found that Americans ages 13 to 34 spend an average of 4 hours and 30 minutes per day with audio, the highest of any age group. 

Edison also reports that AM/FM radio, including streams, represented 16% of Gen Z's total audio day in its Gen Z Audio Report, compared with 42% for streaming music and 20% for YouTube music and music videos. 

The numbers highlight an important distinction: radio does not have to dominate total Gen Z audio consumption to remain strategically important for advertisers. Its value may come from reach, context and shared listening, particularly in environments such as cars.

For advertisers, the conversation becomes even more interesting when listening generates conversation.

iHeartMedia says 80% of its Gen Z respondents like to discuss what they hear on the radio, including songs, artists, news, DJ content and advertisements. Ninety-one percent said radio gives their social circles something to talk about, while 90% said hearing something together can spark conversation afterward.

Six in 10 respondents also said that mentioning a song, artist, brand or product out loud makes them more likely to search for additional information about it.

That creates a pathway from audio exposure to social discussion and then to active discovery. The model differs from an individualized digital impression, where the consumer may interact with an ad privately and immediately move on.

The study also highlights the role of curation. Nearly all Gen Z listeners surveyed—96%—said their music choices communicate something about their identity, while 68% reported updating playlists daily or weekly. Yet seven in 10 expressed concern about being judged for what they play, according to iHeartMedia.

Radio removes some of that decision-making burden. Instead of one person choosing a soundtrack that others may judge, a station provides a common point of reference.

This helps explain why co-listening in the research is often situational. Ninety-three percent of respondents said it occurs in the car, while other common environments included running errands, road trips and commuting.

The automotive connection is particularly important because radio remains deeply integrated into in-car listening. Edison Research reports that linear audio still dominates the vehicle environment, even as streaming and connected devices continue to expand. 

For brands, this means radio's role may be less about competing directly with Spotify or YouTube and more about offering a different type of media experience.

The advertising opportunity is not limited to reach. If a commercial becomes part of a shared conversation, it can potentially gain a second life through word of mouth, search and social discussion.

That is especially relevant as Gen Z's purchasing power grows and marketers look for environments where advertising can feel culturally integrated rather than purely interruptive.

iHeartMedia is clearly positioning the findings around that opportunity. But the broader market takeaway is larger than one media company: community can be a competitive advantage in an increasingly personalized media ecosystem.

The challenge for advertisers will be measuring it. Traditional digital metrics make it relatively easy to count impressions, clicks and conversions. Shared listening is harder to attribute because the value may emerge later through conversations, branded search or peer influence.

That could push audio marketers toward broader measurement frameworks that combine reach with search behavior, brand lift, engagement and downstream action.

For Gen Z, the study suggests that the future of media may not be a choice between personalization and community. Young consumers can want both: highly personalized feeds when they are alone and shared media experiences when they are with other people.

Radio's resilience may come from understanding that distinction better than its reputation suggests.

Market Landscape

The U.S. audio market is increasingly fragmented across broadcast radio, streamed radio, music services, podcasts, YouTube and other digital formats.

Gen Z has embraced on-demand audio, and Edison Research's Gen Z Audio Report shows streaming music taking the largest share of the generation's audio day. Yet broadcast and streamed AM/FM radio continue to provide substantial reach and a particularly strong position in shared environments such as cars. 

For marketers, the competitive question is therefore not simply which platform has the largest audience. It is which environment provides the right combination of scale, attention, context and social influence for a particular objective.

Spotify, YouTube and podcasts are highly effective for personalized and on-demand consumption. Radio offers curation, personalities, local relevance and shared listening at scale.

iHeartMedia's broader strategy reflects this convergence. The company operates across broadcast radio, podcasts, digital audio, social, influencers and live experiences, creating opportunities for brands to reach Gen Z across multiple touchpoints rather than depending on one format.

Strategic Outlook

The biggest implication for advertisers is that personalization is not the only form of relevance.

As AI makes digital feeds increasingly customized, shared experiences may become more distinctive rather than less valuable. Radio provides one example, but the principle could extend to live events, creator communities, sports and other media environments built around collective participation.

For advertising technology and MarTech teams, that creates a measurement challenge. Shared audio experiences are difficult to reduce to a last-click model, particularly when influence moves from a broadcast to a conversation and eventually to a search or purchase.

Future media strategies will likely combine programmatic targeting and first-party data with context-rich environments where brands can become part of a cultural moment.

Gen Z's behavior suggests the market should be careful about assuming that younger audiences want every experience optimized solely for them. Sometimes, the appeal is precisely that they do not have to choose.

Top Insights

• iHeartMedia's research suggests Gen Z values radio as a shared, low-pressure environment, challenging assumptions that younger audiences prefer exclusively personalized and on-demand media experiences.
• Ninety-three percent of Gen Z respondents co-listening to radio do so in cars, reinforcing the importance of shared in-car environments for audio advertising and discovery.
• Edison Research finds 13-to-34-year-olds spend 4 hours and 30 minutes with audio daily, showing younger audiences remain deeply engaged with the medium overall.
• Radio's value for marketers may extend beyond reach because shared listening can trigger conversations, branded searches and social influence among groups experiencing content together.
• The emerging audio strategy is increasingly hybrid: personalized streaming for individual moments and curated radio for social settings, especially commuting, errands and group travel.

Get in touch with our MarTech Experts