Over 60% of U.S. Adults Listen to The Radio Every Day

A huge new study done by the folks at NPR and the Edison Research Group has come out. It looks at the world of radio. More specifically, radio listeners. How many are there? What kind of people listen to the radio? Do they hate all the commercials we play? The study came up with some very interesting answers, and further proof, that the medium of radio is far from dead!

Let's start off with a really BIG number, shall we? NPR reports through their study, that they confirmed that nearly 156 million people in the United States age 18 or older, listen to AM/FM radio every...single...day. That's 63% of the U.S. adult population! And they tune in every day! The study also found that listeners come back to radio for a variety of different reasons. The study broke radio listeners down into six different groups, based on why they listen.

• Radio Heads - 9% of all listeners - This group listens for all of their audio needs. This group listens to the most radio.
• Connection Seekers - 16% of all listeners - This group listens for the company and connection that radio offers.
• Infomaniacs - 18% of listeners - This group listens based on their need to consume news and information.
• Rhythm Rockers - 27% of listeners - They tune in for the music, man!
• Laidback Listener - 17% of listeners - They have the radio on in the background.
• Habitualists - 13% of listeners - Listen to radio when it's the only option.

I think that's a pretty fair breakdown of radio listeners. I've personally always been drawn to the music and the personalities of radio, so chalk me up as a Rhythm Rocker and a Connection Seeker! But Brain, what about all those commercials? The study found that 47% of radio listeners think that the ads are a fair trade for the fact that the content is free. And nearly half of listeners say they've tried a new product after hearing about it on the radio.

For those of you who think radio is dead, it's not. We're evolving. Coming up with more fun and inventive ways to keep you listening. The study found that radio commands 41% of all time spent listening to audio by adults in the U.S. 33% of listeners say that radio has become an even more important part of their lives. That is what we strive to be. Not just a favorite song, or a funny joke. We want to be a part of our listeners lives. Because we understand that nothing is as strong as family.