Gen Z still listens to online radio because it is quick to start, easy to use in the car and does not require a decision before every song or programme. Radio also offers live presenters, local information, shared moments and the possibility of hearing something unexpected.
Streaming gives listeners control. Radio offers relief from having to choose.
That difference matters when someone is driving to work, making dinner, studying or simply looking for something to fill the next 20 minutes. They may not want to build a playlist, search for an episode or decide what should play next. Sometimes, they just want something interesting to come out of the speakers.
Radio and streaming are not always competing for the same moment. They often solve different listening needs.
Do young people still listen to radio?
Yes, some young people continue to listen to radio, particularly in cars and situations where quick, low-effort listening is useful.
The clearest evidence in this article comes from Edison Research’s 2023 Gen Z Audio Report. The study focused on listeners in the United States and defined Gen Z as people aged 13–24.
Its Share of Ear diary data estimated that this group spent 48% of its in-car audio listening time through traditional AM/FM receivers, compared with 43% through mobile devices.
These numbers describe a share of listening time, not the percentage of young people who listen to radio. They are also U.S.-specific findings from 2023, not global or current 2026 measurements.
Even with those limitations, the results reveal something useful: access to streaming does not automatically remove radio from a young listener’s day.
More choice does not always make listening easier
A phone can provide access to songs, podcasts, videos and live streams from around the world. That level of choice is useful, especially when a listener knows exactly what they want.
But choice also creates work.
Streaming often begins with a decision:
- Which artist?
- Which song?
- Which playlist?
- Which podcast?
- Which episode?
- What should play next?
Radio removes most of those questions. Select a station and the programme continues without asking for another decision every few minutes.
The station may play a familiar song, introduce an artist, share a local update or begin a conversation that unexpectedly catches your attention. That sense of discovery is harder to create when every listening session begins with a search box.
Why is radio still useful in the car?
Radio fits naturally into driving because it can require very little interaction once it is playing.
A driver may be watching traffic, following directions or navigating an unfamiliar route. Constantly searching for music or changing audio can become an unnecessary distraction.
In Edison’s 2023 study, U.S. respondents aged 13–24 who had used both AM/FM radio and streaming audio in cars were more likely to associate AM/FM with being:
- Quicker to turn on and off
- Easier to use
- More convenient
This finding came from a specific group of respondents who had experience with both options. It was a survey of their perceptions, not a technical usability test. Still, it helps explain why an older medium can remain practical in a modern car.
Convenience is not glamorous, but it has real value. For someone starting a short journey, the easiest audio option may be the one that is already available.
Radio offers more than a sequence of songs
If radio only delivered music, on-demand platforms would make its role much harder to explain. Radio can also provide context around the music and a sense that someone else is present.
A presenter can:
- Explain why a song matters
- Share a story about an artist
- React to something happening locally
- Introduce a caller or guest
- Make an ordinary commute feel less isolated
- Create a familiar routine at the same time each day
This is the difference between receiving content and feeling accompanied by it.
The song may be available on several platforms, but the moment around that song can still feel different on radio.
Live voices can create companionship
Audio is often present during activities that people do alone: commuting, working, cooking, exercising or travelling.
A familiar radio presenter can make those moments feel more connected. The listener does not need to participate directly. Hearing a live voice, a caller or a conversation can be enough to create a sense of company.
Podcasts can provide companionship too, but the experience is usually on demand. Live radio adds the feeling that other people may be hearing the same moment at the same time.
That shared quality remains one of radio’s most distinctive strengths.
Local content gives radio a practical role
Streaming platforms are excellent at providing global catalogues. Radio can add information tied to a particular place and time.
Depending on the station, that may include:
- Local news
- Traffic information
- Weather updates
- Community events
- Regional music
- Local sport
- Interviews with people from the area
- Emergency announcements
Not every young listener needs this information every day. When it becomes relevant, however, a local station can offer something a general playlist cannot.
Internet radio can extend this value. Someone living away from home may use an online stream to hear a familiar station from their city or country, where the broadcaster makes that stream available.
Radio makes discovery feel less predictable
Streaming recommendations are useful, but they usually begin with information about what a listener already likes.
Radio discovery can be less predictable.
A presenter may select a track because it suits the programme, connects to a news story or deserves another listen. A specialist show may introduce music from a scene, country or period that the listener would never have searched for.
With Radio FM, listeners can take that discovery further by exploring online stations based on country, genre or interest. Instead of asking, “Which song do I want?”, they can start with a broader question:
What might I discover today?
That shift can make listening feel less like managing a library and more like entering an experience already in progress.
Does radio have too many interruptions?
Interruptions are one of radio’s biggest challenges.
Listeners understand that many stations need advertising, promotions and announcements. The issue is not simply whether an interruption happens. The more important question is whether it gives the listener something useful or entertaining in return.
A local traffic update may be valuable. A presenter telling a good story can add to the experience. A short explanation of the next programme can help listeners decide whether to stay.
A long sequence of repeated promotions, commercials and station reminders can feel different. If the interruption does not inform, entertain or connect, it may give the listener a reason to leave.
Young audiences do not necessarily need radio to offer uninterrupted music. They do expect the overall experience to respect their time.
Radio does not need to become Spotify
Radio will not win by becoming a weaker version of an on-demand music service.
Streaming is at its best when listeners know what they want. It offers control, repetition, personal libraries and the ability to skip.
Radio works differently. It can offer:
- Live programming
- Human curation
- Shared listening moments
- Local relevance
- Unexpected discovery
- An experience that continues without constant input
A person may use Spotify for a particular album, YouTube for a music video, a podcast for a focused story and radio for an easy journey home.
These habits can exist together. Listening is not always a choice between radio and streaming.
What can radio learn from streaming?
Radio does not need to copy streaming, but it can learn from how easily good streaming services help people begin listening.
Modern radio experiences should reduce unnecessary friction. That can mean:
- Clear programme information
- Reliable station streams
- Easier station discovery
- Simple controls
- Relevant recommendations
- Favorites for frequently played stations
- Recent Listening for quick return
- Better access across mobile and connected devices
Radio FM brings live stations and podcasts into one discovery experience. Listeners can search by country, category or interest, save stations they enjoy and return to recently played content.
This combines the variety of digital audio with radio’s ability to let the programme unfold.
Can digital radio attract younger listeners?
Digital radio can make traditional station formats easier to access, but availability alone is not enough. The experience still needs to earn attention.
A younger listener may not know a station’s frequency, name or broadcast area. Browsing by country or genre can offer a simpler route into radio.
For example, someone might explore:
- A local news station while travelling
- An international music station
- A sports discussion programme
- A specialist jazz or classical station
- A talk station from their home country
- A podcast connected to a subject they heard on air
Platforms such as Radio FM can help make those paths easier. The goal is not to remove the identity of individual broadcasters. It is to help listeners find them.
Radio and streaming can work together
The future of audio is unlikely to be a simple contest in which one format replaces every other format.
Listeners choose differently depending on the situation:
- Streaming music when they know the exact artist or track
- Podcasts when they want a particular subject or story
- Video platforms when the visual element matters
- Radio when they want live voices, easy discovery or something that starts quickly
A radio station can also offer podcasts, clips and online streams. A digital platform can combine live and on-demand listening. The boundaries between formats are already less rigid than they once were.
What matters is whether the experience suits the moment.
What is the future of radio for Gen Z?
Radio’s future with Gen Z will depend less on tradition and more on usefulness.
Younger listeners do not owe radio their attention. Being available is not enough. Stations and platforms need to make listening simple, relevant and worth continuing.
That may involve better digital discovery, stronger live programming, clearer schedules and more thoughtful use of presenters, local information and community voices.
Technology will continue to change. The underlying listening needs are more stable.
Sometimes people want complete control. Sometimes they want a recommendation. Sometimes they want another human voice in the background. And sometimes they do not want to make another decision at all.
Radio still has a place in each of those moments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Gen Z still listen to radio?
Some Gen Z listeners use radio because it is quick to start, convenient in cars and does not require them to select every song or programme. Radio can also provide live presenters, local information and unexpected discovery.
Do young people listen to AM/FM radio?
Yes, some do. Edison Research’s 2023 U.S. Gen Z report found that traditional AM/FM receivers accounted for a substantial share of in-car audio time among listeners aged 13–24. The result should not be treated as a global or current 2026 measurement.
Why is radio popular in cars?
Radio can begin with very little interaction and continue playing without requiring repeated choices. This makes it practical for journeys when the driver’s attention should remain on the road.
Is radio better than streaming?
Neither is universally better. Streaming provides more control and on-demand choice. Radio offers live programming, passive listening, local information and human curation. Their usefulness depends on the situation.
Is radio only for older listeners?
No. Listening habits vary within every age group. Younger listeners may use radio differently, especially through cars, online streams and mobile platforms.
Can online radio attract young listeners?
Online radio can make stations easier to find by country, genre or interest. It also allows listeners to access supported streams outside a station’s normal broadcast area, although availability and rights can vary.
Does Radio FM replace traditional AM/FM radio?
No. Radio FM is an internet-radio and podcast platform. It streams available online station feeds rather than turning a phone into a traditional AM/FM receiver.
What is the future of radio?
Radio is likely to combine live broadcasting with online streams, podcasts, mobile discovery and more personalised experiences. Its long-term value will depend on making listening easy while preserving live voices, local relevance and discovery.
Radio still solves a human problem
Young listeners have more audio choices than any generation before them. That does not mean they always want to choose.
Radio can still be the quickest way to hear something live, useful or unexpected. It can provide background entertainment, local information, companionship or a voice that makes a quiet journey feel less empty.
Streaming gives listeners control. Radio gives them permission to stop choosing for a while.
That is not an outdated behaviour. It is a very human one.