Executive summary

Despite constant “radio is dead” headlines, broadcast radio still commands the majority of ad-supported audio time in the U.S.—about two-thirds of the ad-supported universe as of Q1 2025—with podcasts and free streaming making up most of the balance. That stable reach, paired with shifting taste on streaming (where discovery increasingly happens), points to several high-return format bets for the next 12–24 months. 

Drawing on Edison Research and Nielsen Audio trend snapshots plus Luminate’s genre consumption data, this paper identifies ten format opportunities—some new, some reimagined—and details the target demos, music eras, rotation logic, positioning, revenue angles, and risks for each. 

Method, data, and why this matters now

Listening share baselines. Edison’s Share of Ear and Nielsen’s The Record provide quarterly views of how Americans divide their audio time and how radio formats are trending (OTA + streams). We use their latest 2024–2025 snapshots for directional guidance.  Taste velocity. Luminate’s year-end and mid-year reports reveal genre shifts on streaming—useful leading indicators for which sounds are “hot” enough to sustain a radio lane.  Revenue reality. Local ad spend is softer in 2025; stations that can prove unique audience composition and consistent in-market activation will win a larger slice. Format choices should map to advertisers with active budgets. 

Market snapshot (late 2024–mid 2025)

Radio’s role in ad-supported audio remains dominant: radio ≈ 66% of daily time in the ad-supported set (Q1 2025). Implication: format selection still moves revenue.  Format shares (illustrative). Nielsen’s Q3 2024 data tables show strong presence for News/Talk, AC/Hot AC, Country, Classic formats, Urban AC, and CHR among total audience (OTA+stream). Use this to gauge local competitive pressure.  Taste shifts on streaming. Pop re-accelerated in 2024–2025 (female-led hits), while Regional Mexican continued its U.S. climb; Hip-Hop/R&B still lead total streams.  Nostalgia cycles tightened; “recession-pop” (2007–2012 upbeat pop) had a measurable U.S. lift by mid-2025.  Christian/CCM acts are over-performing growth expectations among younger, female-skewing audiences on streaming.  Hispanic audience momentum. Radio maintains exceptional reach among Hispanic listeners, and 2025 Nielsen methodology changes coincided with sizable quarter-over-quarter gains in Hispanic listening. Implication: Spanish-dominant and bilingual formats are under-built in many markets. 

Ten high-return format opportunities

Each playbook includes: Who (demo/psychographics), What (music era & texture), Why (growth logic), How (clock, rotations, tone), $$$ (sales angles), Risks.

1) “Recession-Pop & Throwback Hits (2007–2015)” — a modern Classic Hits offshoot

Who: A25–44 core; heavy F25–34 overlay seeking upbeat, familiar, non-edgy pop. What: Kesha/Katy/Miley/Rihanna/Bruno/Lady Gaga; sprinkle 2015–2018 Max-Martin-style pop and current compatible recurrents. Why: Documented uptick in “recession-pop” nostalgia; pop’s 2024 resurgence on streaming.  How: 40% powers (2007–2012), 30% recurrents (2013–2018), 15% currents that test “sunny,” 15% surprises; imaging = light, escapist. $$$: Retail, QSR, fitness, beauty—brands that chase mood-boost. Risks: Overlap with Hot AC; solve via tighter years and higher energy ceiling.

2) “Country Crossovers Now” — mainstream Country with Pop/Alt edges

Who: A18–49 mixed-gender; suburban & exurban commuters. What: Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, Zach Bryan; integrate pop-friendly crossovers (Shaboozey, etc.). Why: Country remains top-tier in format shares and cultural footprint; crossovers widen cume.  How: Contemporary powers + golds from 2010s anthems; daytime mainstream, nights more adventurous collabs. $$$: Auto, home improvement, grocers; live event tie-ins. Risks: Market saturation in some DMAs; differentiate with frequent “New @ 9” and local sessions.

3) “Regional Mexican + Urbano” (bilingual hybrid)

Who: Bilingual A18–44; second-gen Hispanic listeners who bounce between Peso Pluma and Karol G. What: Regional Mexican (corridos tumbados, sierreño, banda) + Latin Urbano/Reggaetón power titles; bilingual jock talk. Why: Regional Mexican is the largest Latin subgenre in the U.S.; radio’s Hispanic reach is unmatched.  How: Dayparts lean Regional Mexican; nights/weekends add Urbano blocks; Spanish-first but bilingual liners. $$$: Telecom, CPG, automotive, local retail with Hispanic spend. Risks: Requires authentic talent & community presence; music research must be granular by origin and tempo.

4) “Afrobeats + Global Rhythms” (weekend franchise → full-time where viable)

Who: A18–34 culture drivers; diaspora audiences + pop-curious Gen Z. What: Afrobeats (Rema, Burna Boy, Tems), Amapiano crossovers, Caribbean fusions. Why: Global rhythmic growth on streaming; under-served on U.S. radio despite strong club/social presence (leading-indicator logic via Luminate genre shifts).  How: Start as Friday/Saturday “Global Vibes”; migrate to HD2/stream; test-and-expand. $$$: Nightlife, fashion, university events, beverage. Risks: Library depth, unfamiliar gold; mitigate with DJ-driven curation.

5) “Indie-Pop & Bedroom Pop” (Alt for the algorithm era)

Who: A18–34, college-centric, streaming-native listeners who find Alt radio too guitar-centric. What: Maggie Rogers, Clairo, boygenius, Bleachers-adjacent, TikTok-broken earworms. Why: Streaming discovery outpaces radio; a curated, melodic lane can differentiate from Rock-leaning Alt.  How: High current exposure (35–45% of spins), low burn via fast rotation cycling; personality-forward nights. $$$: D2C retail, coffee/fast-casual, campus advertisers. Risks: Monetization in smaller markets; keep a strong event/experiential pipeline.

6) “CCM / Positive Pop” (upbeat, crossover-friendly)

Who: A25–44, predominantly female; family listening and at-work. What: Elevation Worship, Brandon Lake, for KING & COUNTRY; secular-friendly “positivity” pop recurrents. Why: Christian/CCM is a 2025 growth outlier on streaming; audience appetite for uplifting themes.  How: Market as “Positive Hits” with clear value prop; careful currents testing; community service imaging. $$$: Healthcare, education, faith-adjacent nonprofits, family entertainment. Risks: Library sameness; solve via tempo variety and strong localism.

7) “Y2K–2010s Hip-Hop/R&B Gold” (clean nostalgia)

Who: A25–44; grew up on 106&Park-era hits; wants familiar, work-safe edits. What: 2000–2016 core: Usher, Drake (early), Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Ne-Yo, OutKast. Why: Hip-Hop/R&B remain the streaming heavyweight—there’s room for a gold-leaning, brand-safe lane for at-work listening.  How: Tight powers, “story of the sample” features, local DJ mixes at 5pm. $$$: Apparel, quick-serve, personal finance, local government campaigns (where allowed). Risks: Overlap with Urban AC; define by years (Y2K–2010s) and energy.

8) “Chill/Focus (Lo-Fi + Soft Electronica + Downtempo Pop)”

Who: WFH professionals, students, coders; A18–49. What: Lo-fi hip-hop, ODESZA/ambient-pop, acoustic remixes; very low clutter. Why: Streaming’s enormous “study/focus” cohort has no equivalent on radio; sell the use-case, not the artists.  How: Long sets, minimal talk; sponsor with “Focus Hours”; strong stream/app presence. $$$: Productivity tools, higher-ed, tech, coworking. Risks: Low personality; differentiate via local news briefs on the :30 only.

9) “Sports Talk + Music Hybrids” (seasonal dayparting)

Who: A25–54 sports fans who fatigue on nonstop debate shows. What: Music blocks around live sports rights and local talk; team-specific shoulder content. Why: News/Talk/Sports remain format stalwarts; hybridizing creates female-friendlier tune-ins and broader at-work use.  How: Morning drive sports talk; middays “music with scores”; evenings team talk + fan remixes. $$$: Betting (where legal), auto, beer, local pro/college partners. Risks: Rights costs; hedge by emphasizing local college & HS sports.

10) “News You Can Use (Utility AC)”

Who: A35–64 at-work audience needing calm utility: traffic, weather, headlines, and familiar AC recurrents. What: 1995–2015 AC golds + a thin current layer; :30 service hits. Why: AC/Hot AC maintain broad shares; a service-heavy variant can steal time from streaming during work blocks.  How: Four-song sweeps between quick service clusters; sponsor every utility touch. $$$: Insurance, healthcare, local services. Risks: Sounds “old” if imaging is dated; keep sonics modern.

Go-to-market playbook

1) Pick the lane with both listener pull and advertiser push

Validate with a 4-week music test (200 hooks) + two advertiser roundtables. Cross-check the market’s existing format shares using the latest The Record tables to avoid head-on duplication. 

2) Craft clocks for use-cases, not just demos

Drive time: higher energy recurrents and personality. Workday: longer music sets for Chill/Utility plays. Nights/Weekends: specialty franchises (Global Vibes, Local Live, Throwback Mixes) to incubate future currents.

3) Make digital an equal citizen

Treat the stream as the “extended library” (HD2/HD3 + app-only shows) so you can trial formats like Afrobeats or Chill without flipping your main stick first.

4) Revenue architecture

Build signature sponsorships tied to format DNA (e.g., “Friday Vibes presented by ___” for Global Rhythms; “Focus Hours” for Chill). Use category exclusivity to lift CPMs where ratings are still maturing; align with sectors still spending in a softer 2025 local ad market. 

KPIs and research cadence

Cume & TSL by daypart; % stream listening; music scorecards (passion/fatigue by title); spot load tolerance vs benchmarks from Edison/Nielsen posts.  Advertiser mix (local direct vs agency), average order value, and experiential revenue (events, sessions). Quarterly check-ins against Luminate genre movement to keep currents aligned with streaming taste. 

Risks & mitigations

Format crowding: If Country or AC are packed, launch the adjacent version (e.g., Country Crossovers, Utility AC) rather than a me-too.  Talent authenticity: Bilingual/Global formats must hire to the culture, not just the playlist. Measurement volatility: Methodology tweaks (e.g., Nielsen threshold rules) can swing estimates; judge trendlines across multiple quarters. 

90-day action plan

Week 1–2: Market audit (format grid vs. The Record); advertiser heat-map (BIA categories with active spend).  Week 3–6: Music testing + imaging sprints; recruit two credible local voices. Week 7–8: Soft-launch digital/HD2 pilots (Global Vibes; Chill Hours). Week 9–10: On-air flip with a 72-hour “commercial-free” window funded by a presenting sponsor. Week 11–12: First optimization pass (clock tweaks, powers/recurrents rebalance).

Bottom line

If you’re launching or re-tooling in 2025–26, your safest high-ceiling bets are:

Recession-Pop Throwbacks, Country Crossovers Now, and Regional Mexican + Urbano in markets with Hispanic growth. CCM/Positive Pop and Y2K–2010s Hip-Hop/R&B Gold where at-work radio is strong. Chill/Focus and Afrobeats/Global Rhythms as digital/HD2 pilots that can graduate to full signals.

Radio still owns most ad-supported listening time; the winners will be the operators who pair that reach with formats that mirror streaming-led taste shifts—and who sell the use-case as much as the music. 

Key sources

Edison Research, Share of Ear / The Record (Q1–Q2 2025 insights posts).  Nielsen Audio, The Record, Q3 2024 format shares and Q1 2025 ad-supported audio split.  Luminate, 2024 Year-End / 2025 Mid-Year genre trends.  BIA Advisory Services, 2025 Local Ad Forecast (context for revenue expectations).  Hispanic audio reach and momentum.