Earlier this year, young Americans’ listening habits reached a tipping point that doesn’t bode well for legacy media companies.  

In the second quarter, AM/FM and podcasts both had a 14% share of time spent listening to audio in the 18- to 29-year-old age group. But just 11 years ago, AM/FM radio had a seemingly insurmountable lead: In 2014, Edison Research found that AM/FM listening held a seven-to-one margin over podcast listening in the same age group. 

Edison noticed a surge in young consumers’ audio listening last year. Among all age demos, the biggest increase in time spent listening to spoken word audio was seen among listeners aged 13 to 34, who devoted 23% of listening time to spoken word audio, up from 11% in 2014. That compared with smaller jumps among adults 55 and over, who dedicated 28% of time spent listening to spoken word audio in 2024, up slightly from 26% a decade earlier. For listeners aged 35 to 54, spoken word audio rose to 28% from 22% in 2014. 

So, what changed? The popularity of video podcasts is a major factor. YouTube, not Spotify, is Americans’ top destination for podcasts. However, Spotify is moving deeper into video podcasts — with encouraging results. More than 350 million users, up 65% from a year ago, streamed one of the estimated 430,000 video podcasts by the second quarter, the company revealed in its July 29 earnings call. What’s more, video consumption on Spotify is growing 20 times faster than audio consumption.  

The type of podcasts that are popular has changed, too. The most popular podcast at Apple Podcasts in 2014 was NPR’s Fresh Air, an interview show that launched in 1975. NPR and public radio — which are facing deep budget cuts — owned the top 10 list that year: This American Life, Radiolab, Planet Money and Wait Wait….Don’t Tell Me also made the list. Basically, podcasts of that era gave radio listeners an opportunity to time-shift their favorite radio programs. 

That was also the year of the first season of Serial, a groundbreaking 12-part audio series that delved into a murder conviction. Serial was an important transition point for the format, built for the podcast age but produced by public radio station WBEZ and created by Sarah Koenig, a former producer for WBEZ’s This American Life.  

Podcasting looked much different in 2024, which saw people gravitate to younger shows created as alternatives to legacy radio shows. The Joe Rogan Experience, the quintessential alternative to legacy media, topped Edison’s list of the most popular podcasts in the U.S. in the fourth quarter of 2024 (it was No. 3 on Apple’s list in 2014). Legacy brands appear further down the list: This American Life was No. 17, Serial (now owned by the New York Times) was No. 23 and NPR’s Up First, a daily podcast created in 2017 to provide bite-sized news content, was No. 25.  

The Daily from The New York Times, which claimed the No. 3 spot, is the closest thing in the top 10 to legacy media. By and large, the most popular podcasts are no longer radio shows. True crime and shows hosted by actors and comedians, not narrative series in the vein of Serial, now dominate. Call Her Daddy, hosted by 30-year-old Alex Cooper, was No. 4. This Past Weekend by comedian Theo Von was No. 5. Talk Tuah with Hailey Welch, better known as “The Hawk Tuah Girl,” fell just outside the top 10 at the No. 11 spot.  

Audiences’ avoidance of radio is having financial consequences. On Thursday (Aug. 7), Cumulus Media reported a 13% decline in broadcast radio revenue in the second quarter. iHeartMedia, which reports Q2 earnings on Aug. 11, reported a 5.2% decline in broadcast radio revenue in Q1. Radio companies have kept their heads above water by cutting costs and building digital businesses — including podcasts — but broadcast radio, which is still an important source of promotion (for labels) and royalties (for publishers), is in trouble.  

In contrast, podcasts are booming. A recent IAB/PwC study found podcast advertising rose 26.4% to $2.43 billion in 2024. Notably, the companies behind the podcast boom — YouTube, Apple, Spotify and Amazon — are financial behemoths that also have a hand in radio’s demise.  

None of this is to bemoan the inevitable change in media formats or the unpopularity of broadcast radio among younger listeners. As times change, the way people listen will change. But it’s important to recognize how change can have downstream effects. Some of those effects are economic (podcasts don’t generate the same royalties as radio unless listeners become subscribers to Spotify or another platform), and some of those effects are promotional (impacting how people find new music). For every generational shift in consumption, there are inevitable winners and losers — and in this round, AM/FM radio is taking the biggest hit. 

Through tariffs, inflation and economic uncertainty, music fans continue to clamor for concert tickets. For proof, look no further than Live Nation’s second quarter earnings report, which saw revenue jump 16% to $7 billion on the strength of $5.95 billion of concert revenue, up 19% year over year.  

“Global expansion continues to drive touring growth, with fan attendance hitting new highs and ticket buying strong at every price point from VIP to the back row,” CEO Michael Rapino said in a statement. By investing in high-growth markets and fan experiences, the company can produce double-digit growth in revenue and adjusted operating income “this year and for years to come,” he added.  

Like Rapino’s forward-looking statement, most of the conversation during Live Nation’s Thursday (Aug. 7) earnings call focused on future opportunities, not second-quarter results. Here are a few key takeaways.  

International Growth 

International markets produced a 30% increase in fan attendance in the second quarter, and international arena fan count was up 20%. Of the 20 million ticket sales Live Nation has added this year, 70% came from international markets, and most of the growth in fan attendance in 2025 is coming from the U.K., Europe and Latin America, said CFO Joe Berchtold.  

Potential in Latin America 

A week after Live Nation purchased an additional 24% of Mexican promoter OCESA, bringing its stake to 75%, Rapino sang the praises of the company’s relationship with OCESA and its management team led by CEO Alejandro Soberón. “We think [that] Mexico, under Alex, has continued great growth ahead of it,” he said. There’s even more potential outside of Mexico, where OCESA recently remodeled Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City. Live Nation is operating Arena Cañaveralejo, a stadium in Cali, Colombia, in partnership with Grupo Páramo and OCESA. And Brazil “is another Mexico,” said Rapino. “Huge opportunity in Brazil. Other than Rock in Rio and some tours, we really are underdeveloped in most of Latin America.” 

The World Cup Won’t Be a Factor 

The U.S., Canada and Mexico will host the World Cup next year, effectively removing some stadiums from the music touring circuit. The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19 in 16 cities across the continent. But Live Nation assured investors that the World Cup isn’t likely to interfere with concert tours. Because Live Nation started planning well in advance, “we’ve been able to secure a really good ’26 stadium business,” said Rapino. While the U.S. “might have a few less stadiums,” he added, Live Nation is going to have “a big, big business in Europe next year [and] we’re going to have big business in Latin America.” 

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Back-to-school season is almost upon us, but it doesn’t have to be all bad.

To stave off thoughts of school work, tests and stress, why not shop the best of beauty? In the spirit of procrastination, we’ve compiled a list of user-friendly and affordable tried-and-true beauty products you can shop now at Ulta Beauty, Sephora, Target and Glossier. The best part? These products are all less than $50.

From hydrating lip balms and brightening eye masks to skin tints, this list features user-friendly items that’ll have you looking good, even during the most arduous all-nighters and lengthy study halls. Keep reading to shop till you drop.

Milk Makeup Balmade Hydrating Tinted Lip Balm with Electrolytes in Juiced

$18

Buy Now at ulta

A hydrating tinted lip balm formulated with electrolytes.

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Subtly tinted and full of hydration, this Milk Makeup Balmade Hydrating Tinted Lip Balm will get you through those nail-biting exams and then some. Retailing for $18, the balm currently comes in seven shades on Ulta Beauty’s website, but Juiced is our favorite. The key ingredient in this product is electrolytes.

While the minerals are best known for quenching your thirst in products such as Gatorade or Liquid IV, the ingredient can also be used to help retain moisture as it relates to lip products. Thanks to those nifty electrolytes, the sheer pink balm is smooth, non-sticky and hydrating, offering the lips a glassy-looking sheen. You’ve also got ingredients such as banana juice, which helps retain hydration, and a mix of coconut and aloe extracts that visibly smooths texture and conditions.

Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen Stick SPF 40 Invisible Sun Protection

$32

Buy Now at sephora

A stick of SPF 40 sunscreen.

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When you’re busy studying and heading to class, the last thing on your mind is suncare. Enter Supergoop!’s Unseen Sunscreen Stick with SPF 40, an easy-to-use stick sunscreen formula that you can apply on the go. Much like a deodorant, the product is a twist-up in a solid block that easily glides onto the skin, leaving no white cast or residue. Beyond its sun protection capabilities, the product is also blurring thanks to the silica powders found in the ingredients list. This leaves the skin mattified and free of oils. The product also includes meadowfoam estolide, a naturally derived emollient known for its moisturizing capabilities.

Summer Fridays Jet Lag™ Eye Patches

$24

Buy Now at sephora

Hydrating and brightening eye patches.

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Pulled too many all-nighters? Not to worry: Summer Fridays Jet Lag™ Eye Patches are here to save the day. Retailing for $24, these patches will both brighten and hydrate the undereyes, evening the skin and hydrating for a smoother finish. The hydration boost comes from a humectant blend, while a mix of niacinamide, cucumber extract and panthenol works to soothe the under eyes. Caffeine, an ingredient that can often be found in eye patches, works to depuff, giving you that “I slept eight hours” look.

E.l.f. Power Grip Primer

$10

Buy Now at target

A sticky primer in a pump bottle.

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E.l.f.’s Power Grip Primer is a sticky primer that’ll have your makeup lasting longer than your long-distance college relationships. It’s also a dead ringer for Milk Makeup’s Hydro Grip Primer (but we didn’t tell you that). Retailing for $10, the gel-based clear primer moisturizes while leaving a tacky base to put makeup on top. The sticky finish works kind of like Velcro, allowing whatever makeup you layer on over it to not budge. Some key players in the ingredient list include hyaluronic acid, a hydrating agent, and niacinamide, which improves the overall look of your skin by reducing inflammation and texture. It’s also non-comedogenic, meaning it won’t clog your pores.

Merit Flush Balm Cream Blush in Stockholm

$30

Buy Now at sephora

A stick blush that can be swiped on.

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If you do want to wear makeup when heading back to school, ease of use is a must. When you’ve got your head in the books and a busy course load ahead of you, the least you can do for yourself is get easy-to-use makeup. This Merit Flush Balm Cream Blush is not only easy to apply, but it’s also affordable too. Retailing for $30, this blush is a cream formula that comes in 12 unique shades. The cream formula melts into the skin, building up and blending in easily. Cream blushes offer a more natural finish in contrast to their powder counterpart.

Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint in G2 Very Deep Warm

$28

Buy Now at glossier

A watery skin tint with a buildable coverage.

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As we’ve mentioned, easy and affordable products are the key to a successful makeup look, especially as a student. It’s not about creating the perfect cut-crease or spending on fancy products with claims they can’t back. Glossier’s Perfecting Skin Tint is affordable and easy to use, so easy, in fact, that you can apply it with your hands, if that’s your thing. Retailing for $28, the tint comes in 12 shades and offers the skin a light wash of coverage that can be built up. The tint is water-based, meaning it is more fluid and sheer. You’re not going to get a full-coverage moment from this product. Keep that in mind before adding to cart.

Pixi by Petra On-The-Glow Super Glow in Natural Lustre

$18

Buy Now at target

A stick highlighter.

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If you’re a broke college student, you’re probably not going to drop $50 to $60 on some of these fancy highlighters. If you’re living on an instant ramen diet but you still want to shine, we’ve included Pixi’s On-The-Glow Super Glow highlighter stick. Affordable and pigmented? Sign us up. Retailing for $18, the stick product glides on with ease, leaving a subtle shine to the skin. You’ve got four shades — Natural Lustre, Gilded Gold, Ice Pearl and Petal Dew — each with unique undertones perfect for an array of skin tones. We recommend applying this stick highlighter to the cheekbones, Cupid’s bow and the bridge of the nose for a dewy finish.

Tower 28 Beauty MakeWaves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara in Drift

$20

Buy Now at sephora

A brown mascara.

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This one is for those who want to add a little something to their look without looking like they applied a full face prior to class. If natural is your prerogative, Tower 28 Beauty MakeWaves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara in Drift is right for you. The mascara comes in a brown hue, offering a much subtler look than classic black. The special wand is lengthy with a curved construction that marries to the natural curvature of the eye, coating each and every lash while promoting length and volume.

YNW Melly’s double murder trial has been postponed yet again, this time until January 2027 — nearly eight years after he was first arrested.

Melly has sat in jail for years awaiting trial on first-degree murder charges over accusations that he and another YNW rapper shot and killed Anthony “YNW Sakchaser” Williams and Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas Jr. in 2018.

Now, the wait will go on even longer. A trial had been set to kick off Sept. 10, but on Friday (Aug. 8), Judge Martin S. Fein postponed it until January 2027, prosecutors confirmed to Billboard. That will be almost eight years after Melly was arrested in February 2019.

The delay is due to ongoing appeals lodged by both sides over what evidence will be admitted in the trial. Last week, an appeals court granted a “stay” ordering Judge Fein to halt all proceedings until after that appeal is resolved. Both prosecutors and Melly’s defense team had asked for such a delay.

Prosecutors say Melly (Jamell Demons) carried out the October 2018 killings of friends Williams and Thomas after a recording session in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Rapper and Melly associate YNW Bortlen (Cortland Henry) then allegedly faked a drive-by shooting to cover up the murder; Henry is charged as an accomplice and will face a separate trial.

A trial was initially scheduled to start in April 2022, but was called off at the last minute. After a long appeal over whether Melly could face the death penalty, the trial finally kicked off in June 2023. But following weeks of testimony and days of deliberation, it ended in a mistrial after the deadlocked jury was unable to reach a verdict.

The case was set for re-trial in October 2023, but was postponed amid disputes over evidence. With the case finally set to be re-heard in September, Judge Martin S. Fein urged prosecutors earlier this year to stick to that date.

“Mr. Demons has now been in custody for 2,202 days, and if one state attorney is not available, maybe one of the other two assigned to this case can stand in, and if all three are not available, maybe one of the 150 state attorneys upstairs might sit in,” the judge said, according to NBC 6 Miami.

But with both sides pursuing appeals over evidentiary issues, they once again asked for the trial to be pushed back. When Judge Fein denied that request, both sides asked Florida’s Fourth District Court of Appeal to grant a stay ordering such a freeze.

“Simply, without a stay, the state loses its ability to prosecute a serious case on its full merits,” prosecutors told the appeals court last month. “This error cannot be corrected once it is inflicted.”

Melly’s defense attorneys similarly urged a delay until the appeal is resolved: “Appellee cannot adequately prepare for trial,” they wrote in their own filing. “Appellee’s due process rights will obviously be violated and he will be denied a fair trial if he is not afforded an opportunity to complete discovery.”

Oral arguments in the appeal are scheduled for next month.

Sitting on a couch her Midtown Nashville apartment, Alexandra Kay makes a bold prediction: She’s going to reach No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart. 

“I truly believe my song ‘Straight for the Heart’ will be my first No. 1 at country radio,” she tells Billboard’s Behind the Setlist podcast. “And I have no problem saying that, and I say it on stage all the time.”

Long before she was named to Pandora’s 2025 Artist to Watch: Country and CMT’s 2025 Next Women of Country lists, Kay built a career as an independent artist. After getting dropped by a label in 2019, she poured herself into social media and amassed 8.5 million social media followers with the help of her “coffee covers” videos in which she sings a cover of a familiar country song — “Everybody loves ‘90s country,” she notes — while preparing a coffee drink. 

She boosted her original music by leveraging the popularity of her coffee videos. After a cover song gave her “a lift in the algorithm,” Kay would immediately post an original song. “That’s how I ended up getting millions and millions of streams of my original music,” she explains.

Even though she built an online following and toured as an independent artist, Kay needed help hurdling the next obstacle: country radio. BMG’s BBR Music Group/Wheelhouse Records will release her second album, Second Wind, on Oct. 24, and she’s betting the label group, home to Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson, can take her career to the next level. BMG, she says, has “one of the best country radio teams in the game right now.”

Country radio, though, is dominated by men. Women account for just seven of the 60 songs on the current Billboard Country Airplay chart (eight if you include Tate McRae, a guest on Morgan Wallen’s “What I Want”). The top female track on the chart, Wilson’s “Somewhere Over Laredo,” is No. 17. 

Kay is undeterred. “I really don’t let that bother me at all, and I don’t let it slow me down,” she says. “Because my experience is going to be what God intends for me, and I know for sure that I’m not going to have my foot off the gas.”

Listen to the entire interview with Alexandra Kay, which covers the opening of her coffee store in her hometown, her non-stop social media prowess, her relationship with her fans and the trick to writing a song everybody can relate to. Use the embedded Spotify player below, or go to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart, Podbean or Everand.