The rapid evolution of the digital media landscape has fundamentally restructured audio consumption, shifting the paradigm from linear broadcasting to asynchronous, platform-based environments such as Spotify and YouTube Music. This study investigates the transition among urban youth in Surabaya, Indonesia, from terrestrial radio to audio-on-demand (AoD), focusing on the critical tension between audience autonomy and emotional connection. Utilizing an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 university students (aged 19–25) to explore their lived experiences across diverse situational contexts. The findings reveal a dualistic consumption pattern in which terrestrial radio is relegated to a “situational utility” or “commute companion” due to its linear constraints and high density of “auditory clutter” (intrusive advertising), yet it remains a resilient source of social presence. Conversely, AoD platforms are prioritized for their technological affordances, granting users absolute autonomy over their sonic environment. However, a significant “emotional paradox “emerged: despite the algorithmic efficiency of digital platforms, young audiences continue to seek the “human anchor,” “characterized by real-time interaction, cultural proximity, and the local Suroboyoan dialect, which remains largely absent in AI-driven curation. This study proposes the digital mutation framework, arguing that the survival of legacy audio media depends on a hybrid model that integrates technical adaptability (on-demand access and clean content) with emotional amplification (contextualized human spontaneity). These insights offer a strategic blueprint for broadcasters in the Global South to achieve ontological relevance in an increasingly algorithmic media ecology.
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