A little-known radio play by Tennessee Williams, The Strangers, has been published for the first time recently, reminding us that long before A Streetcar Named Desire electrified Broadway, Williams was already experimenting with the possibilities of pure audio.
As a University of Iowa student in 1938, Williams wrote The Strangers, a haunting radio drama crafted not for the stage, but for the imagination. Set in a creaking manor filled with unseen terrors, the play relied solely on voice, sound, and the listener’s mind to build its world.For audiences in the early 20th century, this wasn’t unusual. Radio had become the beating heart of American entertainment. By the late 1920s, households gathered not in front of screens, but around speakers — where sound alone carried the emotional weight. By 1930, roughly 14% of all radio programming consisted of plays, with horror surging in popularity. When The War of the Worlds aired in 1938, more than 1.7 million listeners believed, even for a moment, that Martians had touched down. That’s the power of sound.
Why Audio Faded — and Why It’s Back Stronger Than Ever
As television arrived, radio drama stepped aside. Visual storytelling became dominant, and audio narratives lived quietly in niche corners.
But something fascinating has happened in the 21st century.
Audio storytelling — once overshadowed — has returned in full force. Podcast listenership has skyrocketed from 9% in 2008 to 42% in 2023, and continues climbing. We’re in the middle of a renaissance, where listeners are craving intimacy, imagination, and immersive sound experiences again.
And brands have taken notice.
From binge-worthy narrative podcasts to sonic-driven advertising campaigns, modern audiences are proving what Tennessee Williams knew back in 1938:
Sound reaches us in ways visuals can’t.
- It’s personal.
- It’s transportive.
- It lets the listener build the world in their own mind.
Where Push Button Creative Audio Fits In
At Push Button Creative Audio, we believe audio isn’t just another medium — it’s a return to one of storytelling’s purest forms. Whether it’s crafting a branded podcast, developing an immersive audio campaign, or designing sound that brings a marketing message to life, we tap into that same timeless magic that once captivated millions around glowing radios.
Your audience may not be listening to ghost stories in a dark living room anymore — but they are listening. In their cars, on their runs, through their earbuds, and on their smart speakers. And the opportunity for brands is bigger than ever.
Audio isn’t coming back.
It’s already here.
