UK

Commercial radio has reached its highest ever share of UK radio listening at 55.7%, widening the gap over the BBC which now stands at 42.1%, according to RAJAR figures for Q2 2025.
This means 39.5 million people now tune in to commercial stations each week, 8.4 million more than BBC radio.
Overall, 86% of the population tune in each week – or 50 million adults.
Online listening across the UK continues to grow, with a record 29.3% of all radio listening now happening online – ahead of AM/FM analogue listening at 26.6%.
Smart speaker usage has also hit a new peak. 18.4% of total listening is now via smart speakers, rising to 22.4% for commercial services – overtaking AM/FM listening for commercial stations, which has dropped to 20.9%.
RadioToday’s RAJAR report compared weekly reach, quarter-on-quarter, unless specified. You can also view our graphs with all the information on here.
Key performance headlines:

Commercial radio reaches 55.7% of UK radio listening – a record high
BBC share stands at 42.1%, with BBC Radio 2 still the biggest individual station (12.6m)
Commercial radio listening now leads by 8.4 million weekly listeners
Online listening at 29.3%, higher than AM/FM (26.6%)
Smart speaker listening at record 18.4% overall, 22.4% for commercial
Spin-off and digital-only stations continue to drive much of the growth across commercial radio

Digital and specialist commercial spin-offs: growth and falls

Boom Radio hits 711,000 weekly listeners – a 14% year-on-year rise – with all Hours increasing to record highs
Heart Dance surpasses 1 million listeners for the first time
Heart 70s (now 724k) is up, while Smooth 70s (now 245k) and Absolute Radio 70s (now 354k) declined
Greatest Hits Radio 70s debuts with 333k
Smooth 80s (now 664k), Heart 80s (now 1.9m), Virgin Radio 80s Plus (now 319k) have all seen increases
Absolute 80s (now 1.4m) and Nation 80s (now 348k) declined
Greatest Hits Radio 80s debuts with half a million weekly reach
Absolute Radio 90s (now 1m) down, Heart 90s (1.3m) up
Radio X 90s increases to 158k, but sees one of its lowest ever figures on FM in Manchester (75k). Total is up at 243k
Hits Radio 90s debuts on 290k
Absolute Radio 00s stays the same (449k), Heart 00s drops a little (now 925k), whilst Radio X 00s is up 50% (now 157k)
Hits Radio 00s debuts on 252k
Planet Rock up 8% to 1.1 million, KISS Xtra up 14.8% to 240,000, Mellow Magic up 6.1% to 470,000
Heart Musicals (173k) is down 20%, whilst Magic at the Musicals (now 278k) is down 15%
Virgin Radio Legends (formerly Anthems) (now 454k) and Virgin Radio Chilled (now 363k) are on the up
Absolute Radio Country, Smooth Country, CountryLine Radio, all up; Downtown Country, down
Smooth Relax, Classic FM Calm, Classic FM Movies, all up

BBC highlights

BBC Radio 2 remains the UK’s most listened-to station (12.6m)
BBC Radio 4 reaches 9.2 million, down from 9.3m
BBC Radio 5 Live grows from 5.4m to 5.5m
Greg James’ Radio 1 Breakfast drops from 4.4m to 4.15m listeners (10+)
Vernon Kay remains host of the UK’s most listened-to show, albeit down slightly from last quarter (6.7m to 6.6m)
Podcast listening hits a UK record of 16.3 million weekly adults
BBC Sounds notched up 257 million plays of on-demand and podcast content, whilst eight of the top 10 most-played podcasts on BBC Sounds were Radio 4 titles
Local Radio – 19 stations are up, 14 are down and three are the same

Global

Global’s audience is 29 million; market share at 27.7%, a record
In London, Global has the top three commercial stations for reach, hours and share – Heart, Capital and LBC.
Heart reaches 13 million – UK’s largest commercial radio brand – down from 13.4 last quarter
Heart regions – 18 lose audience, four are up, one stays static
Capital regions – Nine are down, seven are up, one stays static
Smooth regions – Ten are down, eight are up
LBC remains around the same at 3.4 million; LBC News at 1.1 million
Gold Radio grows to over 1.6 million

Bauer Media Audio UK

Absolute Radio is now UK’s most listened-to digital-only commercial station – 2.2 million reach
Greatest Hits Radio remains UK’s most listened-to commercial station overall in terms of hours, but lost half a million listeners this quarter (7.1m to 6.6m)
Greatest Hits Radio regions – 35 stations lost audience, 19 went up, two stayed static
Hits Radio regions – 28 (including frequencies previously carrying stations such as Viking, Rock, City, Key, Metro, Hallam) are down, whilst ten (including frequencies previously carrying TFM, Signal and Pulse) are up. The network now has 4.36m compared with 4.68m last quarter.

News UK and Times Radio

News Broadcasting’s total audience across all brands is 6.7 million, up from 6.6m
Times Radio now reaches 616,000 weekly – up 29% year-on-year – but static quarterly
talkSPORT weekly reach stays at 3.7m
Virgin Radio UK up to 2.2 million; Virgin Radio Legends up 38% to 454,000
U105 in Northern Ireland down to 211k from 223k listeners, but has highest average hours locally

Nation Broadcasting

Group stays above 1m weekly reach, but down from a record 1.3m last quarter – with over six million weekly listening hours for the first time
Nation Radio South investment is paying off – increases across the board and highest ever hours on the FM frequencies
Nation Radio North East doubles hours, increases weekly reach
Nation Radio London drops 34%
Nation 80s declines from 519k to 348k after a good start
All other services are down slightly or static

Other commercial radio highlights

Original 106 gets its biggest results yet – over 100k local listeners, whilst Original Gold debuts with 12,000
Sunrise Radio confirmed as the UK’s number one Asian commercial radio station nationally and in London
Sunrise Smooth continues to grow in London, up 33% to 39k
Panjab Radio maintains consistent weekly reach and strong listening hours
Lyca Radio hits highest weekly reach in recent years, just 5k behind Sunrise
Lyca Group now has total weekly reach of 190k
MiSoul is down 30% is London to 129k
Centreforce 883 sees a 60% increase in London – now at 153k – having switched to yearly reporting

QUOTES
Matt Payton, Radiocentre: “Commercial broadcasters focus relentlessly on ensuring listeners can easily access their favourite stations on any platform, whether that’s via apps or smart speakers. This new record is testament to the continued innovation and investment from our sector.”
Aled Haydn Jones, Head of BBC Radio 1: “These are great figures for Radio 1 in a competitive and constantly evolving market. Greg continues to lead with the number 1 Breakfast Show for young audiences.”
Jonathan Wall, Director of BBC Sounds: “It’s been another standout quarter for BBC Sounds, with record plays driven by trusted news coverage and trending moments. Listening habits continue to evolve.”
Ashley Tabor-King CBE, Founder & Executive President of Global: “I’m delighted to see Heart extend its lead even further. For Global to continue to grow and extend its lead is a considerable achievement.”
James Rea, Chief Broadcasting & Content Officer at Global: “It’s incredible to see the audience growth across Global, another record share, and record hours. The market is hugely competitive, so to be leading the pack is not something we take for granted.”
Simon, CEO of Bauer Media Audio UK, said, “In the month that we launched our digital audio advertising platform, audioXi, here in the UK, it’s exciting to see Bauer Media Audio UK leading the way in connected listening.”
He added, “A third of our listening is now online, in app or via smart speakers. As our audio brands continue to entertain millions of listeners every week, our commitment to excellence and innovation remains as strong as ever in our 150th year.”
Gary, Director of Audio for Bauer Media Audio UK, said, “As the UK is enjoying a summer of live music, it’s great to see Absolute Radio at the centre of the Britpop Summer and taking the crown as the UK’s biggest digital station for the first time ever.”
“With strong growth as well for Planet Rock, Kerrang! and Absolute Radio Country it’s proof in the power of radio and its ability to be there 24/7 for fans, super serving our listening communities with their unique output.”
Tony Lit MBE, Managing Director, Sunrise Radio: “I’m proud to announce that Sunrise Radio is the number one Asian commercial station nationally and in London. Our listening hours remain robust and Sunrise Smooth continues to grow.”
Surjit Singh Ghuman MBE, Managing Director, Panjab Radio: “We’re deeply grateful to our commercial partners and listeners for their continued support. Our listening hours surpass those of our competitors.”
Raj Baddhan, CEO, Lyca Radio Network: “Lyca Radio has recorded its highest weekly reach in recent times. Lyca Gold Radio also achieved its highest ever weekly reach at 92,000 listeners.”
Nation’s Founder Jason Bryant said; ”Nation is enjoying a good run.  This is a very strong audience performance, given we are showing increases against what was a strongly performing quarter this time last year. I am looking forward to seeing continued growth in the business as we see the fruits of our investment in our local and national brands.”
Phil Riley, Boom Radio: “We’re so proud and thankful to our incredible army of listeners. Their amazing loyalty, tuning in for almost 16 hours per week each, is down to the brilliant work of our presenters.”
Robin Galloway, Group Head of Presentation at DC Thomson, said: “These figures are nothing short of phenomenal. It proves there’s a huge appetite for bold, creative, locally made radio. Our team continues to punch well above its weight, delivering personality-led shows that truly connect with the communities we serve. To be number one at breakfast and market leader overall is testament to the hard work and passion that goes into every single show.”

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Podcasts continue to grow while both commercial radio and digital streaming face revenue slowdowns, according to Ofcom’s latest Media Nations report.

It found that commercial radio revenue dropped slightly to £651 million in 2024, down from £667 million in 2023.
While national advertising rose slightly, local ad revenue declined further reflecting structural market changes, centralised programming, and advertiser preference for national inventory packaging.
Digital audio advertising flatlined at £175 million. Podcast advertising grew by 8% to £90 million, but this was well below the 23% growth seen in 2023.
Streaming audio ad revenue fell by 8%, down to £85 million. Despite the easing momentum, podcasts remain a strong area of investment, particularly among younger listeners.
Some podcast ad revenue is likely captured under digital video budgets, as many creators now produce video versions for platforms like YouTube and Spotify. Self-serve ad platforms, including AudioGo and Spotify Ad Studio, have made it easier for more advertisers to invest in podcasts.
Listeners aged 15-34 now spend over half their weekly listening time with streamed music and podcasts which is double the average across all adults. This continues to support podcast growth, even if at a slower pace.
Meanwhile, digital radio services expanded further. Global launched 12 new DAB+ brand extensions in September 2024, including Heart 00s and Classic FM Calm. Bauer added Greatest Hits Radio 60s, 70s, 80s and more, also moving KISS, Magic and Absolute to DAB+ in March 2025.
The BBC added Radio 1 Anthems and Radio 3 Unwind as new streams on BBC Sounds. In July 2025, Ofcom approved their launch on DAB+, but blocked plans for a Radio 2 stream and extended hours for BBC 5 Sports Extra, citing insufficient public value.
Boom Radio, which opposed the Radio 2 extension, launched its own spin-off Boom Light and ran a national marketing campaign.
Bauer and Global continued centralising their networks. Bauer rebranded 15 stations in England and Wales in 2024 under Hits Radio and networked its breakfast show nationally from July 2025. Global removed all regional programmes from Capital, Heart and Smooth in England from February 2025.
Small-scale DAB growth continued, with 74 multiplexes on air by June 2025. These support local and community services across the UK.
STV plans to launch a new Scotland-wide commercial music station later in 2025, targeting adults aged 35-54 and led by former Bauer exec Graham Bryce.
While traditional and digital revenues ease, podcasting remains a strong performer and key growth area in the UK audio sector.
You can read Ofcom’s annual Media Nations report here.

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Radio 1’s Residency will return from Thursday 7th August with a new line-up of DJs to Radio 1 and Radio 1 Dance.

For four weeks each, SG Lewis, KETTAMA, Oppidan and Taylah Elaine will take over the Thursday night slot from 11pm to 1am, showcasing their musical influences and spotlighting new talent from the UK and beyond.
SG Lewis kicks off the August shows, followed by KETTAMA in September, Oppidan in October, and Taylah Elaine in November.
The series will also include one-off special shows with twin duo Major League DJz on 31st July, and Drum & Bass DJ, Bou on 30th October.
Later this year, the programme will rebrand to The Residency on Radio 1 Dance following Ofcom’s approval of the BBC’s new DAB+ station.

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River Radio has confirmed that Ofcom has approved the licence transfer for 107.9FM, clearing the way for the return of community radio to Bangor.

The newly named River Radio Bangor is now preparing to relaunch on FM before winter 2025, following the closure of Bangor FM last year which left the town without a community station.
A spokesperson for the station said: “It’s been bumpy, with many hurdles. But with the support of the UK Community Radio Network, SERC and the amazing team at River Radio, we’ve managed to ensure that Northern Ireland and the UK doesn’t lose a vital FM community station.”
The move follows 12 months of collaboration between River Radio, the UK Community Radio Network, SERC, and Ofcom to secure local broadcasting in the area.
The station’s official launch date will be announced soon.

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Chris Duke will broadcast his Coast Radio Scotland morning show from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe every weekday throughout August.

Fringe Focus, will air from 10am to 2pm, live from Black Medicine Coffee Shop on Nicolson Street.
The show will feature conversations with comedians, musicians, actors and other performers, from first-time festival acts to well-known names.
Each interview will also be released as part of The Peer Project Podcast, which has previously featured guests including Alex Horne, Mike Wozniak, Nicky Campbell and the late Hulk Hogan.
Chris says: “I’ve always believed in giving people a proper platform. There are so many brilliant acts at the Fringe, all with something to say, and I want to help get those voices heard.
“Whether someone’s brand new or been doing this for years, it’s all about connection, stories, and sharing something real over a coffee.”

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The BBC will mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day with a range of programming including radio highlighting stories from the Far East during the Second World War.

BBC Director-General Tim Davie said the coverage will honour “the courage and sacrifice of all who served” and ensure their stories are remembered through powerful testimonies.
On BBC Radio 2, The Jeremy Vine Show on Friday 15th August will feature voices of veterans and broadcaster Kavita Puri reflecting on the war in the Far East and the atomic bombings.
BBC Radio 4 will air a three-part series The History Podcast: The Second Map, uncovering Britain’s role against Japan with previously unheard testimonies. Archive on 4 will tell the story of Wilfred Burchett, who first reported from Hiroshima despite US censorship.
A two-part drama, Hersey’s Hiroshima, will depict the devastation of the atomic bombing, while Book at Bedtime will feature Tim McInnerny reading Kazuo Ishiguro’s An Artist of the Floating World.
Any Questions? will broadcast live from the REME Museum on 15th August to commemorate the day.
BBC Radio 5 Live will carry coverage from the National Memorial Arboretum, including the national two-minute silence. On Wednesday 13th August, Matt Chorley will broadcast from the Cabinet War Rooms with exclusive behind-the-scenes access and special guests.

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