Global celebrate best RAJAR figures

Global has seen another consecutive quarter of growth, its fifth in a row…

The statistics reveal that Global is surpassing the commercial radio market, achieving its highest ever RAJAR figures for Quarter 3 of 2024 (24 June – 15 September), with an unprecedented 29.2 million people tuning into Global’s brands weekly. This marks gains in reach, hours, and share both quarterly and year-on-year, and it’s the first instance of Global surpassing the 29 million listener threshold.

James Rea, Chief Broadcasting & Content Officer at Global:

“What a result for Global! New records for Heart, Capital, Smooth and Radio X. I’m so proud of the most incredible team in radio, who’ve delivered these exceptional results alongside launching 14 new radio stations in the last month – another phenomenal achievement!”

As the UK’s leading commercial radio group, Global has reached its highest share to date at 26.9%, with listeners dedicating a record 281 million hours to its radio brands, including Capital, Heart, LBC, Smooth, Radio X, and Classic FM.

Global stands as the premier commercial radio company in the UK, boasting a massive 29.2 million weekly listeners and a new peak share of 26.9%. With 281 million hours listened, Global solidifies its status as the UK’s favorite commercial radio group. It also hosts the top three commercial radio brands in the UK—Heart, Capital, and Smooth—in terms of reach. In London, Global dominates with the top four positions for reach (Heart, Capital, LBC, and Smooth) and the top five for hours and share (LBC, Heart, Capital, Classic FM, and Smooth).

Heart strengthens its position as the number one commercial radio brand as it celebrates a record-breaking score with more than 12.99 million weekly listeners, having added 1.6 million in the last year and increasing in reach, hours and share quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year. The Heart brand has 4.8 million more listeners than Radio 1.

Heart Breakfast is celebrating 4.2 million weekly listeners. Hosted by Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden, it’s the largest commercial radio show, having expanded its reach, hours, and share over the past 12 months. Both Heart 70s, with 853,000 listeners, and Heart 90s, with 1.3 million, have recorded their highest listening figures to date, showing growth in reach, hours, and share in the last quarter.

Capital, the UK’s top hit music brand, has reached its highest ever audience, boasting a record-breaking 9.7 million weekly listeners, an increase of 1.7 million in the past year. Capital Breakfast, featuring Jordan North, Chris Stark, and Siân Welby, now attracts 2.96 million listeners. The show has gained a significant 151,000 listeners in the last quarter and has seen growth in all metrics—reach, hours, and share.

Capital Dance now entertains over 1 million listeners each week, showing year-on-year growth in reach, hours, and share. Capital XTRA, the hub for the biggest names in hip-hop and RnB, has surpassed its previous records, now drawing 2.2 million listeners across the UK every week. This figure is 1.4 million more than BBC Radio 1Xtra’s audience, with increases in reach, hours, and share year-on-year. The Capital XTRA Breakfast show, hosted by Robert Bruce and Shayna Marie, now has 584,000 listeners, also showing an upward trend in reach, hours, and share annually.

Elsewhere Smooth Radio celebrates its highest ever audience figures, with a record 7.7 million people listening each week, adding 1.5 million in the past year. Its reach, hours, and share have seen growth both quarterly and annually. Kate Garraway of Smooth Radio now boasts her highest-ever figures, with over 3 million listeners weekly, gaining 486,000 in the last year.

Smooth has once again surpassed Greatest Hits Radio. Smooth London is celebrating its greatest reach yet, with 1.2 million listeners every week. Similarly, Smooth Country is marking its best figures to date, with a fresh weekly audience of 463,000. Smooth Relax, introduced at the start of the year, has expanded its listener base to 542,000 weekly.

In the general election period, LBC, the UK’s leading commercial news talk brand, has added 476,000 listeners in the past year, attracting 3.4 million people each week, and growing in reach, hours and share quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year.

Every LBC weekday daytime show, from Nick Ferrari at Breakfast to Iain Dale, has seen an increase in reach, hours, and share both quarterly and annually. Nick Ferrari at Breakfast now reaches 1.4 million listeners across the UK each week, making it London’s top commercial breakfast show in terms of hours and share. LBC’s five weekday programs have hit their highest figures ever, with James O’Brien reaching a remarkable 1.5 million, Shelagh Fogarty at 1.2 million, Tom Swarbrick at 1.02 million, Andrew Marr’s influential political hour at 621,000, and Iain Dale at 711,000. LBC News, the UK’s sole rolling news radio station, now reaches over one million listeners, an increase of 270,000 in the past year, as people tune in for the latest breaking news.

Radio X celebrates its highest ever weekly reach with more than 2.3 million listeners tuning in every week – 801,000 more than Virgin Radio – and up by 190,000 listeners year-on-year. At breakfast on Radio X, The Chris Moyles Show reaches 1.1 million listeners every morning.

Also, Classic FM, the UK’s number one classical music station, reaches more than 4.4 million weekly listeners while Gold Radio has a weekly audience of 1.8 million people.

Ashley Tabor-King CBE, Founder & Executive President of Global:

“I’m incredibly proud of these audience numbers today, adding more listeners for a fifth survey in a row, increasing, growing and consolidating. I’m deeply grateful to the over 29 million listeners that tune in to one of our stations every week – it’s an achievement that’s fantastic news for the UK’s creative industries and UK plc.

“We never take this for granted. Radio is thriving and Global is outperforming the market, as we keep a laser focus on our content, whilst also embracing technology at the core of our strategy, as people use smart speakers and apps, as well as traditional means, to get to the content they love, wherever and whenever they want it. Our mission is to make everyone’s day brighter. Congratulations and thank you to everyone at Global and thank you to our listeners, it’s a privilege to have you with us.”