Commercial radio makes its biggest ever reach against BBC offerings

Global, the Media & Entertainment Group, has recorded year-on-year growth of 4.1% with a weekly audience of 26.3 million listeners in the latest set of RAJAR figures in Q2 2023 (for the period ending June 25th, 2023). 

James Rea, Global’s Director of Broadcasting & Content:

“I’m delighted that we have delivered another very strong set of results for Global – it’s fantastic to see huge increases for Heart and Capital across the year, which is testament to our talented teams. The massive growth in listening hours shows that we have a highly-engaged, loyal audience who love our brands. I’d like to thank every single listener and everyone involved for their hard work and dedication.” 

The latest stats note that Global’s weekly reach is 26.3 million while their market share is 25.3%, with 256 million hours, both up quarter-on-quarter. Global again has the top three commercial radio brands in the UK with Heart, Capital and Smooth Radio. Capital Dance has record-breaking results, surpassing 1 million weekly listeners for the first time.

It is also good news for commercial radio in general as it sets a new record with its highest ever reach with 39.2 million listeners, 7.5 million more listeners than BBC Radio. 

For Heart the station strengthens its position as the #1 commercial radio brand with a huge 11.1 million listeners, up 1.4 million over the past year. The Heart brand has 3.4 million more listeners than Radio 1.

Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston & Amanda Holden is the biggest commercial radio show in the UK and commercial breakfast show with 3.9 million weekly listeners. The latest findings also reveal that Heart Dance celebrates its highest ever audience with over 1 million listeners, adding 122,000 listeners over the past quarter.

Listeners continue to turn up the nostalgia. Heart 90s smashes through the 1million mark with 1.1million listeners, its highest ever audience, growing in reach, hours and share year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter. Heart 00s, fronted by Ashley Roberts and Mike Panteli, breaks another record with 790,000 weekly listeners.

Over at Capital the brand, one of the oldest in UK commercial radio, has grown in reach, hours and share year-on-year. The UK’s no.1 hit music brand increases its audience to a massive 7.8 million weekly listeners. In London, Capital is the 1 hit music station, reaching 1.6 million listeners. Capital Breakfast with Roman Kemp reaches a huge 2.5 million listeners adding 50,000 since the last quarter and is up on reach, hours and share quarter-on-quarter.

Capital Dance has smashed through the 1 million listener mark for the first time adding 141,000 new listeners quarter-on-quarter. Capital XTRA, home to the biggest hip-hop and RnB has 1.7 million tuning-in across the UK every week. It has more than double the audience of BBC Radio 1Xtra. Capital XTRA Breakfast with Robert Bruce and Shayna Marie reaches 558,000 listeners increasing in reach and hours quarter-on-quarter. Capital XTRA Reloaded celebrates a new high as it reaches a record-breaking 450,000 weekly listeners. Brand new station Capital Chill scores 178,000 listeners in its first RAJAR survey.

Smooth Radio is the UK’s third largest commercial radio brand – has grown in reach, hours and share year-on-year and now has an audience of 5.9 million weekly listeners – an increase of 428,000 in twelve months. Smooth’s Kate Garraway reaches a massive 2.4 million people every week, with her mid-morning show increasing in reach, hours and share both year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter.

Smooth London has also grown in reach, hours and share – in the past year and the past quarter – with a new audience of 931,000 weekly listeners. Smooth Chill is celebrating a record 564,000 listeners every week – its highest ever audience while Smooth Country – the UK’s biggest country station – also celebrates its biggest ever audience, with 376,000 people listening every week.

There’s also more good news for Classic FM, officially the UK’s most popular classical music station with 4.5 million weekly listeners. Alexander Armstrong’s flagship morning programme has grown in reach, hours and share in the past three months and now has an audience of more than 2.1 million weekly listeners. The station has also recently welcomed presenter, journalist and writer Joanna Gosling to a Sunday programme, 1pm to 4pm. Bringing her enthusiasm for classical music to Classic FM, her new programme will feature the finest music, from best-loved favourites to new discoveries, providing the perfect Sunday afternoon soundtrack for listeners.

Chat is also proving popular with listeners, LBC – Britain’s biggest commercial news talk brand – now reaches 3.1 million weekly listeners. It’s breakfast show, hosted by Nick Ferrari has an audience of 1.34 million listeners across the UK. In London, Nick Ferrari is the number one commercial breakfast show for all three measures – reach, hours and share.

James O’Brien now reaches 1.4 million weekly listeners, growing in reach, hours and share year-on-year while in London, LBC is the number one commercial station for hours and share. LBC News, the UK’s 24-hour national rolling news radio station, has 912,000 weekly listeners.

Radio X reaches 2.1 million listeners every week across the UK and its reach, hours and share have all increased quarter-on-quarter. At breakfast on Radio X, Chris Moyles entertains more than 1.1 million weekly listeners. Brand new station Radio X Classic Rock, dedicated to the legends of rock music, launches with 275,000 weekly listeners.

The oldies classics station Gold now reaches more than 1.8 million weekly listeners – an increase of 229,000 in the past year and the Official Big Top 40 from Global reaches 1.5 million listeners every week across Capital and Heart.

Ashley Tabor-King OBE, Global’s Founder & Executive President: 

“We’re enormously grateful to the millions of people who chose our radio brands every day, for entertainment, information and companionship. Commercial radio is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and it’s therefore fitting that commercial radio has its highest ever listening figures today, underlining the strength and resilience of the sector, and the medium. It’s a phenomenal achievement and brilliant news for listeners, advertisers and the thousands of extraordinarily talented people working in the magnificent UK radio industry today.”