The BBC’s strategy to grow BBC Sounds and increase digital listening has seen a record 216 million plays of on-demand radio and podcasts on the platform with 3.7 million plays for music mixes.
The BBC’s coverage of national live events has driven a record 582 million plays on BBC Sounds, up by more than 33% from last quarter and nearly 50% from the same period last year. Events including Radio 1’s Big Weekend, the Eurovision Song Contest, Glastonbury and the first Ashes Test attracted listeners with BBC Radio 1 (+2%), Asian Network (+15%) and 5 Sports Extra (+26%) all increasing listeners this quarter (April – June).
BBC Newscast was the most listened-to on-demand podcast of the quarter and has increased on-platform plays by 30% in the past year. Nine of the top ten most listened-to radio programmes on BBC Sounds came from BBC Radio 4.
There were 582 million plays on BBC Sounds this quarter, up by more than 33% from last quarter and nearly 50% from the same period last year. Data shows there was a record average weekly audience of 4.8 million on BBC Sounds with a record peak of 5m weekly users during the week of The Ashes first test match at Edgbaston.
The BBC’s Sounds quarterly data includes figures at a programme/podcast level for smart speakers for the first time, which accounts for 129 million of the plays on BBC Sounds in the quarter.
Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer:
“The BBC has always been the home of big live events and bringing the UK together to share in those special moments. This quarter BBC Radio has delivered fantastic coverage of live music and sport with listeners tuning in for Radio 1’s Big Weekend, the Coronation Concert, Eurovision Song Contest, Glastonbury, and a nail-biting first Ashes Test. Our digital listening is up significantly and I’m delighted to see another recording-breaking quarter for BBC Sounds which has grown the number of plays year on year by nearly 50%.”
