List of most-listened-to radio programs
The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (November 2019) |
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In the United States, radio listenership is gauged by
Talkers Magazine, an American trade publication focusing on talk radio, formerly compiled a list of the most-listened-to commercial long-form talk shows in the United States, based primarily on Nielsen data.
In addition to Talkers' independent analyses, radio companies of all formats include estimates of the audience in
Worldwide broadcasts
- BBC World Service has an estimated 188 million weekly listeners, broadcasting in 32 languages as of 2009.[3]
- A State of Trance with Armin van Buuren has an estimated 40 million listeners across 84 countries.[4]
- American Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest has an estimated 20 million listeners worldwide.[5]
- Intelligence for Your Life with John Tesh has an estimated 40 million weekly listeners across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.[6]
Popular radio shows in the United States
The total listenership for terrestrial
Until the development of
For most of its existence, Talkers Magazine compiled Arbitron's data, along with other sources, to estimate the minimum weekly audiences of various commercial long-form talk radio shows; its list was updated monthly until the magazine unceremoniously dropped the feature in 2016, then resumed publication in 2017.[20] The 2017 reintroduction also incorporates off-air distribution methods (particularly those that are Internet-based) but not satellite radio, as Talkers could not access data for that medium; as a result, the estimates for most shows increased dramatically when compared to the 2015 methodology. NPR and APM compile Arbitron's data for its public radio shows and releases analysis through press releases.[14][21][22][23]
Included is a list of the 20 most-listened-to radio shows in the United States according to weekly cumulative listenership, followed by a selection of shows of various formats that are most-listened-to within their category. (Unless otherwise noted, the Talkers "non-scientific" estimate is the source.[1][clarification needed])
Note on
The pay service
Virtually all of the most-listened-to radio programs in the United States are in English. Other than English, Spanish had established national networks. Other languages (Chinese, Polish, Korean, various languages of India, and French) are broadcast only on a local level.[citation needed]
Past top programs in the United States
Beginning with the 1930–31 radio season, three ratings services measured radio listener totals. The
The top-rated radio programs on American radio from each season:[39][40]
- 1930–31, 1931–32: NBC-WJZ)
- 1932–33, 1933–34: NBC-WEAF)
- 1934–35: Rudy Vallee, NBC-WEAF)
- 1935–36: Major Bowes Amateur Hour (Chase and Sanborn, NBC-WEAF)
- 1936–37: Texaco Town (Eddie Cantor, CBS)
- 1937–38, 1938–39, 1939–40: The Chase and Sanborn Hour (Edgar Bergen, NBC Red)
- 1940–41: The Jell-O Program (Jack Benny, NBC Red)
- 1941–42: The Chase and Sanborn Hour (Edgar Bergen, NBC Red)
- 1942–43: The Pepsodent Show (Bob Hope, NBC)
- 1943–44: Johnson Wax, NBC)
- 1944–45: The Pepsodent Show (Bob Hope, NBC)
- 1945–46, 1946–47: Fibber McGee and Molly (Johnson Wax, NBC)
- 1947–48: The Fred Allen Show (Ford Motor Company, NBC)
- 1948–49: Fibber McGee and Molly (Johnson Wax, NBC)
- 1949–50: The Lucky Strike Program (Jack Benny, CBS)
- 1950–51: Lux Radio Theatre (dramas with a rotating cast, NBC)
- 1951–52, 1952–53: Amos 'n' Andy (Rexall Drug Stores, CBS)
- 1953–54: People Are Funny (Mars Candy, NBC)
- 1954–55: The Lucky Strike Program (Jack Benny, CBS)
- 1955–56: Our Miss Brooks (Colgate-Palmolive-Peet, NBC)
At his peak in the late 1930s, commentator Charles Coughlin was praised for his listener base. His show was not a network broadcast but was instead syndicated on 36 stations. Some modern estimates peg his listenership at approximately 30 million listeners.[41] President Franklin D. Roosevelt's irregularly scheduled fireside chats, simulcast on all of the major networks, consistently reached over 50 percent of the listening audience during his last five years in office.[42]
In the 1980s, the
Though radio listenership totals collapsed in the 1950s with the advent of television, some radio programs attracted large audiences decades later. Before moving to satellite radio in 2006, The Howard Stern Show peaked at 20 million listeners on syndicated terrestrial radio.[45] Unlike the above programs, Stern's radio show was broadcast daily for 4–5 hours per day. Paul Harvey, at his peak, drew an estimated 25 million listeners to his 15-minute daily program.[46] At his peak in the 1990s, The Rush Limbaugh Show was drawing as many as 20 million listeners a week; as of 1998, Stern, Limbaugh and then-first-place Dr. Laura Schlessinger were drawing between 17 and 18 million listeners, according to Talkers estimates.[47]
At the time of both shows' departure from Talk Radio Network in fall 2012, The Savage Nation was estimated to have an audience of 9 million listeners and The Laura Ingraham Show was estimated at 6 million listeners. The later revivals of both of those shows were only registering an estimated 3 million listeners as of April 2013; Savage's estimate has since rebounded. Prior to his retirement, Neal Boortz registered approximately 5.75 million listeners. The public radio series Car Talk with Click and Clack had approximately 4 million listeners immediately prior to ending its original run, ranking it among the most-listened-to weekend radio programs in the United States; individual affiliates noted that the hour of highest listenership on their stations were during Car Talk, hence why it was kept in reruns for five years afterward.[48] Talk of the Nation registered 3.2 million listeners prior to its cancellation in 2013.[33] Immediately prior to Blair Garner's departure from the show in July 2013, After Midnite was quoted as drawing 2.7 million listeners, the most of any country music show for which listenership estimates are made available.
Top stations in the United Kingdom
Total listenership in the United Kingdom in December 2023 was 49.473 million. All BBC programming had 31.286 million listeners, and all commercial programming had 39.130 million listeners. The figures counted listeners over the age of 15 who tuned in for at least five minutes.[49]
Station | Format | Listeners in millions |
---|---|---|
BBC Radio 2 | Adult contemporary/AOR | 13.281 |
BBC Radio 4 | Spoken word (news, drama, factual, comedy) | 9.116 |
BBC Radio 1 | Current-based music ( urban, alternative ) |
7.330 |
Greatest Hits Radio | Classic hits and specialist music | 6.753 |
BBC Radio 5 Live | Rolling news, discussion and sport | 5.245 |
Classic FM | Classical music |
4.689 |
Magic |
Adult contemporary | 4.157 |
talkSPORT
|
Sports radio | 3.081 |
BBC Radio 6 Music | Multi-formatted (electronica, punk, funk, hip hop, trip hop, indie) | 2.519 |
LBC | News, discussion, debate | 2.467 |
Kisstory | Classic dance music | 2.368 |
Absolute Radio | Classic rock | 2.359 |
Kiss | Rhythmic CHR |
2.349 |
Heart London | Hot Adult Contemporary |
2.003 |
BBC Radio 3 | Classical, jazz, world music, drama, culture, arts | 1.775 |
Capital Xtra | grime and R&B music
|
1.686 |
Heart 80s | Music from the 1980s | 1.678 |
Magic London | Adult contemporary | 1.670 |
Of breakfast programmes, the top three most listened to are BBC breakfast programmes.
Breakfast Programme | Q4 2022 | Q4 2023 | Year-on-year change |
---|---|---|---|
BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show | 7,136,000 | 6,562,000 | −8% |
BBC Radio 4 Today | 6,170,000 | 5,615,000 | −9% |
BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast | 1,608,000 | 1,453,000 | −10% |
LBC | 1,353,000 | 1,341,000 | −1% |
Talksport | 1,144,000 | 1,243,000 | 9% |
See also
- Audience measurement
- List of best-selling albums in the United States of the Nielsen SoundScan era
- List of most-watched television broadcasts
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o The Top Talk Audiences from Talkers magazine, last updated March 2021
- ^ Farhi, Paul (7 March 2009). "Limbaugh's Audience Size? It's Largely Up in the Air". The Washington Post. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
- ^ "BBC World Service records its best listening figures ever despite cuts". BBC. June 2, 2009. Archived from the original on November 14, 2012. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
It uses multiple platforms to reach 188 million users globally, including shortwave, AM, FM, digital satellite and cable channels.
- ^ "About « A State of Trance". A State of Trance.
- ^ Clear Channel. 2010. Archived from the originalon 2010-07-01. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
"American Top 40 is the soundtrack to life; it sparks emotion and memories, and has a huge impact on pop culture," stated Seacrest, music's number one radio host in the U.S. with a weekly worldwide audience estimated at more than 20 million.
- ^ About John. Tesh.com. Retrieved September 10, 2021. "...40 million gross impressions per week."
- ^ The state of radio today: a focus on African-American & Hispanic audiences Archived 2014-05-07 at the Wayback Machine. Nielsen Audio (April 2014). Retrieved May 6, 2014.
- New York Times. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
Still, satellite radio is also unlikely to inflict fatal damage on commercial radio, which has about 230 million listeners, according to Arbitron, the radio ratings provider.
- ^ Listening to AM/FM Radio in September is Near the Highest Point in a Year. Nielsen Audio press release. Retrieved October 13, 2021
- ^ Infinite Dial: Mean Number Of Radios In Home Drops In Half Since 2008. RadioInsight.com (March 3, 2020). Retrieved March 11, 2020.
- ^ "Edison Research: Streaming Now Accounts For 12% of AM/FM Radio Listening". Radio Insight. August 23, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
- ^ "SiriusXM in talks to renew Howard Stern contract". New York Post. July 30, 2020. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
- New York Times. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
Talkers magazine, a trade publication, puts Limbaugh's weekly audience at 14 million.
- ^ National Public Radio. 2009. Archivedfrom the original on 2010-11-26. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
All Things Considered increased its audience by 15% over the previous year to rise from 11.5 million to 13 million listeners weekly becoming the second NPR news magazine to top 13 million. Morning Edition reached nearly 14 million listeners weekly, 9% above Fall 2007 numbers.
- ^ HISTORY – Tom Kent Radio Network Archived 2015-07-21 at the Wayback Machine. "2014: (...) TKRN reaches 400 station affiliate mark with over 23 million weekly listeners! "
- ^ Folkenflik, David (15 July 2020). "NPR Radio Ratings Collapse as Pandemic Ends Listeners' Commutes". NPR.
- ^ "Nielsen: NFL Draws TV-like Numbers on Radio, Outperforming Entire Markets". Insideradio.com. 2023-09-29. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
- ^ "Here Are The NFL Radio Broadcasts That Ruled Week 1 Of The Season". Insideradio.com. 2023-10-03. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
- ^ Nwachukwu, Tim (2023-10-19). "In-Home Listening Propels Phillies Radio Broadcasts To A 40-Share". Insideradio.com. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
- ^ "The Top Talk Radio Audiences (Updated 1/15)". Talkers Magazine. Archived from the original on 5 January 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- National Public Radio. 2005. Archivedfrom the original on 2010-11-13. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
Car Talk is public radio's most popular entertainment program, airing on nearly 600 stations with more than 4.4 million listeners a week tuning in for an hour-long tune-up on car advice and humor.
- National Public Radio. 2002. Archivedfrom the original on 2008-12-24. Retrieved 2008-12-17.
Growth in the NPR news/talk audience outpaced similar gains realized by commercial news/talk radio.
- New York Times. Retrieved 2008-12-17.
National Public Radio alone reaches more than 20 million listeners, and its daily newsmagazine shows, All Things Considered and Morning Edition, attract a larger audience than any program except Rush Limbaugh's.
- ^ "Dave Ramsey Show". Dave Ramsey Show. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
- ^ "Marketplace 2018 Annual Report" (PDF). Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
- ^ Note that the network conflates the Marketplace Morning Report (which airs during Morning Edition in most markets) with the stand-alone program Marketplace and does not make individual ratings for each show available.
- ^ "NPR Maintains Highest Ratings Ever". National Public Media. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ^ "Morning Edition". National Public Media. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
- People Magazine. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
- ^ "American Public Media Group Announces Record Audience Numbers". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved 2018-02-02.
- ^ Originally aired in West Coast PM drive until 2016.
- ^ "Trump Insults Hugh Hewitt When Asked About Tax Returns: 'Very Few People Listen to Your Radio Show'". Mediaite. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
- ^ a b "Fresh Air With Terry Gross". Retrieved 10 January 2019.
- ^ ""Charm monster" Tom Hanks hosts Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, tries to reassure America". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 2018-02-02.
- ^ a b Hinckley, David. Howard Stern rules satellite radio. New York Daily News. 7 May 2008.
- ^ "Sirius XM Holdings Inc. – SIRIUS Exceeds 8.3 Million Subscribers".
- ^ "Sirius XM Holdings Inc. – SiriusXM Surpasses 30 Million Subscribers".
- ^ "Eastlan Ratings: Syracuse". CNYRadio.com / CNYTVNews.com. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
- ^ a b "Top OTR Shows". 2018-01-29.
- ^ Dunning, John, The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, Oxford University Press, 1998
- ISBN 0316545961.
- ISBN 9780801883125. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
- ^ Kening, Dan (November 9, 1993). "RADIO HALL OF FAME OPENS DOOR TO LIMBAUGH, WALLY PHILLIPS". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
Or Larry King pressing the flesh with Limbaugh-the man who unseated him as the grand poobah of syndicated talk radio, with almost twice as many stations now carrying his program.
- ^ Donohue, Tom (May 1, 2018). Talk radio host and pioneer Chuck Harder dies at 78. Radio-Online. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
- ^ Sullivan, James (14 December 2005). "Love him or hate him, Stern is a true pioneer". msnbc.com. Archived from the original on 10 August 2011. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
- ^ Michael Carlson, "Obituary: Paul Harvey", The Guardian, March 3, 2009.
- ^ Michaelson, Judith (March 26, 1998). A Rush to Dr. Laura? Survey puts Schlessinger, Stern ahead of Limbaugh as leading talk hosts. But not everyone agrees. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
- ^ "The end of the road for Car Talk on WRVO". 8 September 2017. Retrieved 2017-09-11.
- ^ a b "RAJAR". www.rajar.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-02-13.