The most popular radio stations in the UK

This page was last updated on October 29, 2009

We delve into the listening figures to give the most popular radio stations and brands.

Media UK publishes all the audience figures for every radio station - here's Radio 1's audience figures for example. You'll find audience figures published on the Media UK website, linked-to from most radio station pages.

The figures below, however, also include radio station brands: we're treating "Heart" or "Kiss" as one station here, rather than each individual local radio service. This gives a clearer view of the popularity of "Heart" or "Magic", for example.

These figures are based on RAJAR ending September 2009.


The radio stations with the most listeners
Normally, when people ask for the most popular radio station, they mean the one with the most amount of listeners. This will always give national or London stations as a result, and ignore smaller, local radio stations - even though, in many areas, the most popular station is a local one.

1. BBC Radio 2 (13.6m)
2. BBC Radio 1 (11.1m)
3. BBC Radio 4 (10.2m)
4. Heart (7.4m)
5. BBC Radio 5 live (6.5m)
6. Classic FM (5.4m)
7. Galaxy (3.8m)
8. Magic (3.6m)
9. Kiss (3.5m)
10. Smooth (2.8m)


The radio owners with the most listeners
1. BBC national radio (30.2m)
2. Global Radio (18.4m)
3. Bauer Radio (12.5m)
4. BBC local/regional radio (8.5m)
5. GMG Radio (5.0m)
6. UTV Radio (3.6m)
7. Absolute Radio Network (1.8m)
8. BBC World Service (1.3m)
9. Planet Rock (0.7m)
10. Lincs FM Group (0.7m)


The radio stations with the highest amount of listeners in their area
If you want to look at popularity based on how many people listen in their area (and thus, take on board local radio stations as well as national), then the 'reach percent' is the best figure to examine. This shows you people who've listened for at least five minutes a week, and takes no account of whether they listen any longer than that.

1. Manx Radio (54% of people in their area tune in)
2. Channel 103 (53%)
3. Moray Firth Radio (50%)
4. Island FM (48%)
5. Radio Borders (47%)
6. Radio Pembrokeshire (45%)
7. Northsound One (43%)
8. West Sound (43%)
9. BBC Radio Jersey (42%)
10. Heart North Devon (40%)


The radio stations with the highest listening share in their area
The share of listening in a station's broadcast area is normally the best way of monitoring how popular a radio station is. This makes it easier to work out how popular the station's entire broadcasting output is, and ignores the size of its broadcast area.

1. Island FM (gets 35.5% of all listening in its area)
2. Radio Borders (31%)
3. Channel 103 (29%)
4. Manx Radio (28%)
5. West Sound (28%)
6. Moray Firth (25%)
7. BBC Radio Ulster (24%)
8. BBC Radio Guernsey (24%)
9. Radio Pembrokeshire (23%)
10. BBC Radio Jersey (23%)

Note: figures here for BBC Radio 5 live also include BBC Radio 5 live Sports Extra; we've rounded the figures up.

Comments

charleena maughan
calling all radio stations/newspapers, my name is charleena maughan, im a 18year unsigned singer/songwriter, my song called, "lipstick fell" find it on youtube, and contact me.

Cecilia Castelli
Hi there!! i have a talk show in english in a radio station in ARgentina and i would love to do something with a news paper or radio station in th UK, thanks a million!

WHAT ABOUT CAPITAL??

aul
Capital is only available in London. In London it has 1.8m listeners - that's around 17% of Londoners.

It doesn't make the most popular stations list because it has hardly any outside London(apart from a handful of internet listeners)

London is a crowded market, and Capital gets around 5.6% of all radio listening in the city.

clara@wizards of waverly place episodes
heres few more radio stations quite popular ...watch out for em nw.

spkAbsolute Classic Rock
classic rock tracks
available on DAB digital radio, in the London area
listen livelisten live on our audio pages

spkAbsolute Radio
adult contemporary; popular rock music from the last 30 years
fm105.8 (Greater London and South East England)
also available on DAB digital radio, on the national commercial multiplex
listen livelisten live on our audio pages

spkAbsolute Xtreme
new and indie rock; classic tracks
available on DAB digital radio, in the London area

spkBang Radio
community station
fm103.6 (Stonebridge & Harlesden, Brent)

spkBBC London 94.9
talk; news and sport; contemporary and specialist music programmes
fm94.9 (Greater London)
also available on DAB digital radio, in the London area
listen livelisten live on our audio pages

spkCapital 95.8
pop and r&b; classic pop tracks
fm95.8 (Greater London)
also available on DAB digital radio, in the London area
listen livelisten live on our audio pages

atricia
Hi i host two Contemporary Gospel Shows on a local station, but its only on the internet. It does get a temporary RSL once a year but I would like to get a wider audience via FM.Any suggestions?

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