In a time of major shifts in the audio industry, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 6 Music experienced audience growth as 2024 came to an end, according to Q4 RAJAR figures (16/9 – 15/12).
Over this period, more than 15 new commercial radio stations launched. Two additional music streams appeared on BBC Sounds. Weekly podcast listeners reached a record 13 million, which is 23% of the audience.
Radio 2 continues to be the UK’s most popular station, attracting over 13.6 million listeners. Vernon Kay’s mid-morning show has become the largest in the country, with an audience of 7.2 million. Zoe Ball’s Breakfast Show drew 6.8 million listeners in her final months as host of the UK’s leading breakfast show.
The entire Radio 2 team supported Paddy McGuinness in his Ultra Endurance Cycle Challenge. They helped to raise an impressive £10.5 million for BBC Children in Need.
Radio 6 Music, the UK’s largest digital station, gained 2.8 million listeners. The station celebrated T-Shirt Day. It hosted New Music Fix Live in Belfast. The station featured an exclusive session with The Cure. This session was presented by Huw Stephens.
BBC’s unique music stations continued to engage millions. Radio 3 maintained a solid audience of 2 million after a successful quarter. Radio 1Xtra increased its listeners with a stronger presence in Birmingham.
On BBC Sounds, festive mixes, spooky themes, and coverage of the US election led to another record year in 2024. Weekly account growth rose by 3% year-on-year, leading to 279 million plays.
The launch of two new music streams, Radio 3 Unwind and Radio 1 Anthems, offered listeners more variety. From October to December 2024, there were 644 million plays across all content.
This includes a record 253 million plays of on-demand radio and podcasts. BBC Sounds had a weekly audience average of 4.8 million, a 3% increase from the previous quarter, reaching a peak of 4.96 million during the US election week.
As the festive season approached, Christmas music topped the charts on BBC Sounds. It featured offerings like Mariah Carey’s Christmas Hour from Radio 2. It also included Christmas Anthems with Greg James from Radio 1.
BBC Radio 4’s speech titles remained highly popular. They made up six of the top ten podcasts. They also comprised eight of the top ten on-demand radio programmes. Uncanny topped the charts among paranormal fans. The History Podcast also ranked among the top five most listened to podcasts on BBC Sounds. The established Limelight drama was another in the top five.
Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer, expressed her satisfaction with the dynamic changes in the radio landscape. She highlighted the popularity of Radio 2 and Radio 6 Music. She credited their talented presenters and exceptional music teams for engaging audiences.
She acknowledged the changing listening habits and the need for innovation. They aim to provide licence fee payers with more options across BBC’s diverse music offerings. This includes on-demand radio and high-quality podcasts.