Bauer Media Audio UK continues to deliver scale, choice and cultural impact across its portfolio, with the Q3 2025 RAJAR results showing 22.9m listeners tuning in each week to Bauer stations *.

It’s glow time for Magic Radio, where a refreshed line-up, including Gok Wan and Harriet Scott at Breakfast, Gaby Roslin, Mel Giedroyc and Nicki Chapman, combined with a high-profile marketing campaign from TV to billboards, has helped attract even more listeners (+8.8% YoY).

Meanwhile, Absolute Radio, Kerrang! Radio and Planet Rock show that guitar music is continuing to strike the right chord with audiences. Absolute Radio has grown its main station audience (+4.9% YoY) as well as digital spin offs Absolute Radio 00, 10s and Country, which all increased reach by around 20% each. Planet Rock also grew, reaching 1.1 million weekly listeners (+11% YoY), while Kerrang! Radio has recorded its strongest performance in years, growing by more than a third year on year (+36.4% YOY and +8.9% QoQ).

These results come as RAJAR confirms radio remains in robust health, with 86% of the UK population, 50.1 million people, tuning in each week. Listening is increasingly digital, with 74% of all hours on digital platforms and around 30% online through apps and smart speakers.

Across the wider portfolio, Bauer stations continue to deliver scale and variety:

• Hits Radio and Greatest Hits Radio combined (the Hits Radio Portfolio) now reach 12.8m listeners and 14.7m when partner stations are included.
• The Greatest Hits Radio Network attracts 7.2 million listeners, with Greatest Hits Radio the home of the UK’s most listened to commercial radio show with Ken Bruce, and audiences continuing to spend time with other much-loved presenters includig Simon Mayo, Kate Thornton and Rossie.
• The Hits Radio Network reaches 6.9 million listeners, with recent launches Hits Radio 90s and Hits Radio 00’s continuing to grow.
• The Absolute Radio Network reaches 5.5 million listeners, with its main station growing 4.9% YoY, and growth across its decade stations, including Absolute Radio 00s (+19.5% YoY), Absolute Radio 10s (+23.8% YoY) and Absolute Radio Country (+20.3% YoY).
• The Magic Radio Network reaches 3.5 million listeners, with the main Magic Radio station growing 8.8% YoY. That includes increased listenership for the Magic Radio Breakfast Show with Gok Wan and Harriet Scott (+14.2% QoQ). Mellow Magic reaches more than half a million listeners a week (+21.6% YOY).
• The KISS Network entertains 3.5 million listeners each week, with digital station KISS Xtra increasing its audience significantly year on year (+53.7% YoY). KISSTORY is back on top as the biggest digital commercial station in the UK and Bam Bam and Streetboy have grown their drivetime audience by 23% QoQ.
• Planet Rock reaches 1.1m listeners a week (+11%YoY) and Kerrang! Radio reaches 573,000 listeners a week (+36.4% YoY).

Bauer’s performance demonstrates its continued investment in its much-loved brands, while taking advantage of the growth in connected listening to allow advertisers increased access to national and local audiences.

Simon Myciunka, CEO for Bauer Media Audio UK, said: “Entertaining audiences is at the heart of everything we do, and that scale and connection is what makes Bauer such a powerful partner for advertisers. With broadcast remaining our focus, the growth of connected listening enables us to deliver even more targeted campaigns through our digital advertising proposition audioXi.”

Gary Stein, Director of Audio at Bauer Media Audio UK, said, “Our radio stations continue to be the go-to soundtrack in people’s lives, connecting audiences to the biggest moments in music and culture. From Taylor Swift dropping into Hits Radio and Coldplay’s exclusive on Rayo, Britpop Summer on Absolute and Magic Radio growing audience, these results are a real testament to the creativity and passion of our teams across the UK.”