As radio listening reaches another all-time high across the UK, KISS is fully embracing its feral era as it goes from strength to strength. Following its relaunch earlier this year, the station has once again seen audience growth, with figures up 29% YoY. The KISS Breakfast show with Tyler West and Chloe Burrows also continues to rise, with the duo enjoying 29% listener growth (YoY).

KISS is reaching audiences wherever they consume their content, with the brand also delivering growth across its social platforms, with a 35% rise in views –  including doubling its YouTube views and 78% growth on Instagram year on year.

Across the rest of its portfolio and partner stations, Bauer Media Audio UK continues to connect with audiences, with figures growing to 22.9 million people listening each week*. This number is driven by brands including Absolute Radio, Hits Radio and Magic Radio Networks also posting growth this quarter. Ken Bruce on Greatest Hits Radio retains his crown as the nation’s most listened to commercial radio show.

These results confirm radio is more popular than ever, reaching 87% of the UK population and 51.2 million weekly listeners (+2% YoY). Digital listening accounts for 76% of all hours, with 31% taking place online via apps and smart speakers.

Our headlines this quarter are:

• Commercial radio’s biggest portfolio, the Hits Radio Portfolio – made up of Hits Radio and Greatest Hits Radio – reaches 12.2 million listeners and 14.5 million when partner stations are included.
• The Greatest Hits Radio Network’s weekly audience is 6.8 million, ahead of Zoe Ball’s first audience figures arriving next quarter. The network’s 80s spin-off station reported an all-time-high audience of 644,000 (up 12.6% YoY).
• The Hits Radio Network reaches 6.6 million listeners, with Hits Radio 90s and Hits Radio 00s both hitting record audiences, up 31% and 33% YoY respectively.
• The Absolute Radio Network is up this quarter to 5.5 million listeners, with Absolute Radio 00s up 22% YoY to an all-time high of 582,000.
• The KISS Network now entertains 3.9 million listeners each week (+12% YoY). The main KISS station is up 29% YoY to 1.7 million listeners, building on its rebrand and relaunch earlier this year.
• KISSTORY reaches 1.9 million listeners, while KISS XTRA is up 4.2% YoY to 301,000.
• The Magic Radio Network has a weekly audience of 3.4 million, with the main station up 4.2% QoQ to 2.3 million weekly listeners.
• Planet Rock reaches 1.2 million listeners a week (up 7.9% YoY), while Kerrang! Radio reaches 646,000, up 12.7% YoY.

Bauer Media also reaches audiences in app, online and via smart speakers, owning four of the top five digital stations, with Absolute Radio #1, KISSTORY #2, KISS #4 and Absolute 80s #5.

Simon Myciunka, Bauer Media’s President of Audio and CEO for Bauer Media Audio UK, said; “Radio has reached a new record audience this quarter, and commercial radio continues to lead the way, accounting for more than half of all listening. At a time when human connection is more important than ever, almost two in five people listen to our stations every week. Our brands are part of the nation’s daily lives, from the school run to winding down at night. That connection is exactly why advertisers keep coming back to audio.”

Gary Stein, Director of Audio at Bauer Media Audio UK, said, “It’s been a great quarter across the portfolio. KISS has had a brilliant year since its relaunch, and Tyler and Chloe have made Breakfast fun, unpredictable and genuinely part of their listeners’ mornings. It’s also great to see so many of our other brands growing, from the Hits Radio, Absolute Radio and Magic Radio Networks to Planet Rock. That’s down to talented presenters and teams who know their audiences inside out, so a big thank you to everyone on air and behind the scenes.”