Commercial radio reports record ad revenues for 2025

Radiocentre has announced that commercial radio in the UK achieved its highest-ever advertising revenue in 2025, hitting £747 million and surpassing the previous record of £740 million set in 2022.

The record performance was driven largely by continued growth in digital audio revenues underpinned by strong broadcast and branded content revenues. Spend on digital ad formats increased by 14.9% year-on-year, up from £77.9 million to £89.5 million. This mirrors sustained increases in listening via connected devices, expanding reach and unlocking more opportunities for advertisers to reach listeners wherever they are.

Further analysis reveals that revenue against commercial broadcasters’ digital audio formats has almost doubled since 2018, up from £45.4 million to today’s £89.5 million, reflecting evolving listening behaviour – RAJAR MIDAS records 107% increase in total commercial audio connected listening hours and 56% increase in commercial audio connected adult reach across the same period.

This record revenue reflects the medium’s shift to a truly multiplatform proposition for advertisers. As highlighted in Radiocentre’s Speed of Sound report, the proven strengths of broadcast radio alongside the precision targeting opportunities presented by digital audio enables brands to deliver audio campaigns that combine both high reach and sophisticated contextual messaging, proven to deliver effective outcomes for advertisers

The latest analysis from Radiocentre and WPP Media further demonstrates how including multiplatform audio within the media mix amplifies overall campaign effectiveness. The findings in High Gain Audio reveal that audio is among the most-profitable media for advertisers, delivering notably higher profit-ROI than the all-media average, both short-term and full-term.

Radiocentre’s CEO Matt Payton said:

“Reaching record revenues underlines the strength of UK commercial radio and its evolving multiplatform offer. Advertisers are increasingly embracing the combined power of broadcast and digital audio, where scale, targeting and proven effectiveness drive results.

Audio’s reach, impact and strong ROI performance is providing brands with a compelling offer and continued confidence to invest in the medium in the future.”