RAJAR MIDAS reveals record commercial audio listening

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The latest RAJAR MIDAS Autumn 2025 report marks a milestone for commercial audio, revealing record listening hours and sustained growth in digital formats. Commercial audio—which includes Commercial Radio (broadcast and IP), non-BBC podcasts, and ad-supported music streaming services—has seen listening hours rise by 21% since 2019*. Consumers now listen to around 707m hours a week collectively, this is up from 581m hours in 2019.

While Broadcast Radio remains the dominant format, the surge in listening via connected devices—whether radio streams, podcasts, or music streaming—has been the primary driver of growth. Collectively known as Digital Audio, these formats have nearly doubled in listening time since 2019, reflecting the evolving habits of UK audiences.

Earlier this year, Radiocentre’s Speed of Sound report highlighted that commercial broadcasters provide access to both Broadcast Radio and Digital Audio at scale (accounting for around 90% of total commercial audio listening), ensuring advertisers can reach audiences effectively across platforms.

This latest MIDAS data also complements findings from High Gain Audio, a study conducted in partnership with WPP, which revealed for the first time the full and short-term ROI of Broadcast Radio and Digital Audio separately—both outperforming the all-media average.

The key takeaways of that new ROI study for advertisers included:

• Be more ambitious with audio budget allocation.
• Supplement Broadcast Radio with Digital Audio—don’t replace one with the other.
• Use robust inputs to understand the unique contributions of each audio element to campaign success.

*Please note: This comparison is based on 2019 figures and represents the first Autumn measure for MIDAS since 2023.

RAJAR MIDAS is a regular survey covering Measurement of Internet Delivered Audio Services.