Fresh analysis of official Rajar data has revealed that Global, the media powerhouse behind major UK radio brands including Heart, LBC, Capital and Classic FM, has achieved unprecedented listening figures in the final quarter of 2025, defying wider industry trends.
Record-Breaking Performance in a Challenging Market
The media conglomerate, which also operates a growing podcast empire, secured a remarkable 288 million listening hours during the last three months of the year. This substantial figure represents a commanding 28 per cent share of the entire UK radio market, highlighting Global's dominant position.
Britain's largest commercial radio group attracted an impressive 29 million weekly listeners across its portfolio of stations. This success comes at a time when much of the traditional linear broadcast sector faces significant challenges from digital disruption, including the rise of social media and on-demand audio platforms like podcasts.
Heart Leads the Pack as Top Commercial Brand
Heart Radio maintained its status as the UK's biggest commercial radio brand, drawing in 12.7 million of Global's weekly listeners. A significant contributor to this success is the station's popular breakfast show, hosted by Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden, which saw its audience grow to 4.1 million weekly listeners.
Simon Pitts, chief executive at Global, expressed his pride in the results, stating: "I'm so proud to see these record-breaking results, with people spending more time with us than ever before. Despite operating in an intensely competitive market, Global has again stretched its lead as the UK's largest commercial radio group with the country's top three commercial radio brands in Heart, Capital and Smooth."
LBC and Other Stations Show Strong Growth
The Rajar data also highlighted a standout performance from LBC, Global's flagship news and talk station. LBC increased its weekly reach to 3.4 million listeners, with prominent presenters such as Nick Ferrari and James O'Brien both contributing to audience growth.
This robust performance across Global's portfolio stands in stark contrast to the struggles faced by some legacy broadcasters. The BBC's Radio 2, while remaining the most listened-to station overall with 12.7 million weekly listeners, has lost nearly 2 million listeners since autumn 2021. Similarly, Radio 4's Today programme experienced a five per cent year-on-year decline in its weekly reach during the final quarter of 2025, falling to 5.5 million listeners. The BBC World Service faced the most significant challenge, with its reach down by 15 per cent compared to the previous year.
The Enduring Power of Live Radio
Commenting on the broader audio landscape, James Rea, Global's chief broadcasting and content officer, emphasised the continued relevance of traditional radio. He said: "Audio is reaching more people than ever before, and live radio remains, beyond question, the single biggest way audiences consume it."
Global's record results demonstrate a successful strategy in a rapidly evolving media environment, combining strong linear radio brands with digital expansion to capture and retain a massive UK audience.
