Contemporary Christian, Spanish, Classic Rock Keep Adding New Stations.

Of the formats ranked in the top 10 of Inside Radio/PrecisionTrak’s monthly counts, only three have seen new stations join up every month since at least August: contemporary Christian and Spanish-language stations, ranked fourth and fifth respectively, and eighth-ranked classic rock.

Contemporary Christian has done nothing but grow every month for the past year, steadily adding 47 new stations since October 2024 for a 3.3% year-over-year gain. Growth from January is also impressive, with the format adding 28 stations, up 1.9% year-to-date.

Spanish-language-formatted stations’ total has gone up steadily since August, adding 14 new outlets, while up 3.4% with 46 more year-over-year and 2.5% with 34 more since January. Classic rock, meanwhile, adds seven stations since August, with 14 new stations since October 2024 and 11 since January 2025.

If not for losing one or two stations during two of the past 12 months, second-ranked religion (including religious teaching, hymns, and other related content) would be the largest gainer in the past year, having added 70 new stations year-over-year, up 3.3%, and 51 year-to-date for a 2.4% lift.

Two other formats in the top 10 have added stations over the past 12 months. Third-ranked news/talk brought in 17 new outlets year-over-year but has lost five since January, while sixth-place classic hits added eight from October 2024, though just one year-to-date.

The remaining formats have shed stations either way. That includes: top-ranked country, down 20 year-over-year and 18 year-to-date; seventh-place variety (including stations with three or more distinct formats, either block-programmed or simultaneously), off by 10 YOY and 12 YTD; ninth-ranked sports, losing 14 since last October and 12 since January; and 10th-ranked top 40, the only format not to add a single station in the past 12 months, down 5.1% year-over-year and 4.2% year-to-date.