Nielsen Audio's just-released “Audio Today” report shows Country as the top radio format in audience share in seven of 11 key audience demographics, including all 18-49 and 25-54 breakouts. News/talk also shows up prominently, leading among adults 18+ and second to Country among adults 25-54 and men 18-49 or 25-54.
The report, based on monthly audience reach from Nielsen's March 2021 RADAR and Fall 2020 National Regional Database reports, covering all-day listening from Monday to Sunday, combines Country and New Country formatted stations in the Country category, and combines commercial and non-commercial News/Talk/Information and Talk/Personality stations in the News/Talk category.
Country displays double-digit dominance in all three key adult demos – 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54 – with a 15.9%, 14.5% and 13.8% share of these audiences, respectively. Country also leads among women and men 18-49 (15.4% and 13.8%) and 25-54 (15.1% and 12.7%). Country is also the second most listened to format among teens 12-17, reaching 14.3% of that audience, right behind Pop CHR's 15.2%.
Pop CHR's strength goes beyond teens, as it's the format with the second largest reach among Adults 18-34 (11.9%) and Adults 18-49 (9.6%) and third among Adults 25-54 (8.0%). It's also second-ranked among Women 18-49 (12.2%) and 25-54 (10.2%). While News/talk leads only among Adults 18+ (14.7%), it's second to Country among Adults 25-54 (9.5%), Men 18-49 (9.2%) and Men 25-54 (11.4%), as well as third-ranked among Adults 18-49 (7.8%).
Other formats showing up in Nielsen's monthly reach rankings are Adult Contemporary – placing third among teen, adult and woman demos- and Classic Rock, finishing third among both Men 18-49 and 25-54. Additional breakouts for Black and Hispanic listeners show Urban AC/R&B reaching nearly one-third of Black listeners, while Mexican Regional is the top format among Hispanics, with a 15.1% audience share.