For The First Time, Religion Is America’s Most Programmed Format.

Since January 2015, country has led all formats in total U.S. stations. Until now.

According to Inside Radio/PrecisionTrak’s monthly station counts for February, religion (including stations featuring religious teaching, hymns and other related content) has surpassed country for the first time ever, hitting a new 2,156-station high.

For more than two decades, country, news/talk and religion have been the top three formats based on total stations, with religion a distant third, not hitting the 1,000-station mark until May 2004. From July 2008 to December 2014, news/talk replaced country at the top, before country reclaimed the throne in 2015.

Since October 2019, when religion hit 2,000 stations, it has gone back and forth with news/talk, ranking second or third, until June 2023, when religion permanently took over the runner-up spot, where it stood until January 2026.

Religion’s station total has climbed steadily since December, adding 23 new stations, while country has declined steadily over the same period, shedding 16. As a result, religion has pulled ahead with a 22-station edge over country.

Over the past 12 months, religion has added 83 stations, more than any other format. Only two other formats listed, fourth- and fifth-ranked contemporary Christian and Spanish, have significantly increased their totals in the past year, bringing in 37 and 20 new outlets respectively — this while country shed 31 stations.

It’s also worth noting that for the first time since October 2024, contemporary Christian’s total is lower than that of the prior month, although down by just two stations vs. January 2026. During the period from September 2024 to January 2026, the format added 66 stations for an impressive 48% increase.

The battle for sixth place continues in February, as classic hits again swaps places with variety (including stations having three or more distinct formats, either block-programmed or simultaneously), which has steadily lost 13 stations since November 2025.

While classic rock, ranked eighth, has remained steady in terms of total stations, ninth-place sports has steadily lost 15 outlets since September. Top 40, in 10th, adds one station, marking the first time the format has brought in a new outlet since January 2024, having shown a steady downtrend for the past two years until now.