Nielsen: Classic Hits, Sports See Year-To-Date Growth.

Which radio formats have seen share gains during 2026, and over the past four years — and which are trending in the other direction both ways — when it comes to key advertiser demographics?

According to Inside Radio’s analysis of average-quarter-hour share data in PPM markets, covering Mon.-Sun. 6am-midnight, for persons 18-34 and 25-54, classic hits — ranked fourth both in the October survey and year-to-date for the former, while seventh and sixth during those periods for the latter — earns nearly perfect grades. Since January 2026, it’s up 10% among 18-34s and 4% for 25-54s. Comparing the first 10 months of this year to that of 2022, classic hits is also up 10% 18-34, although down 4% 25-54.

The spoken-word format with the best growth story is sports, with share growth any way you look at it. Year-to-date it’s up 31% 18-34 and 32% 25-54, and up 7% since Jan.-Oct. 2022 in both demos. While the format doesn’t rank in the top 10 for 18-34, it ties for third in October and ranks ninth year-to-date for 25-54.

Circling back to those year-to-date gains, while sports radio tends to see a share boost in every October survey due to the run-up to Major League Baseball’s World Series and activity for NFL and college football, this year’s 31-32% gains vs. January are significantly higher than seen in earlier years, as shown in the chart below.

While not ranking in the top 10 for either demo, contemporary Christian continues its year-over-year and mostly year-to-date growth. Since Jan.-Oct. 2022 it’s up a spectacular 52% 18-34 and 44% 25-54, while since January it’s up 6% 18-34 and off just 3% 25-54.

Modern/alternative rock — tied for eighth for both October and Jan.-Oct. for 18-34, and eighth and seventh respectively 25-54 — is up 5% year-to-date and 2% since Jan.-Oct. 2022 in 18-34, and up 4% since January and 24% from 2022 for 25-54.

Classic rock, which for 18-34 ranks sixth for October and ties for sixth 2026-to-date, gets a 26% share lift from January while down 8% over the past four years. For 25-54, where the format places 10th both ways, it’s up 7% this year and down 10% since 2022.

Hot AC shows mixed results, with healthy growth in 25-54 vs. slight declines 18-34. For the former demo, where hot AC ranks second in the October survey and ties for second for 2026 to date, it’s up 5% since January and 9% vs. Jan.-Oct. 2022, while down 7% and 2% respectively for 18-34, where hot AC ranks fifth.

The rest of the formats which rank in the top five in either or both demos show declines both during this year and over the past four years. Adult contemporary, which leads in both demos, is off by single-digits: -3% since January and -1% since Jan.-Oct. 2022 in 18-34, while down just 3% and 5% during those periods for 25-54.

The remaining top-five-ranked formats also see mostly single-digit losses, all with double-digit drops since 2022. For 18-34, CHR is off 7% this year and down 19% over the past four years, while down 5% and 8% by those measures 25-54. Country slips 8% year-to-date and year-over-year 18-34, and -7% since January and -10% from 2022 for 25-54.

News/talk, the highest-ranked spoken-word format, is off just 2% and 8% respectively for 18-34 and 25-54 year-to-date but is down 20% and 15% for the demos vs. Jan.-Oct. 2022.