Nielsen Trends Show Three Formats Growing Across Key Demos.

Nielsen’s first two surveys for 2026 show several trending formats, based on Inside Radio’s analysis of average quarter-hour share data in PPM markets, covering Monday-Sunday 6am-midnight, for persons 6+, 18-34 and 25-54.

While most top-ranked formats aren’t seeing significant growth across the board, contemporary Christian, which ranks ninth 6+ based on January-February 2026 share, continues to show uptrends in all three demographics dating back to Jan.-Feb. 2022, with gains of 37% for 6+, 46% 18-34, and 43% 25-54. For the most part, those lifts are steady from one year to the next, and for all these demos, also up from January to February.

The first two days of February’s PPM activity displayed contemporary Christian’s strength, with stations in the format ranking second in Dallas, Tampa and St. Louis, third in Seattle, fourth in Houston and fifth in Minneapolis.

Modern/alternative rock – ranking 12th 6+, eighth 18-34, and seventh 25-54 – is up 26%, 8%, and 39% respectively in those demos since Jan.-Feb. 2022, with a 10% jump in the latter demo from a year ago. That 25-54 boost may reflect GenX-ers becoming an ever-growing segment of the demo, while stations in the format are giving more air time to classic 90s-00s alternative tracks.

While the adult hits format doesn’t make the top 10 in either demo, its shares have increased 17% 6+, 14% 18-34, and 24% 25-54. Meanwhile, both classic rock and classic hits are flat or down vs. earlier years in these demos, suggesting listeners may be moving away from formats with significantly older music, which may explain the recent introduction of classic hits stations focused on 90s-2000s hits.

While not as noticeable a growth story as any of the above, hot AC is also trending up vs. its more hit-driven counterpart CHR. Year-over-year, hot AC is up 7% 6+, 10% 18-34 and 8% 25-54, while over the same period CHR is down 4%, 9% and 8% in those demos. Hot AC and CHR tie for seventh in 6+, while the two rank second and fourth for 18-34, and third and fourth 25-54.

Several other formats are showing across-the-board declines. Adult contemporary – top-ranked for 18-34 and 25-54, and second-place among 6+ – is off 17% 6+, 13% 18-34, and 15% 25-54 since Jan.-Feb. 2024. Two lower-ranked formats have seen share losses over the same period: sports, down 17%, 10%, and 11% for those demos; and Spanish contemporary, off 30%, 37%, and 36%.

For news/talk, which ranks first 6+ and second 25-54, the story differs depending on the demographic, or on how you look at the trends. The long view shows the format still down noticeably since 2022 in all demos – and down a bit year-over-year for 6+ and 25-54 – yet, it has been steadily gaining since Jan.-Feb. 2024, up 17%, among 18-34s, where it ties for eighth. Meanwhile, all-news stations have a better story to tell: up steadily since Jan.-Feb. 2023 in 6+, with a 21% gain.

For country, which ranks third 6+ and 18-34 and fifth 25-54, there doesn’t seem to be a consensus on how it’s trending, or if it’s trending at all. Year-over-year, it added 0.2 share points among 6+, while flat for 18-34 and down 0.1 in 25-54. While all three demos show country’s share peaking during 2023, there still seems to be plenty of room for growth.