Classic FM, the UK’s most popular classical music radio station, significantly increased its young listenership in the last quarter of 2017. More than a half a million people aged under 25 tuned in to the commercial station, a 43% increase on the same period in 2016.
Further, more than one million of Classic FM’s listeners for the period were aged under 35, rising from 894,000 the previous year. In total, the station averaged 5.7 million listeners each week from mid September to mid December.
“Classic FM’s 25th birthday year concluded in the best way possible, as we welcomed in hundreds of thousands of new listeners,” commented Classic FM managing editor Sam Jackson. “I’m particularly encouraged by the huge growth in our youngest demographic: to now have over half a million listeners aged under 25 proves that the future of classical music is in very rude health.”
By comparison, national broadcaster BBC Radio 3 had just short of two million listeners each week over the same period.
Overall, BBC Radio 2 remains the most listened to UK radio station, followed by BBC Radio 4. The data was collected by the Radio Joint Audience Research body, which is co-funded by BBC and commercial broadcasters.