The results are in for Nielsen’s January 2025 survey of its 48 PPM markets, the first to reflect the shift from a five- to a three-minute qualifier needed for quarter-hour credit, and the winning format across-the-board is... contemporary Christian.
Inside Radio’s analysis of PPM cross-market average quarter-hour share data, covering Monday-Sunday 6am-midnight during the January survey (including activity from Jan. 9-Feb. 5), shows contemporary Christian’s share up significantly from Nielsen’s November book — the last to reflect normal listening behavior, before stations’ annual switch to the all-Christmas-music format — in all four demographics examined.
The breakdown shows contemporary Christian up 18%, 10%, 16% and 19% November-January for persons 6+, 18-34, 18-49, and 25-54, respectively. While the format’s shares have regularly increased from November to January over the past three years, the gains are larger vs. a year ago, when contemporary Christian was up 6%, 7%, 7% and 3% for those same four demos.
Additionally, contemporary Christian continues to grow steadily on a year-over-year basis, up 30%, 38%, 32% and 36% in those four respective demographics, from January 2022 to January 2025.
As for other formats with November-January share gains, there’s no consensus across these demos. Hot AC is up 8% for 6+ and 6% 25-54, yet down 7% among 18-34s. Classic hits is up 8% 18-34 and 6% 18-49, while flat for 6+ and 25-54.
Nor is there consensus when it comes to down trending formats over the same two surveys. Sports is off 6% for 6+ and 25-54, although the format had shown similar declines during earlier November-January trends. That’s also true for country, down 9% 18-34 and 5% 25-54.
One down trending format is noteworthy, however: adult contemporary, which has traditionally grown from November to January, benefiting from most of those stations’ flips to all Christmas music. This year, with the qualifier change, it’s flat in 6+ and down 5% 18-34 and 4% 18-49.
A look at year-over-year trends suggests that several formats’ shares have bounced back, possibly resulting from the January 2025 survey’s qualifier change. News/talk is one such format, having fallen in share across the board from January 2022 to January 2024 — down 10%, 33%, 25% and 23% for 6+, 18-34, 18-49, and 25-54, respectively — yet up 3%, 8%, 14% and 12% from January 2024 to January 2025 in those age groups.
That’s also true for CHR, where shares declined 9%, 17%, 10% and 9% over those two years in those same demos, but bounced back up 4%, 4%, 6% and 8% since January 2024.
The other formats that are bouncing back in three of the four demos, all except 18-34, are hot AC and Spanish regional Mexican.
Then there’s the reverse effect, as in formats that had grown over the prior two years but slipped in the January 2025 survey. From January 2022-January 2024, the aforementioned AC saw 10%, 10%, 12% and 12% lifts in 6+, 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, respectively, yet fell 16%, 6%, 13% and 14% in those demos from January 2024-January 2025.
The sports format displays the same pattern: up 9%, 13%, 15% and 16% January 2022-January 2024, but down 6%, 6%, 7% and 8% January 2024-January 2025.
Classic hits is the only other format to show that reverse effect, for all demos except 18-34.