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The Audio Advertising Opportunity is Bigger Than Ever

 Audio advertising is one of the UK’s fastest-growing opportunities for brands. And the latest RAJAR Q2 2025 results prove just how powerful the medium has become.

1. Radio Remains a Mass-Reach Medium

  • 86% of UK adults – over 50 million people – tune into the radio every week.

  • Together, listeners generate more than 1.026 billion hours of radio listening weekly.

  • On average, each listener spends 20.5 hours per week with the radio.

That makes radio not only resilient in the digital age, but thriving.

2. Commercial Radio at Record Strength

  • Commercial stations now reach 39.5 million adults weekly  

  • Commercial share of listening has hit a record 55.7%, 

Within commercial radio, the UK’s biggest groups are leading the way:

  • Global reaches 27.5 million weekly listeners and holds a record 25.1% share of listening.

  • Bauer reaches 21.5 million weekly listeners with a solid 19.3% share.

  • Wireless Group (News UK Radio) reaches 6.4 million weekly listeners, with a 6% share of listening.

This strength across multiple groups means advertisers can benefit from scale, competition, and innovation across the commercial sector.

3. Digital Listening Surpasses Analogue

The way listeners access radio is changing fast:

  • 29.3% of listening now happens online, 

  • Smart speakers account for 18.4% of all listening, rising to 22.4% for commercial stations.

  • Digital channels now dominate the listening mix, giving advertisers more precision and flexibility..

4. The Advertising Opportunity

With radio’s massive reach and digital audio’s growing depth, the UK audio market is uniquely positioned to deliver:

  • Scale:  Reaching tens of millions across platforms.

  • Engagement:  With listeners spending over 20 hours a week in audio environments.

  • Flexibility: From mass-reach broadcast radio to targeted digital campaigns.

For brands, that means more ways than ever to connect with audiences at scale, while also tailoring messages to specific contexts, devices, and lifestyles.

Final Thoughts

The Q2 2025 RAJAR results confirm what we at Rainmaker Advertising see every day: audio is the “background” medium. It’s the soundtrack of daily life, cutting through homes, commutes, workplaces, and workouts.

Commercial radio is stronger than ever, and digital listening is breaking records and adding depth and variety.

👉 For brands, the opportunity has never been bigger. At Rainmaker Advertising, we help you unlock the full power of audio – from traditional radio buys to smart, data-driven campaigns across digital and podcasting.