Radio Listening Continues to Gain in Nielsen April PPM

RADIO ONLINE | Thursday, May 20, 2021

Nielsen

The April 2021 PPM survey revealed new gains in radio listening across the aggregate of markets for the second month in a row. As America continues to reopen, consumers are returning to radio in numbers not seen in over half a year. Radio's weekly reach is now at its highest levels (121 million weekly consumers) since March, 2020 when COVID-19's impact began to take hold. Since the beginning of 2021, radio has added more than 5 million new weekly listeners.

Radio's Average Quarter-Hour (AQH) audience in April 2021 hit its highest levels since the fourth quarter of 2020, prior to this winter's virus surges and associated restrictions. What's more, AQH audience levels have jumped 10 percent in the past two months as vaccinations and a gradual return to pre-pandemic routines have proliferated.

The year-over-year comparison between the April, 2020 and April, 2021 PPM stands at a 114 index for weekly reach and a 131 index for AQH. This means that from a weekly reach perspective, the radio audience in April, 2021 is 14% larger than the same month from one year ago, while for AQH the audience is now 31% larger.

The April listening gains were spread across the day, with all major dayparts at or near their AQH peaks since COVID-19 began. Both morning drive (Monday-Friday 6-10am) and weekends (Saturday-Sunday 6am-12m) hit their highest audience levels since the fall.

From a format perspective, some routine and seasonal shifts are underway. Country radio is reporting higher shares of audience heading into the summer, following its usual seasonal pattern. Classic Hits is also gaining ground, another annual occurrence. Meanwhile, the return of major league baseball along with other live sports is boosting the All Sports format near its fall football season levels.

Notably, the Urban Adult Contemporary / R&B format recorded its highest share of listening in several years in the April survey, which took place from April 1 to April 28. The national interest in the social justice movement has had far-reaching effects beyond just the usual News and Talk platforms. Specifically, the verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin was announced on April 20, when millions of Americans tuned in live to hear the decision across live radio and TV. The April gains for Urban AC / R&B stations may have been driven by what was happening between the songs, as much as the music cycle itself during such a milestone moment.