At AJ, we’re big fans of commercial radio and audio advertising. And we’re not alone, a recent data release from Radiocentre shows that commercial radio in the UK is booming. In 2025, £747 million was spent on the medium, its highest-ever advertising revenue. This surpasses the previous record of £740 million set in 2022.
This outstanding performance was driven largely by continued growth in digital audio revenues. Spend on digital ad formats increased by 14.9% year-on-year, up from £77.9 million to £89.5 million. This mirrors sustained increases in listening via connected devices. These changing listening trends expand reach and open up more opportunities for advertisers to reach listeners wherever they are.
Commercial radio – an old favourite that’s moving with the times
Changing listener behaviour means that revenue against commercial broadcasters’ digital audio formats has almost doubled in recent years. Digital audio spend is up from £45.4 million in 2018 to £89.5 million today. RAJAR MIDAS records 107% increase in total commercial audio connected listening hours. In addition, there has been a 56% increase in commercial audio connected adult reach across the same period.
This record revenue is a testament to the medium’s shift to a truly multiplatform proposition for advertisers. Alongside the precision targeting opportunities presented by digital, commercial radio enables brands to deliver campaigns that combine high reach and sophisticated contextual messaging.
If this isn’t enough good news for radio advertising, there’s more positive data. Latest analysis from Radiocentre and WPP Media demonstrates that including multiplatform audio within the media mix amplifies overall campaign effectiveness. The research findings reveal that audio is among the most-profitable media for advertisers. Commercial radio delivers notably higher profit-ROI than the all-media average, both short-term and full-term.
If you’re looking to add targeted reach to your campaigns, radio advertising should be on your list. We’ve seen the proof that radio works. We plan, buy and create audio campaigns that deliver against multiple metrics adding value and reach and increasing ROI on advertising budgets. Find out more about radio advertising or get in touch to see how you can get on air.