Nielsen: News/Talk Most Popular Format 6+

As the calendar gets ready to change to 2015, Nielsen takes a  look back at national radio listening trends among the more than 243 million Americans (aged 12 and older) who tune in each week to see which formats kept toes tapping across the country.

• 2014 was an up and down year for Country, America’s No. 1 overall format in the 48 Nielsen portable people meter (PPM) markets. In June, the format peaked at its all-time best for audience share, before ending the year with four straight months of declines. 
• News/Talk remained the top-ranked overall format with listeners 6+, but its lead over the competition has grown smaller with every passing year. 
• Hot Adult Contemporary (AC) lived up to its name in 2014, rising up the charts with listeners young and old, and moving from fifth to third this year among audiences aged 18 to 34.

18-34, Top 40 took top honors at 12.3%, trailed by Country (9.8%), Hot AC (7.1%), Top 40/Rhythmic (6.7%), AC (5.9%), Urban (5.8%), Regional Mexican (5.2%), Alternative (5%), Classic Rock (3.9%), and News Talk Information (3.5%).

25-54, Top 40 led with 9%, followed by Country (8%), AC (6.9%), Hot AC (6.8%), News Talk Information (6.2%), Classic Rock (5.3%), Sports (5%), Urban AC (4.8%), Regional Mexican (4.6%), and Classic Hits (4.5%).