Youth Listeners Fuel Radio’s Digital-Era Boom

Youth-driven radio formats – including triple j – are holding strong in the latest listener numbers, while older-skewing stations continue to lose ground, according to fresh data from GfK’s first radio ratings survey of 2025.

One of the most notable success stories is triple j. The national youth broadcaster is trending upward across nearly all metro markets in the first quarter of 2025: in Perth, it posted huge share gains in the 18–24 (+3.6%) and 25–39 (+4.5%) age groups, adding a whopping +47,000 new listeners. The station also added +52,000 listeners in Brisbane and +22,000 in Adelaide.

Triple j’s resurgence follows a major programming shake-up at the end of 2024, which introduced new hosts in flagship slots like Breakfast, and revamped editions of shows including short.fast.loud. and the triple j Hip Hop Show. The updates signal a renewed focus on emerging Australian artists and more inclusive representation across the station’s playlists.

Overall, the commercial radio industry has reached record-breaking heights, with 12.5 million Australians now tuning in—a sign of radio’s resilience and adaptability in a digital-first landscape.

The 25–54 age group grew by 4.3% year-on-year, adding 258,000 new listeners to hit 6.2 million, while 10–17-year-olds rose by 5.3%, adding 75,000 new listeners to reach 1.5 million. Crucially, more than 3.1 million Australians now stream commercial radio, with listening via digital platforms staying stable throughout the day.

Brisbane’s B105 has emerged as one of the strongest performers in the country, holding onto its top spot with a 12.4% share and dominating in the 25–39 demographic. Though it dipped slightly in younger listeners (10–17: -1.5%), it remains a youth market heavyweight. In the same market, KIIS973 is making major moves, with solid gains in the 18–24 (+2.5%) and 25–39 (+2.8%) brackets.

Over in Perth, NOVA 93.7 retained the biggest share overall (16.3%), thanks to strong results among 25–39-year-olds (+3.1%).

Adelaide saw similar momentum, with NOVA 91.9 and Triple M both performing strongly among younger listeners. NOVA lifted its youth credentials with major growth in 10–17s and 18–24s, while Triple M surged among 18–24s (+8.7%).

Meanwhile, Melbourne and Sydney showed clear signs that youth are steering the direction of both FM and digital listening. FOX FM held firm in Melbourne as the go-to for 18–24s, while KIIS101.1 posted impressive growth across both 18–24 and 25–39 brackets. In Sydney, KIIS1065 continued its hot streak, growing to a 9.9% share and dominating among young pop listeners.

Notably, the rise of genre-focused digital stations is reshaping the game. CADA jumped by +24,000 in Melbourne, while RnB Fridays Radio, iHeartAustralia, and TikTok Trending all posted substantial growth in Sydney, particularly among the 18–39 segment. TikTok Trending alone added +31,000 new listeners, showing just how much social media is influencing radio habits.

Digital streaming is not only growing in reach, but also in time spent listening: 18–24-year-olds are now clocking three hours of listening per week, while 40–54s listen for five hours, and Australians aged 65+ are streaming for a surprising eight hours weekly.

But it’s not good news for all. Classic and easy-listening stations like Smoothfm (down -2.1% in Melbourne and -0.8% in Sydney), CRUISE1323 (Adelaide), and 4BH (Brisbane) posted significant declines, especially in the under-40 demos. Even Nova in Sydney lost ground in the 14–24 bracket, hinting that competition from hyper-targeted digital content is tightening.

With streaming services eating into passive listening time, and platforms like TikTok setting the pace for music discovery, commercial radio stations with strong branding, high social engagement, and a digital-first mindset are the ones connecting most with Gen Z and millennials.