Radio Ratings Roundup, January 2026, Part 2

February 24, 2026

We’re back from the shadows again, ready to regale you with another round of radio ratings (hence the clever title for this here missive).

The JANUARY survey is the one where all those stations who “got swole” through the use of performance enhancing music return to their previous positions. You’ll see shares plummet! Cume disappear! Dogs and cats living together!

It’s not a pretty picture.

The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—along with our cohorts at XTRENDS—present the JANUARY book. This one ran from JANUARY 8^TH through FEBRUARY 4^TH. It was cold as…well, you know, and also featured a long holiday weekend. Let us begin…

SAN FRANCISCO: Back To Normal

Santa had his little one book fling and now things were back to where they usually are. KQED INC. N/T KQED moved up to #1 6+ with its best book since JULY (9.2-9.8), while AUDACY News KCBS reassumed its usual #2 position (7.9-8.3). The leading music station plays some true oldies as USC Classical KDFC (CLASSICAL CALIFORNIA) stepped up to #3 (5.0-4.9). BONNEVILLE AC KOIT shed its HOLIDAY weight as it went from first to fourth (9.9-4.7). BONNEVILLE Hot AC KMVQ (99.7 NOW) remained at #5 but with its highest mark in over a year (3.8-4.6). iHEARTMEDIA AC KIOI (STAR 101.3) landed its largest share since MAY as it rose from #10 to #6 (2.7-3.7). KOIT kept cume control but with a 27.1% decrease (1,353,000-985,900). Last year it was still above the million listener threshold. The market was down 1.7%.

After seeing its 25-54 numbers decline during the holiday frenzy, KQED was back at #1 25-54. KMVQ moved up to #2 with its best outing since AUGUST, while AUDACY Alternative KITS (LIVE 105) rose to #3 with a solid increase. KOIT dropped from #1 to #4, while iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KYLD (WiLD 94.9) repeated at #5 with a flat book.

KMVQ increased its previous 18-34 share by 50% as it claimed the #1 position. This ended the five-book winning string for KOIT, which stepped down to #2. iHEARTMEDIA Rhythmic CHR KMEL bounced back from a down book to advance to #3. Two stations came from way outside the top five to land together at #4. KIOI soared up from #13 with its best book since APRIL, while TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Adult Hits KBRG (AMOR 100.3) vaulted from #17 with its highest score in over a year. KYLD and iHEARTMEDIA Soft AC KISQ (98.1 THE BREEZE) were last spotted at #4 and #5, respectively. KISQ was up, KYLD was down but both ended up at #6. SBS Mexican Regional KRZZ (LA RAZA 93.3) fell from #3 into a tie at #11 with KITS.

KQED was up to #1 18-49, while KITS moved to #2. The stations were a half share apart. KMVQ rose from #5 to #3 with its largest share since SEPTEMBER. KOIT went from first to fourth, while KYLD dipped to #5 with its third down book in a row.

ATLANTA: The Talk Of The Town

This year, Santa’s impact on the market was minimal. Submitted for your approval—COX MEDIA N/T WSB-A was #1 6+ for the sixth straight survey (6.7-7.8) COX MEDIA Urban AC WALR (KISS 104.1) repeated at #2 (6.4-6.7). COX MEDIA Classic Hits WSRV (97.1 THE RIVER) was up three slots to #3 with its best showing since SEPTEMBER (5.7-6.4). AUDACY Urban AC WVEE (V103) remained at #4 (6.1-6.2), but it had company as URBAN ONE Urban AC WAMJ (MAJIC 107.5/97.5) moved up a spot (6.0-6.2). COX MEDIA AC WSB-F (B98.5) was up to #6 as it bounced back from a down book (4.8-5.8). This was the first year AUDACY Rhythmic AC WSTR (STAR 94) flipped the Frosty switch as it filled in for the station formerly known as THE FISH. WSTR made it to #3 last survey but landed at #11 this time (6.3-3.8). Despite a 3.7% drop WSB-F was still the cume leader (699,900-673,700). The market was down 2.5%.

WVEE was #1 25-54 for the fifth book in a row. AUDACY Sports WZGC (92.9 THE GAME) moved up to #2 with its best book in over a year but still trailed its cluster mate by a share and a half. WSB-F leapt from #6 to #3 as it regained some of last survey’s large share loss. WAMJ stepped up to #4 with a small increase, while WALR slid from #2 to #5 as it surrendered a good portion of last survey’s increase. WSTR dropped from #3 to #9.

Last survey Santa ended WSB-F’s three-book 18-34 winning string. The station regained all of that lost share and more this time as it returned to the top spot. WSRV rose from #4 to #2 with a large share increase, while iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WRDG (96.1 THE BEAT) leapt from #8 to #3 with its highest mark since OCTOBER. WVEE dipped to #4 with a small increase, while WSTR slid from first to fifth. It was tied with WALR, which posted its lowest number since JULY.

WVEE was back at #1 18-49 with its best outing since JUNE. WSB-F jumped from #5 to #2 as it recovered from last survey’s huge loss. WSRV repeated at #3 but with a healthy share gain. WRDG advanced from #11 to #4 as it halted a four-book slide. WAMJ stepped up to #5 with a slight increase. WALR fell from a tie at #3 into an arrangement at #7 with WSB-A and WZGC. WSTR dropped from #2 to #10.

WASHINGTON, DC: Still On TOP

For the eighth straight survey HUBBARD News WTOP was #1 6+ (11.3-13.5). AMERICAN UNIVERSITY N/T WAMU stepped up to #2 and was back in double figures (9.8-11.0). HOWARD UNIVERSITY Urban AC WHUR ended a two-book slide as it stepped up to #3 (5.9-6.6). iHEARTMEDIA Alternative WWDC (DC101) inched up to #4 (4.8-5.4). It was paired with ATLANTIC GATEWAY Contemporary Christian WGTS, which arose from #6 with its best showing in over a year (4.5-5.4). Santa’s chosen station— iHEARTMEDIA AC WASH—dropped from #2 to #6 (10.1-4.9). That is the same share the station had in NOVEMBER. Your new cume leader was WTOP, which moved up to #1 with a 4.5% increase (814,600-851,200). The market was down 2.5%.

After taking the last two books off WAMU was back on top of the 25-54 leaderboard. It led WTOP, which was up two places to #2 with its best outing in over a year, by about a half share. WWDC repeated at #3, also with its largest share in over a year. WGTS moved up two places to #4 with—get this—its best book in over a year. WASH had its smallest share since SEPTEMBER as it fell from first to fifth. WHUR dipped to #6 with a slight decrease.

What is up with those 18-34 screen addicts? iHEARTMEDIA Country WMZQ stepped up to #1 and hit double digits with this crowd. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WIHT (HOT 99.5) leapt from #8 to #2 as it ended a three-book slide. WHUR advanced three spaces to #3 with its highest share in over a year. WTOP dipped to #4 but with a solid increase. WASH dropped from #1 to #5, while a flat iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WBIG (BIG 100) slid from a tie at #3 to #6. WWDC was also last seen at #3. It fell to #7 and was tied with its polar formatic opposite WETA Classical WETA.

WTOP jumped from #4 to #1 18-49 with its best showing since AUGUST. WAMU was back at #2 as it rebounded from a down book, while WWDC repeated at #3 with a small share increase. WASH slid from #1 to #4. It was partnered with WGTS and WMZQ, which were previously an item at #6. Despite a small increase WHUR slipped two slots to #7.

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PHILADELPHIA: Fly, Eagles, Fly

Wait, too soon? At the time hope did spring eternal for the hometown eleven as AUDACY Sports WIP (94WIP SPORTSRADIO) soared from #4 to #1 6+ (5.5-8.5). BEASLEY Active Rock WMMR and BEASLEY Classic Rock WMGK were tied at #2. WMMR wrested control of that spot as it ended a two-book slide (5.9-7.1). WMGK dipped to #3 (5.9-6.6). It was met there by AUDACY News KYW, which advanced from #9 with its best book in over a year (3.6-6.6). iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WDAS repeated at #5 (5.3-5.7). The holiday hitmaker AUDACY AC WBEB (B101) dropped from #1 to #6 (17.0-5.4). The station was still #1 in cume despite a 39.5% decrease (1,699,900-1,028,800). The market was down 2.8%.

WMMR shook off the holiday blues as it moved up to #1 25-54 after a two-book break. WIP leapt from #5 to #2 with its best offensive performance since FEBRUARY. WBEB went from first to third, while WHYY INC. N/T WHYY moved up two places to #4 with its highest share in over a year. WDAS dipped to #5 with a slight increase. EMF Contemporary Christian WKVP (K-LOVE 106.9) slid from #3 to #6 with a small share loss.

Not only did WMMR move up to #1 18-34, the station smashed through the double-digit barrier. BEASLEY Country WXTU (92.5 XTU) was up to #2 with a small increase but trailed the leader by more than four shares. WBEB slipped from #1 to #3 as it lost about three-quarters of its previous number. WMGK repeated at #4 as it regained most of last survey’s large share loss. WIP was up to #5 as it halted a four-book skid. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WUSL (POWER 99) and WDAS were previously tied at #4. Both stations experienced the exact same small share gain as they trotted down to #6.

After just missing double figures 18-49 the last two books, WMMR surpassed that threshold as it stepped up to #1. WIP and WXTU were last seen at #4. Each station had a strong share increase as they moved up to #2 and #3, respectively. WBEB slipped from #1 to #4, while WDAS drifted down to #5 with a slight decrease. WMGK was not far behind as it rose from #9 to #6 as it thwarted a three-book slide.

 BOSTON: Super Bowl Or…Bust

The good news is that BEASLEY Sports WBZ-F (98.5 THE SPORTS HUB) is the PATRIOTS flagship. That helped the station rise to #1 6+ with its best book in exactly a year (6.3-7.6). The bad news…didn’t happen in this book. AUDACY AC WMJX (MAGIC 106.7) stepped down to #2 (13.5-6.2) as it resumed its regular format. BEASLEY Classic Hits WROR ended a three-book slide as it jumped from #6 to #3 (4.6-5.5). iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WXKS (KISS 108) ADVANCED FROM #7 TO #4 (4.5-5.1). iHEARTMEDIA N/T WBZ-A slipped to #5 (4.8-5.0). AUDACY Sports WEEI and AUDACY Hot AC WWBX (MIX 104.1) were tied at #4. WEEI dropped to #6 (4.7-4.8), while WWBX landed at #7 (4.7-4.5). It had a new partner in BOSTON UNIVERSITY N/T WBUR (4.0-4.5). WMJX still had the most meters, er, listeners despite a 36.5% decline (1,228,400-779,800). The market was up 0.7%.

WBZ-F moved up to #1 25-54 and was back in double figures for the fourth time in the last 14 surveys. WWBX stepped up to #2 with a slight increase. It was joined there by WXKS, which rose from #4 with tis first up book since NOVEMBER. WMJX went from first to fourth, while iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WZLX remained at #5 but with its smallest share in a year.

Despite the expected share loss WMJX was #1 18-34 for the third book in a row, and fifth time in the last six surveys. BEASLEY Country WKLB (COUNTRY 102.5) vaulted from #6 to #2 with its highest mark in over a year. WWBX dipped to #3 with a slight decrease, while WXKS held firm at #4 with a small increase. WBZ-F worked it from #9 to #5 with its best outing since MARCH. It was paired with BEASLEY Rhythmic AC WBQT (HOT 96.9), which advanced from #10 as it ended a steep two-book slide. WEEI fell from #3 to #15, shedding more than half its previous share. iHEARTMEDIA Spanish Contemporary WZRM (RUMBA 97.7) dropped from #5 to #16 as it gave back all of last survey’s large increase, plus a bit extra.

WBZ-F matriculated up the 18-49 chart from #4 to #1 (props to HANK STRAM). WWBX was back at #2 with a slight increase, while WXKS remained at #3 with its highest share since AUGUST. WMJX went from first to fourth, while WKLB rose three spots to #5, again with its best book in over a year. WROR dipped to #6 with a slight increase.

We’ve reached the halfway point in our JANUARY review. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Stay tuned for another action splattered episode. On tap are MIAMI, SEATTLE, PHOENIX, DETROIT, and MINNEAPOLIS. Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog at www.ResearchDirectorInc.com/Hot-Topics.   And remember, sharing is caring—spread the word far and wide.

About Research Director, Inc.: Research Director, Inc. is based in Annapolis, Maryland. We help radio stations’ programming and sales departments maximize the value of their research. For more information, visit www.ResearchDirectorInc.com, call 410-295-6619, or e-mail sallan@researchdirectorinc.com.

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