Radio Ratings Roundup, April 2026, Part I

May 18, 2026

Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends (ear worm alert!). Here we are, about a third of the way through the NIELSEN year and what do we have to show for it? Ratings goulash. Or maybe it’s a callaloo. Whatever you wish to call it The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—along with the data sous chefs from XTRENDS—are here to dissect the APRIL situation.

The book ran from APRIL 2^nd through the 29^th. A rare convergence of the ratings and thew Gregorian calendar. It featured the EASTER holiday and our first look at the ABS system in real time (IYKYK). Here’s how the ratings service called it…

NEW YORK: Same As It Ever Was

Oooh, another ear worm. Nothing much to see here as the usual suspects were in their usual positions, for the most part. iHEARTMEDIA AC WLTW (106.7 LITE FM) was #1 6+ again with its best Frosty-free share since SEPTEMBER (7.4-8.1). AUDACY News WINS (1010 WINS) was back at #2 (7.2-7.1), while AUDACY Classic Hits WCBS inched up to #3 (5.4-5.4). IHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WHTZ (Z100) dipped to #4 (5.6-5.2), while NEW YORK PUBLIC RADIO N/T WNYC remained at #5 (4.9-4.7). MEDIACO Urban AC WBLS was close behind at #6 (4.8-4.6). WLTW padded its cume lead with a 3.7% increase (3,758,200-3,898,300). The market grew by 0.8%.

Despite a slight decrease WLTW was #1 25-54 for the third book in a row. WHTZ repeated at #2 as it ended a two-book surge. It was about a half share off the lead. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WWPR (POWER 105.1) bounced back from a down book to elevate from #5 to #3. AUDACY Hot AC WNEW (NEW 102.7) stepped down to #4, while WCBS dipped to #5. Both stations had slight decreases.

A flat WLTW was #1 18-34 for the seventh straight survey. WHTZ stood alone at #2 with a slight increase but was about a share and a half off the pace. WNEW went from a tie at #2 to #3 with a slight decrease. WWPR again rebounded from a down book to move from #6 to #4. WCBS accomplished the same feat as it rose from #8 to #5. WBLS halted a strong three-book surge as it slipped from #4 to #6. It was joined there by MEDIACO Rhythmic CHR WQHT (HOT 97), which dipped from #5 with its lowest score since OCTOBER.

WLTW landed its best Frosty-free 18-49 share in exactly a year as it moved back up to #1. WHTZ was forced to step down to #2 as it surrendered some of last month’s share increase. WWPR moved up a spot to #3 as it regained some of last month’s lost share. WNEW dipped to #4, while iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC WKTU (103.5 KTU) remained at #5. Both stations had small share losses.

LOS ANGELES: KOST Control

For the sixth straight survey iHEARTMEDIA AC KOST was #1 6+. The station also posted its largest Frosty-free share in over a year (6.5-7.1). iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KBIG (104.3 MYFM) was back at #2 with its highest mark in over a year (5.9-6.2). AUDACY Classic Hits KRTH (K-EARTH 101.1FM) repeated at #3 (5.0-5.0) (flat Earthers rejoice!), while AUDACY Adult Hits KCBS (93.1 JACK FM) remained at #4 (4.9-4.6). AUDACY News KNX moved from a tie at #6 to #5 (4.1-4.1). SBS Mexican Regional KLAX (LA RAZA 97.9) fell from #5 to #13 with its lowest score since DECEMBER (4.4-3.2). It was partnered with TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Contemporary KLVE (K-LOVE 107.5), which was up a slot (3.1-3.2), and iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KIIS (102.7 KISS FM), which slid from #8 with its smallest share in over a year (3.8-3.2). KOST increased its market leading cume total by 12.5% (2,280,500-2,566,700). The market rose by 0.5%.

Last month KBIG and AUDACY Alternative KROQ were the 25-54 co-leaders. That partnership was dissolved this time. KBIG remained in first place with a slight increase, while KROQ slid to #5 with its lowest total since SEPTEMBER. KOST stepped up to #2 with a slight increase, while a flat KCBS moved from #5 to #3. KRTH remained at #4 with a slight decrease. iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KYSR (ALT 98.7) remained at #6 and was a click behind its arch nemesis KROQ.

KOST was #1 18-34 for the sixth straight survey. It held better than a three-share advantage over the two stations nestled in at #2. KRTH moved from #5 to #2 as it bounced back from a down book. It was joined there by iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary KRRL (REAL 92.3), which advanced from #11 with its best outing in over a year. TELEVISAUNIVISION Mexican Regional KSCA (LA NUEVA 101.9) slipped two places to #4 with a small decrease and narrowly defeated KYSR, which was back at #5 but also with a small share loss. KIIS and KYSR were last seen at #3. KISS landed at #6, while KROQ ended up at #7 along with KBIG. AUDACY Urban AC KTWV (94.7 THE WAVE) ebbed from #5 to #9 with its lowest mark in over a year.

KOST had its best Frosty-free 18-49 share in over a year as it finished at #1 for the third book in a row. Last month a flat KBIG held a share of the demo lead but dipped to #2 this time. A flat KCBS stepped up to #3, while KROQ moved down to #4. It was paired with KRTH, which inched up from #5. Both stations had down books.

CHICAGO: Double A

For the second straight survey AUDACY AAA WXRT (93XRT) was #1 6+ (6.1-6.3). AUDACY News WBBM-A was back at #2 (6.0-5.7) but was forced to share as HUBBARD Hot AC WTMX (101.9 THE MIX) moved up from #3 to forge the tie (5.6-5.7). HUBBARD Classic Rock WDRV (97.1 THE DRIVE) motored up to #4 with its best showing since JUNE (4.3-5.1). AUDACY Country WUSN (US 99) remained at #5 (4.4-4.4), while two stations were huddled together at #6. iHEARTMEDIA AC WLIT (93.9 LITE FM) slipped from #4 with its lowest score in over a year (5.0-4.0). It was paired with iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WVAZ (V103), which moved up a slot (4.0-4.0). WLIT kept cume control despite a 4.1% decline (1,370,200-1,314,100). The market was up 1.0%.

WTMX landed its largest 25-54 share in over a year, which kept the station in first place for the fourth book in a row. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WKSC (103.5 KISS FM) stepped up to #2 with its best outing since JULY but still trailed the leader by about three shares. WXRT dipped to #3 even though it rebounded from a down book. AUDACY Pop CHR WBBM-F (B96) moved from #6 to #4, while iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WGCI advanced from #7 to #5. Both stations had slight increases. WUSN and WLIT were previously seen at #4. WUSN dropped into a tie at #5, while WLIT slid to #8.

Not only was WKSC #1 18-34 for the fourth straight survey, the station found itself in that rarefied air of double figures. WTMX moved up to #2 with its highest mark in over a year but remained about three plus shares off the lead. A flat WBBM-F stepped down to #3, while WUSN leapt from #7 to #4 as it regained a small portion of last month’s huge share loss. WGCI was back at #5 with a small decrease. WLIT and CRAWFORD Urban Contemporary WPWX (POWER 92) were #4 and #5, respectively. Both stations had down books.

WTMX was #1 18-49 for the fourth straight survey. WKSC stepped up to #2 with its best showing since OCTOBER, while WGCI inched up to #3 with a slight decrease. WXRT slipped from #2 to #4 as it surrendered most of last month’s increase. WBBM-F remained at #5 with a slight decrease.

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DALLAS-FT. WORTH: Everybody Tighten Up

The 6+ leaderboard was being hotly contested. iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KDMX (MIX 102.9) stood alone at #1 this month (4.5-4.3) but was closely pursued by iHEARTMEDIA AC KDGE (STAR 102.1), which stepped up to #2 (4.3-4.2). AUDACY Sports KRLD (105.3 THE FAN) vaulted from #9 to #3 with its best offensive performance in over a year (3.6-4.0). NORTH TEXAS PUBLIC BROADCASTING N/T KERA jumped from #7 to #4 (3.8-3.9) with its highest mark since JUNE). TELEVISAUNIVISION Mexican Regional KLNO (QUÉ BUENA 94.1) and AUDACY Adult Hits KJKK (100.3 JACK FM) were previously a pair at #4. KLNO dipped to #5 (4.2-3.7), while KJKK landed at #6 (4.2-3.6). Last month K-LOVE, INC. Contemporary Christian KLTY (K-LOVE) was tied with KDMX for the market lead. The station did not fare as well this time as it fell to #11 (4.5-3.2). KDGE was still the cume leader despite a 12.0% decline (1,312,500-1,155,400). The market was off by 2.0%.

Despite landing its smallest share since OCTOBER KLNO was #1 25-54 for the fourth book in a row. KDMX was back at #2 as it ended a robust two-book surge. KRLD rose from #5 to #3 with, again, its best outing in over a year. KDGE dipped to #4 with a slight decrease, while SERVICE Urban Contemporary KKDA (K104) remained at #5 with a slight increase. KJKK slid from #3 to #6, halting a strong three-book surge.

KDGE landed its largest Frosty-free 18-34 share in over a year as it vaulted from #6 to #1. KKDA moved down to #2 with a large share loss but was still within shouting distance of the leader. AUDACY Alternative KVIL (ALT 103.7) leapt from #9 to #3, thus ending a steep two-book slide. URBAN ONE Rhythmic CHR KBFB (97.9 THE BEAT) had its best showing since NOVEMBER as it advanced from #12 to #4. KDMX remained at #5 but with its smallest share in over a year. KLNO fell from #2 into a tie at #6 with KJKK and iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KHKS (106.1 KISS FM).

For the second book in a row, and third time in the last four surveys, KLNO was #1 18-49. KDMX repeated at #2 as the stations remained a half share apart. KRLD rose from #7 to #3. KKDA was close behind as it was back at #4 but with a down book. KDGE slipped into a tie at #5 with KJKK.

HOUSTON-GALVESTON: Nine Lives

iHEARTMEDIA AC KODA (SUNNY 99.1) was flat 6+ for the third book in a row (9.0-9.0) but captured the flag for the ninth straight survey. URBAN ONE Urban AC KMJQ (MAJIC 102.1) was back at #2 (6.9-7.1), while iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KTBZ (94.5 THE BUZZ) advanced from #7 to #3 with its best outing in over a year (4.4-5.6). URBAN ONE Classic Rock KGLK (106.9/107.5 THE EAGLE) remained nested at #4 (5.4-5.5), while HOPE MEDIA Contemporary Christian KSBJ stepped up to #5 (4.6-5.3). URBAN ONE Country KKBQ (93Q) landed its smallest share since SEPTEMBER as it slipped from #3 to #6 (6.6-5.2). UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON N/T KUHF (NEWS 88.7) moved from #5 to #7 (4.9-4.8). KODA still had the most listeners (1,914,200-1,766,700) – a 7.7% drop. The market was off by 3.4%.

Last month KTBZ and KODA were sharing the 25-54 crown. This month KTBZ stood alone at #1 with its best book in over a year. KODA dipped to #2 with a small increase. KSBJ rebounded from a down book to move from #6 to #3, while KMJQ repeated at #4 with a small share loss. AUDACY Hot AC KHMX (MIX 96.5) was back at #5 with a slight decrease. KKBQ dropped from #3 to #9.

KTBZ had another buzz worthy 18-34 performance as it was #1 for the fourth book in a row, the last three of which have hit double figures. KODA repeated at #2 and also hit double digits. These two were well clear of KGLK, which rose from #7 to #3 with its best showing in over a year. AUDACY Adult Hits KKHH (95.7 THE SPOT) dipped to #4, while KHMX held steady at #5. KMJQ fell from #4 to #8 with its lowest total since SEPTEMBER.

For over a year the 18-49 demo has been the domain of KTBZ and KODA. These two stations have been either #1 or #2 during that span. This month KTBZ claimed the crown with, again, its best book in over a year. KODA dipped to #2 with a slight increase. KSBJ bounced back from a down book to rise from #6 to a distant #3. KHMX maintained its #4 image with a slight increase, while KKHH continued to lay claim to the #5 position, also with a slight increase. KKBQ dropped from #3 to #10 with its smallest share since JUNE.

One down, three to go. Thanks for playing along.  Waiting in the queue are SAN FRANCISCO, ATLANTA, WASHINGTON D.C., PHILADELPHIA, and BOSTON. They will be in your inbox tomorrow.

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