Hot Topics
Radio Ratings Roundup, August 2026 Part III
September 10, 2026
AUGUST is usually a sleepy survey time. Real humans (our listeners) are wedging in their last bit of PTO, the weather was brutally hot, and county fairs were all the rage. However, so far we have seen some dramatic changes in the ratings hierarchy in several markets. Will that trend continue? Enquiring minds want to know.
And that’s what The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—with a healthy assist from the data wizards from XTRENDS—are here to figure out. This particular survey ran from JULY 23RD through AUGUST 19TH. There were no specific holiday distractions to contend with. Here’s how it all broke down:
MIAMI-FT. LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD: Life’s A Beach
And right out of the gate we have a battle. AUDACY Classic Hits WMXJ (102.7 THE BEACH) landed its largest 6+ share in over a year as it rose from #3 to #1 (5.5-6.8). COX MEDIA AC WFEZ (EASY 93.1) was back at #2 with its best book since FEBRUARY (5.9-6.6), while AUDACY AC WLYF (101.5 LITE FM) went from first to third (6.0-6.5). TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Hot AC WAMR (AMOR 107.5) was up two slots to #4, also with its best showing since FEBRUARY (5.0-6.2). COX MEDIA Urban AC WHQT (HOT 105) dipped to #5 (5.4-5.9), while iHEARTMEDIA Spanish Adult Hits WMIA (MAGIC 93.9) stepped down to #6 (5.1-5.2). WLYF added 6.6% to its cume lead (703,800-750,500). The market was up by 2.1%.
WLYF won the 25-54 race for the fifth book in a row and landed its largest share in over a year. It was being hotly pursued by two stations at #2. WFEZ remained in place, while WMXJ moved up from #3, again with its highest mark in over a year. WHQT repeated at #4 with its best showing since MARCH, while EMF Contemporary Christian WMLV (K-LOVE) stood alone at #5. Its former partner in that space— COX MEDIA Rhythmic AC WFLC (HITS 97.3)—dipped to #6 with a slight decrease.
WLYF moved up to #1 18-34 with a double-digit share. The ended the three-book winning streak for COX MEDIA Urban Contemporary WEDR (99 JAMZ), which was down to #2 as it surrendered almost all of last month’s massive share increase. WFLC jumped from #6 to #3 with its best book since MARCH. WFEZ dipped to #4 and was met there by SBS Spanish Tropical WXDJ (EL ZOL 106.7), which advanced from #13. Also, with its highest share since MARCH. WMIA slipped to #6 and was partnered with SBS Spanish Contemporary WCMQ (Z92.3) and AUDACY Country WKIS (KISS COUNTRY 99.9). WKIS moved up from #20 as it bounced back from a down book. AUDACY Classic Hip Hop WPOW (POWER 96) slid from #4 to #11. It was joined there by WAMR and iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WHYI (Y100).
For the fifth straight survey WLYF was #1 18-49. The station was also handed its best book in over a year. WMXJ leapt from #8 to #2 but still trailed its cluster mate by about a share. WMLV repeated at #3 and narrowly edged WHQT, which stepped up to #4. WFEZ rose from #10 to #5, while WFLC dipped to #6 with its lowest score since “jolly” was in our everyday vocabulary. WEDR fell from #2 into a tie at #7 with WMIA, while WPOW dropped from #4 to #11.
SEATTLE-TACOMA: The End Is Nigh…
More on that in a bit. First off, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON N/T KUOW was #1 6+ for the eighth straight survey (7.7-9.4). Baseball fever kept BONNEVILLE Sports KIRO-A (SEATTLE SPORTS 710) at #2 (6.4-7.0), while AUDACY Alternative KNDD (107.7 THE END) leapt from #7 to #3 with its best book in over a year (4.4-5.6). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KJEB (95.7 THE JET) taxied up to #4 (5.0-5.1), while iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock KZOK dipped to #5 (5.2-5.0). AUDACY Active Rock KISW (THE ROCK) fell from #3 to #7 with its lowest total in over a year (5.5-4.6). It was tied with AUDACY Country KKWF (100.7 THE WOLF), which was up from a tie at #8 (4.2-4.6). KJEB was still in cume control despite a 2.5% decline (601,300-586,300). The market was down 0.8%.
KNDD had its best 25-54 book in over a year as it stepped up to #1. It barely defeated KIRO-A, which was up to #2 as it recovered from a down book. This ended KISW’s three-book winning string as the station drifted down to #3. KUOW remained at #4 with a small share loss. HUBBARD AC KRWM (WARM 106.9) stepped up to #5 with a slight increase. It was paired with KKWF, which advanced from #13 as it bounced back from a down book. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KBKS (HITS 106.1) slipped to #7 and was tied with iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KJAQ (96.5 JACK FM), which was up from #9 with its highest total since SEPTEMBER.
There was all sorts of movement among the 18-34 ranks. KIRO-A and KISW were no longer the demo co-leaders. That distinction was bestowed upon KNDD, which was up from #4 with its best showing since NOVEMBER. KIRO-A dipped into a three-way tie at #2. KKWF rose from #5 as it halted a three-book slide, while KZOK turned it up from #11. The station has doubled its share from JUNE. KISW went from first to fifth and was paired with KJAQ, which was up from #7. KBKS slid from #3 to #7 as it stopped a three-book surge. CRISTA Contemporary Christian KCMS (SPIRIT 105.3) fell from #5 to #13, losing nearly half of its previous share. It was tied with AUDACY AC KSWD (EMMA 94.1).
Over the last five books KNDD has gone from #5 to #4 to #3 to #2 and now, to #1 18-49. KIRO-A stepped up to #2, while KISW went from first to third with its smallest share since MARCH. There was a foursome at #4. KBKS remained in place as it halted a four-book surge. KRWM and KKWF were up from #5 and #6, respectively. KZOK advanced from #10 with its best performance in over a year.
PHOENIX: A Close Call
Last month HUBBARD Classic Rock KSLX and iHEARTMEDIA AC KESZ (99.9 KEZ) were tied atop the 6+ leaderboard. This time KSLX stood alone at #1 (6.4-6.5), while KESZ drifted down to #3 (6.4-6.0). In between at #2 was iHEARTMEDIA N/T KFYI-A (6.0-6.2). MARICOPA COMMUNITY COLLEGE N/T KJZZ was back at #4 (4.9-5.0), while iHEARTMEDIA Country KNIX stepped up to #5 (4.5-4.6). iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KYOT (95.5 THE MOUNTAIN) fell from #5 to #10 with its least productive outing in over a year (4.7-3.5). It was tied with HUBBARD Active Rock KUPD (4.1-3.5). KESZ padded its cume lead with a 6.5% increase (845,500-900,700). The market was up by 1.2%.
KESZ was #1 25-54 for the twelfth straight survey though the station posted its lowest share in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KMXP (MIX 96.9) was up two spots to #2. It has more than doubled its share over the last two surveys. KSLX and TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Adult Hits KOMR (AMOR 106.3) were last seen at #6. KSLX made its way to #3 with its highest score since NOVEMBER, while KOMR alit at #4 with its sixth straight up book. ENTRAVISION Mexican Regional KLNZ (LA TRICOLOR 103.5) dipped to #5 with a small increase. KUPD slid from #3 to #6, while KYOT fell from #2 to #8.
As recently as MAY, KOMR was sitting at #20 18-34. The station has been making its way up the chart ever since and hit #1 (with a bullet) with its largest number in over a year. AUDACY Pop CHR KALV (LIVE 101.5) stepped up to #2 with a slight decrease. It was paired with KMXP, which advanced from #7 with its highest mark in exactly a year. HUBBARD Alternative KDKB (ALT AZ 93.3) rose from #9 to #4 as it stopped a three-book slide. KESZ went from #1 to #5 with its lowest total since SEPTEMBER. It was partnered with KYOT, which dropped from #2, and KUPD, which exited a three-way tie at #3.
KMXP has been on quite the 18-49 run. Two books ago it was sitting at #16. Last month it reached #4 and this time it landed at #1. This forced KESZ down to #2. The stations were separated by less than a half share. KUPD dipped to #3, while KDKB advanced from #8 to #4 with its best book since NOVEMBER. KLNZ jumped from #10 to #5 as it ended a four-book slide. KALV slid from a tie at #4 to #7 with a slight decrease. KYOT fell from #3 into a tie at #8 with KSLX. ZELUS MEDIA Hot AC KMVA (HOT 97.5/103.9) cooled off from a tie at #4 to #11 with its smallest share since FEBRUARY.
Shameless plug: Add The Ratings Experts to your team! We’ll save you time and help your Sales Department hit their budget.
DETROIT: The Usual Suspects
The MOTOR CITY ratings scene was relatively unchanged from last month. AUDACY Sports WXYT (97.1 THE TICKET) was #1 6+ for the eighth book in a row (9.2-10.5). AUDACY Country WYCD stepped up to #2 with its best showing in over a year (7.2-7.6). AUDACY Classic Hits WOMC dipped to #3 (7.5-7.2), while the next two stations were as they were. iHEARTMEDIA AC WNIC was at #4 again (6.4-6.0), while iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WMXD (MIX 92.3) repeated at #5 (6.1-5.9). WNIC increased its leading cume total by 6.2% (911,500-967,800). The market was up by 0.6%.
WXYT was both #1 and in double figures 25-54 for the eighth book in a row. BEASLEY Active Rock WRIF was back at #2 with its fifth up book in a row. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WKQI (CHANNEL 955) remained at #3 with its highest mark since MARCH, while WOMC repeated at #4 with a slight increase. WYCD stepped up to #5 with its best showing in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WJLB dipped into a tie at #6 with WMXD and WNIC.
WRIF repeated as the 18-34 leader, while WKQI moved up to #2. Both stations exceeded the double-digit threshold. WYCD and WXYT were last seen at #4 and #5, respectively. Both stations had healthy share increases as they rose together into a tie at #3. WOMC stepped up to #5 with its best book since we were carefully hanging hosiery. Last month WJLB claimed a share of first place. It fell to #6 this survey with its lowest score since OCTOBER.
WRIF landed its largest 18-49 share in over a year to cruise to another winning finish. WXYT was back at #2 but still trailed the leader by almost a share. WKQI stepped up to #3 with its highest score in over a year, while WYCD was up to #4 while accomplishing the same feat. WOMC moved up to #5 with its best book since FEBRUARY. WJLB slipped from #3 into a tie at #6 with WNIC.
MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL: Welcome To Fansville
iHEARTMEDIA Sports KFXN (KFAN FM 100.3) was back as the 6+ leader (8.2-11.0). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL 108) repeated at #2 (7.5-7.3), while MPR N/T KNOW stepped up to #3 (6.8-7.1). KNOW also added a 0.9 share from the interwebs. iHEARTMEDIA Country KEEY (K102) dipped to #4 with its smallest share since FEBRUARY (7.3-6.2). HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP (KS95) was up to #5 as it halted a three-book slide (5.6-6.1). UNIVERSITY OF NORTHWESTERN/ST. PAUL Contemporary Christian KTIS slipped from #5 to #7 (5.8-5.6). KQQL was still the cume leader despite a 1.5% decline (715,900-705,500). The market was up by 0.8%.
How dominant has KFXN been in the 25-54 space? The station was #1 for the 13TH time in the last 14 surveys (Santa was the only spoiler). And it has been in double figures for that entire span. MPR AAA KCMP (89.3 THE CURRENT) was back at #2 with a down book and now trails the leader by almost seven shares! KQQL remained at #3 but with its lowest total since JANUARY. A flat iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KDWB stepped up to #4. It was paired with AUDACY Adult Hits KZJK (104.1 JACK FM), which advanced from #7 as it ended a two-book slide. KEEY went from #4 to #6 with a large share loss.
KQQL was both #1 and in double figures 18-34 for the fourth straight survey. KZJK moved up to #2 with its best showing in over a year but still trailed the leader by a share. KDWB regained most of last month’s huge share loss as it moved from a tie at #4 to #3. KCMP slid two places to #4 with a small share loss. KEEY dipped to #5 despite posting its largest number in over a year.
As with the 25-54 demo, KFXN continued to dominate 18-34. The station was #1 for the 13TH time in the last 14 books. It has been in double digits the entire time. KCMP repeated at #2 with a down book and was nearly six shares off the pace. KDWB was back at #3 as it bounced back from a down book. KZJK stepped up to #4, again with its best book in over a year. KQQL dipped to #5 with a small increase.
We still have a bit left in the tank. Tune in again next time for TAMPA, DENVER, SAN DIEGO, CHARLOTTE, and NASSAU-SUFFOLK.
If someone in your circle of friends or colleagues might also enjoy our radio ratings reporting blended with a healthy dose of snark and industry know-how, send them this link: www.ResearchDirectorInc.com/Hot-Topics.
About XTrends: XTrends is radio’s favorite tool for reviewing ratings. Click here to see why all of radio’s major groups love XTrends!
As always, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. stand ready to help you grow your ratings and revenue. Click the link below to get the gruesome details.
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 email info@ResearchDirectorInc.com or sallan@ResearchDirectorInc.com
Comments are closed.