Classic Rock Rules

From Tom Taylor's NOW column--you'll never guess what radio format is tearing it up these days...

Reading the tea leaves from its April-book PPM markets, Nielsen says “for the third straight month, the classic rock format went out and set new records for audience share among all three of the major audience groups we examine.” That’s age 6+, 18-34 and 25-54. With the broad 6+ demo, classic rock is up from 4.7% in last year’s April book to 5.3% this year. The bump’s even more dramatic with persons 18-34, up from 3.9% to 4.8%. And from 5.1% to 6.0% for 25-54s. In the April PPMs, the Hot AC format is also setting records with 6+ and 25-54 audiences, and up from 7.1% to 7.5% with 18-34s. While the format Nielsen calls “Pop CHR” advances with 18-34 listeners from 12.1% to 12.8% and from 9.0% to 9.4% with 25-54s.