{"id":364297,"date":"2025-12-23T18:36:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-23T18:36:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/364297\/"},"modified":"2025-12-23T18:36:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T18:36:12","slug":"bbc-sounds-celebrates-another-record-year-with-over-2-5-billion-plays-of-radio-music-and-podcasts-in-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/364297\/","title":{"rendered":"BBC Sounds celebrates another record year with over 2.5 billion plays of radio, music and podcasts in 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

Published: 10:35 am, 23 December 2025<\/p>\n

Updated: 02:39 pm, 23 December 2025<\/p>\n

\"Composite<\/p>\n

BBC Sounds celebrates another record-breaking year with over 2.5 billion plays of radio, music and podcasts between January and November 2025 \u2013 an increase of 8% compared with the same period last year.<\/p>\n

There was a total of 2.8 billion audio plays from across the BBC, including BBC Sport, BBC News, BBC Bitesize, and visualised podcasts on iPlayer.<\/p>\n

Podcast listening continues to surge on with a 15% increase in plays on BBC Sounds compared with 2024, cementing BBC Sounds as the ultimate destination for world class audio.<\/p>\n

From comedy and drama to sport, history, news and current affairs, BBC Sounds offers something for every listener, wherever they are. To celebrate, we\u2019ve revealed the Top 10 most popular podcasts of 2025 and curated a Best of 2025 collection, now available on BBC Sounds.<\/p>\n

Top 10 Podcasts on BBC Sounds in 2025<\/p>\n

(Based on BBC Sounds plays between January and November 2025)<\/p>\n

Newscast<\/a> \u2013 The BBC\u2019s daily news podcast delivering expert analysis and insight.
\nAmericast<\/a> \u2013 The latest perspectives on US politics and culture.
\nSherlock Holmes Short Stories<\/a> \u2013 Classic mysteries narrated by Hugh Bonneville.
\nUncanny<\/a> \u2013 Danny Robins investigates real-life paranormal encounters.
\nElis James and John Robins<\/a> \u2013 Twice-weekly laughs and top-quality #content.
\nShort History Of… <\/a>\u2013 Incredible moments and remarkable people from history.
\nLimelight<\/a> \u2013 Must-listen drama serials, including CIA thriller Central Intelligence.
\nYou\u2019re Dead to Me<\/a> \u2013 Greg Jenner and guests learn and laugh about the past.
\nThe History Podcast<\/a> \u2013 History in close-up, told by those who were there.
\nWhat\u2019s Up Docs?<\/a> \u2013 Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken help us take better care of ourselves.<\/p>\n

Jonathan Wall, Director, BBC Sounds says: \u201cHitting 2.5 billion plays this year is a great milestone and it\u2019s fantastic to see BBC Sounds continuing to grow via our big events, our great stations and streams, and our investment in podcasts. It was also brilliant to see so many award wins throughout the year, especially for some of the creators from our Audio Lab new talent programme.<\/p>\n

With podcast listening up 15% and a record weekly audience of 5.1 million during The Ashes, it is clear people are coming to us for trusted news, brilliant sport, and world-class storytelling. We\u2019re excited to keep innovating so BBC Sounds remains the number one destination for audio that informs, entertains and connects listeners everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mohit Bakaya, Controller, BBC Radio 4 and Director, Speech Audio says: \u201cThis year\u2019s listening is a powerful reminder of the range and impact of BBC speech audio, from Radio 4 favourites across comedy, drama and history to our world\u2011class journalism. We\u2019ve increased podcast plays again on BBC Sounds this year, testament to the extraordinary talent and consistently compelling storytelling across our speech portfolio. From the bold narratives of the new History Podcast series, to the popularity and visual innovation of The Traitors: Uncloaked, our programmes continue to resonate with audiences in powerful and unexpected ways.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m particularly proud that audiences are embracing ambitious investigative series like Shadow World, alongside the programmes that make the BBC\u2019s speech output a daily habit for millions of listeners.\u201d<\/p>\n

Top titles on BBC Sounds by genre<\/p>\n

(Includes podcasts and on-demand radio programmes)<\/p>\n

Comedy<\/p>\n

\"Artwork<\/p>\n

Friday Night Comedy on BBC Radio 4 kept audiences laughing, with a roster of shows skewering the week\u2019s events including the ever-popular The News Quiz and the increasingly popular The Naked Week. Strong Message Here saw Armando Iannucci and guests decode the baffling world of political language, while Mark Steel\u2019s in Town delivered bespoke stand-up sets from towns across the UK. Long-running favourites I\u2019m Sorry I Haven\u2019t a Clue and Just a Minute also remained firm fixtures for listeners of all ages.<\/p>\n

Drama and audiobooks<\/p>\n

\"Artwork<\/p>\n

Ahead of its 75th anniversary in 2026, The Archers remained the nation\u2019s most popular audio drama, and topped the chart for listeners under 35 as well. Audiences also embraced Drama on 4, including High Cockalorum (starring the reunited cast of The League of Gentlemen) and When Maggie Met Larry (starring Derek Jacobi and Frances Barber). The Limelight drama strand continued to captivate audiences: Limelight: Central Intelligence (starring Kim Cattrall and Ed Harris) accounted for nearly half of the top 10 most listened-to episodes across all programmes on BBC Sounds this year.<\/p>\n

Audiobooks also resonated strongly, with Whodunnits keeping listeners in suspense. In her 250th anniversary year, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen remained as popular as ever, while original fiction such as The Jura Affair by William Boyd also proved a hit.<\/p>\n

Sport<\/p>\n

\"Test<\/p>\n

Sport fans turned to BBC Sounds for expert analysis and live reaction throughout the year. Rugby Union Weekly and Football Daily delivered essential updates and insight, while Test Match Special remained the ultimate companion for cricket lovers. 5 Live Sport continued to provide comprehensive coverage of the biggest sporting moments.<\/p>\n

Entertainment<\/p>\n

\"Stephen<\/p>\n

Desert Island Discs was the top entertainment title on BBC Sounds in 2025, with a range of household names including Stephen Mangan, whose episode was the most listened to this year. Award\u2011winning duo Elis James and John Robins continued to entertain listeners of all ages. Audiences also gravitated towards companion podcasts The Traitors: Uncloaked and The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked, hosted by comedian Ed Gamble, delivered record numbers for younger listeners on BBC Sounds.<\/p>\n

Uncanny continues to be tremendously popular, with highlights this year including the live Halloween countdown, plus This Cultural Life offered insights into leading figures across the arts, film and theatre, with guests including Jennifer Lawrence, Eric Idle and Alison Balsom.<\/p>\n

History<\/p>\n

\"Artwork<\/p>\n

The most popular history programme for listeners of all ages was the enduring In Our Time. As Melvyn Bragg announced his departure from the programme, new presenter Misha Glenny will take over in 2026 to continue exploring the history of ideas.<\/p>\n

The History Podcast, Radio 4\u2019s home for story\u2011driven history documentaries, featured David Dimbleby\u2019s series Invisible Hands, along with House at Number 48 and The Fort.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re Dead to Me remained popular with listeners of all ages and continued to be a hit with younger listeners, alongside new addition Dead Funny History from the team behind the hit BBC Radio 4 podcast.<\/p>\n

Investigative journalism<\/p>\n

\"Artwork<\/p>\n

BBC Sounds delivered some of the year\u2019s most ground\u2011breaking investigative reporting, with Shadow World series one of the most popular. Standout stories included The Smuggler, where Annabel Deas follows the story of \u201cNick\u201d, a former British soldier turned people smuggler, The Grave Robbers which saw Sue Mitchell\u2019s investigation lead to the Government taking down its Bona Vacantia list of unclaimed estates, and Anatomy of a Cancellation, which examined a complex and controversial story that rocked the publishing world. Narrated by Hannah Mossman Moore and Pulitzer\u2011nominated journalist Carole Cadwalladr, the 10\u2011part series Stalked tracked a real\u2011time unfolding investigation into how modern technology was used to infiltrate Hannah\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

News and current affairs<\/p>\n

\"Americast<\/p>\n

Newscast and Americast led the news and current affairs category on BBC Sounds, offering in\u2011depth analysis and expert insight across a busy year. This year also saw the launch of Radical with Amol Rajan, where the Today presenter talks to radicals, pioneers and innovators from all over the world, from populism and climate change, to economics and AI. Meanwhile, Today, PM and The World Tonight covered the major breaking stories at home and across the globe.<\/p>\n

Science, maths and consumer<\/p>\n

\"Artwork<\/p>\n

New this year, the incredibly popular What\u2019s Up Docs? has doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken sieve through the science to share what works as they go on a mission to help us take better care of ourselves. Sliced Bread continues to attract listeners as host Greg Foot investigates whether the latest trends and fads are genuinely beneficial or simply marketing hype. Curious Cases engaged listeners of all ages with presenters Hannah Fry and Dara \u00d3 Briain tackling all kinds of conundrums with the power of science, while More or Less continued to explain – and sometimes debunk – the numbers used in political debate, the news and everyday life.<\/p>\n

Music<\/p>\n

\"Artwork<\/p>\n

Audiences immersed themselves in compelling music documentaries this year. Eras: Bob Marley and Eras: Queen explored the lives and legacies of two of the most influential artists of all time, while Music Uncovered, David Bowie: Changeling, hosted by Kate Moss, explored David Bowie\u2019s artistic evolution between 1970-1975. The Rise and Fall of Sex Pistols and The Rise and Fall of Indie Sleaze captured the cultural revolutions that shaped British music, and Pop Top 10 with Scott Mills and Rylan delivered a joyful countdown of the biggest hits.<\/p>\n

Music Mixes<\/p>\n

\"Key<\/p>\n

BBC Sounds\u2019 curated mixes continued to soundtrack listeners every mood. The Sleeping Forecast and Mindful Mix offered calm and focus, while Radio 1 Dance Anthems kept energy levels high. Nostalgia proved popular with Sounds of the 90s with Fearne Cotton, and Sophie Ellis-Bextor\u2019s Kitchen Disco brought feel-good vibes to homes across the UK.<\/p>\n

True Crime<\/p>\n

\"Artwork<\/p>\n

True crime remained one of the most compelling genres for listeners. Gangster explored the rise and fall of Britain\u2019s most notorious criminals, while Assume Nothing and Murder They Wrote uncovered shocking real-life cases. Crime Next Door brought stories closer to home, and Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley examined historical murder cases through a fresh lens.<\/p>\n

Acquisitions<\/p>\n

\"Artwork<\/p>\n

Acquired titles continued to be popular as they found new audiences on BBC Sounds. Sherlock Holmes Short Stories introduced new audiences to classic detective tales, while A Short History Of and The Rest Is History offered fascinating journeys through the past. Real Survival Stories shared extraordinary accounts of resilience, and Real Dictators examined the lives of history\u2019s most infamous leaders.<\/p>\n

LS<\/p>\n

Follow for more\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Published: 10:35 am, 23 December 2025 Updated: 02:39 pm, 23 December 2025 BBC Sounds celebrates another record-breaking year…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":364298,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[49,48,75,341],"class_list":{"0":"post-364297","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-music","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-entertainment","11":"tag-music"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/364297","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=364297"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/364297\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/364298"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=364297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=364297"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=364297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}