BBC Sounds has marked another record-breaking year for audio listening with more than 2.5 billion plays of radio, music and podcasts between January and November this year.
This represents an 8% increase compared with the same period last year, underlining continued growth in digital listening across the UK.
When including listening across the wider BBC, total audio plays reached 2.8 billion, across BBC Sport, BBC News, BBC Bitesize and visualised podcasts available through BBC iPlayer.
Podcast listening remains a major driver of that growth, with plays on BBC Sounds up 15% compared with last year, reinforcing the platform’s position as a central destination for on-demand speech, storytelling and entertainment.
The BBC says the increase has been fuelled by a wide mix of genres, including comedy, drama, sport, history, news and current affairs, with listening taking place across smart speakers, mobile devices and connected televisions.
To celebrate the milestone, BBC Sounds has revealed its Top Ten most popular podcasts of this year and launched a curated Best of 2025 collection, now available for listeners to explore within the app.
Top 10 Podcasts on BBC Sounds in 2025
(Based on BBC Sounds plays between January and November 2025)
- Newscast – The BBC’s daily news podcast delivering expert analysis and insight.
- Americast – The latest perspectives on US politics and culture.
- Sherlock Holmes Short Stories – Classic mysteries narrated by Hugh Bonneville.
- Uncanny – Danny Robins investigates real-life paranormal encounters.
- Elis James and John Robins – Twice-weekly laughs and top-quality #content.
- Short History Of… – Incredible moments and remarkable people from history.
- Limelight – Must-listen drama serials, including CIA thriller Central Intelligence.
- You’re Dead to Me – Greg Jenner and guests learn and laugh about the past.
- The History Podcast – History in close-up, told by those who were there.
- What’s Up Docs? – Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken help us take better care of ourselves.
Jonathan Wall, Director of BBC Sounds, said the figures highlight the impact of investment in stations, streams and podcasts, as well as the success of major live events and emerging talent supported through the BBC’s Audio Lab programme.
“Hitting 2.5 billion plays this year is a great milestone and it’s fantastic to see BBC Sounds continuing to grow via our big events, our great stations and streams, and our investment in podcasts,” he said, adding that award wins for Audio Lab creators had been a particular highlight.
He also pointed to a record weekly audience of 5.1 million during coverage of The Ashes, saying the growth shows audiences are turning to BBC Sounds for trusted news, high-profile sport and world-class storytelling.
Mohit Bakaya, Controller of BBC Radio Four and Director of Speech Audio, said the year’s performance demonstrated the strength of BBC speech output and its ability to reach audiences in different ways.
“This year’s listening is a powerful reminder of the range and impact of BBC speech audio, from Radio Four favourites across comedy, drama and history to our world class journalism,” he said, highlighting continued growth in podcast plays.
He added that audiences are embracing ambitious investigative series alongside established daily programmes, citing titles such as Shadow World and The Traitors: Uncloaked as examples of content resonating in new and unexpected ways.
