... who flock to classical music for reassurance and comfort
New audience figures show that more and more people are turning to the World’s Greatest Music for comfort, relaxation and reassurance in uncertain times.
The survey, which covered the first three months of 2020, coincided with the first stages of lockdown and self-quarantining due to the
epidemic. The figures suggest that millions turned to classical music as a means of finding solace, reassurance and relaxation in a highly uncertain time.
The research also shows they spent more time with us than ever before – listening for a combined 2.6 million hours longer, as people turned to programmes of uplifting music presented by the likes of
, and .
The popularity has crossed the generations too. Classic FM has seen a surge in younger listeners, with Under 25s now numbering 497,000 – up 100,000 compared to the same time last year.
The station’s impressive numbers are driven by growth across the schedule. On a Saturday morning, with a total reach of 1.2 million – up 126,000 listeners on the year – Bill Turnbull has the biggest single programme on Classic FM.
Classic FM’s More Music Breakfast, presented by
, is up by 90,000 listeners on the year, as Tim now wakes up 1.9 million people every week with fantastic music and friendly company.
On weekdays, both John Suchet and
have added listeners, with yearly increases of 98,000 and 128,000 respectively. Elsewhere on Saturdays, ’s , presented by John Suchet, and Smooth Classics with , have all seen brilliant yearly increases.