Joe Soto
WVAZ 102.7-FM increased its audience share in April and marked its 72nd ratings victory since the iHeartMedia R&B station signed on in 1988.
Nielsen Audio figures released May 16 also showed V103 leading afternoons with Joe Soto and evenings with the syndicated Keith Sweat.
Tied for first place in mornings were Audacy all-news WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM with Cisco Cotto and Mai Martinez, and Chicago Public Media news/talk WBEZ 91.5-FM with “Morning Edition,” “BBC Newshour” and local news with Mary Dixon.
Hubbard Radio classic rock WDRV 97.1-FM, which ranked second over all, won middays with Bob Stroud.
Among listeners between 25 and 54 — the demographic most sought by advertisers — Univision Spanish-language regional Mexican WOJO 105.1-FM was back on top. It also led in mornings with Raúl Molinar, Carla Medrano and Andrés Maldonado and middays with Rafael “El Primo Rafa” Bautista in the key adult demo.
Hispanic listeners comprise 21.5 percent of the Chicago radio market and Black listeners comprise 16.6 percent of the market, according to Nielsen.
Here are Chicago’s top 30 radio stations from 6 a.m. to midnight Monday through Sunday, as measured by Nielsen Audio from March 31 to April 27, followed by format and average quarter-hour share of listeners age 6 and older (with previous month’s share in parentheses):
1. WVAZ 102.7-FM R&B, 6.0 (5.8)
2. WDRV 97.1-FM classic rock, 5.7 (4.8)
3. WLIT 93.9-FM adult contemporary, 5.1 (5.0)
4. WBEZ 91.5-FM public radio news talk, 4.8 (5.4)
5. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM all news, 4.6 (5.5)
6. WTMX 101.9-FM hot adult contemporary, 3.8 (2.9)
7. WXRT 93.1-FM adult album alternative, 3.7 (4.4)
8. WOJO 105.1-FM Mexican regional, 3.6 (3.0)
9. WRME 87.7-FM soft rock oldies, 3.3 (3.1)
10. WLS 94.7-FM classic hits, 3.2 (3.0)
11. (tie) WUSN 99.5-FM country, 3.1 (3.3); WGN 720-AM news talk, 3.1 (3.5)
13. WPPN 106.7-FM Spanish adult contemporary, 2.9 (2.9)
14. (tie) WCHI 95.5-FM rock, 2.7 (3.0); WKSC 103.5-FM Top 40, 2.7 (2.6)
16. WFMT 98.7-FM classical, 2.6 (2.2)
17. WSHE 100.3-FM adult contemporary, 2.4 (2.3)
18. (tie) WBMX 104.3-FM classic hip-hop, 2.3 (2.4); WGCI 107.5-FM hip-hop, 2.3 (2.5); WLEY 107.9-FM Mexican regional, 2.3 (2.2)
21. WBBM 96.3-FM Top 40, 2.1 (2.5)
22. (tie) WSCR 670-AM sports talk, 2.0 (1.3); WKQX 101.1-FM alternative rock, 2.0 (1.9)
24. WMVP 1000-AM sports talk, 1.5 (0.9)
25. WPWX 92.3-FM hip-hop, 1.3 (1.2)
26. WCKL 97.9-FM contemporary Christian music, 1.2 (1.3)
27. WLS 890-AM news talk, 1.1 (1.2)
28. (tie) WSRB 106.3-FM R&B, 0.9 (0.8); WVIV 93.5-FM Spanish contemporary, 0.9 (0.9)
30. (tie) WDCB 90.9-FM public radio jazz, 0.8 (0.6); WXLC 102.3-FM hot adult contemporary, 0.8 (0.8)
Here are Chicago radio’s top 10 morning shows from 6 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday, as measured by Nielsen:
1. (tie) WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Cisco Cotto and Mai Martinez; WBEZ 91.5-FM “Morning Edition”; “BBC Newshour”
3. (tie) WDRV 97.1-FM Brian Sherman and Steve Tingle; WOJO 105.1-FM Raúl Molinar, Carla Medrano and Andrés Maldonado
5. WTMX 101.9-FM Chris Petlak, Nikki Chuminatto, Brian Paruch and Violeta Podrumedic
6. WVAZ 102.7-FM Steve Harvey
7. WGN 720-AM Bob Sirott
8. WKSC 103.5-FM Christopher “Fred” Frederick
9. WLIT 93.9-FM Melissa Forman
10. WXRT 93.1-FM Richard Milne
Here are Chicago radio’s top 10 midday shows from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, as measured by Nielsen:
1. WDRV 97.1-FM Bob Stroud
2. WLIT 93.9-FM Robin Rock
3. WVAZ 102.7-FM Bioncé Foxx
4. WRME 87.7-FM
5. WBEZ 91.5-FM “1A”; “Reset”; “Here and Now”
6. WXRT 93.1-FM Lin Brehmer
7. WGN 720-AM John Williams
8. (tie) WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Rob Hart; WLS 94.7-FM Erin Carman
10. (tie) WOJO 105.1-FM Rafael “El Primo Rafa” Bautista; WTMX 101.9-FM Lisa Allen
Here are Chicago radio’s top 10 afternoon shows from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, as measured by Nielsen:
1. WVAZ 102.7-FM Joe Soto
2. (tie) WDRV 97.1-FM Steve Seaver and Janda Lane; WLIT 93.9-FM Mick Lee
4. (tie) WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Keith Johnson and Lisa Fielding; WBEZ 91.5-FM “All Things Considered”; “Marketplace”
6. WTMX 101.9-FM Casey McCabe and Jenny Valliere
7. (tie) WXRT 93.1-FM Marty Lennartz; WUSN 99.5-FM Scotty Kay
9. WLS 94.7-FM Tim Virgin
10. WCHI 95.5-FM Josh Klinger
Here are Chicago radio’s top 10 evening shows from 7 p.m. to midnight Monday through Friday, as measured by Nielsen:
1. WVAZ 102.7-FM Keith Sweat
2. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Bob Conway; Andy Dahn
3. WFMT 98.7-FM Kerry Frumkin
4. WLIT 93.9-FM Delilah Rene
5. WDRV 97.1-FM John “Byrd” Kempf
6. WUSN 99.5-FM Rob Stone and Holly Hutton
7. WGCI 107.5-FM Zach Boog
8. (tie) WSCR 670-AM Chicago Cubs baseball; Gabe Ramirez; "BetMGM Tonight"; WBEZ 91.5-FM “Marketplace”; “The Daily”; “Fresh Air”; “1A”; “BBC World Service”
10. (tie) WBMX 104.3-FM; WCHI 95.5-FM Maria Palmer
(Copyright © 2022 The Nielsen Company.)