By David Hormell
There’s a significant divide between Country radio’s most loyal listeners (P1s) and heavy streamers. That’s the conclusion from newly released research shared at the 2026 Country Radio Seminar that could swat the conventional assumption that streamers drive moment-to-moment music trends.
The research was conducted by Carolyn Gilbert-led NuVoodoo, with President Leigh Jacobs joining Gilbert on March 20 to unveil the data during CRS. The findings are based on 2,058 initial interviews, which yielded a population-based sample of 600 Country fans (ages 18-49). The study analyzed 400 titles – selected by the CRS research committee – among those 600 Country fans, revealing two critical disparities.
Some 47% of heavy streamers expressed passion for new Country releases, compared to 65% among Radio P1s. Secondly, nearly two-thirds of the songs landing on heavy streamers’ most loved list are more than a decade old. In stark contrast, half of the songs favored by Radio P1s were released in 2015 or later.
Jacobs, who serves as NuVoodoo President of Media Research & Marketing, commented, “Compared to Radio P1s, song popularity scores among heavy streamers are 8-9% lower. While these streamers love the genre, they are more fragmented. There’s less consensus on which songs are best compared to the unified front we see from radio listeners.”
In addition to NuVoodoo, CRS 2026 expanded its research focus with two other presentations to help inform programming decisions. The Perceptual Study, shared a day before NuVoodoo’s presentation, asked participants “What would you change about Country radio?” The most common response pointed to more music variety, with 70% of the total sample wanting a spectrum playlist – a blend of new music and gold.
