Coles Radio has finished the year on top in the digital radio ratings, while Southern Cross Austereo’s Buddha Radio has dropped to third for audience reach.

According to GfK’s DAB+ Digital Radio Report 4 (which is based on the average results across the three most recent radio surveys), Coles Radio is the most listened to digital radio station in Australia with 153,000 listeners – up from 151,000 listeners in the previous report.

The 80s iHeartRadio (Australian Radio Network) was next best with 128,000 listeners (up from 119,000 listeners), while Buddha Radio fell to third with 126,00 listeners (down from 139,000 listeners).

SCA’s Easy Radio came in fourth with 110,000 listeners, followed by The 90s iHeartRadio (ARN) with 107,000 listeners, SCA’s Oldskool Radio with 104,000 listeners (up from 96,000 listeners) and Classic Rock Digital (SCA) with 100,00 listeners (which ceased broadcasting at the end of September).

Koffee (NOVA Entertainment) remained in eighth place with 97,000 listeners (up from 91,000 listeners), while ARN’s Edge Digital went from fifth to ninth in the rankings with 83,000 listeners (down from 104,000 listeners), and Aussie rounded out the top 10 with (73,000 listeners).

The report also revealed that the audience reach each week for digital radio remains at 27 per cent of Australians (3.6 million) in the five mainland state capitals.

SCA’s head of digital radio, Adam Williscroft, said it was fantastic to see a further increase in listeners for its newest digital radio stations, Easy Radio and Oldskool Radio.

“We truly believe in the strength of digital radio, and SCA will continue to invest in and develop new offerings in the near future,” he said.