X-twitter Linkedin-in Youtube

BONUS: Four Additional Insights into What Inspires Listeners to Give

by Jon Hull, Finney Media Fundraising Consultant

  1. Generosity DOES start in the heart. This is something that isn’t triggered by left-brain information alone. While good information is crucial — until it gets into a listener’s heart, it remains just that — information. That’s where creativity and listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit come into play.
  2. Believing in a station’s mission IS crucial. Everyone needs to understand why they are being asked to give. The concept of “helping us hit our numbers” no longer moves the needle like it used to. But, when listeners can see themselves as the ones who make the mission real in people’s lives, they are more prone to join your mission where they fit.
  3. Life change stories DO move people to action — especially when those stories are effectively told by people who sound “like them.” When I hear someone like me say (or describe) things I’ve said or seen, I feel a deeper invitation to add my name to the list.
  4. Urgency works — when it’s real. The “end” of something helps me see why I must act now. However, when the end feels manufactured (or is simply the latest in a series of ‘deadlines’) it no longer seems genuine. Urgent DOES work, but only when it’s real.

CONTACT US to talk about how we can come alongside to help you Grow Giving. You can find my contact information on our website.

 

Which male artists do Christian radio listeners love the most? Nationwide listener research reveals the answer:

The rankings come from song testing, where listeners score songs they hear on the radio. Artists with more songs that consistently receive strong scores naturally climb higher on the list.

Landing firmly at No. 1 is Chris Tomlin, whose massive catalog of worship favorites continues to resonate.

At No. 2 is Jeremy Camp, followed by Phil Wickham.

Rounding out the top five are Matt Maher and Zach Williams, two artists whose heartfelt songs keep scoring high with audiences.

In short, these artists have built impressive catalogs of songs listeners love — and that keeps them near the top of Christian radio research.

Last month, we reviewed the TOP FEMALE ARTISTS. Coming up in June: We take a look at the bands Christian listeners can’t get enough of. Which bands do you think will top the list?

The 2025 Finney Media Why Listen® Survey gives us a peek behind the curtain of what actually inspires Christian radio listeners to give—and the results are both encouraging and a little surprising.

First, the big picture: Hybrid listeners (Teaching + Music) and Teaching-only listeners are almost perfectly in sync on the “why.” A full 85 percent of both groups say believing in the ministry’s mission is very important. And nearly as many feel personally called by God to give (84% Hybrid, 83% Teaching). In other words, generosity starts in the heart, not the wallet.

But here’s where things get interesting: Hybrid listeners seem a bit more stirred by emotion and momentum. They’re more likely to be moved by powerful, life-changing stories (32% vs. 27%) and are notably more responsive when there’s an urgent need (36% vs. 27%). Add a ticking clock or a clear goal, and Hybrid listeners lean in just a bit more.

They also slightly edge out Teaching listeners in valuing biblical encouragement to give (67% vs. 63%). Meanwhile, flashy extras—like free gifts or public recognition—barely move the needle for either group.

The takeaway? Faith fuels the decision, but for Hybrid listeners, a great story and a little urgency can help turn inspiration into action.

Coming in May: An inside look at how Hybrid and Teaching listeners hear Christian podcasts. Need more tips to take your next fundraising campaign to the next level? Our Fundraising Consultant Jon Hull has a few more insights to help you out in a special BONUS ARTICLE.

Who are the female artists Christian radio listeners love the most? Nationwide listener research gives us the answer. These rankings come from real listeners scoring songs, and the artists with the most songs earning high scores rise to the top. This list rewards artists with deep catalogs of favorites.

Leading the way is Lauren Daigle, whose songs continue to test incredibly well year after year. Her powerful voice and memorable hits give her a strong lead in the rankings.

Next comes a tie for second between Tasha Layton and Francesca Battistelli, both known for uplifting songs that connect with listeners.

There’s also a tie for fourth between rising artist Katy Nichole and longtime favorite Laura Story.

These artists prove that when meaningful lyrics meet unforgettable melodies, listeners keep coming back again and again.

Coming up in May: We take a look at the men Christian radio listeners can’t get enough of. How many of these artists are currently in your rotation?

What makes someone reach for the preset button on Christian radio? The latest 2025 Why Listen  Surveyfrom Finney Media gives us a pretty clear answer—and some of the results might make programmers smile (and maybe sweat a little). We asked listeners when they’re “Very” or “Somewhat Likely” to turn the station off.

The biggest tune-out trigger for everyone? Easy. A negative, angry, or judgmental tone. A whopping 78 percent of Hybrid (Music + Teaching) listeners and 71 percent of all-Teaching listeners say that’s their cue to exit. In other words, if the vibe gets cranky, the audience gets gone. Listeners want encouragement, not a scolding.

After that, the paths start to split a bit.

Hybrid listeners show their music-first instincts. Commercials (47%) and songs they don’t like (47%) tie for second place. They’ll also drift away if the topic isn’t interesting (46%) or if the announcer talks too much (42%). Translation: keep the flow moving and the music strong.

Teaching listeners, on the other hand, are more content-focused. Their next triggers are songs they don’t like (56%) – interesting given that Teaching stations don’t play songs: topics they’re not interested in (53%), announcers talking too much (46%), and songs they’re tired of (41%).

The takeaway? Keep the tone hopeful, pick great songs, and remember: sometimes the best thing a host can say… is less.

Coming in April: Why do Hybrid and Teaching Listeners give? How are they the same or different?

The heart of the Finney Media Why Listen® Survey is understanding listeners’ reasons for tuning in. While Top Reasons are often similar by formats, they’re not exactly the same. Today we’ll take a closer look at how Hybrid and Teaching listeners differ, and how that might affect the way you program your station or program.

Hybrid

Reason Percentage
1. It Helps You Worship God Throughout the Day 88%
2. You Like Worshipful Christian Music 87%
3. It Helps You Grow Spiritually 82%
4. You Want to Be Encouraged 77%
5. You Want to Help Spread Truth 62%

Teaching

Reason Percentage
1. It Helps You Grow Spiritually 91%
2. It Helps You Understand the Bible Better 84%
3. It Helps You Worship God Throughout the Day 83%
4. You Want to Hear Sermons 77%
5. You Want To Be Encouraged 71%

The 2025 Finney Media Why Listen® Survey includes almost 12,000 Christian radio listeners nationwide—2,953 from Teaching and Music (Hybrid) Stations and 3,087 from Teaching Stations and Programs.

Hybrid and Teaching listeners give similar reasons for listening. “Helps you worship God”, “Grow spiritually,” “To be encouraged” are common to the two formats. As we look at the differences in rank, however, we notice two things:

  1. Hybrid listeners are more heart first, head second (Worship at no. 1 and no. 2). Teaching listeners are more head first, heart second (Understand the Bible, Hear sermons).
  2. Hybrid listeners want it simpler. Teaching listeners want more in depth.

As you piece together your programming, lean more into heart or head depending on which one you are. Lean more into simple, concise, snack-sized or more in-depth depending on which one you are.

Coming in March: We compare and analyze the Top Main Reasons for Leaving. Why do listeners tune out or turn off? How are Hybrid and Teaching listeners different?

 

This article has been updated from the original. Updated data from 2017 now shows Jeremy Camp/Word of Life the fifth best recently testing song. Additional commentary has been added to provide clarity and further guidance on worship songs and how they are testing on CCM stations.

Finney Media does music research every year on hundreds of songs in multiple markets across North America and every year the numbers on which songs from the past are the most popular with Christian Music Radio listeners changes. From our research during the past year, here are the Top Five Testing Songs released during each of the last 10 years:

2025

  1. Passion/The Lord Will Provide
  2. Phil Wickham/What An Awesome God
  3. Jon Reddick/No Fear
  4. Elevation Worship/I Know A Name f/Brandon Lake
  5. STILL/Crowder
 2024

  1. Megan Woods/The Truth
  2. Seph Schlueter/Counting My Blessings
  3. Elevation Worship/Goodbye Yesterday
  4. Brandon Lake/Hard Fought Hallelujah
  5. Josh Baldwin/Made For More
2023

  1. Jon Reddick/I Believe It
  2. Chris Tomlin/Holy Forever
  3. Ben Fuller/If I Got Jesus
  4. Elevation Worship/Praise
  5. Elevation Worship/Trust In God
 2022

  1. Maverick City Music & Brandon Lake/Fear Is Not My Future
  2. Lauren Daigle/Thank God I Do
  3. Charity Gayle/I Speak Jesus
  4. Katy Nichole/In Jesus Name (God Of Possible)
  5. Cody Carnes/Ain’t Nobody
2021

  1. Casting Crowns/Scars In Heaven
  2. Zach Williams/Less Like Me
  3. Phil Wickham/House Of The Lord
  4. Chris McClarney/Speak To The Mountains
  5. Lauren Daigle/Hold On To Me
 2020

  1. Brandon Lake/Gratitude
  2. Elevation Worship/Graves Into Gardens
  3. Jordan St. Cyr/Fires
  4. Tasha Layton/Into The Sea
  5. Kari Jobe/The Blessing
2019

  1. Matthew West/The God Who Stays
  2. Jonathan & Melissa Helser/Raise A Hallelujah
  3. Hillsong Worship/King Of Kings
  4. Zach Williams/Rescue Story
  5. Michael W. Smith/Waymaker (ft. Vanessa Campagna)
 2018

  1. Lauren Daigle/You Say
  2. For King & Country/God Only Knows
  3. Hillsong Worship/Who You Say I Am
  4. Lauren Daigle/Rescue
  5. I Am They/Scars
2017

  1. Lauren Daigle/O’Lord 
  2. Micah Tyler/Different
  3. Crowder/All My Hope
  4. Tauren Wells/Known
  5. Jeremy Camp/Word of Life
 2016

  1. Casting Crowns/Oh My Soul
  2. Zach Williams/Old Church Choir
  3. Ryan Stevenson f/Gabe Real/Eye Of The Storm
  4. Mercy Me/Even If
  5. Elevation Worship/O Come To The Altar

These rankings are based on song scores from the past 12 months. We’re noticing not only that worship songs that played on CCM stations are testing better than ever (Tomlin/Holy Forever and Elevation/Graves Into Gardens, for example), but now we’re seeing worship songs that largely didn’t get played on CCM stations also testing. For example, Passion/The Lord Will Provide and MCM & Brandon Lake/Fear Is Not My Future are songs that are sung in church and played on Worship stations. We recommend that at a minimum those titles should be a discussion at your station.

Coming in April: The latest rankings on the most popular artists with CCM listeners across the United States.

Rank/Marital Status % of CCM Respondents
1. Married first time 48%
2. Remarried 19%
3, Divorced 14%
4. Single/Never Married 9%
5. Widowed 9%

The 2025 Finney Media Why Listen® Survey includes almost 12,000 Christian radio listeners nationwide—5,470 of them from Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) stations.

Check out the numbers on marital status. Less than half married the first time. About a third divorced or re-married. Almost one in ten widowed. And almost one in ten never married.

It helps explain why, when we ask about airing Christian marriage advice on the radio we get mixed results. Almost as if the married folks are saying “I could use some of that!” And the non-married folks – about a third – are saying “Not Interested.” It makes planning for Valentine’s Day interesting. It’s not necessarily a happy day.

Coming in March: From our music research over the past year, the Top Five Testing Songs released in each of the past ten years. Are you testing them? Are you playing them?

Hybrid

Rank/Marital Status % of Hybrid Respondents
1. Married first time 46%
2. Remarried 18%
3. Divorced 13%
4. Widowed 12%
5. Single/Never Married 10%

Teaching

Rank/Marital Status % of Teaching Respondents
1. Married first time 44%
2. Remarried 19%
3. Divorced 14%
4. Widowed 12%
5. Single/Never Married 9%

The 2025 Finney Media Why Listen® Survey includes almost 12,000 Christian radio listeners nationwide—2,953 from Teaching and Music (Hybrid) Stations and 3,087 from Teaching Stations and Programs

Check out the numbers on marital status. Less than half married the first time. About a third divorced or re-married. Over one in ten widowed. About one in ten never married.

It helps explain why, when we ask about airing Christian marriage advice on the radio we get mixed results. Almost as if the married folks are saying “I could use some of that!” And the non-married folks – about a third – are saying “Not Interested.” It makes planning for Valentine’s Day interesting. It’s not necessarily a happy day.

Coming in February: We compare and analyze the Top Main Reasons for listening. How are Hybrid and Teaching listeners different in why they listen?

Hybrid

Rank/Denomination % of Hybrid Respondents
1. Baptist 35%
2. Non-denominational/Bible/Community Church 30%
3. Pentecostal 7%
4. Presbyterian 7%
5. Reformed 6%

Teaching

Rank/Denomination % of Teaching Respondents
1. Baptist 45%
2. Non-denominational/Bible/Community Church 33%
3. Pentecostal 7%
4. Methodist 4%
5. Lutheran 4%

The 2025 Finney Media Why Listen®  Survey includes almost 12,000 Christian radio listeners nationwide—almost 3,000 each from Teaching & Music (Hybrid) stations and 3,000 from Teaching stations and programs. And I’ll bet the denominations they identify with don’t surprise you. The top Five are dominated with Evangelical Protestant denominations (both formats show about 80% from Evangelical Protestant respondents).

What might surprise you is how different this top Five is from the actual denominational composition of the United States. According to the PEW RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE STUDY from 2023-2024, 62 percent of Americans identify as Christian. Of that 62 percent, here are the Top Five Denominations:

Rank/Denomination % of the US Population
1. Evangelical Protestant 37%
2. Catholic 31%
3. Mainline Protestant 18%
4. Historically Black Protestant 8%
5. Latter Day Saint (Mormon) 3%

Geography makes a huge difference in these nationwide population numbers (for example, Christians in Dallas-Fort Worth are 44 percent Evangelical Protestant vs. Chicago’s 17 percent), but it appears that there could be opportunity to help our stations and programs reach beyond the Evangelical Protestant core.

What are the ways, without compromising the bold Biblical message, that we might attract listeners from other Christian denominations to worship God through our stations the other six days of the week?

Coming in January: From the 2025 Why Listen Survey , The Top Five Marital Statuses represented among the respondents. Hint: Not all of your listeners are married!

Categories

© FINNEY MEDIA 2026

X-twitter Linkedin-in Youtube

Privacy Policy