It’s that time. I’m writing this on the day that Spotify dropped Wrapped, their annual social media-friendly bombshell. At the same time, it seems like many articles in my various newsfeeds are starting to look back across 2025 or ahead to 2026. While I’m not promising I won’t write anything that looks backward, I prefer to look forward for radio and hopefully help you prepare for 2026.
This week’s inspiration comes from a Brandwatch report called Digital Marketing Trends 2026, which details a number of things that relate directly to our world of Classic Rock and Hits radio. You can see the whole report here, but four particular concepts jumped out at me.
Nostalgia Marketing
Using nostalgia in marketing isn’t new, but it is as strong, if not stronger, than ever. Times are turbulent and people are craving the comfort that comes with things they remember fondly. According to Brandwatch, online chatter about nostalgia grew by 18% in 2025 as part of forty-three million conversations, and there is no reason to think that growth will slow anytime soon.
While our music is inherently nostalgic, it’s important to approach nostalgia marketing with some caution. As the article points out, “it’s about understanding the cultural touchpoints that genuinely spark emotion with your audience.”
Good Classic Rock and Hits programmers and talent know how to take advantage of this for radio. When a lot of people are looking for comfort, it’s our time to lean in even more and show off.
Strategic Rule-breaking Is a Superpower
According to the Brandwatch team, some of the most successful brands are ones that are willing to “ignore the playbook their competitors follow.”
This couldn’t be truer for radio and especially for gold-based formats like Classic Rock and Hits. With a limited library of music and the absolute need to play hits, our stations follow a very predictable rulebook. You can pretend they don’t, but listeners know exactly what we’re doing.
That’s why strategic rule-breaking should be a goal in 2026. But carefully note the word strategic. Don’t just throw the rulebook out. Look for places and ways to set it aside to create unique, memorable programming. Make your stations more interesting to listen to. Your audience will reward you for it.
Beat Digital By Meeting People
The report says, “consumers are craving different types of engagement based on the need for human trust in an AI-driven world.” They add that there is “a hunger for real-world experiences. It’s about moving beyond superficial interactions towards genuine human connection.”
I realize that for many radio stations this is harder than ever. With personnel and budget cuts, getting out and shaking actual hands is tough. But that’s not unique to our industry, which is what makes it memorable. Go into the year with a strategy to get out in public on a semi-regular basis. Not every day or every week. Start with a plan to go out once a month and promote whatever you do heavily. That small effort can really cement your brand in people’s minds.
Little Treats, Big Results
People are stressed, and one result is an increase in how often they mention getting themselves a “little treat,” a number that has skyrocketed throughout 2025. According to the Brandwatch team, “People are actively looking for tiny ways they can make their days slightly better – and little treat culture is helping people with these small acts of self-care.”
This is a shift from the days when radio prizes had to be grandiose. These days, being able to distribute small items to a lot of your listeners can have a major impact. And the best part is this type of reward doesn’t cost much. It could even be as simple as playing an actual request, which requires no budget.
Hopefully, these four trends are things you can incorporate into your planning for the coming year. I mean, c’mon, you are planning, right?
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Mike Stern is a Classic Rock columnist and Features writer for Barrett Media. He has been with Jacobs Media consulting stations in the Classic Rock, Rock, Alternative and AAA world for more than a decade. Prior to that he programmed stations in Chicago, Detroit, Denver Las Vegas and other markets. He also worked as News/Talk Editor for Radio and Records, wrote about Top 40 Radio for Billboard Magazine and had his own radio talent coaching business called Talent Mechanic.
