Celtic Music Radio 1530AM has just recorded its biggest ever audience in six years of full-time broadcasting.

During January, figures show that the Glasgow-based station’s online listener numbers totalled 58,408 – that’s 49 per cent up on January last year and 10 per cent higher than December 2013 figures.

And with an estimated 27,500 tuned in on 1530AM during the first month of the year as well, Celtic Music Radio’s total audience for January was just over the 85,900 mark.

The station’s record listenership follows Celtic Connections’ announcement that it was the music festival’s best year yet with over 110,000 ticket sales.

Celtic Music Radio broadcast live from Celtic Connections 2014 every day, except Sundays.

“The figures are terrific, we are really pleased” said Ross Macfadyen, a presenter and director of the station, Scotland’s first to be supported by its listeners.

“Everything is done by volunteers including all the eight-hours-a-day-live broadcasting sessions at this year’s Celtic Connections.  To achieve audience figures like this is a real boost for everyone involved with Celtic Music Radio.

We were also on DAB digital radio, so our programmes were available in parts of the country, mainly down south, for the first time.

Let’s hope we can keep the audience figures high as we’re on air all day, every day of the year, online and on 1530AM.”

The station’s coverage included live sessions and interviews supported by students of Glasgow Caledonian University’s Audio Technology courses.

“We pride ourselves as a community radio station on supporting Scotland’s musical community” said Ross.

“We highlighted performers from as far away as Orkney and from all levels of the music industry from Seth Lakeman, one of England’s finest folk musicians to Patrick Bullen from Glasgow.

“All in all, it has been so successful and all of us at Celtic Music Radio are delighted that all the hard work is paying off.”