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Audio Podcasting
- A podcast is an audio program formatted to be played on the iPod and made available for free or for purchase over the Internet. The name derives from the combination of broadcast and iPod.
- Podcasts are shows similar to a radio show that is produced by professionals or amateurs and posted to the Internet for download and listening or viewing.
(Source: About.com)
- In 2025, podcasts have a monthly reach of 53.6%. The demographics are:
- Men 18+ - 60.9%
- Women 18+ - 46.6%
- Adults aged 18-34 - 68.7%
- 35-54 - 62.1%
- 55+ - 35.0%
- Hispanic - 66.1%
- Black/African American - 59.0%
(Source: Triton Digital, U.S. Podcast Report, 2025)
- Advanced demographic index of U.S. podcast listeners:
- College graduate - 122
- Income of $100K annually - 123
- Income of $150K annually - 129
- Parent with a child under 18 - 164
- Black/African American - 119
- Hispanic - 115
(Source: Triton Digital, U.S. Podcast Report, 2025)
- Players/apps ranked by new episode RSS downloads:
- Apple Podcasts - 49.7%
- Spotify - 15.7%
- iHeartRadio - 7.6%
- Overcast - 3.5%
- iOS unpecified app - 5.4%
- Other - 18.1%
(Source: Triton Digital, U.S. Podcast Report, 2025)
- Listening is the predominant method to consume podcasting, but consumers are leaning into video, expanding how and where they engage with shows. Most consumers are both listening and watching. How do podcast consumers differ by method of consumption?
- Women 18+: Listen only - 54%; Watch only - 45%
- Men 18+: Listen only - 45%; Watch only - 54%
- Age 18-34: Listen only - 27%; Watch only - 35%
- Age 35-54: Listen only - 37%; Watch only - 29%
- Age 55+: Listen only - 36%; Watch only - 35%
- Income less than $50K annually: Listen only - 31%; Watch only - 46%
- Income between $50K-$100K annually: Listen only - 33%; Watch only - 33%
- Income over $100K annually: Listen only - 35%; Watch only - 21%
(Source: Triton Digital, U.S. Podcast Report, 2025)
- Top genres of podcasts listened to:
- Comedy
- True crime
- Politics
- Entertainment/Celebrity/Gossip
- Sports
- News/Information
- Music
- History
- Mystery/Thriller
- Wellness/Self-Improvement
(Source: Edison Podcast Metrics Q1 2026)
- Top podcasts as of Q1 2026:
- 1. The Joe Rogan Experience
- 2. Crime Junkie
- 3. The Daily
- 4. Call her Daddy
- 5. SmartLess
- 6. Stuff You Should Know
- 7. Dateline NBC
- 8. This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von
- 9. Mr. Ballen Podcast
- 10. New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
(Source: Edison Podcast Metrics Q1 2026)
- 248 million P12+ are familiar with audio podcasts.
- In 2026 - 80% of persons 12+ had ever listened to an audio podcast, an all-time high – increasing from 44% in 2018, 40% in 2017 and 36% in 2016
(Source: The Infinite Dial 2026 - Edison Research/SiriusXM Media)
- 46% of adults ages 18-34 have listened to a podcast in the last month.
(Source: 2026 MRI-Simmons April Podcast Study)
- Of podcast consumers who listen/watch to podcasts in a typical week, 69% consume them podcasts alone, while 24% listen with a spouse.
(Source: 2026 MRI-Simmons April Podcast Study)
- 36% of those who have consumed podcasts in the last 30 days only need 5-20 minutes to decide to become a regular consumer of a program.
(Source: 2026 MRI-Simmons April Podcast Study)
- 59% of podcast listeners typically listen to whole episodes.
(Source: 2026 MRI-Simmons April Podcast Study)
- 89% of podcast listeners think the genre is important when choosing a new podcast.
(Source: 2026 MRI-Simmons April Podcast Study)
- In 2026, there are an estimated 130 million weekly podcast consumers
12+ in the U.S.
- This is up from 115 million in 2025.
(Source: Edison Research, The Podcast Consumer 2026)
- Monthly podcast consumers by age:
- 12-34 - 64%
- 35-54 - 67%
- 55+ - 44%
(Source: Edison Research, The Podcast Consumer 2026)
- 58% of Americans, an estimated 167 million people, have consumed a podcast in the last month
(Source: Edison Research, The Podcast Consumer 2026)
- Podcast consumption overview total U.S. population 12+ (ever):
- Listened to podcasts but did not report watching - 21%
- Listened to and watched podcast - 57%
- Watched podcasts, did not report listening - 2%
- Did not watch or listen - 20%
(Source: Edison Research, The Podcast Consumer 2026)
- 62% of men and 54% of women consumed a podcast in the last month.
(Source: Edison Research, The Podcast Consumer 2026)
- Podcasts reach a diverse audience:
- 63% of Black Americans are monthly podcast consumers.
- 60% of Latino Americans are monthly podcast consumers.
(Source: Edison Research, The Podcast Consumer 2026)
- Among the U.S. total population age 13+, 3 hours and 57 minutes are spent daily with audio sources. Those listeners 13+ who are also daily podcast consumers spend 5 hours and 11 minutes daily with audio sources.
(Source: Edison Share of Ear Q1 2026)
- Among the U.S. total population age 13+, 10% of their time with audio is spent consuming podcasts, while those who are also daily consumers of podcasts spend 36% of their time with podcasts.
(Source: Edison Research, The Podcast Consumer 2026)
- Where do you listen to podcasts most often? U.S. weekly podcast consumers age 13+, as of Q1 2026:
- Home - 66%
- In a vehicle - 13%
- At work - 7%
- Walking arond - 7%
- Other - 8%
(Source: Edison Research, The Podcast Consumer 2026)
- Service used most often to consume podcasts among U.S. weekly podcast consumers age 13+, as of Q1 2026:
- YouTube - 37%
- Spotify - 21%
- Apple podcasts - 12%
- Other services - 30%
(Source: Edison Research, The Podcast Consumer 2026)
- How are podcasts typically consumed? U.S. weekly podcast consumers age 13+, as of Q1 2026:
- Audio only without video - 80%
- Video actively watched while listening - 78%
(Source: Edison Research, The Podcast Consumer 2026)
- Do podcast consumers approve or disapprove of podcasts using generative AI to complete the following steps of the podcast creation process? U.S. weekly podcast consumers age 13+, as of Q1 2026:
- Conduct research - 69%
- Brainstorm ideas - 69%
- Create graphics for social media posts - 64%
- Generate cover art - 63%
- Generating transcript - 60%
- Find guests - 57%
- Edit existing video - 53%
- Generate a script - 48%
- Edit existing audio from a human host - 43%
- Generate video - 42%
- Write social media posts - 38%
- Host the podcast an an AI-generated voice - 25%
(Source: Edison Research, The Podcast Consumer 2026)
How much of a threat, if at all, do you think AI is to the…? U.S. weekly podcast consumers age 13+, as of Q1 2026:
- Credibility of Podcasts
- Very much/somewhat a threat - 62%
- Neither a threat nor a benefit - 20%
- Very much/somewhat not a threat - 20%
- Creativity of Podcast
- Very much/somewhat a threat - 59%
- Neither a threat nor a benefit - 20%
- Very much/somewhat not a threat - 20%
- Quality of Podcast
- Very much/somewhat a threat - 57%
- Neither a threat nor a benefit - 23%
- Very much/somewhat not a threat - 23%
(Source: Edison Research, The Podcast Consumer 2026)
- 76% of weekly podcast consumers 13+ have acted as a result of hearing an ad
on a podcast.
- Actions include: Visited a company/product website, recommended a
product, gathered more information, purchased a product or service, used a
promo code mentioned.
(Source: Edison Research, The Podcast Consumer 2026)
How likely are you to pay attention to a podcast advertisement if it… U.S. weekly podcast consumers age 13+, as of Q1 2026:
- Is honest and transparent
- Much more likely - 52%
- Somewhat more likely - 30%
- It has no effect - 18%
- Is unique and different
- Much more likely - 51%
- Somewhat more likely - 35%
- It has no effect - 14%
- Makes you laugh
- Much more likely - 56%
- Somewhat more likely - 31%
- It has no effect - 13%
(Source: Edison Research, The Podcast Consumer 2026)
- Response rate leaders across industries and genres, as of Q1 2026:
- Top industries by response rate: 1. Travel; 2. Food; 3. Hobbies/Lifestyle.
- Top podcast genres by response rate: 1. Health & fitness; 2. Comedy; 3. Sports.
(Source: Magellan AI, Podcast Measurement Benchmark Report, Q1 2026)
- Response rate by ad buy type, as of Q1 2026:
- Host-read - 2.45%
- Produced - 1.51%
- Programmatic - 1.93%
(Source: Magellan AI, Podcast Measurement Benchmark Report, Q1 2026)
- Podcasts with video have a bigger impact on lead conversions.
- Lead conversion rate: Podcasts with RSS only - 6.51%; Podcasts with video - 11.27%.
- Purchase conversion rate: Podcasts with RSS only - 4.29%; Podcasts with video - 5.65%.
(Source: Magellan AI, Podcast Measurement Benchmark Report, Q1 2026)
- Top podcast genres by repeat listener rate:
- History - 63.98%
- TV & film - 62.54%
- News - 61.65%
- Arts - 60.80%
- Health & fitness - 59.11%
(Source: Magellan AI, Podcast Measurement Benchmark Report, Q1 2026)
- In podcast advertising, brands pay for ad space within a podcast show, which can either be pre-recorded or read live by the host. These spots are typically inserted into designated timeslots, such as pre-roll, mid-roll or post-roll.
Podcast ad placements can be bought from ad networks that collect ad inventory from multiple publishers, directly from podcast creators, or programmatically through agencies like ARM who work with demand-side platforms (DSPs) to use audience-based and outcome-based buying approaches.
(Source: Ad Results Media, Podcasting Advertising Guide, 2026)
- Podcast advertising continues to stand out as an effective channel because it combines audience trust, attentive listening, and measurable performance. As podcast consumption continues to grow and evolve, the benefits of advertising within podcasts remain strong — and in many cases, even more compelling in 2026.
(Source: Ad Results Media, Podcasting Advertising Guide, 2026)
- A significant majority of podcast listeners have taken action after hearing a podcast advertisement, such as visiting a website, searching for a brand, or making a purchase.
(Source: Ad Results Media, Podcasting Advertising Guide, 2026)
- 11% of share of audio time spent amongst persons 18+ was spent on podcasts.
(Source: Edison Research, "Share of Ear," Q1 2025 - Q4 2025)
- Among adults aged 35-54, 47% of their daily time spent listening to spoken-word audio goes to podcasts and 35% goes to AM/FM radio.
(Source: Edison Research, "Share of Ear," Q4 2025)
- Among adults aged 55+, 22% of their daily time spent listening to spoken-word audio goes to podcasts and 56% goes to AM/FM radio.
(Source: Edison Research, "Share of Ear," Q4 2025)
- 54% of podcast fans agree that podcasts are part of their daily routine, compared to 11% of casual listeners.
(Source: Edison Research and Wondery, The Fandom Phenomenon, 2025)
- 38% of podcast fans say they enjoy listening to podcasts more than other types of media they consume, compared to 8% of casual listeners.
(Source: Edison Research and Wondery, The Fandom Phenomenon, 2025)
- 61% of podcast fans say that they are more of a fan of their favorite show now than they were 10 years ago, compared to 47% of casual listeners.
(Source: Edison Research and Wondery, The Fandom Phenomenon, 2025)
- 65% of podcast fans reported they are grateful to the companies/brands that support their favorite podcast.
(Source: Edison Research and Wondery, The Fandom Phenomenon, 2025)
- 85% of podcast fans are fans because podcasts make them laugh.
(Source: Edison Research and Wondery, The Fandom Phenomenon, 2025)
- 71% of podcast fans say their fandom stems from feeling like they are friends with the host.
(Source: Edison Research and Wondery, The Fandom Phenomenon, 2025)
- Approximately 167 million (58%) of Americans reported listening to a podcast in the past month in 2026 – more than double the amount from 21% in 2016
- 62% of men listened to a podcast in the last month while 54% of listeners were women.
- 64% of America's 12-34-year olds listened and/or watched a podcast in the last month
- 68% of adults 35-54 listened and/or watched a podcast in the last month while only 44% of adults 55+ listened
(Source: The Infinite Dial 2026 - Edison Research/SiriusXM Media)
- In 2026 - 45% of persons 12+ had listened and/or watched a podcast in the last week – a giant growth since the amount in 2015 (10%).
(Source: The Infinite Dial 2026 - Edison Research/SiriusXM Media)
- Podcast listening overview:
- 57% of P12+ listened to and watched a podcast.
- 20% of P12+ never listened to or watched a podcast.
- 21% of P12+ ever listened to a podcast but never watched.
- 2% of P12+ ever watched a podcast but never listened.
(Source: The Infinite Dial 2026 - Edison Research/SiriusXM Media)
- Weekly podcast listenership (at least one podcast a week):
- Total - 32%
- 18-34 years old - 38%
- 35-54 years old - 25%
- 55+ years old - 40%
- Male - 34%
- Female - 24%
(Source: Crowd React Media, The State of Media, 2025)
- Weekly podcast platforms that were used the most for podcast consumption:
- YouTube - 63%.
- Spotify - 31%.
- Apple Podcasts - 20%.
(Source: Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights' Podcast Download - Fall 2025 Report)
- How often podcast listeners listen to an episode after a release:
- Immediately after release - 23%.
- Within 24 hours - 55%.
- 1 to 3 days after release - 14%.
- 4 to 7 days after release - 6%.
- More than 7 days after release - 1%.
(Source: Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights' Podcast Download - Fall 2025 Report)
- Preferred episode length of a podcast:
- Over 60 minutes - 10%.
- 30 to 60 minutes - 43%.
- 15 to 30 minutes - 30%.
- Under 15 minutes - 5%.
(Source: 2026 MRI-Simmons April Podcast Study)
- Podcast consumers who have started listening to a new podcast in the last 3 months, by age:
- Aged 18-34 - 59%
- Aged 35-49 - 61%
- Aged 50+ - 48%
(Source: Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights' Podcast Download - Fall 2025 Report)
- Podcast listeners share of time spent listening to audio sources:
- Podcasts - 36%
- Streaming - 21%
- AM/FM Radio - 20%
- YouTube Music Videos - 12%
- SiriusXM - 3%
- Audiobooks - 3%
- Owned Music - 3%
- TV music channels - 2%
- Other - 0.4%
(Source: Edison Research, "Share of Ear", Q4 2025)
- Percentage of time spent listening to podcasts by location:
- Home - 65%
- Work - 13%
- In the car - 13%
- Other - 8%
(Source: Edison Research, "Share of Ear", Q4 2025)
- Percentage of time spent listening to podcasts by time of day:
- 10am - 3pm - 33%
- 6am - 10am - 24%
- 3pm - 7pm - 21%
- 7pm - Midnight - 18%
- Midnight - 6am - 4%
(Source: Edison Research, "Share of Ear", Q4 2025)
- Percentage of those who began listening to podcasts within the past year, by demographic:
- Male - 47%
- Female - 53%
- Black/African American - 30%
- Hispanic - 12%
(Source: Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights' Podcast Download - Fall 2025 Report)
- Average time (hours) spent with podcasts within the past week:
- Podcast Newcomers (started listening within the past year) - 9.1 hours
- Podcast Intermediates (started listening 2-3 years ago) - 10 hours
- Podcast Pioneers (started listening 4+ years ago) - 13 hours
(Source: Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights' Podcast Download - Fall 2025 Report)
- What people like to do while listening to podcasts:
- Doing chores - 60%
- While relaxing - 48%
- While commuting - 48%
- Working out - 42%
- At work or school - 32%
- While sleeping - 20%
- Other - 6%
(Source: OnePulse Study, January 2025)
- How often Americans listen to podcasts:
- Daily - 15%
- A few times a week - 15%
- 1-2 times a week - 10%
- A few times a month - 42%
- 1-2 times a month - 7%
- < once a month - 13%
- Never - 33%
(Source: Attest, 2025 U.S. Media Consumption Report)
- Top sports podcasts in 2025:
- The Pat McAfee Show - 32%
- Club Shay Shay - 28%
- The Don Patrick Show - 27%
- The Heard with Colin Cowherd - 23%
- New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce - 16%
(Source: Crowd React Media, The State of Sports Media 2025)
- 48% of people who've listened to Apple Music & Spotify in the last 30 days have also listened to a podcast in the last 30 days.
(Source: 2025 MRI-Simmons Fall Doublebase) |
