Radio Advertising Bureau

Podcast Listening for Adults

A podcast is a series of on-demand audio files that focus on a certain topic or have an overall theme. They are free to listeners and can be downloaded online, via smartphones, computers, or tablets. Thousands of podcasts are produced weekly, and listeners can subscribe to their favorite podcasts to get notified when a new episode becomes available. As of Q3 2024, podcasts have a 19% share of ad-supported audio by adults 18+.⁹

241 million (84%) P12+ are familiar with audio podcasts, while 192 million (67%) have ever listened to a podcast.¹

76% of African Americans and 54% of Hispanics 12+ are familiar with podcasts.²
47% of P12+ listened to podcasts in the last month - more than double from 21% in 2016.¹

31% listened in the last week.¹

48% of African Americans and 43% of Hispanics listened in the last month.²

32% of African Americans and 30% of Hispanics listened in the last week.²

U.S. monthly podcast listeners 18+ by gender:⁸

Men: 52%
Women: 48%

Monthly podcast listeners by age in 2023:¹

Ages 12-34: 55%
Ages 35-54: 51%
Ages 55+: 21%

Median age of podcast listeners: 34 years old.⁴
98 million people listen to a podcast weekly.¹

Podcast listeners averaged about eight podcast shows in the last week.¹
34% of the U.S. population listen to podcasts on a weekly basis.¹

Among weekly podcast listeners: ³

42% started listening 4+ years ago.
25% started 2-3 years ago.
33% started within the past year.

Percentage (%) of people who listen to podcasts daily:¹³

Ages 18-24 - 27%
Ages 25-34 - 33%
Ages 35-44 - 28%
Ages 45-54 - 19%
Ages 55 -64 - 12%
Ages 65+ - 9%

Of those adults 18+ who have listened to a podcast in the last 30 days:¹⁴

63% are homeowners
58% work full-time jobs
51% are married
47% have received a bachelor's or graduate degree
37% have a child living at home 17 years old or younger

Podcast listeners have been influenced by a podcast:³

60% have watched a movie, read a book, or listened to music because of a podcast.
52% have followed the social media account of their favorite podcast or its host(s)
36% have made or tried a lifestyle change (e.g., a new workout, new diet, or journaling).

46% of U.S. weekly podcast listeners say they have purchased a product or service because of hearing a podcast advertisement.¹²
Podcast listeners spend 5 hours and 54 minutes listening to podcasts daily.⁴

30% of adults 18-34 listen to podcasts daily.⁵
27% of adults 25-54 listen to podcasts daily.⁵

Locations and time where podcast listening occurs throughout the day:⁴

Where:

Home - 70%
Work - 13%
In the car - 12%
Other - 5%

When:

10am - 3pm - 31%
6am - 10am - 23%
7pm - midnight - 20%
3pm - 7pm - 17%
Midnight - 6am - 9%

Reasons for listening to podcasts:⁴

For entertainment - 60%
To learn - 55%
Something to listen while doing something else - 52%

Top 2023 10 Podcast Genres:¹²

News - 22%
True Crime - 18%
Comedy - 15%
Society & Culture - 10%
Other - 9%
Business - 4%
Health & Fitness - 3%
History - 2%
Arts - 2%

The top 10 podcast networks, in sales, as of October 2024:¹⁸

iHeart Audience Network - 68.7M
NPR -25.2M
Wondery - 20.1M
Audcay Podcast Network- 13.3M
Audioboom - 12.9M
Cumulus Podcast Network - 8.2M
Paramount - 4.2M
Soundrise - 4.1M
Salem Podcast Network - 2.8M
American Public Media Group - 2.1M

Top 10 podcasts in the U.S. as of October 2024:¹⁸

NPR News Now (NPR)
Up First (NPR)
The Dan Bongino Show (Cumulus Podcast Network)
Morbid (Wondery)
Stuff You Should Know (iHeart Audience Network)
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard (Wondery)
Mr. Ballen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories (Wondery)
The Charlie Kirk Show (Salem Podcast Network)
48 Hours (Paramount)
Fresh Air (NPR)

Duration of podcast episodes:¹⁵

Less than 10 minutes - 15%
10 - 20 minutes - 16%
20 - 40 minutes - 32%
40 - 60 minutes - 21%
Over 60 minutes - 16%

Frequency of published episodes:¹⁵

0-2 days - 6%
3-7 days - 34%
8-14 days - 39%
15-29 days - 19%
Over 30 days - 1%

Platform used most by weekly podcast consumers:¹⁶

YouTube - 31%
Spotify - 21%
Apple Podcasts - 12%

Why weekly podcast consumers started watching podcasts on YouTube:¹⁶

I like the video part of the podcast - 21%
I like the comments and/or community on YouTube – 18%
YouTube is my primary destination for information and entertainment - 15%
I like YouTube’s recommendations for related content - 17%
I like YouTube’s autoplay feature - 13%
I manage my podcast subscription on YouTube - 9%
These podcasts are not available elsewhere - 8%
I don't watch/listen to podcasts elsewhere - 3%

Podcast preferences between podcast newcomers and pioneers:¹⁶

Podcast Newcomers (Those who started listening to podcasts within the past year):

Audio only w/o any video - 22%
Video you play in background/minimize - 36%
Video you actively watch while listening - 42%

Podcast Pioneers (Those who started listening to podcasts 4+ years ago):

Audio only w/o any video - 37%
Video you play in background/minimize - 25%
Video you actively watch while listening - 38%

Electronics and platforms used to listen to podcasts:¹⁷

Mobile Phone:

YouTube - 58%
Apple - 86%
Spotify - 80%

Computer/Laptop:

YouTube - 21%
Apple - 4%
Spotify - 9%

YouTube - 13%
Apple - .4%
Spotify - 2%

Tablet:

YouTube - 6%
Apple - 6%
Spotify - 4%

Podcast advertising grew to $1.9B in 2023.⁹

Forecast to exceed $2.2B in 2024 and reach to over $2.6B by 2026.⁹

Female Podcast Listeners

56% of U.S. Women 18+ have listened to a podcast.⁶

43% are between the ages of 18-34.⁶
30% have a household income of $100k or more.⁶
61% have a college degree.⁶
21% "frequently" recommend podcasts to friends/family members.⁶
71% started listening to podcasts within the last 3 years.⁶
90% started listening to at least one podcast hosted or produced by a woman.⁶

Top 10 listened to topics by women:⁶

Comedy - 40%
True Crime - 37%
Love & Relationships - 32%
Entertainment, Celebrity, & Gossip - 31%
News/Information - 30%
Wellness/Self-improvement - 30%
Music - 27%
Food/Cooking - 25%
Society & Culture - 25%
Mystery/Thriller - 23%

Activities done by women while listening to a podcast:⁶

Doing housework or chores - 69%
Cooking or baking - 59%
Doing laundry - 57%
Getting ready for the day - 55%
Eating - 52%
Getting ready for bed - 48%
Running errands - 42%
Waiting for an appointment - 37%
Crafting - 32%

Reasons that female podcast listeners would recommend podcasts to others:⁶

85% thought that the other person would like the topic.
79% thought that the other person could relate to the topic.
76% thought the podcast made them laugh.
75% said that the podcast inspired them.
69% think that the other person would like the host.
61% said it reminded them of the other person.
58% thought that the other person would like the celebrity/guest.
56% wanted to teach someone something.
47% said it helped them explain their feelings to someone else.
47% wanted to have a deeper/better connection with someone else.
34% said that the podcast made them cry.

How female podcast listeners listen:⁶

74% listen to a podcast with any video.
40% frequently listen with headphones.
61% listen in a car or truck.
67% listen at home most often.
74% listen via smartphone or tablet most often.

Gen Z Podcast Listeners

77% of U.S. people ages 13-24 (Gen Z) have listened to a podcast in 2023.⁷

47% listen to podcasts monthly in 2023.⁷
84% of Gen Z monthly podcast listeners listen to or watch podcasts with a video component.⁷

71% consume podcasts with video that they actively watch while listening.
49% say video gives better understanding of context/tone through facial expressions and gestures.
45% feel more connected to the podcaster(s) through video podcasts.

78% of Gen Z monthly listeners often binge podcats.⁷
Gender of Gen Z monthly podcast listeners:⁷

Men - 53%
Women - 46%

Ethnicity of Gen Z monthly podcast listeners:⁷

White - 63%
Hispanic/Latino - 20%
Black/African American - 15%
Asian - 4%
Other - 2%

75% of Gen Z podcast listeners have listened to a podcast within the past week.⁷

80% from ages 13-17
73% from ages 18-24

88% of those who started listening to podcasts as a child often binge listen.⁷
Top 10 topics that Gen Z monthly listeners listen to:⁷

Comedy - 48%
Entertainment, celebrity, & gossip - 40%
True crime - 38%
Music - 36%
Games/Hobbies - 35%
Pop culture - 35%
Society & culture - 30%
Wellness/Self-improvement - 30%
Sports - 28%
Mystery/Thriller - 26%

Social media and monthly Gen Z podcast listeners:⁷

99% of the listeners have used one social media service.
84% engage with podcasts through social media.
24% chose to listen to their first podcast because it was hosted by someone they like.

Influence of podcast advertisements among Gen Z:⁷

84% find products/services that are discussed by the host to be useful.
82% have taken action as a result of hearing a podcast advertisement.
80% find sponsorship messages to be useful.
76% find pre-recorded advertisements to be useful.

Black Podcast Listeners

By age in 2022:⁸

Ages 18-34: 42%
Ages 35-54: 36%
Ages 55+: 22%

Black monthly podcast listeners 18+ by gender:⁸

Men: 45%
Women: 55%

What they listen to:⁸

49% - comedy podcasts.
47% - music podcasts.
33% - sports podcasts.
30% - true crime podcasts.

Where they listen:⁸

At home: 95%
In a car/truck: 64%
While walking around/on foot: 57%
While riding public transportation: 43%
At work: 43%
At a gym/while working out: 40%

75% say they "frequently" or "occasionally" follow or seek out content that focuses on Black stories and perspectives on podcasts.⁸

Latino Podcast Listeners

52% of U.S. Latinos 18+ have listened to a pocast.¹⁰

38% have listened to a podcast in the past month.¹⁰
31% report listening to podcasts in the past week.¹⁰

Latino weekly podcast listeners by age:¹¹

Age 18 - 24 - 20%
Age 25 - 34 - 30%
Age 35 - 44 - 22%
Age 45 - 54 - 18%
Age 55+ - 10%

Top 10 Podcast topics:¹⁰

Comedy - 57%
Health and Fitness - 40%
Music - 39%
Education - 38%
Business/Economy - 36%
History - 34%
True Crime - 32%
TV & Movies - 31%
Sports - 31%
Politics - 27%

41% of Latino weekly podcast listeners report listening to a podcast that was hosted by a Latino in the last week.¹⁰
23% of U.S. Latinos have listened to a podcast that was mostly in English in the last week.¹⁰
13% of U.S. Latinos have listened to a podcast that was mostly in Spanish in the last week.¹⁰
Ways Latino weekly podcast listeners have interacted with podcasts:¹⁰

35% have signed up for a newsletter.¹⁰
31% purchased branded merchandise.¹⁰
22% attended a virtual event.¹⁰
21% donated or given money.¹⁰
18% attended an in-person event.¹⁰

Most preferred podcast platform by age:¹¹

Radio:

13% - Ages 18-24
13% - Ages 25-34
17% - Ages 35-44
21% - Ages 45-54
26% - Ages 55-64
29% - Ages 65+

Spotify:

59% - Ages 18-24
53% - Ages 25-34
42% - Ages 35-44
37% - Ages 45-54
28% - Ages 55-64
17% - Ages 65+

Apple Podcasts:

22% - Ages 18-24
33% - Ages 25-34
33% - Ages 35-44
29% - Ages 45-54
23% - Ages 55-64
21% - Ages 65+

Google Podcasts:

7% - Ages 18-24
11% - Ages 25-34
15% - Ages 35-44
17% - Ages 45-54
20% - Ages 55-64
21% - Ages 65+

Audible:

9% - Ages 18-24
11% - Ages 25-34
13% - Ages 35-44
12% - Ages 45-54
11% - Ages 55-64
9% - Ages 65+

NPR:

6% - Ages 18- 24
7% - Ages 25-34
11% - Ages 35-44
12% - Ages 45-54
13% - Ages 55-64
16% - Ages 65+

SiriusXM:

5% - Ages 18-24
6% - Ages 25-34
11% - Ages 35-44
13% - Ages 45-54
15% - Ages 55-64
13% - Ages 65+

Hosts vs. Topic:¹¹

33% of listeners indicate their rationale is split between host and topics when listening to a podcast.
62% of listeners say that they are solely focused on the podcast host.

Enjoyment of Podcast Ads:¹¹

48% of people ages 18-44 don't mind podcast ads.
53% of people ages 45+ don't mind podcast ads.
49% of females don't mind podcast ads.
51% of males don't mind podcast ads.
50% of those who attended college don't mind podcast ads.
50% of those who did not attend college don't mind podcast ads.

Most likely to rely on for podcast recommendations:¹¹

Friends/Family - 52%
Social Media - 47%
Streaming - 30%
Ads during other podcasts - 16%
Influencers - 16%
On the Radio - 16%
News Websites - 12%

Activities done while listening to podcasts:¹¹

Doing household chores - 30%
Driving around - 30%
Commuting to/from work - 26%
Unwinding after a long day - 24%
Taking a walk - 24%
Working - 22%
Eating a meal/lunchbreak - 18%
Getting ready for the day - 17%
Working out - 17%

Sources: 1) The Infinite Dial 2024-Edison Research/Audacy/Cumulus Media/SiriusXM Media; 2) The Infinite Dial 2024-Edison Research/Audacy/Cumulus Media/SiriusXM Media: A Look at Hispanics & African Americans; 3) Pew Research, Survey of U.S. adults conducted Dec 5-11, 2022; 4) Edison Research, "Share of Ear," Q1-Q4 2022.; 5) Edison Research, "Share of Ear," Q3 2016 - Q3 2024; 6) Edison Research, Women's Podcast Report 2022, A18+; 7) Edison Research, Gen Z Podcast Listener Report 2023; 8) Black Podcast Listener Report 2.0, Edison Research; 9) PwC/IAB Full Year 2023 Podcast Ad Revenue Study; 10) Edison Research, Latino Podcast Listener Report 2023; 11) Disqo Report, Proving the power of podcast ads, May 2023; 12) Average Monthly Downloads of Networks measured by Triton Podcast Metrics from January - December 2023; 13) Edison Research, "Share of Ear," Q3 2017 - Q3 2024; 14) 2024 MRI-Simmons Spring Doublebase; 15) Podcast episode trends, Buzzsprout Platform Statistics, June 2024; 16) Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights' Podcast Download - Fall 2024 Report; 17) Edison Podcast Metrics Q2 2022 - Q1 2023; 18) Triton U.S. Podcast Ranker Average Weekly Downloads from October 2024

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