We all witnessed how significant 2021 was for the podcasting industry. The addition of podcasters, listeners, and marketers was staggering! Podcasting’s ascend as a popular media continued in 2022, gathering 424.2 million listeners worldwide.
We are halfway in 2023; the number of podcast listeners has reached 464.7 million. It’s important to keep track of the state of the podcasting industry. These podcast statistics will help you in making informed decisions as a podcaster or a marketer this year and the times to come.
The research team at Demandsage digs deep into some of the most comprehensive studies done on the subject to bring you this post. Let us take you right to our findings, shall we?
Podcast Statistics At A Glance (Our Top Picks)
This section will serve as a TLDR section for the post. You can go through our top picks If you don’t have time to go through the complete article:
- There are 464.7 million podcast listeners globally as of 2023. This number is predicted to reach 504.9 million by 2024.
- The podcast industry market size is $23.56 billion.
- There are over 5 million podcasts globally with over 70 million episodes between them.
- Podcasts are available in over 150 languages.
- Video Podcast production is now higher than ever.
- Spotify and Apple podcasts are the two biggest podcast streaming services on the globe.
- The United States has the most podcast listeners in the world. It is predicted that over 100 million active podcast listeners will be in the U.S. in 2023.
- Scandinavian countries have the highest podcast penetration rate.
- One-third of the American Population listens to podcasts regularly.
- Smart speaker sales increased by 22% during the pandemic, and it is one the most popular channel to listen to podcasts.
- 78% of the US population is aware of podcasts. Out of which, 28% listen to podcasts weekly.
- 160 million US citizens have listened to podcasts at least once.
- 91% of Australian people are aware of podcasts.
- Podcast listening is highest in the morning, and most of the podcasts are listened to on a mobile phone.
In-depth Podcast Statistics
Now that we have seen the podcast stats in brief already, let us give you a closer look at the podcast scene in this section.
15. Number of Podcasts In The World.
There are over 5 million podcasts with over 70 million episodes between them as of 2023.
Spotify alone has around 5 million podcast titles on its platform.
16. The Number of Podcast Listeners (Podcast Popularity)
There are 464.7 million podcast listeners globally as of 2023.
It is predicted that there will be around 504.9 million podcast listeners worldwide by the end of 2024.
This is a considerable rise in number since 2019; there were 274.8 million podcast listeners in the world back then.
Here is a table showing the number of podcast listeners globally over the years:
| Year | Number of Podcast Listeners |
| 2019 | 274.8 million |
| 2020 | 332.2 million |
| 2021 | 383.7 million |
| 2022 | 424.2 million |
| 2023 | 464.7 million |
| 2024* (Forecasted) | 504.9 million |
17. Podcasts Are Growing The Fastest in These Nations
Voxnest’s study reveals that Chile is the fastest-growing nation in the podcasting scene.
Below is the list of Nations that are growing fast in the podcasting scene:
| Nation | Percent of growth |
| Chile | 84% |
| Argentina | 55.3% |
| Peru | 49.1% |
| Mexico | 47.8% |
| China | 43.6% |
18. Podcasting Industry In The USA will be worth $4 billion in 2024.
As of 2023, the podcasting industry in the United States is valued at $2 billion. The industry is expected to be worth $4 billion in 2024.
19. Podcast Global Market Size — (Podcasting Revenue)
According to the market figures, the worldwide podcasting market is worth $23.56 billion in 2023 and is expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.6% between 2023 and 2030.
Taking that CAGR into consideration, the podcast market size would be 38.36 billion in 2025 and 131.13 billion in 2030.
Here is a table showing the market size of the podcasting industry over the years:
| Year | Podcast Industry Market Size |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 23.56 billion |
| 2024* | 30.03 billion |
| 2025* | 38.36 billion |
| 2026* | 49.03 billion |
| 2027* | 62.71 billion |
| 2028* | 80.07 billion |
| 2029* | 102.53 billion |
| 2030* | 131.13 billion |
20. 79% of Americans are aware of podcasting
As of 2023, 79% of the American population is aware of podcasts. If we take a look at 2006 numbers, It was just 20%
That is an increase of 59% in the span of 17 years.
21. Swedish People Consume Most Podcasts
47% of Swedish people claim that they have listened to at least one podcast in the previous year.
22. 91% of Australians know about podcasts
As per a study by infinite dial, 91% of Australians who are above the age of 12 are aware of podcasts.
23. 62% Million US Citizens Have Listened To a Podcast
More than 205.5 million US citizens have listened to a podcast at least once in their life.
When an identical survey was carried out back in 2006, only 29% of the American population listened to podcasts at least once in their life.
Here is a table showing the share of the U.S. population that has listened to podcasts over the years:
| Year | Share Of U.S. Population |
| 2012 | 29% |
| 2013 | 27% |
| 2014 | 30% |
| 2015 | 33% |
| 2016 | 36% |
| 2017 | 40% |
| 2018 | 44% |
| 2019 | 51% |
| 2020 | 55% |
| 2021 | 57% |
| 2022 | 62% |
24. US Monthly and Weekly Podcast Listeners
41% of people in the USA tune into a podcast every month.
28% of the population do it weekly, consuming around 11 episodes on average while they are at it.
As per a report by Insider Intelligence, around 144 million people in the U.S. listen to a podcast every month.
25. Gen Z Discovers Podcast More Than Twice The Rate of Other Age Groups
It’s a common misconception that podcast listeners are predominantly older. However, one Spotify fan study reveals a different reality. In fact, Gen Z is leading the way in consuming podcast content, with a rate more than double that of any other age group.
26. 22% of people listen to a podcast while driving
As per an infinite dial report, 22% of people tune into a podcast episode while they are commuting.
27. The Smartphone Is The Most Popular Device To Stream a Podcast
79% of people in the U.S.A. listen to a podcast from their smartphones.
It is no wonder as Around 280 million Americans access the internet via a smartphone.
1/4th of all Podcast listeners tune in via a web browser.
Only 6% of people use a tablet to listen to a podcast.
Note: In case you wanna start your podcast, check out these best headphones for podcasting.
28. Most Popular Podcast Platforms
With a 33.7% share, Spotify is the leader in podcast streaming.
Spotify also has the biggest podcast library in the world, and anyone can add their podcast to Spotify in a few easy steps.
Apple podcast has a good 27.6% share as many people around the globe use an iOS device and use Apple podcast to tune into their favorite shows, making it the second biggest player in podcast streaming.
Spotify had recently surpassed Apple in the leaderboard, but Apple has returned to regain the top spot.
Here is the overview of the top Podcast streaming apps in 2023:
| Platform | Percentage |
| Spotify | 33.7% |
| Apple | 27.6% |
| iHeartRadio | 6.2% |
| Google Podcasts | 3.6% |
| Chrome | 2.8% |
| Amazon Music | 2.7% |
| Castbox | 1.5% |
| Alexa | 2.0% |
| Stitcher | 0.8% |
| Overcast | 0.6% |
| Pocket Casts | 0.6% |
| Podcast Addict | 0.5% |
| Others | 17.4% |
29. Apple Podcast Is King In Terms Of Podcast Downloads
Spotify might be the king when it comes to streaming podcasts, but when the topic is about downloading podcasts, Apple Podcasts take the lead.
Over 70% of all podcast episode download requests come from Apple Podcasts, which is much more than Spotify’s share of downloads, which is 8.9%
Here is a table showing the most popular apps which users use to save podcasts offline:
| Platform | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Apple | 70.8% |
| Spotify | 8.9% |
| Other | 5.9% |
| iHeartRadio | 3.0% |
| Alexa | 2.3% |
| Overcast | 1.6% |
| Stitcher | 1.3% |
| Amazon Music | 1.2% |
| Google Podcasts | 1.2% |
| Podcast Addict | 1.1% |
| Castbox | 1.0% |
| Chrome | 1.0% |
| Pocket Casts | 0.9% |
30. Podcasts Are Most Popular among people aged 12-34
As per the Infinite Dial report, 50% of people between the age of 12 to 34 listen to podcasts every month.
31. Weekly Listeners average 8 podcast episodes
An average weekly US podcast listener listens to 8 episodes.
32. Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On Podcasting
With its ability to analyze vast databases in response to human-generated prompts, generative AI is transforming the way businesses access, create, and leverage information, and the Podcasting industry is no exception.
AI-driven podcasting is already reaching 45 million Americans each month. can you believe it?
We have listed some interesting insights on Generative AI’s impact on the podcasting industry below:
- AI-enabled podcasting will be worth $3 billion by the end of 2023.
- A survey by Podbean found that 40% of podcasters are using AI tools to improve their podcasts.
- AI-powered podcasts grew 500% in 2022.
- AI can reduce costs for podcasters in various aspects by up to 50%.
- 85% people believe that it’s ethical for podcasters to use AI tools to create podcast content
33. Relation Between Podcast Ranking and Listeners
Buzzsprout did a study in which they revealed that the top 1% of podcasts get an average of 3994+ downloads in the first 7 days of release.
Here is the overview of podcast ranks and the Average no. of downloads in the first 7 days of release:
- Top 1% of Podcasts get more than 3994 downloads.
- Top 5% of Podcasts get more than 795 downloads.
- Top 10% of Podcasts get more than 335 downloads.
- Top 25% of Podcasts get more than 93 downloads.
- Top 50% of Podcasts get more than 30 downloads.
34. There Are 1 Million Podcast Listeners In Singapore
According to a survey by Acast, 20% of Singaporeans listen to podcasts as part of their daily routine.
Here are some other exciting findings from the same survey:
- 57% of podcast listeners in Singapore use Apple Podcasts to stream
- People listen to 3 to5 different podcasts on average every week.
35. 72% of people are very attentive while listening to podcasts
The numbers drop if we compare podcasts to other media. 68% of people are attentive while streaming TV, and 56% are attentive while streaming music.
36. Many People Consider Podcast Hosts As Trusted Source Of Information
Listeners consider podcast hosts to be 64% more trustworthy than other influencers. People also consider the hosts as 86% more trustworthy and 89% more authentic.
37. 51% of Marketers Are Already Incorporating Podcasts Into Their Marketing Strategies
The podcast marketing industry will become more competitive. Big companies will start using podcasting to grow their brand, leaving less room for startups.
Act now to take advantage of this opportunity before competition becomes too intense. You might want to consider these top podcast hosting services while you are at it.
38. True Crime and Fiction Podcasts Have the Highest Completion Rate
Both genres have over 85% completion rate. If you check the trending podcasts in different regions of the world, True Crime podcasts are always in the top 10 of every region.
Take a look at this graphic to understand the habit of podcast listeners based on gneres:
39. Video Podcast Statistics
Video podcasts also referred to as vodcasts, have become increasingly popular in recent years by offering a unique combination of audio and visual content that caters to diverse audiences. The increase in video podcast consumption corresponds with the overall growth of the podcasting industry.
Spotify and Apple have integrated video podcasting features into their platforms, highlighting the considerable market potential for this format.
Here are some interesting statistics about video podcasts:
- A study done by the podcast host revealed that just 17% of podcast hosts record their episodes in video format as well.
The survey also revealed that Just 10% of Podcasters go live.
- It is clear that the number of video podcasts is increasing rapidly. In November 2022, Podcast Index listed 39,194 video podcasts. In May 2023, this number has grown to over 50,800.
- According to a study by Riverside.fm, video podcasts can be up to 50% more engaging than audio podcasts.
40. Advertisements from podcasts have been introduced 69% of listeners are to new products
A study done by the podcast host reveals that 69% of listeners claim to have been exposed to new brands and products as a result of ads from a podcast.
41. Number Of Podcasts on the top two listening platforms
Spotify has 5 million podcast titles in its library as of 2023.
As for Apple podcasts, the number stands at 2.5 million.
42. Joe Rogan Experience Is The #1 Podcast In The World
The Joe Rogan Experience is the most popular podcast in the world averaging around 11 million listeners every episode. It is not only the most popular podcast it is also one of the longest-running podcasts in history with over 2000 episodes recorded to date.
JRE is a weekly podcast hosted by comedian and UFC commentator Joe Rogan. The show features long-form conversations with a wide range of guests across industries.
Do you know the famous clip where Elon Musk smokes marijuana? Yes, That’s from one of Joe Rogan’s podcasts.
The Joe Rogan Experience is exclusive to Spotify!
Related Read: Best Joe Rogan Podcasts
43. Top Podcasts on Spotify
Here is the region-wise list of top Spotify podcasts.
- Top 5 Spotify Podcasts in the United States Of America
| Podcast | Host |
| The Joe Rogan Experience | Joe Rogan |
| Call Her Daddy | Alex Cooper |
| Anything Goes With Emma Chamberlain | Emma Chamberlain |
| Shawn Ryan Show | Shawn Ryan |
| CounterClock | Audiochuck |
- Top 5 Spotify Podcasts in the United Kingdom
| Podcast | Host |
| The Joe Rogan Experience | Joe Rogan |
| The Meer Show | Bailey |
| The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett | Steven Bartlett |
| Pod Save the UK | Crooked Media |
| Up Front with Simon Jordan | Simon Jordan |
- Top 5 Spotify Podcasts in Australia
| Podcast | Host |
| The Joe Rogan Experience | Joe Rogan |
| Call Her Daddy | Alex Cooper |
| Shadow of Doubt | The Australian |
| Hannah’s Story | 9Podcasts |
| Anything Goes With Emma Chamberlain | Emma Chamberlain |
Source: https://podcastcharts.byspotify.com
44. Most Popular Podcast Genres
As per Statista, Comedy is the most popular podcast genre in the U.S.
Here is the complete list,
- Comedy
- Social and Cultural
- Health and Fitness
- Arts & Entertainment.
- Education.
But this study is from 2020, and the trends have changed; although there is no official study as of 2023, here is my personal list!
I made this list after studying all the top 5 podcasts across various world regions.
- Comedy.
- True Crimes.
- Social and Cultural
- Health/fitness/sports
- Business (Motivation/Entrepreneurship)
45. Popular Podcast Genres in the UK.
Statista found out that people in the U.K. aged 25 to 34 loved Comical podcasts.
22% of the respondents voted for Comedy, and 10% voted for Football, which was the second most popular podcast genre in the UK.
46. International podcast Statistics
- Apple podcasts are the #1 choice of French podcast listeners. Deezer, a home-grown podcast listening platform, ranks second in France with 7% votes.
- Relatos de la Noche was the most downloaded podcast in Latin America, with 1.38 million downloads per week.
- Here is the overview of the top 3 downloaded podcasts in Latin America:
| Podcast Name | Number of downloads |
| Relatos de la Noche | 1.38 million |
| La Corneta | 940k |
| Leyendas Legendarias | 824k |
- Around 58% of South Korean adults tune into a podcast monthly
- More than 9 million Canadian adults are monthly podcast listeners
- 24% of listeners in Denmark tune in every week.
47. Podcast Duration Statistics
The majority of podcasts are 20-40 minutes long. Only 15% of podcasts are under the 10-minute mark.
Here is an overview of the average duration of podcasts
| Podcast Duration | Share of Episodes |
| Under 10 minutes | 15% |
| 10 to 20 minutes | 15% |
| 20 to 40 minutes | 30% |
| 40 to 60 minutes | 21% |
| >60 minutes | 18% |
48. iHeartPodcasts is the leading podcast publisher in the United States
Publishers play an important role in the creation of podcasts. With 30.43 million unique monthly audience, iHearPodcasts is the top podcast publisher in the U.S.
‘Wondery’ and ‘NPR’ comes in the second and third spot with 25.51 and 18.25 million unique monthly audience, respectively.
Here is the list of the most popular podcast publishers in the United States as of 2023:
| Podcast Publisher | Unique Monthly Visitors |
| iHeartPodcasts | 30.43 million |
| Wondery | 25.51 million |
| NPR | 18.25 million |
| NBC News | 10.21 million |
| New Yorl Times | 9.43 million |
| The Walt Disney Company | 8.05 million |
| Daily Wire | 7.81 million |
| Barstool Sports | 6.38 million |
| PRX | 5.29 million |
| Fox Audio Network | 5.26 million |
Bonus Podcast Statistics
Here is a list of additional interesting and important statistics associated with Podcasting.
49.) More people (18%) are listening to podcasts in 2023 than they did eight years ago.
50.) People prefer to listen to podcasts between 10:00 to 15:00. Podcast listening peaks from 08:15 to 08:30 a.m.
51.) households with $100,000 to $150,000 income account for about 17% of the total monthly podcast listeners in the USA.
52.) 51% of monthly podcast listeners have a full-time job, while 25% have a college degree.
53.) 59% of people tune into a podcast while doing something else simultaneously.
54.) 21.7% of podcast listeners are subscribed to over 70 podcasts.
Sources: Semrush, Statista, Edison Research, The podcast host.
Related Read:
Conclusion: Podcast Statistics (2023)
This is our take on podcast statistics as of 2023. The podcast scene is booming. Especially after the pandemic, the industry really took off. This is the set of the most up-to-date figures. We will update this space as more studies keep coming.
If you have other interesting statistics that we missed, please let us know in the comments; we would love to add them to the blog.
Sources:
