Julia Stoll
Research expert covering TV and video media
U.S. Podcasting Industry - statistics & facts
Podcasting is no longer a niche phenomenon. Over time, podcasts have developed into a full-grown medium that offers a broad variety of topics and genres, which consumers enjoy all over the world. In the U.S., awareness of podcasting soared over the last couple of decades. Whereas, back in 2006, around one fifth of the adult population in the United States was aware of podcasting, this figure now amounts to 85 percent. Podcasting is an increasingly popular pastime in the U.S., and close to 160 million Americans consume podcasts every month according to the latest figures. This success story stems particularly from its versatility in terms of content as well as format, which in turn helped the medium reach an increasingly diverse audience.
Podcasts are no longer a pastime enjoyed predominantly by younger generations. While older generations tune in less than their younger peers, more than one third of adults aged 55 years or above now listen to podcasts on a monthly basis. While podcasts are also used as a news source, with a similar share within younger age groups in the United States using podcasts for news at least semi-regularly, audiences have access to a wide variety of genres and topics for entertainment, too. Aside from news podcasts, true crime and comedy are also among the most downloaded genres in the United States.
Meanwhile, the growing popularity of video podcasts has paved the way for another duel between two media players: Spotify and YouTube. Both platforms are competing to become the most popular choice among podcast consumers. Spotify was formerly the most used platform among weekly podcast consumers in the United States, yet the most recent data showed that the tables have turned in favor of YouTube, who was ahead of the Swedish streaming service by ten percent. YouTube has also become a major source used by consumers to discover new podcasts, which is helping the platform to further establish its position as the market leader.
Although podcasts have established themselves on the media landscape, the potential for growth and movement within the industry has yet to reach its limits. The variety of podcasts as a medium and its openness to new formats keep audiences engaged and bring opportunities for creators to reach new demographics.
Diversifying consumption
One notable factor which contributed to a rise in podcast awareness was the development of video podcasts, which attracted other audiences to the medium. Survey data shows that around 55 percent of the U.S. population consumed a podcast in the past month, almost a double-digit surge from the previous year. For the first time, this figure included both audio and video consumption. At the same time, the preference for video formats among podcast consumers keeps rising as well, and among all age groups.Podcasts are no longer a pastime enjoyed predominantly by younger generations. While older generations tune in less than their younger peers, more than one third of adults aged 55 years or above now listen to podcasts on a monthly basis. While podcasts are also used as a news source, with a similar share within younger age groups in the United States using podcasts for news at least semi-regularly, audiences have access to a wide variety of genres and topics for entertainment, too. Aside from news podcasts, true crime and comedy are also among the most downloaded genres in the United States.
Publishers and platforms competing for their piece of the podcast pie
When it comes to publishers, iHeartMedia is by far the top player, both globally and in the United States. With help of the company’s standing within all segments of the audio industry and its subsequent prominence, both the iHeart Audience Network and iHeartPodcasts were capable of pushing competitor NPR to third position, based on unique monthly audience in the United States. Likewise, the iHeart Audience Network ranks at the top of podcast publishers worldwide, accumulating hundreds of millions of unique streams and downloads each month. The success of iHeart in the podcast segment, which has become the company’s driver for growth, can be attributed to its varied content and partnerships with other networks and popular creators.Meanwhile, the growing popularity of video podcasts has paved the way for another duel between two media players: Spotify and YouTube. Both platforms are competing to become the most popular choice among podcast consumers. Spotify was formerly the most used platform among weekly podcast consumers in the United States, yet the most recent data showed that the tables have turned in favor of YouTube, who was ahead of the Swedish streaming service by ten percent. YouTube has also become a major source used by consumers to discover new podcasts, which is helping the platform to further establish its position as the market leader.
Although podcasts have established themselves on the media landscape, the potential for growth and movement within the industry has yet to reach its limits. The variety of podcasts as a medium and its openness to new formats keep audiences engaged and bring opportunities for creators to reach new demographics.
