37+ Podcast Statistics 2024 (Listeners, Revenue, & Growth)

The podcast industry saw a major shift in popularity in 2023, and multiple studies point towards a more engaging 2024. Currently, there are 5 million podcasts in the world, and 504.9 million people listen to them

It’s important to keep track of the industry if you are a creator or marketer. We are shedding light on the current state of the podcasting industry in this post. Let’s get into it. 

Podcast Statistics 2024 (Top Picks)

  • There are over 5 million podcasts globally, with over 70 million episodes between them.
  • The podcast industry is currently worth $23.56 billion.
  • There are 504.9 million podcast listeners globally.
  • It is predicted that there will be over 100 million active podcast listeners in the U.S. in 2024.
  • An average American listens to 8 podcasts every week.
  • Spotify holds the major share of the podcast streaming market.

Number of Podcasts In The World

There are over 5 million podcasts with over 70 million episodes between them as of 2024.

This number can vary depending on multiple factors, If we eliminate inactive podcasts, we see the number dropping to around 4.2 million.

Number of podcasts on spotify alone
via Spotify

Source: Podcast Index, Spotify.

The Number of Podcast Listeners Worldwide

Currently, there are 504.9 million podcast listeners globally. That is 9.52% of the total internet users.

Other than factors like easier access to smartphones & internet in current times, the boom in podcast listeners is due to the fact that, unlike other media, podcasts tend to create a deeper bond with listeners (especially if they are a niche audience).

Number Of Podcast Listeners Over the Years

Here is a table showing the number of global podcast listeners over the years:

YearPodcast ListenersYoY Increase
2024504.9 million8.70%
2023464.7 million9.60%
2022424.2 million10.60%
2021383.7 million18.70%
2020333.2 million20.90%
2019274.8 million*

Source: Statista

Podcasts Are Growing The Fastest In North American Region

North American nations and territories will account for 46.3% of total podcast listeners by the end of 2026; Europe will follow with a listener’s share of 32.8% and Latin America with 32.4%.

North America has a well-established podcasting culture with strong internet penetration; additionally, the increased adoption of smart speakers makes podcasts even more accessible in the region.

Forecast of Podcast Listeners In Different World Regions

Here is a table showing the forecast of podcast listeners in different world regions:

World Region202420252026
North America43.80%45.20%46.30%
Western Europe30.90%31.90%32.80%
Latin America30.30%31.40%32.40%
South Korea15.20%15.90%16.50%
Japan14.80%15.40%16.00%
China12.90%14.60%16.60%

The US Podcast Industry will be worth $4 billion in 2024

Presently, the podcasting industry in the United States is valued at $2 billion.

With 100 million active listeners, It’s the golden age for podcasting in the country. The United State’s biggest hit, The Joe Rogan Experience, is popular not only in the country but also in every corner of the world.

Global Market Size Of Podcast Industry Will Reach $30.03 Billion In 2024

The podcast industry is pointing towards immense growth in 2024.

According to the market figures, the worldwide podcasting market will be worth $30.03 billion In 2024 and is expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.6% between 2023 and 2030.

Considering that CAGR, the podcast market size would be 38.36 billion in 2025 and 131.13 billion in 2030.

The Market Size Of The Podcasting Industry

Here is a table showing the market size of the podcasting industry over the years:

YearPodcast Industry Market Size
202323.56 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

79% of Americans are aware of podcasting

As of 2024, 8 out of 10 Americans are aware of podcasts. This share was just 20% back in 2006.

That is an increase of 59% in the span of 17 years.

91% of Australians know about podcasts

As per a study by Infinite Dial, 9 out of 10 Australians above 12 are aware of podcasts.

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 lives.

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:

YearShare Of U.S. Population
201229%
201327%
201430%
201533%
201636%
201740%
201844%
201951%
202055%
202157%
202262%

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.

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.

Podcast Discovery Growth By Age Group
Source: Spotify

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 driving.

22% Of People Tune Into A Podcast Episode While They Are Driving

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 that around 280 million Americans access the internet via a smartphone

Most Popular Device To Stream A Podcast

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.

Where do people listen to podcasts?

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 handsome 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.

Most Popular Podcast Platforms

Note: The infographic above only depicts the top podcast market share. For a complete breakdown, refer to the table below.

Here is a table showing podcast market share by platform:

Podcast PlatformShare In Podcast Streaming
Spotify33.7%
Apple27.6%
iHeartRadio6.2%
Google Podcasts3.6%
Chrome2.8%
Amazon Music2.7%
Castbox1.5%
Alexa2.0%
Stitcher0.8%
Overcast0.6%
Pocket Casts0.6%
Podcast Addict0.5%
Others17.4%

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 that users use to save podcasts offline:

PlatformPercentage
Apple70.8%
Spotify8.9%
Other5.9%
iHeartRadio3.0%
Alexa2.3%
Overcast1.6%
Stitcher1.3%
Amazon Music1.2%
Google Podcasts1.2%
Podcast Addict1.1%
Castbox1.0%
Chrome1.0%
Pocket Casts0.9%

Podcasts Are Most Popular among people aged 12-34

As per the Infinite Dial report, 50% of people between the ages of 12 to 34 listen to podcasts every month.

50% Of People Between The Age Of 12 To 34 Listen To Podcasts Every Month

Weekly Listeners average 8 podcast episodes

An average weekly US podcast listener listens to 8 episodes.

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 In 2024.
  • A survey by Podbean found that 40% of podcasters are using AI tools to improve their podcasts.
  • 57% of podcast listeners have used features powered by AI, such as personalized recommendations or voice-activated controls.
  • AI can reduce costs for podcasters in various aspects by up to 50%.
  • 85% of people believe that it’s ethical for podcasters to use AI tools to create podcast content.

AI-powered advertising Can Increase CTR by 100%

The AI optimization of clicks has been shown to increase click-through rates by 100% on average and account visits by almost 10%. The AI optimization of visits has been found to boost account visits by 24.4% and clicks by nearly 25% on average.

Top 1% of Podcasts get more than 3994 downloads in the First 7 Days

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.

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.

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.

Ever Wondered What Percentage of Podcasts Are Successful?

Although there is no definite study on the topic, there is a 50% chance of a podcast to podfade (it is when a podcast suddenly stops releasing new content without a final show or an announcement). With more than 500k podcasts churned out yearly, only 20% survive.

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.

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.

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 genres:

Percent Of Episode Completed
Source: Spotify

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, the Podcast Index listed 39,194 video podcasts. In May 2023, this number grew to over 50,800.
  • According to a study by Riverside.fm, video podcasts can be up to 50% more engaging than audio podcasts.

Advertisements from podcasts have been introduced 69% of listeners are to new product

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.

Number Of Podcasts on the top two listening platforms

Spotify has 5 million podcast titles in its library as of 2024.

As for Apple podcasts, the number stands at 2.6 million.

Number Of Podcasts On The Top Two Listening Platforms

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.

Joe Rogan Experience (The #1 Podcast In The World)
Source: JoeRogan.com

Remember the famous clip where Elon Musk smokes marijuana? That’s from one of Joe Rogan’s podcasts.

Elon Musk Smoking Marijuana On The Joe Rogan Podcast

The Joe Rogan Experience is exclusive to Spotify!

Related Read: Best Joe Rogan Podcasts

Comedy Is The Most Popular Podcast Genres

As per Statista, Comedy is the most popular podcast genre in the U.S.

Most Popular Podcast Genres By Region (Infographic)
Source: Spotify

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 2024, 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)

Popular Podcast Genres in the UK

Statista found out that people in the U.K. aged 25 to 34 loved comic podcasts.

22% of the respondents voted for Comedy, and 10% voted for Football, which was the second most popular podcast genre in the UK.

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 is one of the most downloaded podcasts in Latin America, with 1.38 million downloads per week.
  • 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.

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 DurationShare of Episodes
Under 10 minutes15%
10 to 20 minutes15%
20 to 40 minutes30%
40 to 60 minutes21%
>60 minutes18%

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 audiences, respectively.

Here is the list of the most popular podcast publishers in the United States as of 2024:

Podcast PublisherUnique Monthly Visitors
iHeartPodcasts30.43 million
Wondery25.51 million
NPR18.25 million
NBC News10.21 million
New Yorl Times9.43 million
The Walt Disney Company8.05 million
Daily Wire7.81 million
Barstool Sports6.38 million
PRX5.29 million
Fox Audio Network5.26 million

Bonus Podcast Statistics

Here is a list of additional interesting and important statistics associated with Podcasting.

  • More people (18%) are listening to podcasts in 2024 than they did eight years ago.
  • People prefer to listen to podcasts between 10:00 to 15:00. Podcast listening peaks from 08:15 to 08:30 a.m.
  • Households with $100,000 to $150,000 income account for about 17% of the total monthly podcast listeners in the USA.
  • 51% of monthly podcast listeners have a full-time job, while 25% have a college degree.
  • 59% of people tune into a podcast while doing something else simultaneously.
  • 21.7% of podcast listeners are subscribed to over 70 podcasts.

Sources: Semrush, Statista, Edison Research, The podcast host.

Related Read:

Sources For The Data In This Post

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