Edison Research's report reveals significant growth in the U.S. podcast audience

Edison Research's annual Infinite Dial® report reveals that podcast listening continues to surge in the U.S., reaching record-breaking levels of engagement. The study, supported by Audacy, Cumulus Media, and SiriusXM Media, offers key insights into the evolving podcasting landscape.

Key Findings:

• Overall Growth: 47% of Americans aged 12 and older have listened to a podcast in the last month (up 12% from 2023). This translates to approximately 135 million monthly listeners.
• Weekly Listeners Surge: 34% of the U.S. population aged 12+ now listen to podcasts weekly, representing a 10% year-over-year increase.
• Women Drive Growth: The number of female podcast listeners has increased significantly, with 45% of women in the U.S. aged 12+ reporting they listen to podcasts monthly (up 15% from 2023).
• Online Audio Peak: 76% of Americans aged 12+ (approximately 218 million people) report listening to some form of online audio monthly.

Additional Insights from the Infinite Dial®

• Smart speaker ownership has leveled out, but the number of devices per household continues to rise.
• Twitter use has seen a sharp decline following Elon Musk's acquisition.
• Despite new listening options, AM/FM radio remains a strong source of in-car audio entertainment.

The Infinite Dial® is America's longest-running survey of digital media behavior. Edison Research surveyed 1,086 individuals aged 12 and older in January 2024 to compile this year's report.