UK podcast rankings Q2 2025 reveal marketing opportunities

Edison Research announced the Top 25 podcasts in the UK for Q2 2025 on August 20, 2025, revealing significant shifts in audience consumption patterns that present new advertising opportunities for marketers. According to the quarterly rankings, "The Joe Rogan Experience" maintains its position at number one, while "The Diary of A CEO with Steven Bartlett" climbed one spot to second place, displacing "The Rest Is Politics" which dropped to third position.

The rankings incorporate a methodological change that reflects broader industry trends affecting digital marketing strategies. For the first time, Edison Podcast Metrics included data from individuals whose sole podcast consumption occurred through video platforms during the previous week. This shift acknowledges the growing importance of video podcast consumption, particularly among younger demographics who increasingly engage with content across multiple formats.

According to Edison Research, the methodology enhancement led to substantial ranking improvements for video-heavy programs. "Call Her Daddy" jumped 17 spots in the rankings, while "The Louis Theroux Podcast" surged 30 positions higher than previous measurements would have indicated. These dramatic movements demonstrate how video integration affects audience measurement and highlight opportunities for advertisers seeking to reach audiences through emerging consumption channels.

The rankings data stems from 2,195 online interviews with weekly podcast consumers in the United Kingdom aged 15 and older, conducted continuously throughout the second quarter of 2025. Edison Research collected listening behavior regardless of platform, maintaining consistency with methodology employed in United States measurements since the company launched its first podcast ranker in November 2019.

Goalhanger emerged as the dominant podcast network in the Top 25, securing four positions including "The Rest Is Politics," "The Rest Is History," "The Rest is Football," and "The Rest is Entertainment." This concentration demonstrates how established networks leverage brand recognition and cross-promotion strategies to maintain audience engagement across multiple shows. According to the research, Goalhanger positions itself to add a fifth show to the Top 25, with "The Rest is Politics: US" increasing in rank every quarter since its launch.

The data reveals opportunities for marketers targeting specific demographic segments within the UK podcast landscape. "The Mel Robbins Podcast" entered the Top 25 for the first time at position 17, mirroring growth patterns observed in United States markets according to Edison Research. This international consistency suggests advertising campaigns can leverage similar messaging strategies across geographic markets for shows with global appeal.

BBC programming maintains significant presence in the rankings, with "Newscast" at position eight, "The News Agents" at nine, "Americast" at 18, "The Archer" at 20, and "Desert Island Discs" at 25. The public broadcaster's performance across multiple genres indicates sustained audience loyalty that advertisers can target through platform-specific advertising arrangements or content partnerships.

UK podcast consumer trends spotlight advertiser opportunities in 2025 as measurement capabilities improve and targeting precision increases. Recent analysis shows that 83% of UK weekly podcast consumers aged 15 and older agree that hearing advertisements represents a fair price for free content, indicating strong audience receptivity to commercial messaging within podcast environments.

The incorporation of video viewing data addresses platform diversification trends affecting advertising delivery mechanisms. YouTube captures 20% of UK podcast platform usage according to recent measurements, while Spotify leads with 33% and BBC Sounds follows with 15%. These platform dynamics influence advertiser access to inventory and measurement capabilities, particularly as automated buying systems expand across audio advertising markets.

Triton Digital launches advanced podcast audience targeting with Q2 data published on August 19, 2025, demonstrating industry momentum toward sophisticated demographic targeting capabilities. The timing coincides with Edison Research's enhanced methodology, creating complementary measurement approaches that enable more precise campaign planning and optimization strategies.

Video podcast consumption patterns reflected in the rankings align with broader industry measurements showing 84% of Generation Z monthly podcast listeners engaging with video content. This demographic shift presents opportunities for advertisers to develop creative campaigns that leverage visual elements alongside traditional audio messaging, potentially commanding premium advertising rates compared to audio-only placements.

"The Joe Rogan Experience" maintaining top position despite methodological changes demonstrates the show's consistent audience engagement across consumption formats. According to Edison Research, rankings consider both listening and watching behavior over the full quarterly period, indicating that leading shows attract audiences regardless of delivery mechanism.

Sports content performance within the rankings provides insights for advertisers targeting sports enthusiasts. "The Rest is Football" climbed two positions to fifth place, while "That Peter Crouch Podcast" dropped one spot to sixth position. This movement suggests audience preference shifts that sports advertisers can analyze when planning campaign allocation across different sports-focused programs.

The emergence of shows like "What's Up Docs" from BBC Radio 4, launched in March 2025 and rising quickly despite not reaching the Top 25, indicates opportunities for early adoption advertising strategies. Brands seeking to establish presence with growing audiences can identify emerging shows before premium advertising rates associated with top-ranked programs take effect.

International content appeal demonstrated by UK podcast performance in global markets creates expanded advertising reach potential. According to previous Edison Research data, the top 10 UK-based podcasts reach a combined 2.3 million weekly listeners in the United States, enabling advertising campaigns to achieve cross-border audience engagement through single content partnerships.

The quarterly measurement approach provides advertisers with regular updates on audience preferences and consumption pattern changes. Edison Research conducts continuous interviewing throughout each quarter, delivering insights that enable campaign optimization based on recent audience behavior rather than outdated measurement data.

Platform integration capabilities affect advertising delivery efficiency and targeting precision. Spotify expands automated podcast buying to 170 million listeners demonstrates how major platforms develop programmatic advertising solutions that complement ranking data for campaign execution across top-performing shows.

Measurement methodology transparency enables advertisers to understand audience composition and validate campaign targeting strategies. Edison Research provides demographic ranking data showing how individual podcasts perform among specific audience segments, allowing advertisers to identify shows that over-index among target demographics for more effective budget allocation decisions.

The integration of video consumption data into podcast rankings reflects industry-wide recognition of multi-platform content strategies. Nielsen partners with Edison Research to integrate podcast data into media planning tool announced on August 6, 2025, creates infrastructure for sophisticated campaign planning across traditional and emerging audio platforms.

Content genre diversity within the Top 25 provides advertising opportunities across multiple audience interests. Comedy shows like "Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster" and "Sh**ged Married Annoyed" attract different demographic profiles than news programs like "Newscast" and "The News Agents," enabling targeted messaging strategies that align with content context and audience expectations.

The research methodology excludes dependency on podcast download data, instead relying on survey responses that capture actual consumption behavior regardless of listening platform. This approach provides advertisers with measurement that reflects genuine audience engagement rather than technical metrics that may not correlate with advertising effectiveness.

Network concentration demonstrated by Goalhanger's multiple rankings indicates opportunities for advertisers to negotiate package deals across related shows. Cross-promotion capabilities within established networks can extend campaign reach beyond individual show audiences, potentially improving cost efficiency for advertisers seeking to maximize exposure within specific demographic segments.

Regional production capabilities highlighted by BBC's continued presence suggest opportunities for location-based advertising campaigns that leverage local content affinity. British-produced content may resonate differently with UK audiences compared to international programming, enabling messaging strategies that emphasize regional relevance and cultural understanding.

The quarterly reporting schedule aligns with standard advertising planning cycles, enabling campaign adjustments based on recent audience preference data. Advertisers can incorporate ranking changes into media planning processes, adjusting budget allocation toward shows gaining audience share while reducing investment in declining programs.

According to Edison Research, subscriber access to the complete dataset provides demographic, psychographic, and purchase-behavior information for weekly podcast listeners. This granular data enables sophisticated campaign targeting that extends beyond basic ranking positions to include audience characteristics relevant for specific product categories and marketing objectives.

The measurement approach encompasses all major podcast platforms, providing comprehensive audience insights that support cross-platform advertising strategies. Rather than platform-specific metrics, the research delivers unified audience measurement that enables advertisers to evaluate total reach potential regardless of distribution mechanisms.

Timeline

• August 20, 2025: Edison Research announces UK Top 25 Podcasts for Q2 2025, incorporating video consumption data for first time
• August 19, 2025: Triton Digital launches advanced podcast audience targeting with Q2 data
• August 6, 2025: Nielsen partners with Edison Research to integrate podcast data into media planning tool
• July 18, 2025: Triton Digital adds AI voice cloning for programmatic podcast ads
• July 17, 2025: Audioboom acquires UK podcast leader Adelicious 
• July 11, 2025: Spotify expands automated podcast buying to 170 million listeners
• April 21, 2025: The Athletic signs exclusive global podcast deal with Acast
• March 2025: BBC Radio 4 launches "What's Up Docs" which rises quickly toward Top 25
• Q1 2025: Previous quarterly rankings period for comparison
• November 2019: Edison Research releases first podcast ranker in United States

PPC Land explains

Edison Research: The leading podcast research company globally, Edison Research conducts comprehensive survey-based measurements of podcast consumption across multiple markets. Founded as a survey research firm serving clients in 66 countries, the company has tracked podcast consumption since 2006 and launched the first podcast ranker in the United States in November 2019. Edison Research's methodology differs from download-based metrics by surveying actual listeners, providing more accurate audience measurement that reflects genuine consumption behavior rather than technical download statistics.

Video Podcast Consumption: The practice of watching podcast content through video platforms rather than traditional audio-only listening. This consumption method has gained significant traction among younger demographics, with 84% of Generation Z monthly podcast listeners engaging with video content. Video podcast consumption affects advertising opportunities by enabling visual creative elements and typically commands premium advertising rates compared to audio-only placements, while also influencing measurement methodologies as platforms integrate video viewing data into podcast rankings.

Demographic Targeting: The advertising practice of directing campaigns toward specific audience segments based on measurable characteristics including age, income, education level, and geographic location. In podcast advertising, demographic targeting enables marketers to identify shows that over-index among desired audience groups, improving campaign efficiency and reducing wasted media spending. Advanced demographic targeting capabilities now provide insights across more than 40 segments, allowing advertisers to move beyond broad genre classifications toward precision audience identification.

Programmatic Advertising: Automated buying and selling of advertising inventory through technology platforms using real-time bidding mechanisms. Unlike traditional advertising requiring manual negotiations, programmatic uses algorithms to execute transactions within milliseconds. The podcast industry has seen 72% of marketers planning to increase programmatic investment in 2025, though audio represents only 9% of total programmatic spending despite growing from 7% in 2023, indicating significant growth potential for automated podcast advertising systems.

Platform Distribution: The various channels and services through which podcast content reaches audiences, including Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, BBC Sounds, and other streaming platforms. Platform distribution affects advertiser access to inventory and measurement capabilities, with different platforms offering distinct advertising integration features, audience demographics, and measurement tools. Understanding platform distribution helps advertisers optimize campaign delivery and measurement across the fragmented podcast ecosystem.

Audience Measurement: The systematic collection and analysis of data describing podcast listener behavior, demographics, and consumption patterns. Modern audience measurement combines traditional survey methodologies with technological data collection to provide comprehensive insights into actual listening behavior regardless of platform. This measurement approach enables advertisers to understand audience composition, validate targeting strategies, and optimize campaign performance based on genuine engagement rather than technical metrics that may not correlate with advertising effectiveness.

Network Concentration: The phenomenon where podcast networks control multiple shows within ranking lists, creating opportunities for advertisers to negotiate package deals across related content. Network concentration, exemplified by Goalhanger's four Top 25 positions, enables cross-promotion capabilities and audience extension beyond individual show reach. This concentration affects advertising pricing, inventory availability, and campaign optimization strategies as networks leverage their combined audience scale for enhanced advertiser value propositions.

Cross-Platform Campaigns: Advertising strategies that span multiple podcast platforms and consumption methods to maximize audience reach and campaign effectiveness. Cross-platform campaigns address the fragmented nature of podcast consumption by ensuring message delivery regardless of how audiences access content. These campaigns require sophisticated measurement and optimization approaches that account for different platform characteristics, audience behaviors, and advertising integration capabilities across the podcast ecosystem.

Survey Methodology: The research approach used by Edison Research that relies on direct consumer interviews rather than technical download data to measure podcast consumption. This methodology surveys at least 2,000 weekly podcast listeners quarterly, collecting listening behavior information regardless of platform. Survey methodology provides more accurate audience insights compared to download-based metrics because it captures actual consumption behavior and audience characteristics relevant for advertising campaign planning and optimization.

Quarterly Rankings: The regular measurement and publication schedule that provides advertisers with updated audience preference data for campaign planning purposes. Quarterly rankings enable campaign adjustments based on recent audience behavior rather than outdated information, allowing advertisers to shift budget allocation toward shows gaining audience share while reducing investment in declining programs. The quarterly schedule aligns with standard advertising planning cycles, facilitating integration of ranking data into media planning processes and campaign optimization strategies.

Summary

Who: Edison Research announced the rankings, measuring 2,195 weekly podcast consumers in the UK aged 15 and older.

What: The Top 25 podcasts in the UK for Q2 2025, with "The Joe Rogan Experience" maintaining first place, "The Diary of A CEO with Steven Bartlett" rising to second, and "The Rest Is Politics" dropping to third. Rankings now incorporate video podcast consumption data.

When: The announcement occurred on August 20, 2025, covering Q2 2025 data collected continuously throughout the second quarter.

Where: United Kingdom podcast consumption across all platforms, with Goalhanger network securing four Top 25 positions and BBC programming maintaining significant presence.

Why: The rankings matter for marketers because they reveal advertising opportunities through improved measurement methodology, video integration data, and demographic insights that enable more precise campaign targeting in the growing UK podcast advertising market.