Key Takeaways
For the primary time, podcasts now account for a barely bigger share of U.S. spoken-word listening than AM/FM discuss radio, with 40% of listening time versus 39% for radio.
This crossover caps a decade-long shift through which radio’s spoken-word share fell from about 75% in 2015 whereas podcasts climbed from round 10%, steadily narrowing the hole 12 months after 12 months.
Podcasts have turn into mainstream, with Edison estimating there are about 115 million weekly podcast listeners within the U.S. alone.
For the primary time ever, podcasts have formally pulled forward of discuss radio within the U.S. A brand new Edison Analysis “Share of Ear” research discovered that podcasts now account for 2 in 5 minutes of spoken-word listening time, edging out AM/FM discuss codecs.
Edison’s newest knowledge appeared solely at spoken-word audio, stripping out music to deal with information, discuss and conversational codecs. Inside that realm, podcasts claimed 40% of listening within the fourth quarter of 2025 amongst People 13 years and older, whereas AM/FM spoken-word radio completed at 39%. A decade in the past, radio dominated this class, with 75% of spoken-word listening versus simply 10% for podcasts in 2015.
The milestone is significant as a result of podcasts have been steadily narrowing the hole 12 months after 12 months, and the newest report exhibits that they’re lastly inching forward for the primary time. The brand new numbers additionally sit alongside estimates that about 115 million People now hearken to podcasts weekly, highlighting simply how mainstream the medium has turn into.
The research counted video podcasts within the complete, reflecting how content material distributed on YouTube, Spotify and comparable platforms at the moment are integral to what listeners think about podcasts to be.
Why podcasts are profitable customers
A number of benefits are pushing podcasts previous broadcast discuss radio, in response to iHeartMedia’s 2026 State of Podcasting Report. The primary is on-demand comfort: listeners can begin, cease and binge exhibits on their very own schedule, and hearken to podcasts on their telephones, sensible audio system and automobile dashboards.
Second is the sheer vary of niches provided by podcasts, from enterprise and true-crime exhibits to personality-driven comedy and sports activities. It’s simpler for listeners to search out one thing that feels tailor-made to their pursuits.
Distribution has leveled out as properly. Almost each main radio group now repurposes its exhibits into podcast kind.
The top result’s extra podcast listeners than ever earlier than. In accordance with iHeartMedia, 55% of People hearken to podcasts frequently each month.
What it means for radio
The brand new rankings, nonetheless, don’t imply discuss radio is useless; a 39% share signifies a remarkably resilient medium. AM/FM nonetheless owns key use circumstances, resembling stay, time-sensitive info like breaking information, site visitors and climate.
For podcasters, surpassing discuss radio in share of listening is each validation and stress, in response to the Edison report. With greater than half of People now listening to podcasts month-to-month and consumption rising throughout all ages group, competitors for consideration is intensifying. There are about 4.7 million podcasts accessible in the present day, for a complete of 190 million episodes.
Firms are additionally investing in podcasts. Netflix signed offers with iHeartMedia and Barstool Sports activities in December to carry podcasts to its platform.
“Now individuals get to have a podcast taking part in within the background whereas they’re doing issues, and if Netflix will be the place the place they go to do this, then I believe it’s a win for the corporate,” Mikah Sargent, a podcast producer and host at TWiT.television, informed TechCrunch on the time.
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Key Takeaways
For the primary time, podcasts now account for a barely bigger share of U.S. spoken-word listening than AM/FM discuss radio, with 40% of listening time versus 39% for radio.
This crossover caps a decade-long shift through which radio’s spoken-word share fell from about 75% in 2015 whereas podcasts climbed from round 10%, steadily narrowing the hole 12 months after 12 months.
Podcasts have turn into mainstream, with Edison estimating there are about 115 million weekly podcast listeners within the U.S. alone.
For the primary time ever, podcasts have formally pulled forward of discuss radio within the U.S. A brand new Edison Analysis “Share of Ear” research discovered that podcasts now account for 2 in 5 minutes of spoken-word listening time, edging out AM/FM discuss codecs.
Edison’s newest knowledge appeared solely at spoken-word audio, stripping out music to deal with information, discuss and conversational codecs. Inside that realm, podcasts claimed 40% of listening within the fourth quarter of 2025 amongst People 13 years and older, whereas AM/FM spoken-word radio completed at 39%. A decade in the past, radio dominated this class, with 75% of spoken-word listening versus simply 10% for podcasts in 2015.
