How Many People Listen to Podcasts Worldwide? (2019–2024)
With over two million active podcasts worldwide, there’s no question the medium has become increasingly popular among consumers and a great way for businesses to reach their target audience.
Before you jump straight into starting a podcast, you need to get a good lay of the land, beginning with knowing how many people listen to podcasts.
Popularity of podcasts worldwide
Over the past two decades or so since the very first podcast was launched, their popularity has surged.
According to the latest podcast statistics, the number of listeners worldwide is expected to be 424.2 million this year. This is a 10.6% increase from the previous year and represents 20.3% of all internet users. In other words, one out of every five people using the internet this year is also a podcast listener.
The number of podcast listeners has been increasing rapidly over the past few years. In 2019, there were just 274.8 million worldwide, accounting for 14.4% of global internet users. This number grew by 20.9%, to 332.2 million in 2020, before rising another 18.7% in 2021, to 383.7 million.
Looking ahead, the popularity of podcasts is expected to continue rising over the next few years, albeit at a slower rate. In fact, experts’ projections put the value of the podcasting industry at $94.9 billion by 2028.
In 2023, the number of people listening to podcasts worldwide is forecast to increase by a relatively slower 9.6%, to hit 464.7 million. The following year, it’s set to grow another 8.6% and surpass 500 million for the first time ever, accounting for 23.5% of all internet users.
These podcast statistics show that from 2019 to 2024, the number of podcast listeners is set to increase by 83.7%, at an average annual growth rate of 15.2%. The fastest growth came in 2019, when the number of listeners increased by 22.6%, and the slowest growth is expected in 2024.
Industry analysts attribute the growth of the popularity of podcasts to an increasing number of podcast shows being started, greater involvement from celebrities, larger investments from music streaming companies like Spotify, and increased awareness of podcasts, made possible by improved accessibility.