As Listeners Reshape Podcasting, Are You Ready for a New Era?

Podcast popularity is here to stay, but the space and its fanbase are evolving—and so are the opportunities for advertisers. After collecting over two decades of data, Edison Research’s newest report, The Evolving Ear, reveals some of the shifts and changes shaping this new era. 

Podcast audiences are reshaping the medium as we know it—redefining how, when, where, and what to consume. Podcast fans are serious about their favorite shows. In 2015, listeners spent 170M hours with podcasts per week. Compare that to 2025, and we see a massive +355% increase in weekly listening coming in at 773M hours. That’s a +603M increase in weekly hours spent listening in just 10 years. 1 

Video podcast discovery is driving audio-only consumption

Video podcasts are the latest innovation in the medium, with major players like YouTube and Netflix going all in. And even for audio-first podcasters, video clips on social media drive discovery and engagement for their shows and episodes. But while some may think that video will kill the audio format, the data shows that there is an interplay between the two that is driving audio-only consumption. Let’s take a look at how this phenomena is shaping up for both new and established podcast consumers.

Longtime fans have been listening to or watching podcasts for five or more years, making up 25% of weekly podcast consumers. The median age for this group is approximately 43 years. When it comes to how they’re tuning in, data shows that 88% of longtimers listen to audio-only podcasts and 69% actively watch podcasts with video. 1 It’s worth noting that though video podcasts consumption is seeing an uptick with this audiences, viewing generally leads to audio-only listening down the road, like 68% of longtimers who switched to the audio-only version of a podcast after discovering it on video. 

First-year consumers started listening to or watching podcasts in the last year, making up 20% of weekly podcast consumers. Their median age lands at 35 years old. Looking at podcast consumption, audio and video podcasts are close in numbers. Three in four first-year podcast consumers are listening to audio-only podcasts, and 77% of first-year consumers are watching podcasts with video. Although first-year consumers are discovering new shows through video, 72% of them are turning to audio-only after watching. 

This goes to show that video podcasts are making it big, but audio brings listeners back to the core of what makes the medium so special. For brands, showing up in both audio and video podcasts means not only connecting with more consumers, but it can also add frequency.

Audiences are diversifying 

Like podcasts themselves, the audiences tuning in are growing and shifting as well. First-year listeners tend to skew younger and more female (52%) compared to longtime listeners (61% male). And first-year podcast audiences are seeing an uptick with multicultural listeners, with 39% of first-year consumers identifying as multicultural compared to 25% of long-term listeners. 

Not only are listener demographics shifting, the content they’re consuming is, too. These shifts signal a broader cultural and media trend that brands should pay attention to. More diverse audiences, more diverse content, and more diverse opinions should all lead to a more diverse advertising approach for brands. 

Consumption is spiking on more devices

Although smartphones have always been the strongest avenue for podcast consumption, other technology is getting in on the fun. Smart speakers are increasingly popular, opening new avenues for brands to reach listeners at home. And in the last five years, smart TVs usage has seen an increase from 1% to 9%. 

TVs and speakers aren’t the only way listeners are tuning in. First-year podcast listeners are nine times more likely to use social media platforms to consume podcasts compared to longtime listeners. 

These shifts in the way audiences consume podcasts makes omnichannel podcast advertising more important than ever. 

Stay ahead of the trends with the SiriusXM Media Podcast Network

Podcasting’s next chapter is all about evolution. As new listeners enter the space, they’re redefining discovery, engagement, and consumption in real time. For brands, the opportunity isn’t just to reach more audiences, it’s to meet them where they are across video, audio, social media, smart TVs, and more. 

To reach podcast audiences across formats, advertisers can turn to the SiriusXM Podcast Network, the leading network for listeners age 13+ and with women, 2 and with more top 50 shows than any other network. 3

Stay prepared for the next era in podcasting. Let’s talk.

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