Media Monitors Finds Influencer Podcasts on the Rise

RADIO ONLINE | Thursday, August 18, 2022 | 5:22pm CT

Media Monitors

The iHeartPodcast Network once again retained the top slot in Media Monitors' ranker for Q2 2022. New shows to our the Top 200 include "The Draymond Green Show" (#76) co-produced by The Volume and Sinisterhood (#107) co-produced by Cloud10. NPR returns after it's conspicuous absence from the top publisher list last quarter. Though there are no new shows on the list, NPR fan favorites Planet Money (#22), NPR News Now (#56) and Up First (#110) have returned after a brief dip.

Spotify comes in at number 2 in the ranker with the inclusion of True Crime podcasts from Parcast Network - "Unsolved Murders: True Crime Stories" (#58), "Haunted Places" (#71) and "Serial Killers" (#89). Popular TikTok influencer Addison Rae's podcast "That Was Fun? With Addison & Sheri" breaks into the top 200 at #178, and Spotify Original "Nosy Neighbors" comes in at #184.

Independent podcasts using Patreon to distribute premium versions and/or give listeners a way to support the show, tallied 16 (up from 15 last quarter) in the top 200. Independent shows (no mentions of Patreon on their websites or podcast descriptions) counted for another 29 of the top 200 (up from 27).

The Top 25 Podcast list has some unfamiliar names this quarter, including Distractible (#8), MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories (#14) and Rotten Mango (#25). These podcasts share a common theme, which is probably obvious to any younger readers. The theme exists in the podcasts we've become familiar with at the top of the chart: "Impaulsive with Logan Paul" (#6), "The Breakfast Club" (#7), "Anything Goes with Emma Chamberlain" (#10), "H3 Podcast" (#17), "Dark History" (#23) and "Murder, Mystery & Makeup" (#24).

The stars/hosts of these podcasts are all influencers and/or have large pre-existing followings on YouTube, TikTok, Twitch, on radio, and other similar platforms. Podcasts are a logical extension of these influencer's core brands, and with their built-in audiences the podcasts are becoming a staple of the Top 25. Media Monitors says it will be interesting to track in Q3 whether Will Ferrell's new podcast "Clown Parade: An Anthological Character Piece Carefully Curated by Las Culturistas" follows the same trend, as it premiered June 29 (the last day of the fielding period).

Top 10 Categories from Top 200 Podcasts

Comedy retains its spot as the most popular genre of podcast, True Crime has held strong, and News makes a bit of a comeback pushing Society & Culture down to #4.

Notable Comedy podcasts from Q2 in the top 200: "The 85 South Show" from iHeartRadio moved from #79 last quarter to #31 this quarter, "Teachers Off Duty" (#50), "Banter with Sapnap and Karl Jacobs" (#70), "Therapy Gecko" (#92), "Club Random with Bill Maher" (#114) and "Why Won't You Date Me? with Nicole Byer" (#131) from Team Coco, the team behind Conan O'Brien's podcast.