Shift in Political Affiliation Among Podcast Listeners

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Edison Research

A recent analysis by Edison Podcast Metrics has revealed significant changes in the political composition of weekly podcast listeners in the United States. Traditionally known to be more affluent and better educated, the typical podcast audience has also leaned predominantly Democratic. However, the latest figures suggest a shift towards a more balanced political alignment.

In 2019, Democratic identifiers among weekly podcast listeners stood at 40%, compared to just 23% for Republicans, marking a substantial 17-point gap. Fast forward to today, and that gap has narrowed dramatically to just 7 points, with 37% identifying as Democrats and 30% as Republicans.

This realignment coincides with the rising popularity of conservative talk podcasts. Shows such as "Candace," "The Matt Walsh Show," and "The Ben Shapiro Show" have not only broken into the top 50 rankings but have also climbed significantly, as per Edison's Q4 2024 podcast ranker.

Despite these changes, many top individual podcasts continue to attract a predominantly left-leaning audience. However, the broadening of the podcast listener base suggests that as podcast consumption grows, it increasingly mirrors the overall U.S. population demographics.

This trend indicates a healthy expansion of the podcast industry, suggesting that its audience is becoming more representative of the wider American public.