S&P: Podcast Listening Jumps as Video Drives Growth

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, April 21, 2026 | 4:50pm CT

S&P Global Market Intelligence

Podcast consumption in the U.S. continues to expand, with nearly 60% of online adults now reporting they listen to podcasts, according to a new analysis from S&P Global Market Intelligence. The report shows a 10-percentage-point increase in early 2026, driven in part by the growing influence of video podcast platforms.

The analysis highlights a widening generational divide in podcast usage. While adults age 55 and older account for 44% of the survey population, they represent just 17% of listeners. By contrast, the 25-34 demographic makes up the largest share of podcast consumers, while those 65 and older show the lowest engagement at 7%.

Gender also plays a significant role in content preferences. Sports podcasts skew heavily male, with men making up 75% of listeners, while 63% of true crime podcast listeners are female. News and politics ranks as the most popular category overall, followed by comedy, sports and true crime. Health and wellness content attracts a majority female audience, while business and entrepreneurship programming leans male.

Video is emerging as a key driver of consumption habits. Among podcast listeners, 62% report watching video podcasts on YouTube, with additional viewing on Netflix (34%), Spotify (23%) and Apple platforms (11%).

Spotify leads overall platform usage at 45% of podcast listeners in 2026, up from 40% a year earlier, followed by YouTube Music at 39% and Amazon Prime Music at 30%. Apple Podcasts held steady at 23% year over year.

Engagement levels remain high, with 67% of listeners tuning in at least weekly and 69% of listening taking place at home, underscoring the medium's continued integration into daily routines.