The Modern Podcast Landscape Explained

Sponsored by Triton Digital

Podcasts now reach more than half of the overall U.S. population every month. For advertisers, that means podcasting long ago stopped being an “add-on” channel. It’s a mainstream behavior with real scale.

The bigger story is who that reach includes. Podcast audiences over-index among younger adults and other “premium” segments, making the channel a strong fit for brand building and performance outcomes alike. And because podcasts now span audio and video consumption, advertisers can show up in moments that feel more like lean-in time than background noise.

The Ad Tech Explained team developed this explainer, in partnership with Triton Digital, to explore the current state of podcasting and what advertisers need to know about making the most of these high-value audiences. The insights below are informed by Triton Digital’s latest U.S. Podcast Report, which can be downloaded here.

Let’s start with the basics. How is podcast consumption evolving as we move deeper into 2026?

At the top of the funnel, the channel continues to broaden. Triton’s data shows 53.6% monthly reach across the U.S., with especially high penetration among 18–34-year-olds (68.7%) and 35–54-year-olds (62.1%). Even 55+ audiences are participating meaningfully (35.0%), reinforcing that podcasting is no longer “just for the young.”

But “evolving” isn’t only about more people tuning in. It’s also about how they tune in: Today’s podcasting ecosystem includes traditional RSS listening, in-app streaming, and a growing habit of watching podcasts. That multi-format reality is what will matter most in 2026 planning: Podcasting is expanding, but it’s also fragmenting across formats, platforms, and genres.

How do podcast consumers compare to the overall U.S. population?

Compared to the general population, podcast listeners skew:

• Younger

• More educated

• More affluent

• More diverse

This is why podcasting keeps earning the “premium environment” label. It reliably aggregates audiences that many advertisers are actively trying to reach efficiently. If you’re using demo and behavioral signals to find high-value consumers, podcasting is increasingly a place where those signals over-deliver.

What do we know about new podcast consumers versus those who have been listening for years?

New listeners are helping reshape the audience profile. New listeners skew younger (18–34), while long-term listeners are most prominent in the 35–54 age range. Also, the gender gap continues to close among new listeners. 

More importantly for advertisers, new listeners also bring fresh commercial opportunities. Compared with more tenured listeners, past-year listeners show higher stated intent across multiple categories, including:

• Switching wireless providers (22% past-year vs. 15% among 5+ years)

• Online shopping (49% past-year vs. 38% among 5+ years)

• Quick-service restaurant visits (69% past-year vs. 60% among 5+ years)

That combination of audience growth and high-intent behaviors is a big reason podcasting is becoming more central to performance-focused plans, not just awareness buys.

Let’s talk modes of consumption. How is video factoring into the podcast consumption these days?

Video is real, growing, and meaningful, but it’s not a clean “podcasting is video-first now” story.

Triton’s data shows:

• 13% of monthly podcast consumers (18+) are listen-only

• 7% are watch-only

• 80% both listen and watch 

Even with the rise of video, audio remains the primary mode when you look at time spent: About 54.6% listening vs. 45.4% watching. In other words, podcasting is a blended ecosystem where audio still anchors consumption, while video expands entry points and boosts total engagement.

How do podcast consumers differ by method of consumption?

The audience isn’t evenly distributed across formats. Triton’s findings show that exclusive watching skews younger and male, while exclusive listening skews older, more female, and higher-income. 

Tenure also matters. Newer podcast consumers are more likely to lean into video, while more tenured listeners tilt more audio-first (for example, the share who are listen-only increases among 4+ year consumers, while watch-only is higher among past-year consumers). 

The podcast audience is not one monolith. If you buy only one format as an advertiser, you might be selecting for a meaningfully different audience profile than you intended. The best plans increasingly treat audio and video as complementary levers, not substitutes.

There are many ways to tune into podcasts these days. Which platforms are being used most? And how do consumers vary across those platforms?

Among platforms, YouTube leads and is growing. Its share rose from 28.1% in 2022 to 37.7% in 2025 as the platform consumers use most often for podcasts, outpacing Spotify (24.6% in 2025) and Apple Podcasts (11.3% in 2025). 

But platform leadership depends on what you’re measuring. In new episode RSS download activity, Apple Podcasts still dominates (about 49.7% share), with Spotify next (18.1%), and the rest spread across players like iHeartRadio, Overcast, and others. 

Audience composition also varies: Spotify attracts a younger audience, YouTube skews more male, and Apple reaches higher-income users.

Let’s connect the dots. What does all of this mean for advertisers and how they’re building podcasts into their media plans?

Here are three practical takeaways:

1. Plan podcasting for scale and premium reach, not as a niche add-on. With 53.6% monthly reach, podcasting can carry meaningful weight in national plans, especially for brands prioritizing younger, educated, and affluent consumers. 

2. Buy format with intention, as audio vs. video is a genre-by-genre decision. Categories primarily consumed via audio include Science (58%), History (56%), Fiction (54%), Arts (51%), and True Crime (50%). Meanwhile, Music (34%), Sports (32%), Kids & Family (31%), Comedy (30%), and News (30%) skew more toward exclusive video consumption. Your “best” format depends on what people are doing in that content neighborhood. 

3. Use new listeners as a growth engine for performance. Past-year listeners show higher intent across categories like wireless switching, ecommerce, and QSR, creating a natural runway for advertisers looking to reach in-market consumers as the audience base expands. 

Finally, the ecosystem’s top players still matter for reach strategies. In Triton’s U.S. Podcast Ranker, iHeart Audience Network ranked No. 1 in average weekly downloads among sales networks. NPR News Now was the most downloaded podcast overall in 2025, and Bulwark Takes led new debuts.

About the 2025 U.S. Podcast Report

The 2025 U.S. Podcast Report combines insights from IAB Tech Lab–certified Triton Podcast Metrics, Triton Podcast Metrics Demos+, and surveys of 12,000+ monthly U.S. podcast listeners to deliver a detailed view of consumption behavior and audience opportunity across the ecosystem.

Whether you’re a creator, advertiser, or podcast fan, this report gives you the insights you need to stay ahead, spot opportunities, and make smarter decisions in an ever-evolving industry. Download today!

About Triton Digital

Triton Digital is the global leader in digital audio, podcasting, and broadcast radio technology. Trusted in over 80 countries, the company helps broadcasters, podcasters, and streaming services grow audiences, maximize revenue, and streamline operations.

Triton Digital’s industry-leading tools, Webcast Metrics® for streaming measurement and Podcast Metrics, one of the first IAB-certified podcast services, set the standard for data-driven success in online audio.

Learn more at TritonDigital.com.