Who will be listening to the most podcasts in the world in 2025?

Over the past five years, podcasts have established themselves as a global medium. Three times as many podcasts were created in 2020 as in 2019, and this trend has never slowed down. In 2025, more than 5 million active podcasts are counted worldwide, according to Chartable and Podnews. The USA, Sweden, the UK and France are among the most dynamic countries, both in terms of creation and consumption.

But figures aside, one thing is clear: podcasts have become a strategic tool for brands. Working with a specialized podcast agency, many companies are now creating branded podcasts capable of sustainably engaging their local or international audiences.

What podcast listeners around the world have in common

A young, curious and connected audience

Whether they walk the sidewalks of Paris, Seoul or New York, podcast listeners share the same traits: they're younger, better educated and more connected than average.

According to the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2024, 55% of podcast listeners worldwide are under 35. The majority listen via smartphone and headphones, often on the move - a universal habit that fuels the format's growth.

This homogeneity of behavior explains why the branded podcast has become an international communications lever: it reaches a target that is difficult to capture in traditional media, particularly the younger generations who are unfaithful to traditional advertising.

Calliope's opinion

Reaching young consumers remains a challenge for brands. They zap ads, boycott empty speeches and consume stories or videos at lightning speed. Podcasts, on the other hand, offer a long attention span, conducive to building an emotional and lasting bond.

That's why many companies now call on a branded podcast agency to produce embodied, immersive and believable stories - a far cry from the traditional advertising format.

The role of the pandemic: a global gas pedal

The 2020-2021 pandemic has profoundly transformed audio habits. Over 40% of Americans, Germans and Britons said they had listened to more podcasts during containment. According to Sortlist, worldwide consumption of audio content has jumped by more than 75% since then.

This momentum has never slowed. By 2025, podcast listening is part of the daily lives of over a billion people worldwide, at least half of whom listen to a branded podcast every month.

The world's most listened-to genres

Listener preferences are similar from country to country. The three most listened-to categories are :

1. Social and current affairs podcasts,
2. Cultural and educational podcasts,
3. Brand podcasts created by companies to tell the story of their world, their values or their commitments.

The brand podcast is now establishing itself as a genre in its own right, combining storytelling, marketing and authenticity. It enables a brand to become a medium, to carry a substantive message, while building listeners' trust.

Podcasting, a direct competitor to radio

Radio remains powerful, but podcasts are closing the gap every year. In 2025 :

• In France, 46% of listeners still listen to the radio, but 41% now prefer podcasts.
• In Germany, 38% of listeners prefer podcasts, just 8 points behind radio.
• In Spain, radio still leads (56%), but podcasting is gaining 10 points a year.

Digital audio is becoming the new space for brand expression. Companies that work with a podcast agency are no longer content with advertising spots: they create sound universes, narrative or documentary series capable of establishing their voice in the cultural landscape.

The world's leading podcast platforms

Apple Podcast still dominant in the U.S.

With almost 47% of all listens, Apple Podcast remains the historic market leader in the US. However, Apple's dominance is gradually being eroded by Spotify, thanks in particular to its studio acquisitions and exclusive content strategy.

Spotify, the reference platform in Europe

In Europe, the turnaround is already underway: Spotify has become the leading platform for listening to podcasts, attracting almost 40% of German listeners and 30% of Britons. Sweden, Spotify's home country, is now a veritable laboratory for branded podcasts.

Who listens to the most podcasts in the world?

The United States, pioneers and market leaders

The United States boasts over 135 million monthly listeners. Podcasts are a cornerstone of the marketing strategy of major brands, who invest heavily in narrative formats, often produced by specialized podcast agencies. The US audience is also the most culturally and ethnically diverse in the world.

Europe, a mature market

By 2025, almost 30% of Europeans will be listening to a podcast every month.

• In Spain, 2 out of 5 people listen to podcasts every month.
• In the UK, listening grew by 24% year-on-year.
• In Germany, podcasts are now an integral part of the media strategies of industrial and technology companies.

Sweden, leader in branded podcasts

47% of Swedes have listened to a podcast in the last 12 months. The country has become a model for branded podcasts, combining sound design, storytelling and engagement. Swedish companies understood early on the value of sincere, embodied audio storytelling in building consumer trust.

France, champion of ROI

France is not the country with the largest audience, but it is the one with the strongest marketing impact.

• 40% of French people have already bought a product after discovering it on a podcast.
• The engagement rate is higher than that of video or display advertising.
• The French branded podcast market is booming, driven by podcast agencies that combine strategy, production and distribution.

Today, brands in France are achieving the highest return on investment with narrative audio.

In conclusion

All over the world, podcasts are establishing themselves as an attention-grabbing and trusted medium. While the United States dominates in terms of volume, France and Sweden embody the future of the branded podcast, combining creativity, strategy and emotion.

For companies that want to make a lasting impression on their audiences, working with a podcast agency is no longer an option: it's the key to transforming a brand's voice into a memorable audio experience.

Read also: How to choose the best branded podcast agency?

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