Regular readers of this newsletter will not be shocked to hear that total podcast consumption time has grown considerably over the past ten years. But, just how much has total podcast consumption time grown? Share of Ear® from Edison Research at SSRS has that exact answer.
Share of Ear captures how many people listen to podcasts daily, as well as how much time they spend with the medium. These two metrics are combined to create our total podcast consumption time measurement. Back in 2016, the U.S. population 13+ spent 167 million total hours per week with podcasts. Hit shows like My Favorite Murder and Revisionist History were just starting and gaining traction in the ears and hearts of listeners. With the explosion of new podcasts and the development of video podcasts, weekly total podcast consumption time has ballooned to 812 million hours in 2026. This growth in time spent with the medium equates to a 386% increase since 2016.
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Not only has weekly podcast consumption grown over the past ten years, it has increased by 39 million hours since 2025. The 2026 total podcast consumption time measurement was first featured in James Cridland’s Podnews. Subscribe to Podnews and Weekly Insights to stay up to date on global podcast news.
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