A list of the most popular Podcasts dominating our streaming platforms

2020 has been a defining year for entertainment. OTT content exploded, social media ‘influencers’ became commonplace, independent journalism proliferated, and science and medicine became tenets to live by. Stuck at home, battling anxiety about the world and the uncertainty of our lives, our need for information catapulted into high gear. News channels were all riding the Covid news cycle, but people realized that having information is critical to stay on top of things. And no one said the mode of information had to be boring or monotonous. Enter – the new-fangled podcast.

The renewed popularity of podcasts can be explained by its 21st century-compatible concept. It is basically an on-demand radio show, combining the erstwhile audio format with the on-demand availability of streaming services.

The numbers speak for themselves. The Vulture article, ‘Yes, Podcast Listenership is still on the rise’, reveals that podcast listeners grew in number in the USA, now clocking in at 115 million Americans. The overall familiarity with the medium also grew from 75% the year before the pandemic to 78% during the period.

UAE sees 1.3 million regular podcast listeners, a 2019 report by Markettiers MENA revealed, and 9 out of 10 listeners report trusting them more than traditional media. In India, podcasts saw a 42 percent increase on popular audio streaming platforms after an initial decline during the pandemic in 2020. While global audience overall leans sharply in favour of the West, sample surveys have revealed a penchant for podcasts amongst South Koreans.