Podnews Daily - podcast industry news

Bigger than you think: podcast revenue is $7.3bn worldwide

May 8, 2025
The podcast industry is booming, with new research revealing a global economy worth $7.3 billion. The U.S. accounts for two-thirds of this figure, thanks to revenue sources like Patreon. Exciting partnerships are developing too, such as the London Standard collaborating with Message Heard for innovative audio production. Additionally, Spotify is shaking things up by introducing play counts, though the metrics behind them remain unclear, adding an air of mystery to consumption statistics.
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INSIGHT

Podcast Economy Is Massive

  • The global podcast economy is $7.3 billion, with the US representing two-thirds of this market.
  • This valuation expands by including video content and consumer revenue such as Patreon.
INSIGHT

Opaque Play Metrics on Spotify

  • Spotify uses an opaque, proprietary method to count plays, focusing on user intent rather than clear metrics.
  • This leads to the removal of 'starts' from creator dashboards, similar to YouTube's undisclosed play calculations.
ANECDOTE

Podcast Leaves Spotify Over Metrics

  • The podcast Sips, Suds and Smokes is leaving Spotify due to Spotify's decision to publicize non-IAB metrics.
  • The show faced repeated data misrepresentation, harming advertiser trust and impacting ad revenue.
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