In recent years, podcasting has been said to be oversaturated. I’m sure you’ve heard many people say that podcast equipment should be banned, and that there are many podcasts where the host perhaps shouldn’t have access to one. Their words, not mine.

It has left me wondering, where did it all begin? Is it now over, or is there still space for new podcasts? Am… I allowed to have one?

Join me in this blog post as I explore where it began, where it is now, and where it is headed.

Where Podcasting Began

Audio blogging dates back to the 1980s, although the first signs of podcasting specifically were in the early 2000s. Adam Curry (former MTV VJ) and Dave Winer (software developer) are widely credited as the pioneers of podcasting, launching Daily Source Code in 2004, which earned Adam Curry the nickname ‘Podfather’ (I love that).

Amongst personal anecdotes and life updates, the main goal of the podcast was to test early software and RSS technology (Really Simple Syndication) and also promote music from his ‘Podsafe Music Network’ where he would promote music that was safe to include in podcasts.

But surely there was an interest in podcasting before the Daily Source Code; how would the hosts know that equipment and music related to the topic were worth sharing?

This was largely due to the audioblogging community of the early 2000s, in which many tech hobbyists began manually uploading MP3 recordings to their websites. This community of podcasters was small but mighty, and was to thank (or blame, depending on how you look at it) for the beginning of podcasting.

Just a year later, in 2005, Steve Jobs’ Apple integrated podcasts into iTunes, which was pivotal for the community and enabled far easier discovery for users, even those with little to no technical knowledge or experience. Despite this, growth remained slow… for a decade.

The Beginning of Mainstream Popularity

Awareness across U.S. adults was just 22% in 2006, and it wasn’t until 8 years later in 2014 when Serial, a true crime investigative series produced by This American Life, was released. The podcast gained a cult following and pioneered the concept of ‘binge-listening’, captivating global audiences every single week.

A year later, Spotify added podcasts to its platform. At the time, Spotify had 75 million global active users, further boosting podcasts into the limelight. It made the concept more casual and easier to discover and consume.

2 years later… 50 BILLION podcasts had been downloaded on Spotify alone. It was booming. By 2018, 44% of U.S. adults reported they had listened to a podcast before, up from 27% in 2013. The rise of smartphones, smart speakers (such as Alexa), and the rise in streaming services all helped podcasts gain increasing popularity.

Other major companies, such as Google, Audible (an Amazon subsidiary) and the BBC, launched their own podcast platforms, contributing even more. The success of podcasts was almost inevitable.

The Peak: COVID-19

The pandemic locked everyone inside their homes and gave everyone hours of extra free time each day. With this, even more people were discovering podcasts, with a rise in not just listeners but creators.

Without requiring production budgets and time for content creation, podcasts became the go-to outlet for creativity, conversation and more, allowing for a steady flow of fresh, relevant and relatable content. This built community, which is something that many lacked and desired, during the pandemic.

This year also saw Spotify enter the exclusive market by signing major licensing deals, such as the famous Joe Rogan Experience deal, reported to be over $100 million at the time. The day after this announcement……… Spotify shares rose by 11%.

Podcasts continued to grow. By 2024, the global podcast audience had reached over 500 million, and global podcast advertising revenue reached $5.4 billion in 2025, up from $69 million just ten years earlier. That’s a 7,726.09% increase.

Where Are We Now?

As of today, there are approximately 4.5 million podcasts, with up to 82,000 podcast episodes uploaded daily. There are 619.2 million active podcast listeners, with 73% of U.S. adults having listened to podcasts before.

It’s clear that there is strong demand for podcasts, but are we, as a whole, oversupplying? 198,000 podcasts were launched in 2025 alone. 26 million episodes. That’s a lot of podcasts.

With the rise of short-form content, repurposing podcast material for TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts and beyond has become a huge incentive for starting podcasts, as it allows for ‘clip-farming’, a highly lucrative method where short clips online can garner mass attention, interaction and engagement… leading to high monetisation.

The low barrier to entry, only truly requiring one or two microphones and as little as an iPhone, has meant that practically anybody can start a podcast. Is that a good thing?

Is Podcasting Oversaturated?

Short answer: no. Longer answer: not really.

Of course, some niches will be more competitive than others, but that isn’t specific to podcasting, and is increasingly becoming a standardised external factor that we must prepare for when undertaking a new venture, whether that’s a new business, social media channel or a podcast.

It is important to be specific about your podcast’s goal, knowing your audience and who you’re creating content for. Not only will this help you in terms of strategy, but it will also help you stay motivated and push forward.

However, if you would like to know, here are some of the most competitive podcast niches:

• True Crime
• Comedy
• Society & Culture
• Business & Finance
• Self Improvement

It’s worth noting that starting a podcast solely for fame or money isn’t the best approach. With this mindset, you’re likely to feel discouraged and unmotivated 1-3 months in, when you’re working hard but may not yet be seeing much traction. Starting a podcast should be something you’re genuinely passionate about, as that is what will provide longevity.

Consistency, passion and quality are likely to pay off. Just ensure you are consistent, driven and willing to adapt. There is still opportunity for you to stand out.

What is the Future of Podcasting?

Podcasting is increasingly used by businesses to promote their brands and market their products, either as a sponsor or by creating an entire podcast. This can be seen as a positive or a negative, but is definitely something to consider.

AI is used more in the post-production process, such as transcription and basic editing, but there are no signs that AI will completely take over podcasting anytime soon, especially for AI hosts. It is something to monitor, but isn’t overly threatening at this stage.

In recent years, podcasting has moved towards video platforms, such as YouTube. Spotify, competing with YouTube, introduced video content in 2020, and we are still seeing consistent growth in the format today. Some may argue that podcasts are becoming talk shows, and I think Good Hang with Amy Poehler is a great example. I’m personally all for the blurring of this line!

Final Thoughts

Podcasts have spent 20 years growing and evolving, and they will continue to do so for many more decades. This definitely doesn’t mean there isn’t space for anybody else. If anything, now is one of the best times to begin, with new tools, editing software, and assistants, and a wider audience across multiple social media platforms. Now, it’s easier to start than ever before.

If you want to start a podcast, take this as your sign! Maybe I’ll take my own sign sometime soon myself 😉