Podcast Ranker insights: Thursday most popular day for listening
Thursday is the most popular day of the week to stream or download podcasts, and radio show catch-ups followed by true crime were the most popular categories in 2020, according to insights from the Australian Podcast Ranker.
(Surely a coincidence Thursday is the day we publish this column full of links to new audio.)
Publishers in the ranker delivered more than 420.8 million podcast live streams or downloads from January to the end of November.
The number of unique devices used to listen has climbed from around 1.8m per week when the ranker launched in October 2019 to around 3.3m currently.
Radio show podcasts were the most active category in 2020, with 101.3 million downloads.
True crime was the second most popular category (67.6 million downloads), followed by comedy (63.5 million) and news (51.9 million).
Thursday was the most popular day for listening, accounting for 17% of downloads, and Sunday the least popular (10%).
An average of 1.9 hours of podcast content was downloaded per device per week in November, up from 1.7 hours in January.
The Australian Podcast Ranker is published by Triton Digital in accordance with IAB Tech Lab’s Podcast Measurement Guidelines. Participating publishers in the Australian Ranker include ARN/iHeartMedia, Southern Cross Austereo, News Corp Australia, Audioboom, Stitcher, Wondery, Nova, Nine, Schwartz Media, TOFOP Productions, Kinderling Kids Radio, Australian Radio Network, Wavelength Creative, NBC News, West Australian Newspapers, Fear and Greed, Sports Entertainment Network and Babyology.
See the November Top 100 podcasts here.
Jack Post’s Jacky Road Studios
Jacky Road Studios is the podcast series from busy broadcaster Jack Post. In addition to working on the Hamish and Andy Podcast, Post is part of the top rating Christian O’Connell breakfast team at Gold 104.3 in Melbourne. His own podcast has been lots of fun this year with all-star guests and contributors ranging from Hamish Blake to Andy Lee to Amy Shark to Radio Mike.
But we recommend the penultimate episode of his first season when he interviews his breakfast boss Christian O’Connell. As with many good interview series, you learn as much about Post as you do O’Connell in this illuminating discussion.
Listen to Jacky Road Studios here.
New Mediaweek December Podcasts
The Power of Breakfast Radio
Special insights from two of Melbourne’s top-ratings broadcasters – Gold 104.3’s Christian O’Connell and 3AW’s Russel Howcroft
Kyle Sandilands: Unedited and uncensored (Language Warning!)
16 consecutive surveys as #1 FM breakfast in Australia’s toughest radio market.
Kyle and his manager Bruno Bouchet discuss breakfast radio, The King Kyle Group, negotiating contracts and lots more.
Mercado & Manning: The best of 2020 TV
Here’s your summer viewing list. 40 TV shows named as the best of 2020 with explanations of why you should watch.
Listen to all Mediaweek podcasts here.
Spotify’s royalty: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex
Spotify has been making the biggest global waves in the podcasting world during 2020. Early in the year it shocked many with its massive deal to get Joe Rogan on its podcast platform. Rogan, who moved across to Spotify in September, had the most downloaded podcast of the year on Spotify. (See below for more on that.)
Spotify made another big play this week with the revelation it has signed Harry and Meghan, or more formally, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Archewell Audio, the newly-formed audio-first production company created by Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex and Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, has announced a multi-year partnership with Spotify to produce podcasts and shows.
“What we love about podcasting is that it reminds all of us to take a moment and to really listen, to connect to one another without distraction,” The Duke and Duchess of Sussex said in a joint statement. “With the challenges of 2020, there has never been a more important time to do so, because when we hear each other, and hear each other’s stories, we are reminded of how interconnected we all are.”
Ahead of the new year, Archewell Audio and Spotify’s Gimlet studio will release their first offering – a holiday special hosted by The Duke and Duchess that will feature stories of hope and compassion from inspirational guests in celebration of the new year. In 2021, The Duke and Duchess will produce and host podcasts that build community through shared experiences and values.
The first complete series from Archewell Audio and Spotify is expected next year and will be available to stream for free on Spotify.
Spotify: Most Popular Podcasts Globally
More and more podcasts came to Spotify in 2020, and with over 1.9 million titles, there’s now something for everyone. That includes The Joe Rogan Experience, which holds the number one spot for most popular podcast of the year. Filling in spots two and three are TED Talks Daily and The Daily from The New York Times.
Coming in at number four is a new series from a well-known voice: The Michelle Obama Podcast. The fifth most popular podcast is the controversial comedy/advice show Call Her Daddy.
Spotify: Most Popular Podcast Genres Globally
Taking spot number one is Society & Culture, a genre that includes both spooky stories and foodie content. Next in line is Comedy, which is no surprise as many are looking for more ways to laugh this year. Spot three is reserved for Lifestyle & Health, demonstrating that listeners love turning to podcasts for wellness. Arts & Entertainment ranks fourth and Education ranks fifth.
10’s Conspiracy Virus special
10 Speaks’ award-winning podcast series 10 News First Person has released a two-part podcast investigative series called The Conspiracy Virus, hosted by 10’s national affairs editor Hugh Riminton.
Produced by journalists Antony Loewenstein and Olivia Rosenman, the special investigates the explosion of misinformation in the 21st century and focusses on two highly talked about and contentious topics: the Covid-19 vaccine and climate change.
The Conspiracy Virus podcast series was produced in partnership with 10 News First Person and the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas.
Listen to The Conspiracy Virus here.
Heaps Better from Greenpeace
Heaps Better is a new podcast miniseries helping to turn climate anxiety into climate action. In the four-part miniseries, produced by Greenpeace and Audiocraft, two friends make a pinkie promise to help each other save the planet. To get it done, they must accelerate the decline of the fossil fuel industry and speed up the transition to 100% renewable energy.
With hope, humour and hard facts, hosts Ash Berdebes and Jess Hamilton (pictured) engage leading experts to get a simple and actionable answer to the question that has so many asking: What the heck can I do about climate change, and can I even make a difference?
Two Hosts – Two Guests: How Big Is My Trailer?
Interviewer/producer Angela Pulvirenti and AACTA-winning actor Kat Stewart have this week been hosting a summer conversation hour on ABC Radio called How Big Is My Trailer?
The concept is two hosts interviewing two guests across the hour. The guest list for the five episodes:
• Dr George Miller with Tim Minchin
• Eric Bana with author Trent Dalton (Boy Swallows Universe)
• Tina Arena with Eddie Perfect
• Asher Keddie with director Daina Reid (Handmaid’s Tale)
• Damon Herriman with director Emma Freeman (Stateless)
All five episodes are available to podcast if you haven’t been listening live.
Kat Stewart broke into the national consciousness playing Roberta Williams in Season 1 of Underbelly. She also played Billie Proudman across seven seasons of the popular hit drama Offspring, and is currently starring in Channel 10’s primetime drama Five Bedrooms.
Angela Pulvirenti has created and hosted several engaging and distinctive interview formats including The Truth About Us on Foxtel and ABC Radio; and At the Cellar – which aired on Channel 10 in late 2018. She is currently developing a new entertainment/ factual series Raise Your Glass.
Listen to How Big Is My Trailer? here.
Podcast Week will return in January 2021 bigger and better than ever.
Meanwhile visit mediaweek.com.au for interviews and features across the Christmas/New Year period.
