Data Overview Report

Consumer Insights: US Podcast Listeners, 2026

Podcasts Offer Brands A Tech-Savvy, Leaned-In Consumer With Spending Power

Tyler Castro
 and  four contributors
Feb 03, 2026

Summary

Podcasts are at an inflection point. Their expansion into video alongside their seemingly infinite range of topics continues to attract new listeners. Podcasts now act as the new late-night talk-shows — becoming the place for exclusive celebrity interviews and a reliable accompaniment to consumers’ daily commute or morning run. While podcasts range from unsolved mysteries to sports commentary or even AI-generated bedtime stories, Forrester finds that frequent podcast listeners share a core set of attributes. This data overview report unveils what characteristics distinguish frequent podcast listeners to help marketing executives develop a podcast strategy that best connects with this audience.

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