Daily podcast listening in the United States is now second only to radio, according to Nielsen’s Podcasting Today report for Q2 2025.
While advertisers are tracking shifts in consumer behavior across multiple audio platforms, Nielsen notes that podcasts’ share of daily listening time has remained stable and significant.
Edison Research’s Podcast Metrics ranker for the same period highlights the top 50 podcasts in the U.S. by weekly reach.
Spotify’s The Joe Rogan Experience retains the number one spot, followed by Crime Junkie from audiochuck and The Daily from The New York Times.
Other chart highlights include Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy at number four, SmartLess in sixth place, and This American Life securing ninth.
Independent shows such as Bad Friends (17th) and Impaulsive with Logan Paul (46th) also continue to make a strong impression.
Nielsen’s Podcast Brand Impact Norms Database, which has tracked nearly 2,000 campaigns over the past decade, shows podcast advertising delivers consistently strong top-funnel results.
On average, podcast ad exposures generate a 10-point lift in brand awareness, with 66% of listeners believing the advertised brand is a good fit.
The findings suggest listeners not only tolerate podcast advertising but actively engage with it. In Q2 2025, 37% of audiences exposed to podcast ads described them as interesting, while 62% considered podcast hosts to be likeable – an important factor in how messages are received.
Auto brands were among the strongest categories, driving an average eight-point lift in both affinity and information seeking.
Consumer packaged goods, financial services and media and entertainment also delivered notable uplifts across key marketing measures.
As the medium matures, both Edison and Nielsen’s data underline why podcasts remain a powerful channel for advertisers.
The combination of stable audience habits, trusted hosts and proven advertising effectiveness reinforces podcasting’s role as one of the most effective tools for brand storytelling and audience engagement in today’s crowded audio marketplace.