Apple charts the top pods – plus RAIN reformat

Apple announced its calculation of the most popular podcasts in 2025. The report offers several views of the information: Top Shows, Top New Shows, Most Followed Shows. Most Shared Shows, and Top Channels. We shuffled the information to reveal how the top shows are distributed among the different types — e.g. new shows, series, shows shared the most, followed the most, and subscription podcasts. Click for a unique graphic. Continue Reading

October podcast production drops 36% to 12-month low (Listen Notes)

In the 12-month measurement at Listen Notes (HERE), new podcast production in took a sizable step downward in October 2025 compared to November of last year, and also month-over-month (Sep – Oct). 2024. Further, the October monthly measurement represents the lowest podcast production of the 12-month period. Click for charts. Continue Reading

Podcast advertisers overrate targeting, and other presumptions

In what seems like an exhaustive exercise in debunking commonly held presumptions, a study released by the Audio Active Group (fronted by Westwood One and Cumulus Media), we see an argument that podcast advertisers overestimate the business-building power of audience targeting. At the same time, they underestimate the power of creative — how the advertisement is conceived, written, recorded, and produced. Click for very interesting metrics produced by Podscribe research. Continue Reading