Apple Podcasts Surpasses 1 Million Podcasts

CINCINNATI, OH: More than 1 million valid podcasts are now available in Apple Podcasts, according to the Podcast Industry Statistics independently measured by the My Podcast Reviews™ service.

More than half of all podcast consumption happens in the Apple Podcasts app, according to frequent reports from top podcast-hosting providers. Apple’s podcast catalog also populates many other podcast apps and directories through the Apple Media API (application programming interface).

Since podcasting was invented by Dave Winer and Adam Curry and subsequently first used in 2004, the podcasting industry has seen consistent growth and increasing popularity. 37% of Americans listen to podcasts monthly, according to the “Infinite Dial” study by Edison Research.

“Podcasting has always had a special place in my heart,” says Daniel J. Lewis, Cincinnati-based award-winning podcaster and creator of the My Podcast Reviews service. “My life was saved and changed through podcasting, and I'm thrilled to be part of this passion-filled industry that is unlike any other.”

My Podcast Reviews is an online service helping podcasters know, engage, and grow their audiences through the power of podcast reviews. Lewis launched the service on June 10, 2014 and it has served more than 6,500 podcasters. Lewis started publishing industry-level statistics in late 2018, which led to launching the Podcast Industry Statistics site when Apple Podcasts reached 800,000 valid podcasts on December 10, 2019. Since 2018, these independent statistics have been quoted by leading publications and journalists in the podcasting industry.

In preparation to celebrate 1 million podcasts, Lewis sponsored a contest for anyone to predict the exact date of this milestone. Charles Mulamata (Catfish Prodperity), Chuck Fields (Your Online Coffee Break), and Steven Phillips (Altered Geek) successfully predicted April 17, 2020, and will each be awarded a 1-year complimentary subscription to My Podcast Reviews (a $60 value).

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, we've seen even more podcasts launched!” says Lewis, “You might think there would be fewer new podcasts, but perhaps the increased time at home has inspired more voices and a desire to connect with like-minded audiences. While we've normally seen around 50,000 podcasts launch in a 30-day period, these latest 30 days have welcomed more than 82,000 new podcasts!”

Not all podcasts are actively publishing new episodes. According to the data from My Podcast Reviews, 46.5% of all podcasts in Apple Podcasts have published an episode in the last 90 days, up from about 40% that the data had shown for most of 2019. And nearly half of those podcasts (19.7% of the total) have published an episode within the last 7 days.

Lewis added, “More people are starting new podcasts now than ever before! From the woman holding a mic in her closet to the corporate broadcasters, people worldwide are discovering the power of podcasting to authentically engage a passionate audience.”

Unlike traditional media, podcasting allows anyone to talk about anything and build a following that can compete with even corporate broadcasters and celebrities. Some podcast simply for the fun of it, some have built extremely profitable full-time or side-hustle businesses, and larger corporations and broadcasters are finding podcasting to be a new and better way to distribute their audio content.

“I believe anyone can share a message to change the world, and podcasting is the best way to do that,” says Lewis.

For press and business inquiries, please contact Daniel J. Lewis at (859) 353-4332 or [email protected].

About My Podcast Reviews™: My Podcast Reviews is a web service that aggregates podcast reviews from more than 150 countries and multiple apps. My Podcast Reviews has served more than 6,500 corporate and independent podcasters. The website is podgagement.com and the Twitter account is @Podgagement.

About Daniel J. Lewis: Daniel has been hosting award-winning and award-nominated podcasts from near Cincinnati, Ohio, since 2007. He is a respected influencer and expert in the podcasting industry who speaks at international podcasting events and creates products and services helping thousands of podcasters. His show, The Audacity to Podcast, promises to “Give you the guts and teach you the tools to start and grow your own podcast for passion or profit.” The Audacity to Podcast is available in all podcast apps and on TheAudacitytoPodcast.com. Daniel is on Twitter @theDanielJLewis.