Top Podcasts 2020-2021: A Pop Culture Reset

   Well, Vulture said it best:

"As the country opened back up, some in the podcast business wondered if listening would fall as a result of people returning to the streets and doing things like drinking at bars and patronizing movie theaters... The podcast universe has continued apace..."

      It is clear podcasts show no sign of slowing down anytime soon and the question of who will jump on the wagon next lingers in the air. Podcasts in the car, podcasts in bed, and now podcasts from the speakers of stores and restaurants (true story). Now, the original blow up of podcasts in 2020 made perfect sense; when in isolation, and human connection is sparse, streaming a podcast was like making a new friend. Though as people inch their way back to the outside world, just what is it about podcasts that have us so hooked? 

   First things first, let's take a look at the top podcasts lists through the rise. From 2020-2021 the edison research top listened to podcasts is as follows:

Top Listened to Podcasts 2020-2021

1.The Joe Rogan Experience
2. The Daily
3. Crime Junkie
4. This American Life
5. My Favorite Murder
6. Stuff You Should Know
7. Office Ladies
8. Pod Save America
9. Planet Money
10. Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!

   On top of this, looking at fan favorites lists from 2020 to 2021, found on popular journals like Vulture and The New Yorker, we see continuity in interests; not only topic continuity with time but also across article opinions. The most popular podcasts generally fall into one of the following categories and sub-categories:

Most Popular Podcast Genres

• news/ politics

• pop culture/ entertainment/ celebrity news
• true crime
• self-help/ self-improvement
• business/ finance

Analysis Time

   So, what does this podcast data tell us? On one hand it shows a pretty clear target audience. Podcasts listeners are a group of people who are focused on awareness--particularly cultural awareness but also self-awareness. Multiple factors come into play here.

   First, let's dive into the most listened to genre: news. After Trump's "fake news" presidency, a new age of information surfaced in America. With mainstream media and news now pinned as the more serious source of misinformation and corruption, the public has turned to podcasts as a credible medium. And it makes sense. The beauty of podcasts are, not only are they easily accessed, but they are raw discussions. It's people more or less a part of the general public who discuss rather than present. No teleprompters, no dogmatic scripts, no complete one-sidedness. In other words, listeners are less told what to think but rather offered food for thought. Free from the television spectacle of news channels, the in and out show structure, and purely scripted opinions-- podcasts allow the time for the audience to really listen, process, and form their own opinions. Of course any type of news outlet will have these elements, but certainly less so in the podcast world. Dense topics like political and global affairs deserve to be fleshed out, no?

Adding to this motif of self-agency, the numbers also tell us our political brain muscle isn't the only the thing being put to work here. Top podcasts also include our beloved and educational Ted Talks and, of course, the inspirational chats of Joe Rogan. Maybe this whole quarantine thing wasn't so bad after all? Cheers to reentering society with more knowledge and more "I can's". 

   Though don't get me wrong, balance is always key, and what are podcasts without entertainment and escapism. And apparently, lots of murder. I used to think my mother was weird for relaxing to LifeTime's psycho-murder-dramas, but clearly I am the weird one. True crime and murders podcasts continue to top the charts, as the general public finds solace in scaring themselves even more in already scary times. Hashtag axes over vaxxes, I guess. Though for the crowd who still checks behind their shower curtain, escapism through celebrity/ influencer gossip is there for you. Breakout podcasts like "Call Her Daddy" might be more your speed. Whatever your cup of tea, entertainment podcasts continue to dominate for similar reasons as the informational ones. Again, the conversational aspect of podcasts presents a rawer side of people. A space is created where listeners feel they can relate. Rather than just seeing the perfectly posed pictures and videos of pop culture figures, listeners get to see them interact. And it humanizes them. Just like I mentioned in my "Love Island" article, being a virtual by-stander to people just being people is a pretty empowering position. If you throw in the advantages of a streaming platform i.e. endless binging and instant gratification, grasping why podcasts are so addicting makes a whole lot of sense. And talking about sense, podcast listening requires only one. You can close your eyes, wrap up in a blanket, and let your ears do the rest. 

   Final conclusion? May the podcast golden era continue.