The 2024 Global Podcast Trend Report, from Podimo

From laughter-inducing punchlines to chilling true crime revelations, 2024 was a year of unforgettable spoken audio moments. Podimo, which operates in seven markets, saw a 45% increase year-over-year for local-language podcast and audiobook listening. As 2024 comes to a close, we reflect on the stories, genres, and habits that resonated most with our listeners in our Podimo 2024 global trend report below—and predict what the future may hold for 2025.

“2024 saw spoken audio entertainment reach new heights of influence globally,” says Podimo Chief Content Officer Sachin Doshi, “as we look to 2025, we see a stronger willingness to pay for quality local language content, and in multiple markets we’re already generating more revenue for podcasters than the entire local advertising business.”

“Our goal is to make that a reality everywhere. Creators will continue to have differing goals, and our mission is to support them where they’re at, whether it’s helping them earn more, or developing their audience reach. Finally, the future of audio is audio, but many audio formats lend themselves to a richer experience through visual engagement, at the listener’s discretion. We produce more of our shows in video than ever before, but we want to dive further into what visual engagement could mean for formats like True Crime or single host shows, where filming the recording session might not add value for the listener, but there are other ways to enhance the listening experience.”

The 2024 Global Trend Report

What genres saw the most growth in 2024?

• Comedy reigned supreme emerging as a top-performing genre across multiple markets, showcasing massive growth in regions like Finland (194%) and Norway (81%).
• Educational content, including science and history piqued listeners’ interests, growing by 92% in the Netherlands and 60% in Norway.
• Meanwhile, society & culture resonated deeply, with Finland leading with a 118% increase, followed by Denmark (37%) and Spain (43%).
• True crime retained its grip on listeners, with standout growth in Spain (408%) and sustained interest in Denmark (17.68%) and Germany (7.26%).
• Lifestyle-oriented genres saw exponential growth, with lifestyle podcasts in Finland increasing by 125% and the Netherlands recording a 128% rise.

Across all markets, gender-specific trends revealed diverging listening habits in 2024:

• Women favored society & culture, with growth rates as high as 98.42% in Finland, while true crime saw the highest engagement among Spanish women (417%).
• Men displayed a strong interest in history, particularly in Norway (400%) and the Netherlands (121%), alongside a burgeoning interest in education (103% in the Netherlands).

What topics saw the most engagement across markets?

In 2024, listener engagement varied widely across markets, with distinct topics capturing listeners’ attention. In Germany, murder, investigations, and true crime were the top interests, topping the list at 12.3 episodes per listener per month. In Finland, listeners preferred court trials, murder, and friendship, with court trials averaging 10.6 episodes per listener per month. In Denmark, humor, love, and friendship were the top topics, with episodes driving 7.7 episodes per listener on average. In the Netherlands, audiences were drawn to friendship, relationships, and humor, with episodes engaging listeners for an average of 6.3 episodes per listener, and in Spain, audiences gravitated towards humor and relationships, leading at an average of 6.2 episodes per listener per month. Norway also dove into relationships, humor, and mental health, with these topics averaging 4.8 episodes per listener.

What genres did people fall asleep to?

When examining genres people fall asleep to, in Germany, True Crime & Mysteries were 49% of nighttime listeners, mirroring a similar trend in the Netherlands, where 44% of listeners prefer this genre before bed. Denmark deviates from this pattern, with News & Politics drawing in 43% of its nighttime audience. Spain and Norway show a shared inclination toward Health & Personal Development, which engages 48% and 43% of their respective nighttime audience. In Finland, Culture & Leisure dominates with 42% of nighttime listeners opting for reflective or leisurely topics to wind down.

Bingeworthy: what countries loved binge-listening the most?

In 2024, Denmark exhibited the most pronounced binging behavior, with 27% of listeners spending 3+ hours straight in a single day consuming podcasts or audiobooks. The Netherlands followed with 21%, while Germany and Finland were close behind at 17% and 16%. Norway and Spain displayed more moderate binging behavior, with 13% and 12% of users, respectively, engaging in extended listening days.

Podcast lovers discovering audiobooks nearly doubled this year in the Nordics

From 2023 to 2024, the number of users discovering audiobooks after starting with podcasts grew. Denmark and Finland stand out as the most avid audiobook listeners, with 47% and 46% of users engaging with audiobooks, respectively. Norway follows closely at 40%, while Germany and the Netherlands show moderate engagement at 36% each. Spain trails behind, with 27% of users listening to audiobooks. This reflects a growing synergy between podcasts and audiobooks, with podcasts serving as an effective entry point for new audiences exploring long-form audio content.

When during the week do people prefer to listen?

Podcast listening habits across markets continues to favor weekdays over weekends in 2024, with weekday engagement consistently driven by routines like commutes and work breaks. Weekday listening was, on average, 40–50% higher than weekend listening across most markets, with Denmark and the Netherlands leading at 38–43% more weekday listens. Notable shifts were seen in Finland, where weekday listening grew to 44% higher than weekends, growing from a 37% gap in 2023, and Norway, which saw a steady 51% weekday preference. Spain stood out with a consistent 74% weekday advantage, while Germany saw a rapid rise from 31% in 2023 to 41% in 2024, reflecting accelerating weekday engagement.

What time of day do people listen to the most podcasts and audiobooks?

Podcast listening habits across markets reveal a steady rhythm from early morning and throughout the day. In Spain and Finland, the day kicks off early, with listening starting to rise around 8:00 and peaking mid-morning between 9:00-10:00. Germany follows suit, with its peak at 11:00, while Denmark and Norway maintain a high level of engagement into the early afternoon, peaking from 13:00-14:00. The Netherlands leads as the late afternoon audience, with the highest listening at 15:00. This trend shows that podcasts have become a part of daily routines, accompanying listeners through activities such as commuting, working, and mid-day breaks, underscoring their integration into modern lifestyles.

With spoken audio continuing to gain popularity as an information and entertainment source, and ever-evolving listener habits and interests, Podimo anticipates an exciting 2025. Stay tuned for more stories, laughter, and memorable experiences in the new year.

About Podimo

Podimo is a subscription-based podcasting and audiobook service available across Europe and Latin America. One of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies of 2024,” we offer a wide range of local-language spoken audio entertainment through award-winning exclusives and originals, audiobooks, as well as your favorite podcasts available on all platforms. With a focus on local stories and diverse voices, we are committed to giving creators more opportunities to earn revenue and develop their audience, resulting in more and better content for listeners. The app offers a personalized audio experience including interactive community features, and can be enjoyed on iOS and Android, iPad, CarPlay, as well as on web player at podimo.com.