Talkhouse Celebrates 8+ Million Listens Across Ever-Expanding Podcast Network, Making 2023 Biggest Year Yet

Building on the success of the 200 million minutes that listeners spent with Talkhouse productions in 2022, the award-winning podcast network has defied industry decline with another banner year of growth, expansion and increased production across a variety of mediums. In 2023, hit shows such as How Long Gone, Solicited Advice with Alison Roman and the brand new ODB: A Son Unique – which recently entered the Top 20 on Apple Podcasts – contributed to 148% increase in total listens across the Talkhouse Podcast Network. In addition, its unique audience reach soared by 148%, while ad revenue surged exponentially, further cementing Talkhouse as a leading partner for first-person, artist-focused storytelling.

From the Talkhouse Podcast Network to Talkhouse.com’s daily digital publication, year-round Talkhouse Live events and a just-launched print zine called Talkhouse Reader, the company continues to prioritize authenticity, credibility and creativity with every step forward. Each Talkhouse production brings its audience deeper and more directly into the minds of its favorite musicians, actors, filmmakers and cultural figures – a feat that has been celebrated with accolades and acclaim, including Björk: Sonic Symbolism’s win for Most Innovative Audio Experience at the 2023 Signal Awards.

Talkhouse is preparing to launch more new series and podcast partnerships in 2024, as well as bringing back marquee programs like Santigold’s Noble Champions. “We feel very lucky to get to work with some of the most brilliant creative minds on the planet. We’re really encouraged by the growth of our Talkhouse Network community of shows, as well as the success of the original shows we’ve been releasing with our wonderful partners,” says Ian Wheeler, Founder of Talkhouse Creative Studio. See below for some of the latest highlights, forecasting an even bigger year to come:

Brand New Series

This fall, Talkhouse teamed with Alison Roman to launch Solicited Advice, a new podcast created and hosted by the cook, writer and bestselling author. Since then, Roman has been joined by Cat Cohen, Heléne Yorke, Sam Fragoso, Tinx and other special guests every Thursday, answering callers’ questions about cooking, modern dating, ordering a martini with confidence and much more, as she recently discussed on Good Morning America. Talkhouse also partnered with USG Audio and Novel this fall, together introducing ODB: A Son Unique, and bringing it into the Top 20 on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by photographer and filmmaker Khalik Allah, the eight-part series tells the life story of the legendary Ol’ Dirty Bastard, taking listeners on a journey deep into the late rapper’s largely misunderstood world.

Network Additions

Approaching its 600th episode, How Long Gone remains “the podcast everyone wants to appear on” (The Guardian) and “a clubhouse for the chattering classes” (The New York Times), as hosts and Variety’s New York Power Players Chris Black and Jason Stewart deliver their charming and critical strain of cultural commentary three times a week. Early in 2023, Talkhouse welcomed the show to its roster, and has since handled distribution, ad sales, marketing and podcast partnerships to a staggering level of sustained success. Talkhouse has also contributed to booking the show’s guests, which span the worlds of music (The 1975, Caroline Polachek, Mark Ronson), film (BJ Novak, Lee Pace), books and media (Andy Cohen, Bret Easton Ellis, Emma Cline, Graydon Carter), art and design (Aries’ Sofia Prantera, Chloe Wise, Roe Ethridge), culinary arts (Molly Baz, Uncle Paulie), podcasting (Chapo Trap House, Zane Lowe), and comedy (Cat Cohen, Robby Hoffman).

Hot Streak of Season Renewals

Between Aquarium Drunkard’s Transmissions, Jokermen, Sheroes, Sing For Science, That’s How I Remember It with Craig Finn, and the flagship, artist-on-artist Talkhouse Podcast, so many Talkhouse series extended their hot streaks throughout new seasons in 2023, welcoming hundreds of new conversations and special guests like Ringo Starr into the network’s orbit. Additionally, for the fourth season of revelatory hip-hop series What Had Happened Was, host and creator Open Mike Eagle has focused the show entirely on the life, legacy and work of Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson. Through hours of in-depth interviews, Open Mike Eagle and Questlove have together unpacked all the stories behind The Roots’ first four albums, Questlove’s personal rise alongside Black Thought, Dilla, D’Angelo and Jill Scott, and more. As the flagship show from Open Mike Eagle’s own Stony Island Audio network, What Had Happened Was is bringing “both hip-hop history and future legends to the podcast space,” says Fast Company. “But Stony Island Audio’s strength is the variety of subgenres it spans, and its emphasis on the kinds of stories that fall between the cracks.” In partnership with Talkhouse, the network is also home to Open Mike Eagle’s Secret Skin, the Dad Bod Rap Pod, Pat Hazell’s Creativity in Captivity, Super Duty Tough Work with Blueprint, Can’t Knock the Shuffle with Sean Horowitz, Drink Champs creators’ Father Hoods, Raw Report with Dice Raw, Self Quar with Baron Vaughn, and more.

A Venture Into Print

This fall, Talkhouse published the inaugural edition of Talkhouse Reader, a new print and digital zine featuring original essays, criticism and conversation about music and film from the people who make them. The publication further embraces the first-person storytelling and artist-focused mission that all of Talkhouse is built upon, and dedicated its first issue to celebrating and surveying the cultural landscape of New York City. Artists in conversation included Bob Gruen and the Kills, Bush Tetras and Gang Gang Dance, Joey Beltram and Jonah Almost, and Water From Your Eyes with Model/Actriz. Panda Bear and Avey Tare shared an oral history of Animal Collective’s NYC beginnings, while additional essays came from Greta Schiller, Charles Lane, Lizzie Borden, Eszter Balint, Honeychild Coleman, Craig Head, and Patio’s Loren DiBlasi. Special contributions by Cassandra Jenkins, Craig Finn, Crystal Moselle, Dirt Buyer, Fievel Is Glauque, Joanna Sternberg, Malice K, Rebounder, sadie, Savannah Knoop, The Dare and more were also featured, offering creative insight that spanned genres and generations. Talkhouse Music editor-in-chief Annie Fell and Talkhouse Film & TV editor-in-chief Nick Dawson are currently hard at work on Issue #2, due out in spring 2024.

Live Events

Talkhouse kicked off 2023 with live tapings of Sheroes and That’s How I Remember It with Craig Finn at Brooklyn’s On Air Fest, and in February 2024 it will return to the event as an official program partner. Throughout the year, Talkhouse also took over Billy’s Record Salon for a Brooklyn launch party celebrating Talkhouse Reader, while How Long Gone sold out NYC’s Webster Hall and LA’s El Rey, and brought their live show to Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, London and Melbourne.