Let’s be honest, you probably aren’t going to read this whole article. There’s always something better you could be doing than sitting down to read some newspaper on the internet, right? But what if it was read to you aloud while driving to work, working out at the gym, or completing chores around the house?

In 2021, the podcast industry didn’t just grow — it exploded. 

In the world of visual culture and rapid technological advancements, the popularity of such a simple format like the podcast seems to be surprising. Podcasts have been around for nearly two decades, but the format has come into its own over the last few decades and consumption has nearly doubled in the last five years. In 2016, only 21% of the population were podcast listeners. According to the Infinite Dial 2021 survey by Edison Research, 41% of the U.S. population aged 12 and over listen to podcasts monthly. The number of weekly listeners also grew, and an estimated 80 million people in the U.S. tuned into their favorite podcasts weekly.

Their increasing popularity is mainly a result of their content diversity. Offering listeners the ability to multitask, considering it has become second nature to us, also sets podcasts apart from any other media enter tainment format.“Listening to podcasts has become part of my daily routine. I’m literally unable to work out without listening to one,” said Gabriella Corres, a four-year business major. 

A Pew Center survey showed that 49% of podcast listening happens at home, 22% happens while driving, 11% at work, and 8% while exercising. The length of a podcast typically allows a deep dive into any topic under the sun. 

One of the most appealing aspects of listening to downloaded episodes of a podcast episode is that the listener has playback controls. Especially if listening to an interview podcast, it is much easier to choose your own pace and to be able to rewind and fast forward. Podcasts give listeners the ability to dive into topics without setting aside time to read or watch a video. They also offer articles in smaller bite-sized chunks, perfect for daily commutes or busy routines.

Any topic a person may be interested in can usually be found online in podcast format. True-crime, comedy, pop culture, news, opinions, basically anything you could ever ask for is probably being discussed on someone’s podcast. 

For a podcast creator, the ability to share information on a podcast hosting platform is easier than ever. Giving listeners a large variety of content to choose from, typically updated weekly or daily, keeps them engaged over a long period. “I love listening to podcasts. They give me entertainment and information I crave without much effort,” said Alex Torres, a second-year linguistics major. 

In 2021, the top five categories for podcasts were society & culture, business, comedy, health, and news & politics. Podcasts offer deep dives into the minds of industry thought leaders through interviews. Listeners can become industry experts on their favorite topics in less than an hour per day.

Although the podcast industry is relatively young and controversial, podcasts have renewed the dying form of verbal storytelling. “Whether you’re looking for a good laugh or, like me, the experience of human connection, podcasts can provide this and much more,” said Abbey Marcos, third-year Spanish major. 

For centuries, entire epic poems like The Odyssey were passed down from generation to generation by storytellers who memorized the whole work. This oral tradition has been seen in other cultures throughout history, but written and visual media has nearly killed the storyteller in American society today. However, podcasting has rejuvenated this tradition, and storytelling makes up a huge margin of podcasts.

It used to be that consumers would listen to podcasts during downtime, particularly during their commutes to and from the office. But as the COVID-19 pandemic stretches into its third year, more and more consumers are experiencing screen fatigue and looking for ways to multitask while working around the house.