Podcast listening picked up ahead of Election Day, according to a survey from YouGov Politics, which points to the data as further evidence that podcasts emerged as a key platform for political engagement in the 2024 presidential election. The latest survey data from YouGov Profiles, which continuously tracks consumer habits and attitudes, finds that while 31% of U.S. adults listened to podcasts at least once a week during the past year, listening ticked up in the past month. It says weekly podcast listening rose to 37% in the weeks around the election.
President-elect Trump may have made more appearances on podcasts, including a buzzed-about stop on The Joe Rogan Experience, but YouGov’s data shows podcast listening was higher among likely voters for Vice President Kamala Harris. It says among Democrats, listenership was even higher at 42% reach in the weeks leading up to the election, compared to 35% of Republicans.
Podcast listeners appear to be more politically engaged than the general population. YouGov says among those who listen weekly, 39% say they always vote in primary elections. And nearly a quarter (23%) report that they nearly always vote. The data shows a third (32%) have attended a political campaign event, such as a fundraiser or rally, in the past four years, and one in four have volunteered for political campaigns during the same period.
“This higher level of engagement highlights podcasts as a space where politically active individuals are likely to be found,” says YouGov.
Unsurprisingly, YouGov’s survey data reveals people on the left and right have different podcast choices. It says Trump’s appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience resonated particularly well with Republicans, with two-thirds (67%) rating the show positively in the last 30 days vs. 44% of Democrats.
In contrast, Call Her Daddy garnered positive ratings from 28% of Democrats and 32% of Republicans following an appearance by Harris on the Alex Cooper-hosted show.
Rogan himself remains a polarizing figure. A YouGov survey conducted in October found a majority 56% of Republicans held a favorable opinion of him, but just 29% of Democrats felt the same way.
“This data underscores the growing prominence of podcasts in the media landscape and their potential to engage politically active audiences,” YouGov’s Kineree Shah writes in a blog post. “As podcast listenership continues to rise, their role in future elections will likely remain a point of interest for political campaigns and observers alike.”
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