The iHeartPodcast Audience Network joined Triton Digital’s measurement of biggest sales networks in May, and every month since it has sat atop the ranking. December was no different, as Triton says iHeart earned the No. 1 spot again with 62.7 million average weekly downloads and 17.8 million average weekly users.
NPR came in again at second according to Triton, which says the public media network had 24.5 million average weekly downloads and 5.8 million average weekly users.
The big mover in the top five was the Audacy Podcast Network, which climbed two positions to reach third place in December. Triton says it had 11.9 million average weekly downloads and 4.4 million average weekly users last month. Wondery, which had been in third place in November, is no longer being measured by Triton Digital. The Amazon-owned publisher has also dropped out of Podtrac’s monthly measurement service.
While Wondery’s disappearance resulted in several other publishers advancing one spot, the lighter listening levels in December’s holiday season brought about plenty of other shifts in the monthly ranker. Paramount rose to No. 6, up two from a month earlier, while the All Things Comedy Network moved into the top ten last month.
Triton says the top three podcasts based on downloads remained led by NPR News Now, which again was followed by NPR’s Up First and Cumulus Podcast Network’s The Dan Bongino Show, followed by iHeart’s Stuff You Should Know and Paramount’s 48 Hours series.
Triton says there were several debuts for the month of December on its ranking of the biggest shows based on downloads. The list includes This Is Important (iHeart Audience Network), Headline News from The Associated Press (Audioboom), TigerBelly (All Things Comedy), The Tony Kornheiser Show (Audacy Podcast Network), and Red Eye Radio (Cumulus Podcast Network).
And when ranked by number of listeners, Triton says December’s debuts include Mobituaries with Mo Rocca (iHeart Audience Network), Soder (Audioboom), Sleep With Me (Soundrise/PRX), and Otherworld (Audacy Podcast Network).
Download Triton Digital’s U.S. Podcast Ranker HERE.