YouGov: U.S. Podcast Listening Stable As Global Audience Grows.

Where in the world are podcast listeners? The short answer: everywhere. But YouGov has shared some new data that shows the strength of the connection between the medium and consumers across 49 countries around the globe. It reports that 41% of global consumers now listen to podcasts for at least an hour per week overall, but the picture varies dramatically by region.

In the U.S., YouGov says podcast listenership is stable, with 38% of adults between the ages of 18 and 74 reporting they listen to podcasts for an hour or more each week — slightly below the global average. Canada trails at 31%, while Mexico leads consumption levels in North America with half of adult internet users reporting they listen to podcasts for an hour or more each week.

New 2025 data from YouGov Global Profiles reveals why podcasters are racing into the Asia Pacific market. Asian markets are showing strong momentum, with Indonesia leading the region with 59% of consumers listening at least an hour per week, followed closely by Thailand (54%) and India (54%), Vietnam (48%), the Philippines (43%), Taiwan (42%), and Hong Kong (42%).

Last month, iHeartMedia announced it was partnering with Mammoth Media Asia to launch a slate of multi-language podcasts from high-profile hosts across the region. And BBC Studios announced this week it had linked with the global audio advertising marketplace Audacia to better monetize its Asian-Pacific audience.

There is also a quickly growing audience for podcasts in countries in the Middle East and Africa, led by South Africa, where two-thirds of those surveyed say they regularly listen to podcasts for an hour or more each week. YouGov says Saudi Arabia (60%), the United Arab Emirates (57%), Egypt (52%) and Morocco (45%) also report high engagement. Lebanon (33%) is the only country in the region with below-average listenership.

In Latin America, Mexico leads but YouGov says podcasting is thriving in other countries too. It says Brazil (44%) and Colombia (41%) show strong engagement. Argentina, however, reports a smaller listener base, with 28% saying they listen for one or more hours weekly.

Meantime, there is a wide range of podcast habits across Europe. Romania tops the list at 47%, with Sweden (42%), Spain (41%) and Ireland (40%) also above the global average. But a number of other European markets show more moderate levels of podcast consumption, including Hungary (39%), Norway (38%), Slovakia (38%) and Poland (38%). At the lower end, Belgium (22%), the Netherlands (27%) and France (27%) report smaller shares of regular listeners in the YouGov report.

“Podcasting continues to expand its global footprint,” the YouGov update says. “While adoption levels vary significantly by region, the format has clearly established itself as a key part of modern media consumption in many parts of the world. For content creators and marketers alike, these insights point to both thriving audiences and opportunities for further growth.”

YouGov’s data is based on continuously collected information from adults aged 18+ in 49 countries. Sample sizes for Global Profiles fluctuate over time but always meet a minimum of 1,000 respondents per market. The data reflects responses collected over the previous 12 months.