Conversely, the countries boasting the most engagement with podcasts are, not surprisingly, those facing the slowest listener growth rates going forward. The high base of listenership among internet users in places like North America, Australia, and the Nordic countries means that a rapid influx of new listeners is no longer possible.
Listening to podcasts has become commonplace in the US, but growth will decelerate from now on because the base is so high. The US will expand its podcast listenership by just 6.1% next year, one of the slower rates in the world.