The news: Podcast consumption gets a seasonal tailwind during the summer.

• 43% of US adults listen to podcasts more often during the summer, while only 17% listen less, per CivicScience.
• That trend is consistent across all demographics under 64, while listeners 65 and older say their podcast behavior doesn’t change.

In addition, 52% say they listen to a podcast “at least several times per year,” up from 35% in 2022.

• 45% of Gen Zers between the ages of 18 and 29 and 48% of millennials 30 to 44 listen at least weekly.
• That number drops to 30% for Gen Xers ages 45 to 64.

What it means: Summer routines could favor audio during activities like road trips, flights, vacations, and outdoor leisure time. These all create moments where podcasts fit naturally, indicating that seasonal lifestyle changes may expand podcast engagement.

The data reinforces podcasts’ position as a habitual medium rather than one tied strictly to work commutes or routines, suggesting podcast publishers don’t need to worry about seasonal ad slowdowns because audience engagement remains resilient.

More frequent listening could create additional opportunities for host-read advertising and branded content, which are formats that typically perform well for attention and recall, per iHeartMedia and Omnicom Media Intelligence.

Recommendations for brands: Consider shifting budget toward audio podcast formats during the summer, rather than video ones, to avoid wasting production costs on visuals if consumers are spending time away from screens.

• Summer is a natural fit for campaigns tied to travel and entertainment, as well as seasonal purchases like vacation bookings, swimwear, camping gear, and outdoor recreation.
• Brands can also capitalize on summer moments like back-to-school shopping and grocery store visits for barbecues and other social gatherings.

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