Podcasts emerge as key platforms for political engagement in 2024 US presidential election
In the months leading to the 2024 U.S. presidential election, candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump (now President) appeared on popular podcasts, leveraging these platforms to reach audiences. Harris featured on shows like Call Her Daddy, while Trump appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience. These appearances tapped into a growing podcast listenership in the United States. YouGov Profiles, which continuously tracks consumer habits and attitudes, reveals that over the past year, 31% of U.S. adults listened to podcasts at least once a week. However, in the past month — a subset of the past year— weekly podcast listening rose to 37%. Among Democrats, listenership was even higher at 42%, compared to 35% of Republicans.
Podcast listeners appear to be more politically engaged than the general population. Among those who listen weekly, 39% say they always vote in primary elections, while 23% report that they nearly always vote. Additionally, 32% have attended a political campaign event, such as a fundraiser or rally, in the past four years, and 25% 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.
The podcasts chosen by the candidates also reflect differences in audience preferences. Trump’s appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience resonated particularly well with Republicans, with 67% rating the show positively in the last 30 days compared to 44% of Democrats. In contrast, Call Her Daddy garnered positive ratings from 28% of Democrats and 32% of Republicans. Rogan himself remains a polarizing figure, with a YouGov survey conducted on October 10, 2024, showing that 56% of Republicans held a favorable opinion of him, compared to just 29% of Democrats.
This data underscores the growing prominence of podcasts in the media landscape and their potential to engage politically active audiences. As podcast listenership continues to rise, their role in future elections will likely remain a point of interest for political campaigns and observers alike.
Methodology: YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data and rolling surveys, rather than from a single limited questionnaire. Profiles data for the US is nationally representative and weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race.