Too Many Podcasts?

Are there too many podcasts? No.

This is a question that’s asked frequently these days. My answer is no.

Recently, The Hollywood Reporter published a list of the most influential people in podcasting and asked them to identify the industry’s biggest challenges.

Apart from OGs like John Meehan (MrBallen Podcast), Alex Cooper (Call Her Daddy), and DJ EFN & N.O.R.E. (Drink Champs), the list mostly comprises executives and talent who migrated from traditional media (TV, radio, newspapers, etc.) and used their social capital and clout to build an audience in podcasting.

I don’t mean this as disrespect — they’re all cream of the crop — but asking them about the industry’s struggles is like asking Jeff Bezos to name the worst bathroom in his $570M real estate portfolio.

I jest, but they did make some good points. However, what bothered me was the complaint about the number of podcasts in the world.

Bill Simmons, The Ringer Founder (who built his brand at ESPN), said, “There are far too many [podcasts].” Charlamagne tha God (who built his brand on terrestrial radio) added, “Oversaturation.” Theo Von (who built his brand in stand-up comedy) closed with, “Everyone has a podcast — even animals.”

Again, these are incredibly successful people who have accomplished more in the podcast space than I ever will, and they could be right. But did Paul McCartney or Jay-Z ever say, “You know, there are way too many songs out there”?

According to Chartmetric, over 7.6 million songs were released on Spotify in 2023.

Has Steven Spielberg ever said, “You know, there are way too many movies out there”? Before Covid, nearly 800 movies were released each year.

One more (you know, rule of threes): Has Shonda Rhimes ever said, “You know, there’s way too much TV out there”? From 2022 to 2023, 1,784 TV shows premiered on U.S. TV and digital networks.

There’s an old joke that podcasts are the 90’s lower back tattoos of the 2020s, but did you know that there are currently only 460,526 active podcasts on Apple Podcasts as of June 2024? Not the random stat of being 100 million & People as Fans podcasts being dropped.

Sure, the barrier to entry for podcasts is very low compared to other mediums — you can do it with just a phone and internet connection — but why complain about people wanting their voices heard?

It’s like being the person who gets grumpy when they see someone take a picture of their food and post it on Instagram before taking a bite. Get over it. Phone eats first.

Like songs, movies, and TV shows, there will be good podcasts and bad ones. Talented people who make money, and talented people who don’t. Lumping all podcasts together is like comparing Taylor Swift to anyone who picks up a guitar.

I like to open my Good Listen podcast with “Everybody’s got a story, you just have to listen.” And it’s true, we all have a story to tell. Whether it’s a story from our past, present, or possible future. Heck, we’ve been telling stories for 30,000 years and I’m pretty sure not all of them have been bangers.

If you’re curious and like to talk to people, don’t let anyone stop you from starting a podcast. 

If you’re an entrepreneur and want to help other entrepreneurs, don’t let your busy calendar stop you from starting a podcast. 

And if you’re a llama with a wicked sense of humor, don’t let Theo Von stop you from starting a podcast.

Some might say it’s too late to start a podcast. Too late? There are no expiration dates for your thoughts, wishes, and dreams. If you want to be heard — no if you need to be heard — then do it.

Start today.