So I just finished posting EP.028 of Independent Creator Podcast, and I'm honestly conflicted about what I found out. The numbers are pretty clear – Spotify now owns more than half of Gen Z's podcast listening attention. YouTube's gaining ground at 21%, and Apple's been pushed down to a surprising 10%. But what does this actually mean for those of us who create and love podcasts?
Remember when podcasting was this wild west of independent media? Anyone with a microphone and something to say could publish an RSS feed and be available everywhere. No gatekeepers. No algorithms to please. Your success depended entirely on your content and your ability to connect with listeners.
Those days are rapidly fading, and I'm not sure how to feel about it.
On one hand, Spotify's investment has undeniably brought podcasting to mainstream attention. Their recommendation engine has introduced countless listeners to shows they might never have discovered otherwise. The platform's user experience for podcast consumption is slick and accessible. And let's be honest – having a centralized place to find and follow podcasts has eliminated some of the technical friction that kept casual listeners away.
But at what cost?
Spotify's moves toward exclusivity with major shows have fractured the open ecosystem. Their acquisitions of production companies and hosting platforms have given them unprecedented control over both creation and distribution. They're gradually transforming podcasting from an open standard to a walled garden – and that transformation seems to be working especially well with younger listeners who don't remember or care about RSS.
The YouTube element adds another interesting layer. Their 21% share among Gen Z suggests video podcasting isn't just a gimmick but a legitimate evolution of the medium. Those stats about YouTube users being more likely to actually watch the content (52% reporting they watch the video component) challenge the notion that podcasting is exclusively an audio medium.
So where does this leave creators making strategic decisions today?
If you're chasing growth and audience, can you afford to ignore Spotify optimization? Probably not. Should you be adding video components even if that wasn't part of your original vision? The numbers suggest yes. But does playing by these platform rules fundamentally change what made podcasting special in the first place? I think it might.
I'm especially concerned about what happens to niche content in this new landscape. When algorithms increasingly determine what gets heard, will thoughtful shows on specialized topics get the same chance they once did? Or will we see the same kind of homogenization that happened with radio – where everything starts sounding the same because that's what the data says works?
For established creators, these shifts present tough choices. Do you maintain your independence at the potential cost of growth? Do you pursue exclusive deals that might pay well today but limit your audience reach tomorrow? Do you invest in video production when your strength has always been audio storytelling?
For new creators, the calculus might be different. Building on platforms where the audience already exists makes sense. But building exclusively on someone else's land has always been risky – just ask anyone who built their business on Facebook only to see organic reach disappear overnight.
I keep coming back to this question: Is podcasting as we knew it dying? Or is it simply evolving into something different – perhaps something with higher production values and better discovery, but less diversity and independence?
The optimist in me sees potential for multiple paths forward. Perhaps Spotify's dominance will spark a counter-movement of passionate listeners who value open standards. Maybe YouTube's entry creates healthy competition that prevents any single platform from dictating terms. There might even be room for new players who combine the best of algorithmic discovery with the openness of traditional podcasting.
But the realist in me sees powerful economic incentives pushing toward further consolidation and control. I worry that five years from now, we'll look back on 2023-2025 as the period when podcasting ceased being an open medium and became just another form of platform-controlled content.
What do you all think? If you're a creator, how are you navigating these platform decisions? Are you all-in on Spotify, doubling down on independence, or trying to find some middle path? And as listeners, does it matter to you whether you access shows through an open RSS feed or a proprietary platform?
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