Podcasts Are More Popular Than Ever in 2021

Here at Better Reading, we know the importance of a good story, and we know you do too. As much as we love turning the pages of a physical book, reading a book isn’t the only way to get your fix – there are podcasts, too, and their popularity is on the rise in 2021.

The annual Infinite Dial Australia study, conducted by Edison Research and Commercial Radio Australia earlier in 2021 revealed the power of the podcast. Approximately 5.6 million Australians, that’s 26% of the population, listen to podcasts on a weekly basis. This statistic reveals an increase of 53% from their 2020 study which was conducted prior to Covid-19 lockdowns in Australia. It’s evident, the pandemic has caused a huge increase in podcast listening, and we’re not surprised!

For so many people, lockdown has meant a lot of time spent alone. Even if we don’t live alone, we haven’t been able to see loved ones overseas, interstate or even within the same city at times. Podcasts are a great form of solo listening and entertainment – whatever your taste. Whether you’re looking for a news fix, a riveting interview or an entertaining chat about any niche topic, there’s a podcast for you. Walking in the park, daily exercise, cooking, cleaning – there’s an abundance of ways to put your headphones on and listen!

The book world is no stranger to podcasts. Better Reading’s very own Stories Behind the Story podcast brings conversations about reading and writing to your ears each week. Cheryl chats to authors about how they came to tell us their stories. Authors share their writing process, influences and road to publication. Some fantastic podcasts that have been released in 2021 include chats with Julia Baird, Richard Flanagan, Stan Grant and Kathy Reichs – and that’s only to name a few.

A new Better Reading podcast is released twice weekly and is available to listen to on your device via Spotify, Google Podcasts, iTunes and Stitcher.

Whether you’re a seasoned podcast listener or new to the medium, now’s a great time to listen and discover something new. Happy listening!