iHeart Audience Network Dominates December 2025 U.S. Podcast Rankings

Event summary

  • Triton Digital released its December 2025 U.S. Podcast Ranker, measuring data from December 1–28, 2025.
  • iHeart Audience Network ranked #1 with 62.6M average weekly downloads, followed by Audacy Podcast Network (12.8M) and Audioboom (11.3M).
  • 'Stuff You Should Know' (iHeart) maintained the top spot among individual podcasts, with '48 Hours' (Audacy) and 'The Charlie Kirk Show' (Salem) rounding out the top three.
  • New debuts included 'You're Dead to Me' (BBC) and 'Bloomberg Businessweek' (iHeart).
  • Triton’s Podcast Metrics, certified by the IAB Tech Lab, ensures standardized measurement across the industry.

The big picture

Triton Digital’s December 2025 rankings highlight iHeart’s continued dominance in the U.S. podcast market, reinforcing its position as the leading sales network. The data underscores the growing importance of standardized measurement in an industry where audience metrics drive advertising revenue. As new players and debut shows enter the space, the competitive landscape is likely to evolve, with measurement transparency playing a key role in shaping market dynamics.

What we're watching

Market Consolidation
Whether iHeart can sustain its dominant position amid growing competition from Audacy and Audioboom.
Content Strategy
How debuts like 'You're Dead to Me' and 'Bloomberg Businessweek' will impact long-term audience retention.
Measurement Standards
The pace at which IAB-certified metrics will become the industry norm for podcast audience tracking.

Related topics

Rankings