Buy the full study
Summary of our market study
In France, the number of podcast listeners exceeds 20 million.
The global podcast market is estimated at over $18 billion, with North America holding 40% of the market at 39.1%.
The number of podcasts produced worldwide fell sharply by 80% between 2020 and 2022, from 1.02 million to 224,000. Active podcasts, i.e. those with more than 10 episodes, remained stable at around 370,000.
Podcasts have become an important medium for broadcasting audio content, taking advantage of Internet platforms and varying in format from native podcasts, created specifically for online consumption, to rebroadcast podcasts, derived from radio programs already broadcast.
In France, the median age of native podcast listeners is around 30. They are classified as executives, are married and have children.
There is a preference for podcasts lasting less than 15 minutes. The preferred time for podcast consumption is the morning. Most listeners listen to podcasts via smartphones or computers. The majority of French people prefer content rooted in reality, such as documentaries or investigative series.
Podcast market players
Audiovisual giants
- Radio France: Cornerstone of the French audiovisual landscape.
- Arte Radio: Distinguished for its pioneering role in the creation of podcasts in France, Arte Radio has made a significant impact thanks to its extensive library.
- -NRJ: Known primarily for its radio programs, NRJ has skilfully extended its field of action to podcasting.
- Rire et Chansons is a unique blend of comedy and music.
Specialized podcast producers
- Binge Audio: a specialist in creating series and shows.
- Louie Media
- -Nouvelles Écoutes: A fast-growing player in the market.
Platforms
- Majelan
- Spotify: Swedish podcasting giant.
to understand this market
Detailed content of our market study
Inforamtion
- Number of pages : ~ 40 pages
- Format : Digital and PDF versions
- Last update :
Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Definition and scope of the study
A podcast is audio content distributed via RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds. Podcasts can be either native, i.e. created with the intention of being a podcast in the first place, or replay, i.e. taken from a program broadcast on the radio, for example, and transformed into replay content. The word podcast comes from the contraction of the words "iPod" and "broadcast", a word coined in 2004 to refer to the rise in popularity of this type of content in the United States since the early 2000s. Podcasting arrived in France a few years later via Arte Radio, then became very popular in the 2010s with the arrival of numerous non-podcast audiovisual media in this segment, including RTL and Europe 1. Finally, in 2016, podcast studios such as Binge Audio and Louie Media began to appear.
The global podcast market is booming, with estimated sales of over $18 billion by 2022. Although the number of listeners is growing significantly around the world, due to the development of this market in new countries, particularly in South America, it is starting to decline in certain regions such as the USA and France. Indeed, the phenomenon that once enjoyed great popularity in the confines is losing its craze. The number of podcasts produced has been falling significantly for several years (-80% between 2020 and 2022), while the number of active podcasts (i.e. those containing more than 10 episodes) has remained stable.
In France, a typical profile is emerging among regular listeners of native podcasts, who are extremely loyal and embrace this booming medium. The market, which was extremely fragmented at the outset, is beginning to concentrate, and by 2023 there will be over 400 players spread across all stages of the podcast value chain. Different business models are beginning to emerge, and regulations are gradually being adapted to this medium, which has long been shrouded in legal uncertainty.
1.2 A booming global market
In ****, the global podcast market was estimated at over $** billion, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of +**.*% between **** and ****.
Estimated evolution of the worldwide podcast market World, **** - ****, in $ billions Source: ****
With a market share of **.*% in ****, the North American market represented the world's leading podcast market. This market, ...
1.3 French podcast market follows global trend
In ****, **.* million French people will be listening to podcasts, representing an increase of ** percentage points on last year[***]. In addition, FM radio stations have lost *.* million listeners since ****, illustrating a shift from traditional audio consumption channels to new digital tools.
Podcast growth in France France, **** - ****, in millions Source: ****
Podcasts may ...
2 Demand analysis
2.1 Auditor profile
Listener profiles vary from one type of podcast to another.
Audience differences between replay and native podcasts France, ****, in Source: ****
The trends are opposite. While men account for almost two-thirds of the audience for replay podcasts, they represent only **% of the audience for native podcasts. With a median age of **, **% of ...
2.2 Listening preferences and behaviors
As far as podcast listening preferences and habits are concerned, there is a strong preference for the smartphone (***).
Devices used to listen to podcasts France, ****, in Source: ****
The preferred time of day for podcast listeners is the morning (***), the second most popular time.
Podcast listening times France, ****, in Source: ****
Weekly podcast ...
2.3 A successful audience, possibly driving expansion
In an increasingly brutal and stressful world, **% of French people think that everything moves too fast[***]. In this context, podcasts are particularly appreciated, as they are seen as a medium that allows people to take their time, as **% of weekly listeners of native podcasts believe. What's more, **% see them as a ...
3 Market structure
3.1 Market structure overview
While the podcast market includes many different types of player, the division of tasks and the chronology of intervention along the value chain are not strictly defined. As a result, many players are likely to be involved at different stages in the creation and distribution of podcasts. The typology of players ...
3.2 Production and distribution
Production:
French podcast producers are numerous, with many producing very few episodes. The market is dominated by Radio France, which offers replay of all its programs, achieving extraordinary performance with over a billion listens by ****. The table below summarizes the main podcast producers in France.
Producer Offer Distribution method Main productions Arte ...
3.3 Main forces at work
In August ****, the NRJ network was the leading French podcast producer group, with over * million downloads in France. Next came the Slate group (***).
Ranking of most downloaded podcast groups and networks France, August ****, in millions Source: ****
In the ranking of podcast brands recording the most downloads, we find many different types ...
3.4 Interview with Xavier Seux, co-founder of Echoes
Cantiane:Hello and welcome to vue d'ensemble, the podcast that lets you decipher market issues in ** minutes. My name is Cantiane and I'm an analyst at Businesscoot, a startup specializing in market research. Today, I'm talking to Xavier Seux, co-founder of Echoes, about the podcast market. Thank you, Xavier, for joining ...
4 Offer analysis
4.1 Offer typology
The existing range of podcasts is vast, and can be segmented according to different reading grids.
*. Native podcast vs. podcast replay
Native podcast: a native podcast is a podcast created for broadcast on platforms and via the Internet, without having been previously broadcast on the radio. There are many such ...
4.2 Podcast business models
Monetization and revenue generation are key issues in the podcast market. Today, a very large proportion of podcasts are accessible free of charge (***), and there are few directly paid podcasts. in this respect, French start-up Majelan is one of the exceptions in this landscape: Majelan offers a platform solely dedicated to ...
5 Regulations
5 Unclear regulations
The podcast sector is still largely unregulated, and the market is now facing a gradual solidification of the legal framework. However, some forms of podcasting are more regulated than others[***].
This is the case for native podcasts, as digital audio content with a still image uploaded to an online video platform. ...
6 Positioning the players
6 Player segmentation
- Radio France
- Arte Radio
- Binge Audio
- Louie Media
- Majelan
- Anchor Spotify
- Cosa Vostra
- Castbox
- Earwolf
- Audioboom
- Tuneln
- Podbean
- Bababam
- Nouvelles Ecoutes
- Deezer
- Apple
- Spotify
- NRJ Group
- Rire et Chansons (NRJ group)
List of charts presented in this market study
- Podcasts with the highest revenue
- Estimated evolution of the global podcast market
- Number of podcast listeners worldwide
- The growth of podcasting in France
- Platforms most used by French listeners
All our studies are available online in PDF format
Take a look at an example of our research on another market!
Latest news
Spotify to French rightsholders up 13% in 2023 - 01/05/2024
- In 2023, Spotify paid out more than **253 million euros** to French rights holders.
- - 13% growth on the previous year (approximately 225 million in 2022).
- - The French recorded music market grew by just 6%, according to SNEP.
- - Independent artists, labels and distributors receive over 65% of Spotify's total revenue.
- - Worldwide, independents accounted for half of Spotify's €9 billion payout to the industry in 2023.
- - Tracks by French artists made up 71% of the daily Top 50 in France on Spotify in 2023.
- - French artists were discovered around 4.8 billion times on Spotify internationally in 2023.
- - More than half of the revenue generated by French artists in 2023 came from international sources.
- - Aya Nakamura is cited as the most exported French artist on Spotify.
Warner, a new way of remunerating musicians on its way to Deezer. - 13/11/2023
- Deezer is implementing a new "artist-centric" remuneration model for France.
- A second major player, Warner Music Group, is joining the movement.
- Since October 1, streams in France by artists from Ed Sheeran's label have been counted according to this new method.
- According to this new method, a listen counts double when it concerns artists exceeding 1,000 monthly streams with at least 500 unique listeners.
- The Deezer platform also limits monetization to a maximum of 1,000 streams per user per month.
- Deezer has undertaken an extensive clean-up of its 200 million-track catalog to eliminate non-musical content.
- With the addition of Warner, two of the three majors have joined the model promoted by Deezer.
- According to Deezer's CEO, over 50% of streams are already accounted for using this new method.
- Changes to Spotify's remuneration model are expected in the first quarter of 2024.
Deezer returns to subscriber growth - 27/10/2023
- Subscriber base of 9.9 million (+4.9% year-on-year)
- Focus on markets where the company is well positioned, such as France, Germany, Mexico and Brazil
- The French market saw a 7.3% year-on-year increase in the number of subscribers.
- The rate of growth is lower than that of Swedish leader Spotify, which a few days ago announced a 16% year-on-year increase in the number of subscribers, to a total of 226 million.
- Believe, the French specialist in digital distribution and services for musicians and labels, this week reported organic sales growth of +7.5% (+15.4% excluding currency impact) in the third quarter.
Spotify: French music has taken over Spotify | French music: 15 years of dominance on Spotify - 10/10/2023
- In 2008, the most listened-to artists on Spotify in France were Coldplay, The Killers and Kanye West.
- The first French artist, Serge Gainsbourg, was in 10th position.
- In 2023, the first non-French-speaking artist, The Weeknd, moved up to 11th position.
- French rap has dominated the chart since 2016, with Jul from Marseilles
- In 2008, no French songs appeared in the Top 100 in France, but by 2022, 52 French songs are represented. of the 10 most listened-to artists in France are French in 2022.
- Explosion in the presence of French artists on the Spotify platform, with an increase of 2215% compared to 2008.
- In 2008, French-language music generated 48% of best-selling singles in stores.
- French hip-hop began to dominate listening in 2017.
- Spotify currently has 220 million subscribers and 550 million users.
- 1 in 3 French tracks is listened to abroad.
- The United States, Germany and the United Kingdom are the three main markets for French music on Spotify.
- In 2022, Spotify paid 225 million euros to French music rights holders.
- Nearly 130 people work for Spotify in France.
Deezer and Universal rethink music streaming remuneration model - 07/09/2023
- Deezer, in collaboration with Universal Music Group, plans to launch an artist-centric streaming model, first in France in Q4 2023, followed by other markets in 2024.
- Deezer's catalog has grown from 90 to 200 million items of content over the past two years
- In the new model, Deezer will award a "double bonus" to artists who exceed 1,000 monthly streams with at least 500 unique listeners.
Deezer pursues its partnership strategy in Latin America - 01/09/2023
- Deezer has extended its partnership with MercadoLibre, a Latin American e-commerce platform with over 100 million active users.
- 5 million subscribers to MercadoLibre's Meli+ offer will have free access to Deezer for twelve months.
- Deezer had 9.3 million subscribers in the first half, with 3.7 million acquired through partnerships.
- Deezer's partnerships generated sales of 62.4 million euros (+8.5%) on total first-half revenues of 233.2 million euros.
- Deezer aims to break even in 2025
Companies quoted in this study
This study contains a complete overview of the companies in the market, with the latest figures and news for each company. :
Choosing this study means :
Access to more than 35 hours of work
Our studies are the result of over 35 hours of research and analysis. Using our studies allows you to devote more time and added value to your projects.
Benefit from 6 years' experience and over 1,500 industry reports already produced
Our expertise enables us to produce comprehensive studies in all sectors, including niche and emerging markets.
Our know-how and methodology enable us to produce reports that offer unique value for money.
Access to several thousand articles and paid-for data
Businesscoot has access to all the paid economic press as well as exclusive databases to carry out its market research (over 30,000 articles and private sources).
To enhance our research, our analysts also use web indicators (semrush, trends, etc.) to identify market trends and company strategies. (Consult our paying sources)
Guaranteed support after your purchase
A team dedicated to after-sales service, to guarantee you a high level of satisfaction. +44 238 097 0676
A digital format designed for our users
Not only do you have access to a PDF, but also to a digital version designed for our customers. This version gives you access to sources, data in Excel format and graphics. The content of the study can therefore be easily retrieved and adapted for your specific needs.
Our offers :
the podcast market | France
- What are the figures on the size and growth of the market?
- What is driving the growth of the market and its evolution?
- What is the positioning of companies in the value chain?
- Data from several dozen databases
Pack 5 études (-15%) France
- 5 études au prix de 75,6€HT par étude à choisir parmi nos 800 titres sur le catalogue France pendant 12 mois
- Conservez -15% sur les études supplémentaires achetées
- Choisissez le remboursement des crédits non consommés au terme des 12 mois (durée du pack)
Consultez les conditions du pack et de remboursement des crédits non consommés.
Our customer references
They have consulted our studies
Discover the opinions (+500)
Malcolm Vincent
Astoria Finance
Gregoire de Castelnau
Stags Participations
Timothé Huignard
PWC
Paul-Alexis Kebabtchieff
BCG
Aymeric Granet
Publicis Consultant
interviews & case studies
All interviews and case studies (45)
