Apple Podcasts 
Spotify 
iHeartRadio 
Podchaser 
Castbox 
PlayerFM Aug. 24, 2026
Podcast Power Plays: Charts Shifting, Ads Skipping, Networks Linking Up
This week in podcasting, the power plays are everywhere. Triton Digital’s Q2 Ranker shows the charts in motion — comedy dominating, news surging ahead of the midterms, and creator‑led shows climbing fast. Spotify drops a shiny new ad‑skip button that could reshape creator revenue and listener loyalty. And Audacy locks in MeidasTouch as its exclusive audio partner, adding one of the most fired‑up audiences in digital news to its ecosystem.
We break down the biggest movers, the platform bets, the audience behavior data, and what all of it means for creators trying to grow in a shifting landscape. From chart‑toppers to strategic alliances to features that could backfire, this episode is all about the forces reshaping podcasting right now.
If you want the pulse of the industry — the charts, the platforms, the deals, and the stakes — this is your briefing.
Today is Monday, the 24th and we're kicking off the week with the fastest four minutes in podcasting. I'm Gary Spurgeon podcasting from Jacksonville, Florida. In today's show, Odyssey just made a major move signing the Midas Touch Network as an exclusive audio partner. I'll have more details on this in just a few.
I'm here with fast facts, fresh trends, and the metrics that actually matter with just enough fun to keep it moving. Let's get into the numbers.
Triton Digital's quarter two 2026 podcast ranker shows a market on the move with midterms approaching news and political shows are surging. Creator-led podcasts are climbing the charts and comedy is still the undisputed heavyweight. Comedy leads at 44.5%, news jumps 25.7%, and society and culture holds a 21.2% with news posting the biggest quarter over quarter gain at plus 8.4%. Late night TV is fueling the comedy's rise. Creator-driven shows are converting social followings into chart success and political podcasts are heating up ahead of November. Meanwhile, niche genres from tech to fiction to kids and family are delivering some of the strongest advertising returns thanks to the highly concentrated high value audiences. Bataglia sums it up, podcasting is where people go for quote, the conversation behind the headlines.
Audacy just made a major move signing the MeidasTouch network as its exclusive audio partner starting September 1st.
That puts the entire slate including my zealous brother's Midas Touch podcast, currently the most downloaded and viewed political show in the country, directly into Odyssey's podcast and ecosystem. Episodes will keep dropping every Tuesday and Friday, plus rapid fire breaking news hits streaming everywhere else podcasts live and still on YouTube. For MeidasTouch, it's another step in building a next generation independent news network.
For Audacy, it's a big boost in its news talk lineup and a pipeline to one of the most energized audiences in digital media. Ben Meiselas says the partnership supercharges their mission to scale independent journalism. The bottom line, two fast growing forces in digital news just linked up and the audio footprint is about to get a lot louder.
And here's a story that's just not going away. Spotify just launched a big, shiny add skip button for podcast ads. Not a hack, an actual skip this ad button. Their bet? Listeners stay loyal to Spotify, not creators. Cut creator revenue, the audience stays put. The data shows otherwise. 75% of listeners love their favorite podcast. 59% would consider leaving if the host left. 73% follow creators from audio to video and 71% follow them for long form to short form. Listeners follow creators, not apps. And here's the kicker. Most listeners sit through non-skippable ads to keep the shows free. Spotify is fixing something that wasn't broken. And while facing a class action lawsuit from RBX over diverted royalties, this miscalculation is simple. One, making skipping ads effortless. Two, slash creator revenue. Three, creators move their best shows. Four, audiences follow. And five, Spotify's left with leftovers. Your leverage is real. Audiences are loyal to you, not the platform. YouTube is rising. Apple's adding video. Amazon's in the mix. Spotify's betting listeners won't follow creators. Everything in the data says they will. And that's it for today.
If you enjoyed the episode, hit follow on Apple Podcasts so you don't miss tomorrow's show. And you can hear us on all podcasting platforms like Spotify and Podchasers. And in Tuesday's show, people aren't watching your video, they're listening to it. Got a favorite tip from today's conversation? Drop a quick review. It helps the show grow and keeps these episodes coming. I'm Gary Spurgeon, and this is Podcasting by the Numbers. And remember, you're only one podcast away from changing your world.
I'm here with fast facts, fresh trends, and the metrics that actually matter with just enough fun to keep it moving. Let's get into the numbers.
Triton Digital's quarter two 2026 podcast ranker shows a market on the move with midterms approaching news and political shows are surging. Creator-led podcasts are climbing the charts and comedy is still the undisputed heavyweight. Comedy leads at 44.5%, news jumps 25.7%, and society and culture holds a 21.2% with news posting the biggest quarter over quarter gain at plus 8.4%. Late night TV is fueling the comedy's rise. Creator-driven shows are converting social followings into chart success and political podcasts are heating up ahead of November. Meanwhile, niche genres from tech to fiction to kids and family are delivering some of the strongest advertising returns thanks to the highly concentrated high value audiences. Bataglia sums it up, podcasting is where people go for quote, the conversation behind the headlines.
Audacy just made a major move signing the MeidasTouch network as its exclusive audio partner starting September 1st.
That puts the entire slate including my zealous brother's Midas Touch podcast, currently the most downloaded and viewed political show in the country, directly into Odyssey's podcast and ecosystem. Episodes will keep dropping every Tuesday and Friday, plus rapid fire breaking news hits streaming everywhere else podcasts live and still on YouTube. For MeidasTouch, it's another step in building a next generation independent news network.
For Audacy, it's a big boost in its news talk lineup and a pipeline to one of the most energized audiences in digital media. Ben Meiselas says the partnership supercharges their mission to scale independent journalism. The bottom line, two fast growing forces in digital news just linked up and the audio footprint is about to get a lot louder.
And here's a story that's just not going away. Spotify just launched a big, shiny add skip button for podcast ads. Not a hack, an actual skip this ad button. Their bet? Listeners stay loyal to Spotify, not creators. Cut creator revenue, the audience stays put. The data shows otherwise. 75% of listeners love their favorite podcast. 59% would consider leaving if the host left. 73% follow creators from audio to video and 71% follow them for long form to short form. Listeners follow creators, not apps. And here's the kicker. Most listeners sit through non-skippable ads to keep the shows free. Spotify is fixing something that wasn't broken. And while facing a class action lawsuit from RBX over diverted royalties, this miscalculation is simple. One, making skipping ads effortless. Two, slash creator revenue. Three, creators move their best shows. Four, audiences follow. And five, Spotify's left with leftovers. Your leverage is real. Audiences are loyal to you, not the platform. YouTube is rising. Apple's adding video. Amazon's in the mix. Spotify's betting listeners won't follow creators. Everything in the data says they will. And that's it for today.
If you enjoyed the episode, hit follow on Apple Podcasts so you don't miss tomorrow's show. And you can hear us on all podcasting platforms like Spotify and Podchasers. And in Tuesday's show, people aren't watching your video, they're listening to it. Got a favorite tip from today's conversation? Drop a quick review. It helps the show grow and keeps these episodes coming. I'm Gary Spurgeon, and this is Podcasting by the Numbers. And remember, you're only one podcast away from changing your world.