Golden Globes Launching Best Podcast Category In 2026

The Golden Globes are officially stepping into nan integer age. Beginning successful 2026, nan show will coming a Best Podcast category, spotlighting audio creators alongside movie and tv stars.

The announcement, made Wednesday, May 7, marks nan first clip a awesome awards show will see podcasts arsenic portion of its honors.

Golden Globes clasp integer storytelling

The caller class reflects nan increasing power of podcasts, which person go a cardinal portion of world media consumption. According to nan Golden Globes, nan grant will observe “the productivity and power of creators worldwide.”

Six nominees will beryllium chosen each twelvemonth from nan 25 most-listened-to podcasts that made a important effect complete nan past year. Additional specifications astir eligibility criteria and nan class itself will travel successful nan pursuing weeks.

Although different awards, specified arsenic nan iHeartRadio Podcast Awards and nan British Podcast Awards, person agelong recognized excellence successful podcasting, this Golden Globes move brings unprecedented visibility to nan medium.

Who are nan apical contenders?

While it’s excessively early to foretell finalists, existent podcast charts connection clues astir which creators mightiness onshore a nomination.

On Spotify, ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ held nan No. 1 spot arsenic of Thursday, May 8. Rogan, 1 of nan world’s astir celebrated podcasters, is often astatine nan apical of nan charts.

Other celebrated independent podcasts see Theo Von’s This Past Weekend, Steven Bartlett’s ‘The Diary of a CEO,’ and ‘Good Hang pinch Amy Poehler.’

Organizations are besides awesome players successful nan space. True crime-hit ‘Crime Junkie’ and ‘The Daily’ by The New York Times presently rank 4th and 5th connected Spotify.

On Apple Podcasts, nan rankings look a spot different. ‘The Mel Robbins Podcast’ and ‘Good Hang pinch Amy Poehler’ clasp nan first and 2nd spots. The New York Times’ ‘The Daily’ is astatine No. 3, pinch ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ slipping to No. 4.

These charts show conscionable really competitory nan podcast scenery has go crossed different platforms.

Podcasts are increasing fast

The Golden Globes’ caller class comes astatine a pivotal infinitesimal for podcasting. Riverside, a celebrated podcast signaling platform, reported that complete 450 cardinal people listened to podcasts globally successful 2023. That number is expected to emergence to 619 cardinal by 2026.

In nan United States, 34% of Americans perceive to an mean of 8.3 podcast episodes per week.

Podcasts are particularly celebrated among younger audiences. About 84% of young listeners opportunity they tune successful to excavation deeper into topics aliases research perspectives that aren’t often covered by accepted media.

Comedy, news and existent crime stay nan astir celebrated podcast genres. However, wellness and wellness shows are presently seeing nan fastest maturation crossed each categories.

This wide entreaty underscores why nan Golden Globes are making room for podcasts successful their lineup.

Podcasts haven’t conscionable been entertaining, but they’ve influenced real-world events. In nan 2024 election, ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ made headlines hosting President Donald Trump, while Rogan declined nan terms of erstwhile Vice President Kamala Harris’ interview. The question and reply pinch Trump brought astir days of sum underscoring really podcasts person go powerful platforms that tin style governmental narratives and scope millions extracurricular of accepted media. 

Podcasting fills a gap

As accepted TV viewing declines, podcasting is stepping successful to capable nan void. A caller Forbes study highlighted a study showing that nan percent of Americans watching TV for much than 3 hours a time dropped by 3 percent points successful 2024. Rising subscription costs are 1 logic down nan trend.

Helen Hoehne, president of nan Golden Globes organization, said nan caller grant is portion of a broader strategy to germinate pinch nan times.

“Podcasts person emerged arsenic a profound mean for sharing narratives and building communities crossed world borders and generations,” Hoehne said successful nan announcement. “By celebrating achievements successful some audio and ocular podcasts, we purpose to grant our practice categories while making room for caller voices and formats to beryllium heard.”