Are Podcasts So Popular Because People Are Lonelier Than Ever Before?

We’re currently living through an epidemic of loneliness. While it was exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, the trend toward loneliness began well before 2020. Now, in the wake of all those forced lockdowns and social distancing, rates of loneliness among young adults, in particular, have skyrocketed. 

According to a recent Harvard study, “43% of young adults reported increases in loneliness since the outbreak of the pandemic. About half of lonely young adults in our survey reported that no one in the past few weeks had ‘taken more than just a few minutes’ to ask how they are doing in a way that made them feel like the person ‘genuinely cared.’”

If that sounds bad, then buckle up because the statistics for younger generations are even worse. The study also found that “36% of respondents reported serious loneliness – feeling lonely ‘frequently’ or ‘almost all the time or all the time’ in the four weeks prior to the survey. This included 61% of young people aged 18-25.” 

The Loneliest Generation

Humans are social creatures (yes, even introverted ones), and we need connection in order to feel happy and satisfied with our lives. Social isolation and loneliness are linked to higher rates of anxiety, depression, and even dementia. A recent advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General found that “Lacking social connection is as dangerous as smoking up to 15 cigarettes per day.” 

We already know that Gen Z experiences higher rates of depression and anxiety than any generation preceding them, even millennials. The “most depressed generation” is lacking the social connection and intimacy humans need in order to thrive. When we fail to find a sense of community or connection in our daily lives, we seek it out in other places, and Gen Z is turning to the place they know best: the internet. 

Many Gen Zers don’t even remember a time before the internet, and they spend more time online than any other generation. This helps to explain the rise in their use of social media, but they’re also leading the charge when it comes to podcast listenership. 

According to a 2022 Spotify Culture Next Report, “Gen Z podcast listeners in the U.S. increased by 62% on Spotify between Q1 2022 and the year prior. In comparing Gen Z to other podcast audiences, they are growing at twice the rate of other demographic groups.” Of course, you could argue that Gen Z is more tech savvy than older generations and can find podcasts more easily. Perhaps there’s some truth to that, but it doesn’t take a tech wiz to figure out how to play a podcast. There has to be something else going on here. 

How Podcasts Fill the Loneliness Void

Podcasts provide a more intimate listening experience than other mediums. Think about it: You typically listen to a podcast alone, and many shows (like Joe Rogan, for example) go on for hours. During that time, you feel a genuine connection with the person (or people) whose voice is reverberating in your eardrums. Podcast hosts and their guests often share personal anecdotes and banter about things that have nothing to do with the topic at hand.

Over the course of a single show, you get a very good sense of the host’s personality, and if you’re an avid listener, you might even be able to guess how they’re going to feel about a certain topic before they speak on it. You feel like you know them, so much so that your favorite podcast hosts might even begin to feel like your friends. 

One caveat here: I’m not saying that everyone who enjoys podcasts is suffering from extreme loneliness. I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who have lovely lives and a thriving social circle and still love podcasts, and that’s great. But for people who lack connection in their personal lives, it's likely that listening to podcasts helps them fill that void. 

When you’re listening to a good podcast, it genuinely feels like you’re sitting around having an interesting discussion with a group of your friends. You laugh along with them, hang on their every word, and deeply consider your own thoughts on the topic they’re discussing. 

The connection podcast listeners feel with their favorite hosts helps many lonely people feel some form of bond that they’re missing in their personal lives. Listening to podcasts is also a way to feel a connection with someone without expending any of your own mental energy or effort. Building social connections in the real world requires you to be selfless, get out of your comfort zone, and occasionally put yourself in uncomfortable social situations, all of which can be scary. 

Considering the fact that over half of Gen Z struggles with anxiety, it’s understandable that they’d opt for listening to a podcast over going to a party in order to feel a sense of social connection. Parties and other social outings can bring on social anxiety even in people who aren’t chronically anxious. It’s difficult to go into a social situation where you don’t know a lot of people. It’s much easier to stay home and listen to a podcast, where you can feel like you’re hanging out with a group of friends, sans any social awkwardness. You still feel the connection you’re craving, but it takes no effort on your part. 

Is This a Bad Thing?

I’m a huge fan of podcasts and an avid listener of many different shows, so I’m in no way arguing that they’re bad. In fact, I think the long-form podcast format is one of the best ways to strengthen our social dialogue on many topics. In a good podcast, you’re exposed to a variety of different views, some of which you might disagree with. You get the chance to examine a topic from multiple different angles and create your own opinion. That is undoubtedly a good thing. 

It’s important to remember, however, that podcasts are also a form of entertainment, similar to TV shows and movies. This is especially true of pop culture-related podcasts. Entertainment isn’t bad in and of itself, but you need to have boundaries. And while it’s totally fine to feel a sense of connection with your favorite podcast hosts, that connection should supplement the real social bonds you have in your life – not replace them. 

Closing Thoughts

We all feel lonely sometimes, and that’s okay. Feeling a little lonely or depressed at certain points in your life is completely normal. But when that happens, fight the urge to retreat inward and shut the world out. It might be the last thing you want to do, but seeking out connection with your friends and family will make you feel better. So take out your earbuds and go hang out with a friend instead. You can always come back to your favorite podcast later. 

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