More than 1bn plays on BBC Sounds in 2020 and That Peter Crouch Podcast most popular of year
Podcast listening continues to climb and is up 21 percent
With an unusual Christmas around the corner, BBC Sounds hopes to bring listeners some joy and festive cheer with podcast specials, new sci fi drama The Cipher, boxsets to indulge in and brilliant Christmas music.”
In 2020 (January to November) there have been 1.1 billion UK plays of radio, music and podcasts on BBC Sounds. Over a similar period in 2019 (February - November 2019) there were 630 million plays.
New data also shows there were 460 million plays of podcasts and on demand radio programmes on BBC Sounds in the UK in 2020, with a 21% increase in podcast listening since the start of the year.
The most popular podcasts of 2020 in the UK (based on BBC Sounds plays between January and November) were:
1. That Peter Crouch Podcast - the most listened to episode this year was when Prince William joined Peter, Chris and Tom
2. Newscast - the most popular episode was Lockdown 2.0
3. You’re Dead To Me - most indulged in episode was the History Of Chocolate
4. Grounded with Louis Theroux - Louis’ conversation with Jon Ronson proved the most popular
5. Fortunately… with Fi and Jane - Everything Is Elasticated With Jonathan Freedland was the most listened to
6. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
7. The Lovecraft Investigations: the latest instalment The Shadow Over Innsmouth followed The Case Of Charles Dexter Ward And The Whisperer In Darkness
8. Manhunt: Finding Kevin Parle
9. Evil Genius with Russell Kane
Jonathan Wall, Controller of BBC Sounds, says: “In such a difficult year it’s no surprise that people have listened to this mix of audio on BBC Sounds. Many turned to Newscast for in-depth but accessible information, Austen featured in efforts to educate youngsters, and the music team helped people hold at-home Glastonbury festivals and sound tracked outdoor exercising with mixes like Pace Setter.
"During a time of isolation for many, listeners enjoyed the company of Peter Crouch, Fi and Jane, and Louis Theroux, and the escapism of the Lovecraft dramas, full of the occult and secret government operations.
“With an unusual Christmas around the corner, BBC Sounds hopes to bring listeners some joy and festive cheer with podcast specials, new sci fi drama The Cipher, boxsets to indulge in and brilliant Christmas music.”
Many of our podcasts particularly appeal to younger audiences and the podcasts with the largest proportion of under-35 listeners this year were Alhan’s World, The YUNGBLUD Podcast and 6 Degrees from Jamie and Spencer.
In 2020 BBC podcasts have also been recognised with prestigious awards, in particular: Brown Girls Do It Too won podcast of the year at the British Podcast Awards; and Have You Heard George’s Podcast? was the first podcast outside of the United States to win a Peabody Award.
BBC Sounds has a range of music programmes and mixes to suit different moods, which feature music from across genres and the BBC’s stations including both contemporary and classic tracks. The most popular on-demand music programmes and mixes on BBC Sounds in the UK were: Sounds Of The 90s with Fearne Cotton, Glastonbury sets and programmes, and the Pace Setter mix.
Many people listen live or on demand to their favourite radio programmes on BBC Sounds. The most popular on demand programmes this year included The Archers, Desert Island Discs and Agatha Christie’s classic fictional sleuths Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple.
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