Golden Globes launching best podcast category in 2026

Before you roll your eyes at your partner for wanting to start a podcast like everyone else these days, it might actually pay off

The Golden Globes just announced a brand new category, Best Podcast Debuting in 2026

The award show is taking a big step into the digital age, recognizing that some of today's most compelling storytelling doesn't just happen on the big screen

This marks the first time a major award show will honor podcasts alongside film and television

Podcasts have long had their own spotlight with awards like the iHeartRadio Podcast Awards and the British Podcast Awards honoring creators from both mainstream and independent backgrounds

But the Golden Globe's entry brings a new visibility to the medium. Each year, six nominees will be chosen from the 25 most listened to podcasts that have, quote

made a significant impact over the past year, celebrating the creativity and influence of creators worldwide

So who might be a frontrunner? It's too early to say, but the current podcast charts give us a pretty good hint

On Spotify, the Joe Rogan Experience holds the number one spot as of Thursday

Train by day, Joe Rogan podcast by night, all day. Trailing behind are big names like Theo Vaughn, Stephen Bartlett and Amy Poehler

Meanwhile, podcasts like Crime Junkie and the New York Times' The Daily are also in the top 10

Now over on Apple Podcasts the Mel Robbins Podcast and Good Hang with Amy Poehler hold the top two spots followed by The Daily at number three with Joe Rogan sliding into fourth During the 2024 election the Joe Rogan experience made headlines for

hosting President Trump, a move that sparked days of news coverage. Former Vice President

Kamala Harris's campaign offered an interview, but Rogan declined the terms of it, saying he

would have had to travel to her. Riverside, a popular podcast recording platform, says over

450 million people listen to podcasts worldwide in 2023, with that number expected to hit 619

million by 2026. In the U.S. alone, 34% of Americans listen to about eight episodes per week

and 84% of younger listeners say they tune in to go deeper into topics or to hear perspectives

they don't get from traditional media. Comedy, news, and true crime remain the most popular

genres, but health and wellness shows are seeing the fastest growth. And it's no coincidence this

category is launching now. A Forbes report highlights that the number of Americans watching

more than three hours of TV a day dropped by three percentage points in 2024. Rising streaming costs

played a role and podcasts are one of the medians filling that gap. Golden Globe's president said

podcasts have emerged as a profound medium for sharing narratives and building communities across

global borders and generations. By celebrating achievements in both audio and visual podcasts

we aim to honor our heritage categories while making room for new voices and formats to be heard

With Straight Arrow News, I'm Kennedy Felton. Download our app or visit san.com for more