Twenty years ago, Apple helped the podcast format go mainstream. The tech giant added podcasts (named, appropriately, after the Apple iPod) to iTunes, dramatically improving their accessibility and reach.
In 2012, Apple launched a standalone a podcast app, making access even easier, while adding new functionality. Later this year for example, it will add more options for playback speed, as well as an enhanced dialogue feature, meant to improve sound clarity and allow for more customization.
With podcasts booming into a much more mature business, Apple has introduced more advanced suite of tools for podcast creators like analytics and paid subscriptions, while also rolling out a consumer campaign that celebrates the 20th anniversary of the format it sparked.
That campaign is called “20 Years, 20 Podcasts We Love,” and is rolling out Thursday, highlighting a range of shows across categories and formats that changed podcasting.
Among the shows making the cut are Serial, This American Life, Las Culturistas, Call Her Daddy, The Daily, Acquired, and Baby, this is Keke Palmer. The list was curated by the Apple Podcasts editorial team.
“Podcasts have shaped culture, built communities, and sparked conversations, so we’re excited to celebrate this important milestone for the medium,” said Oliver Schusser, vp at Apple. “For 20 years, Apple has been the home for podcasts, giving creators a global platform to share their stories, and providing users with an incredible way to explore and listen to their favorite podcasts. What began with 3,000 shows in iTunes 20 years ago has grown into a global platform, which in 2024 saw more listeners, plays, and subscribers than ever before.”
Added This American Life host Ira Glass about the format: “There’s nobody above us telling us ‘don’t do this, don’t do that.’ There’s no studio executives, there’s no network, and if we think it’ll be interesting for people to hear it goes out in the world. It makes podcasts such a refreshing part of the culture. If you think about other things that have a mass audience, they’re not like that. They go through layers and layers of market testing. Whereas a podcast can go out to millions of people because the creators know it will be interesting and be moving.”
Las Culturistas‘ Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang said they were honored to be included. “Las Culturistas has opened so many doors for us — professionally, emotionally, and literally (we’re renovating our homes). We’d like to thank our incredible Readers, Publicists, Kayteighs, and Finalists, without whom we’d just be two trees falling in a forest with no one around to hear us scream (we’re mixing expressions here),” said the co-hosts.
“I’m so happy to be part of the ’20 Years, 20 Podcasts We Love’ list. I have always loved interviewing people, learning about them and jumping into other worlds,” added Keke Palmer, host of Baby, This is Keke Palmer. “When I started the podcast, I was excited that it would allow me to have longform conversations and explore topics that I don’t typically touch in the other things that I do. It’s a real honor that this show has moved people and meant something to them.”
