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There’s no denying that podcasts have become increasingly popular. Spotify podcasts, from thrilling crime to chilling scary ones, have captivated people. Podcasts make mundane tasks like commuting, cleaning, or cooking more entertaining. In this blog, we’ll discuss what led to the rise of podcasts and why people love them so much.
The Intersection of Radio and Podcasts
Let’s start things off with Zach Sang. Zach, the Zach Sang Show host, has been in the industry for over 16 years. When you Google his name, the internet will tell you Zach Sang is an American radio DJ. In August of 2022, the New York Times covered a feature on him titled “Zach Sang, the Ryan Seacrest of the Youth, Wants to Save Radio,” dubbing his Gen-Z’s Ryan Seacrest.
They discussed his latest collaboration with Amazon in a new radio show called Amp. As a result, Zach Sang’s channel has garnered over 700,000 subscribers and over 160 million views on YouTube.
Zach Sang will frequently interview celebrities from both sides of the industry: long-time influencers such as Trisha Paytas and Tana Mongeau have been featured on the channel, and also established artists such as Blackpink and Ariana Grande have also sat in for long conversations with the show host.
On a recent episode with scandalous YouTuber Tana Mongeau, “Tana Mongeau | Jeff Wittek, David Dobrik, Cancelled, Sobriety,” Mongeau called Sang “the greatest interviewer of our Generation.” The rise of Zach Sang and the conversation on the radio is not so different from the rise of a more prominent internet phenomenon as of late: the rise of podcasts.
The Rise of Podcasts
Podcasts, or podcasting, are content media that listeners use only to stream and listen to on platforms like Spotify or Apple Music. However, with the love for YouTube and its algorithm’s promotion of long-form content, podcasts in a video format are becoming increasingly popular. Audiences are more than willing to watch an hour-long video of their favorite influencers discussing the latest trends and internet drama. This shift has also opened up new avenues for podcast advertising, allowing brands to connect with highly engaged audiences. Advertisers can tap into the intimate and trusted nature of podcasts, leveraging host-read ads or sponsorships to promote their products and services effectively.
Therefore, with the direction toward more long-form content coupled with the internet’s increasing interest in the personal lives of celebrities and influencers alike, the rise of podcasts where public figures can talk about their experiences, trials, and tribulations. Actress Jane Fonda and singer Miley Cyrus have even taken to the mic of many large podcasts to speak their truth, and their fans are tuned to the fullest extent.
Call Her Daddy
In the thick of the Covid-19 Pandemic, the now sole host of the internet’s largest podcasts, Alexandra Cooper, posted a video to the Call Her Daddy YouTube channel called “The Truth about Call Her Daddy.” Before its upload, Call Her Daddy hosts Alex Cooper and Sofia Franklyn were the internet’s latest fad.
The girls had appeared on other podcasts promoting their Barstool feature, such as Logan Paul’s Impaulsive in a two-part episode: “THE CALL HER DADDY GIRLS GET SLOPPY (PART 1) – IMPAULSIVE EP. 61” and “CALL HER DADDY SHOWS US HOW TO GET LAID (PART 2) – IMPAULSIVE EP. 62” that reached nearly 2 million views on the Impaulsive channel alone.
Their friendship and business relationship were at the forefront of many podcast episodes and cemented their ability to speak on the dynamics of friendships and relationships throughout their podcast show, contributing to the overall rise of podcasts. Call Her Daddy was the first of its kind, speaking on taboo topics of female pleasure and the navigation of love as a woman in her early 20s. Soon, Alex and Sofia had built a core following that they affectionately called the “Daddy Gang.”
Cooper’s Rise in the Industry
The podcast’s glitz and glamor took a turn for the worst when news of their demise hit the internet. Cooper and Franklyn were accused of asking for outrageous terms in a draft of their new contract. To put all the rumors to rest and to set the record straight, Alex Cooper took the narrative into her own hands and posted a video discussing the truth about the situation.
The video garnered over 4.2 million views and detailed Cooper’s industry rise, collaboration with Dave Portnoy, and her journey toward gaining the podcast’s IP. She told her audience moving forward that Call Her Daddy would be a podcast with a single host but would still stay true to its roots.
The Aftermath: Sofia with an F
Since then, the Call Her Daddy podcast has struck a famous 60 million dollar deal with Spotify taking the #2 spot on the Podcast charts, and the discussion has taken a turn towards mental health, the importance of therapy, and women’s rights. The rise of podcasts has led to the careers and features of many prominent figures showing a side of themselves that would have otherwise stayed behind closed doors.
Former Disney Channel star Cole Sprouse was one of the latest stars to grace the podcast. He discussed his difficulty reconciling with childhood fame and navigating relationships with his Riverdale co-star. He received a lot of backlash on Twitter for discussions of his relationship with Lili Reinhart, even still.
The rise of podcasts led to the revitalization of Sofia Franklyn as well. In October 2020, just months after her fall from grace, Sofia Franklyn posted to her Instagram an announcement of her podcast, Sofia with an F, with Sloots Media. In the post, she captioned the photo of her new podcast, “I’m back. Link in bio. Subscribe sloots 💫“.
Since then, Sofia has begun to build her own brand and podcast platform separate from her Call Her Daddy past. She has featured figures such as Amber Rose and Mike Majlak on her podcast to discuss their online journey and the cost of fame.
The Love of Podcasts
So what’s the reason for the rise of podcasts?
The public has long loved and vied for the juicy details of celebrities whose lives are only seen on their picturesque Instagram feed. The rise of podcasts is indicative of this issue. However, the rise of podcasts is also correlated with the notion of infiltrating the celebrity circle. Podcast interviews humanize the celebrities and influencers we see on a day-to-day basis. Like reality TV, podcasts hone celebrities’ lives and beliefs.
Long-form and indulgent conversations about formerly taboo and unspoken topics are now the highlights of podcasts themselves. Creators and users can connect and intersect their love for authentic conversation to yield a deeper connection between figures and fans. In addition, podcasts make celebrities and their content feel more authentic, something businesses and creators strive to have.
