In an era where anyone with a microphone and a laptop can become a “content creator,” the podcasting world is experiencing a saturation point. While the medium once stood as a platform for thoughtful, in-depth storytelling, education, and expert-led discussions, many listeners today are asking: What happened to quality?

to listen to.” That’s the most common sentiment expressed in thousands of one-star podcast reviews posted on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other streaming platforms. But the issue goes far deeper than bad sound quality or awkward hosts. What we’re witnessing is the widespread erosion of standards in podcast production, fueled by monetization models, influencer culture, and a race for viral content.

From Golden Age to Content Chaos

Rewind to the early 2010s. Podcasts like Serial, This American Life, and Radiolab captured the public’s imagination. These shows combined meticulous research, professional editing, and strong narratives to create episodes that sounded more like documentaries than casual conversations. Journalists, scientists, and artists found a space to explore nuanced topics outside the limitations of traditional media.

Fast forward to 2025, and the landscape is unrecognizable. The explosion of “chatcast” formats—typically featuring two or more hosts riffing off each other for an hour or more—has changed the industry. Many of these shows are unscripted, unedited, and, critics argue, unbearable.

It felt like eavesdropping on two people who think they’re way funnier than they are,” said Miranda Lowe, a 34-year-old marketing executive and longtime podcast listener. “They spent 45 minutes talking about their breakfast and inside jokes. I wanted to learn something, not sit through verbal clutter.”

The Monetization Dilemma

A significant driver of this trend is the monetization structure of podcasting. Advertising revenue is generally based on downloads and listen-through rates, not quality. As a result, quantity often trumps content.

Podcasts are now built around algorithms, not audiences,” explained James Kent, a former podcast producer who left the industry in 2023. “The more episodes you pump out, the more ad revenue you can generate—even if each one is garbage.”

This has led to creators prioritizing clickbait titles and controversial hot takes over substance. In some cases, podcast hosts intentionally court outrage or misinformation to boost engagement. The incentives are clear: a viral moment can translate into thousands of new followers and lucrative sponsorships.

Take the infamous case ofThe Loud Lounge, a pop-culture podcast that became an overnight sensation after one host claimed that “reading books is obsolete.” The statement was widely mocked, but downloads skyrocketed. Sponsors followed.

That clip was meant to go viral,” a person familiar with the production told us under condition of anonymity. “They didn’t believe what they were saying, but they knew it would catch fire. It’s a business model now: say something outrageous, get clipped on TikTok, rake in the ad dollars.”

A Generation of Microphones, But No Editors

Another core issue is the absence of editorial oversight. Traditional media formats have layers of fact-checking, editing, and accountability. Most podcasts don’t.

If you listen to the average episode, you’ll hear filler words, long silences, and completely inaccurate information,” said Lauren Park, a podcast editor based in New York. “Some hosts record for 90 minutes and just upload the raw file. No cuts. No filters. It’s painful.”

Park estimates that around 80% of new podcasts she encounters are “barely edited, if at all.” Worse, many hosts don’t seem to care.

There’s this false belief that ‘authenticity’ means doing zero work,” Park added. “But the best authentic-sounding podcasts are usually the most heavily edited. It takes effort to sound effortless.”

The Influence of Influencers

As YouTubers, TikTokers, and Instagram personalities expand into audio, their fans follow. But the skills that work in short-form video don’t always translate to audio storytelling. Many of these influencers lack media training, research skills, or even basic communication techniques.

What results is a deluge of podcasts that feel more like vanity projects than serious content.

I listened to one episode where the host spent ten minutes describing their outfit,” said Kieran Doyle, a podcast reviewer and media critic. “Then they giggled about how they forgot the topic. That episode had 500,000 listens. It’s surreal.”

Critics argue that this influx of influencer-led podcasts lowers the bar for the entire medium. Legitimate creators with backgrounds in journalism or academia struggle to gain traction while flashy personalities dominate the charts.

Is There Still Hope?

Not all is lost. There are still thousands of high-quality, independent podcasts pushing boundaries and telling meaningful stories. Shows like Maintenance Phase, You’re Wrong About, and Decoder Ring continue to uphold the journalistic and creative values that made podcasting so powerful in the first place.

Streaming platforms have also begun to respond to the quality crisis. Spotify and Apple have introduced editorial curation and promoted content by verified experts. Yet critics argue it’s too little, too late.

We’re at a point where the noise is drowning out the signal,” said Kent. “You could spend hours scrolling and still not find a single podcast worth your time.”

The Listeners Are Fighting Back

Some podcast fans are beginning to speak out. Online forums and subreddits dedicated to podcast criticism have exploded in recent years. YouTube creators now make entire careers out of reviewing—and roasting—bad podcasts.

The most popular series? “This Was Painful to Listen To,” a YouTube channel with over 1 million subscribers, which dissects the worst episodes on the internet.

The creator, who goes by “Lexie Rants,” says she started the channel out of frustration. “I just wanted to enjoy a podcast without cringing every five seconds. So I started calling them out. Turns out, I wasn’t alone.”

Lexie’s channel has become a hub for listeners who feel alienated by the current state of podcasting. Her videos are part comedy, part critique, and part catharsis.

We’re not being snobs,” she insists. “We just want people to try. We want effort. Passion. Structure. Something more than two bored influencers talking about their horoscopes for an hour.”

With AI tools now able to generate podcast scripts, clone voices, and automate editing, the future of podcasting could swing in either direction. Automation might improve sound quality and accessibility—but it could also lead to even more derivative, soulless content.