Pocket FM Playback 2024: Crafting A Sonic Revolution in Entertainment
Feb. 3 2025, Published 2:00 a.m. ET
At a time when dozens of streaming services are vying for eyeballs, Pocket FM, the Indian audio tech startup, is quietly and swiftly rewriting the rulebook for users’ attention — not on screens, but in sound.
Consider this: more than 100 billion minutes streamed, 45 million transactions made, and an ever-expanding demographic streaming an average of 135 minutes daily in the US, favoring audio over traditional entertainment forms. The numbers above were revealed in Playback 2024 by the world’s largest audio series company earlier this week.
Yet, beyond the statistics lies a story of reinvention, persistence, and timeless human craving for stories.
The evolution of listening
Pocket FM’s meteoric rise can be seen as an ambitious sequel to the golden age of radio, which almost went into oblivion for decades after television, especially cable television, took center stage.
When Pocket FM started its journey six years back, audio entertainment was synonymous with music. Non-music audio entertainment was unprecedented. Even global biggies’ experiments with podcasts and audiobooks did not yield much success.
The Indian audio tech platform, however, reimagined non-music entertainment in the age of fleeting attention span with its episodic audio storytelling in a way that now seems more like a cultural phenomenon. Of course, the inherent convenience factor of audio did help.
Listeners, primarily Gen Z and Millennials, have embraced audio series not just as entertainment but as a companion to their daily rituals. Morning commutes, late-night musings, or stolen hours during work breaks now carry the accompaniment of romance, fantasy, or thriller stories whispered directly into their ears.
According to Pocket FM’s Playback 2024, romance and drama have emerged as the dominant genres globally, followed by fantasy, horror, sci-fi, and thriller. In the US, the platform’s footprint grew remarkably, with major cities like Houston, Chicago, and Atlanta becoming hotspots of engagement. Audio series like “Saving Nora” and “Rekindled Heartache” drew over 30 million plays each, underscoring the universal resonance of well-told tales.
The power of AI meets the art of storytelling
Pocket FM’s growth is fuelled by its innovative use of AI, an often-dreaded force in creative industries. However, the Indian audio tech company has turned AI into a collaborator rather than a competitor. The platform scaled its content library 36 times through AI-generated audio series while doubling its roster of human-narrated stories.
The synergetic use of machine efficiency and human creativity has helped the Indian startup boost scalability. By bridging cultural gaps with relatable narratives and leveraging AI to adapt formats and languages, Pocket FM has managed to extend its global reach without diluting authenticity.
During the past year, seven of Pocket FM’s audio series generated more than $10 million in revenue — a 600% jump from 2023 — and 35 audio series each generated more than $1 million in revenue.
“We are not just building a platform. We are fostering a global community. Audio series are no longer a niche — they are the next evolution of storytelling, and 2024 was the year that proved their mainstream potential,” said Rohan Nayak, CEO and co-founder of Pocket FM.
A day in the life of a listener
One of the most interesting insights from Pocket FM’s Playback 2024 is when and how people consume content on the platform. The study revealed that the Indian audio series company has carved a niche as a 24/7 entertainment source.
Late-night listening shows a curious shift, accounting for nearly 23% of total consumption. For many, audio series have replaced traditional TV binges or social media scrolling, offering a quieter, more immersive way to unwind.
Over 200,000 listeners spent three or more hours on the Pocket FM app daily, and 10,000 engaged for over 3,000 hours annually. These numbers undoubtedly challenge conventional wisdom about the limits of engagement in digital entertainment.
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What lies ahead
Questions remain: How long can Pocket FM sustain its growth? Can audio storytelling continue to compete with the visual spectacles of modern social media platforms or streaming services? The answer may lie in the platform’s ability to remain adaptive and innovative.
Already, Pocket FM is setting its sights on making audio series a staple of mainstream entertainment. In 2025, the company aims to translate its growing library into cinematic adaptations and transmedia ventures, creating a seamless flow between audio and visual storytelling.
The future of storytelling, it seems, is more auditory than visual.
