I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s time for PC Podcast to retire. I know, I know, I’ve said it in the past and I’m still here wittering on about it. I first suggested it in December 2010. Then I won the “Best Personality” section in the European Podcast Awards and naturally changed my mind. Then in July 2015 I stopped after show #500 only to reappear at the end of May 2016 with a Great Escape episode. On both occasions I felt I’d had enough. I was tired and a bit down.

This time it feels different. I think the tide has changed. There are now more podcasts than ever and my little show is getting lost in all the noise. Plus I think podcasts are now the medium of talk and opinion, not of music. True crime, plus endless talk about politics. Celebrities talking to other celebrities about other celebrities. Endlessly. Music podcasts seem to have shrunk into the background.

Add to that music consumption has changed irrevocably. Although many radio shows still get some reasonable listenership, most people discover music through generated algorithms or via curated or generated playlists on the big platforms like Apple Music or Spotify. I have to say the approach works. I have found lots of new artists to enjoy based on how much I use Spotify and how much it understands my tastes. Algorithms work.

In other mediums I have tried creating monthly Spotify playlists based on my shows, but I have gained no traction. My YouTube uploads have had to stop as more and more artists register their tracks’ digital signatures for copyright. This even includes some of the creative commons licensed tracks. My Mixcloud uploads have never gained any traction and only my Hearthis.at uploads have made it worth the effort to share on that platform. My samplers are fun to create and get a few shares on TikTok, but it’s just a social media sideshow.

My podcast download stats have hit rock bottom. In the 19 years I have been producing the show they have never been this low. There are a few dedicated souls who still download, like social media posts and occasionally comment in email, but fewer and fewer each week.

AI is also a game changer. Pretty soon there will be AI shows out there that will leverage algorithms and playlists and create a full audio-visual experience targeted at the music podcast audience. Just stay away from anything called Skynet!

Don’t get me wrong. I still love searching out new music and sharing with people. I just think podcasts are not the way to do this anymore. Especially for a niche show like PCP.
So, we have reached the end game for PCP. By the end of 2024 I will have wrapped up the show and laid it to rest in the time capsules that are petecogle.co.uk and archive.org. I don’t feel that sad. I gave birth to the podcast; it grew up and moved on. What more can a parent want?

The Dub Zone will continue for the foreseeable future. It still gets some traction, although less than the “good old days”. It’s still fun and quite easy to make.