It’s been 101 years since the first audio advertisement hit the airwaves. And ever since—as the audio space innovated from terrestrial to digital to satellite—marketers have been along for the ride, trying to reach listeners where they are.

For the last 20 years, growth in audio has come through podcasts. At any given time, there are more than 3 million active podcasts in production. According to Statista, global listens will top 450 million this year. And where there are listeners, there are advertisers. Audio continues to provide some of the most dynamic opportunities for marketers.

In this special issue, we look at how advertisers are reaching new listeners as Adweek honors the best in audio for 2023.