Audio Always
Independent UK audio production company producing podcasts, radio programmes, and audiobooks for the BBC, Spotify, Amazon Music, Wondery+, and other platforms, while operating a proprietary podcast slate (Help I Sexted My Boss, Always True Crime) and studios in Manchester and London.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersManchester, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Audio Always does
Audio Always is an independent audio production company founded in 2012 at MediaCityUK in Salford, Greater Manchester, where the BBC relocated parts of its operations that year. The company develops, produces, and delivers podcasts, radio programmes, and audiobooks, operating across two locations — a headquarters at MediaCityUK (Manchester) housing podcast studios, radio production facilities, and a large ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement) studio, plus a London podcast studio at Farringdon — using professional recording infrastructure with ISDN, Source Connect, and Mevo-enabled visual podcast capability.
The business is structured around two intersecting engines. The first is a B2B production services arm that delivers commissioned radio programming to BBC networks (Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 5 Live, 6 Music, Asian Network) and produces podcasts and radio shows for commercial platforms and broadcasters including Spotify, Amazon Music, Wondery+, Global Player, talkSPORT, Absolute Radio, and the British Council. Revenue derives from production fees plus tiered distribution deals. The second is an owned-IP arm, Audio Always Originals (with the Always True Crime sub-network), where the company owns podcasts such as Help I Sexted My Boss (100M+ listens), Secret Mum Club, The Teen Commandments (an Apple Best podcast of 2025), The Girls Bathroom, and Get A Grip, monetising through advertising representation via Acast, brand partnerships led by an in-house sales team, Patreon subscriptions, live tours, and licensing extensions such as the Help I Sexted My Boss party game (Lucky Egg partnership) and Penguin audiobooks.
The company monetises through production-fee contracting, advertising revenue share, brand sponsorship, licensing, studio rental, live-event ticketing, and merchandise. Customer concentration is anchored on the BBC as the dominant commissioning counterparty, balanced by a diversified slate of commercial platforms and brand advertisers across comedy, true crime, lifestyle, parenting, and music verticals.
Audio Always firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Audio Always
- Legal name
- Audio Always
- Website
- https://audioalways.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Independent UK audio production company producing podcasts, radio programmes, and audiobooks for the BBC, Spotify, Amazon Music, Wondery+, and other platforms, while operating a proprietary podcast slate (Help I Sexted My Boss, Always True Crime) and studios in Manchester and London.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Audio Always industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Audio Production Services
- NAICS
- Sound Recording Studios (51224), Sound Recording Industries (5122), Sound Recording Studios (512240)
- SIC
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Podcast Networks & Studio Platforms (MPAIADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Audio Production & Podcasting (BPAFAIAE), Exclusive/Original Audio Content Studios (Audio Originals, Serialized Audio) (MPAJAIAF), Enterprise Audio Publishing & Private Podcast Platforms (MPAIADAI), Radio Content Production & Studios (On-air Production, Imaging, Jingles) (MPAIAEAL)
Keywords
Where Audio Always is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Manchester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Audio Always business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Broadcast Commissioning: Producing commissioned radio programmes for BBC networks (Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 5 Live, 6 Music, Asian Network) and commercial broadcasters. Revenue from production fees for delivering daily, weekly, and one-off shows.
- Podcast Production: Producing podcasts for platforms including Amazon Music, Spotify, Wondery+, and commercial representation via Acast. Revenue from production fees and advertising revenue share.
- Brand Partnerships and Sponsorship: Connecting podcast talent with brand partners for sponsorship campaigns. Sales team led by Sales Director Lisa Solman targeting brand partnerships with podcast audiences.
- Audio Always Originals: Proprietary original podcast content including Help I Sexted My Boss, Secret Mum Club, The Moon Under Water, Always True Crime network. Revenue from advertising, Patreon premium offerings, and licensing.
- Studio Rental: Renting studio facilities to production companies and creators for podcast recordings, audiobook projects, voiceover sessions, broadcast PR and tape sync.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels6 records
Audio Always product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Audio Always is an independent audio production company that develops, produces, and delivers podcasts, radio programmes, and audiobooks for broadcasters (BBC Radio networks) and commercial platforms (Spotify, Amazon Music, Wondery+). It operates the proprietary Audio Always Originals podcast network and offers professional audio/video studio rental facilities at MediaCityUK Manchester and Farringdon London for podcast recording, audiobook production, voiceover sessions, broadcast PR, and tape sync.
Product overview
Audio Always is the UK's largest independent audio production company outside London, founded at MediaCityUK in 2012. They develop, produce, and deliver podcasts, radio programmes, and audiobooks for listeners worldwide. The company operates the Audio Always Originals podcast network featuring dozens of shows including Help I Sexted My Boss (100M+ listens), The Teen Commandments (Apple's Best 2025), Secret Mum Club, Always True Crime network (UK True Crime, British Murders, Carrie Jade Does Not Exist, The Pitcairn Trials, Paranormia), Joe and James Fact Up, The Jack & Ash Show, The Girls Bathroom, Get A Grip, The Moon Under Water, and The Gossip Gays. They produce high-profile BBC shows including Craig Charles, Chris Hawkins, and Radcliffe and Maconie for BBC Radio 6 Music; Paddy McGuinness, OJ Borg, Good Morning Sunday, and Unwinds for BBC Radio 2; Life Hacks, Future Pop, and BBC Radio 1 Anthems for BBC Radio 1; Selector Radio for the British Council; and The Everyday Hustle for BBC Asian Network. The company also operates studio facilities in Manchester (Media City) and London (Farringdon) offering audio/video podcast recording, voiceover sessions, and audiobook production. In 2025, their podcasts achieved over 100 million downloads and views.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Audio Always Originals: The company's original podcast network featuring shows like Help I Sexted My Boss, Secret Mum Club, The Pitcairn Trials, and other owned podcast properties.
- Always True Crime
Products and services
- London Podcast Studios
- Manchester Podcast Studio
- Manchester Voiceover Studio
- Manchester Audio Booth
- Audio Always Originals
- BBC Radio Programme Production
- Audiobook Production
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 100 million podcast downloads and views in 2025
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Audio Always
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Audio Always technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Audio Always partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Global (Global Player)corePartnership giving Global Player exclusive access to Help I Sexted My Boss 24 hours before wide release. Connected Jordan North's Capital Breakfast audience with the podcast. Backed by nationwide cross-media campaign spanning podcasts, radio, Global Player, social, and digital outdoor advertising.
- Lucky Egg GamesminorPartnership to create Help I Sexted My Boss: The Official Party Game inspired by podcast hosts William Hanson and Jordan North. Features 250 cards with challenges from regular podcast features.
- Amazon MusiccoreCollaboration with Amazon Music for Help I Sexted My Boss 5th birthday Benidorm competition. Craig Strachan, Head of Podcasts Europe, Australia and New Zealand at Amazon Music stated Amazon Music's support for the podcast's milestone celebration.
- Manchester PrideminorOfficial Media Partner for Manchester Pride 2023. The Gossip Gays podcast at centre of coverage with hosts Danny Beard and DJ Billy Andrew providing backstage content from the festival.
- Lime PicturesminorCo-produced Hollyoaks podcast Don't Filter Feelings with Lime Pictures. Hosted by Lauren Layfield featuring conversations with influencers, celebrity guests, and Hollyoaks cast.
- AcastcoreCommercial representation partner for Audio Always Originals podcast network. Manages advertising sales and sponsorship for podcasts including Secret Mum Club, The Moon Under Water, The Teen Commandments, The Girls Bathroom.
- YMUcoreTalent agency representing podcast hosts. Working with Rhyanna Coleman and Grace Nicholson from YMU on podcast acquisitions including The Girls Bathroom and The Jack & Ash Show.
- Wondery+coreExclusive premiere partnership for True Crime limited series. The Mystic and The Mayor premiered exclusively on Wondery+ before wide release. Following chart-topping True Crime series including Carrie Jade Does Not Exist and The Pitcairn Trials.
- Bite Your Tongue ProductionsminorCo-production partner for The Mystic and The Mayor podcast with exec-producers Ailsa Rochester and Kelly Windsor Burgin, producer Pulama Kaufman.
- British Council (Selector Radio)coreProducing Selector Radio, the British Council's globally syndicated weekly radio show shared with more than 30 countries. Showcases UK music talent internationally.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Audio Always competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Acast: Global podcast hosting, monetization, and commercial representation platform. Audio Always uses Acast for podcast ad sales (so they are also partners), but Acast also produces and acquires original podcasts directly, making them a hybrid peer/partner.
- Audioboom: UK-based podcast hosting and production company that operates as both a platform and content producer, similar to Audio Always's hybrid model. Direct competitor in UK indie podcast production space with overlapping BBC and brand partnership dynamics.
- Lower Street Media: UK-based podcast production agency specializing in branded and original podcast content for enterprise clients. Comparable in scale and B2B production focus, serving similar BBC-adjacent and brand-funded production needs.
- DawBell: UK independent podcast and entertainment production company producing shows like Off Menu, No Such Thing as a Fish, and Rosebud with similar BBC and commercial relationships. Most directly comparable UK indie audio peer to Audio Always.
Broad incumbents
- Wondery (Amazon): Major podcast studio owned by Amazon, producing chart-topping original content and partnering with Audio Always for exclusive true crime premieres. A direct distribution partner but also a competitor producing original IP at larger scale.
- Global (Global Player): Major UK commercial radio broadcaster (Capital, Heart, Classic FM) operating Global Player platform. Distribution partner of Audio Always (24-hour exclusive windows) but also produces its own podcast and radio content at scale.
- BBC Studios Audio: In-house BBC production arm producing audio content for BBC Sounds and network radio. Direct competitor to Audio Always for BBC commissioning budgets, though Audio Always benefits from indie quota allocations.
- Spotify Studios: Spotify's in-house podcast production arm creating originals like The Teamsheet (co-produced with Audio Always). Global scale player that competes with Audio Always for original podcast production deals and platform partnerships.
Emerging players
- Folding Pocket: UK podcast production company producing narrative and branded content with growing BBC and commercial portfolio. Smaller scale emerging competitor in the same indie audio production space.
- Yoto: Children's audio platform partnering with Audio Always for Brainbots content. Represents the children's audio category and an emerging distribution channel that Audio Always is building presence in.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks1 record
Customer concentration
Audio Always social profiles
Digital presenceAudio Always financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Audio Always leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Audio Always funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Audio Always M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Audio Always
What does Audio Always do?
Audio Always is an independent audio production company that develops, produces, and delivers podcasts, radio programmes, and audiobooks for broadcasters (BBC Radio networks) and commercial platforms (Spotify, Amazon Music, Wondery+). It operates the proprietary Audio Always Originals podcast network and offers professional audio/video studio rental facilities at MediaCityUK Manchester and Farringdon London for podcast recording, audiobook production, voiceover sessions, broadcast PR, and tape sync.
Is Audio Always a public or private company?
Audio Always is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Audio Always founded?
Audio Always was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Audio Always based?
Audio Always is headquartered in Manchester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Audio Always make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Broadcast Commissioning is the primary driver. The others are podcast Production, brand Partnerships and Sponsorship, audio Always Originals and studio Rental.
Who are Audio Always's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Acast, Audioboom, Lower Street Media and DawBell. Broad incumbents are Wondery (Amazon), Global (Global Player), BBC Studios Audio and Spotify Studios. Emerging players are Folding Pocket and Yoto.
Does Audio Always have an API?
No public API is recorded for Audio Always.
What industry is Audio Always in?
Audio Always's product category is Audio Production Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIADAC, Podcast Networks & Studio Platforms, with a secondary code of BPAFAIAE, Audio Production & Podcasting. Its NAICS code is 51224 and its SIC code is 4832.