“Nothing Much Happens" Podcast Joins iHeart Network & Surpasses 100 Million Downloads

  iHeartPodcasts has announced that the popular sleep and relaxation podcast, Nothing Much Happens: Bedtime Stories to Help You Sleep, will join the iHeartPodcast Network.

Since April 2018, Nothing Much Happens has delivered peaceful and relaxing content to listeners around the world. Moreover, the podcast will celebrate a major milestone, having just surpassed 100 million downloads worldwide. As part of the deal, the two will also co-produce and distribute new podcast concepts in English as well as other languages. 

Hosted by Yoga and Meditation Expert Kathryn Nicolai, Nothing Much Happens takes listeners through relaxing, low stakes stories in the imaginary world of “The Village of Nothing Much.” Each story is told twice and a bit slower the second time, lulling listeners to sleep with soothing sounds and easy-to-follow story narratives. Episodes center around popular characters and make-believe locations in the Nothing Much Happens universe, including Marmalade The Cat, Crumb The Dog, The Innkeeper and Weathervane Farm.  

 

“Since launching Nothing Much Happens, Kathryn Nicolai has captivated audiences and provided a much-needed respite for those around the world who just want to wind down and get some rest,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts. “We’re thrilled to welcome this sleep-inducing podcast to our network, leveraging our scale and reach to deliver this relaxing storytelling experience to even more listeners everywhere.” 

 

iHeartPodcasts and Nicolai will also co-produce Stories from The Village of Nothing Much, a new, daytime companion podcast to Nothing Much Happens. Set to launch later this year, the podcast will use immersive 3D sound design to keep listeners engaged and energized as they follow new characters and storylines from the show’s creator. Additionally, the deal will include expanding the Nothing Much Happens universe into different languages to reach even more audiences worldwide.  

 

“When we are rested, calm and settled, we make better choices. We are kinder as we move through the world, and that is no small thing. Sleep affects every part of a person’s health and wellbeing, it’s one of the foundational aspects that can cause a cascade of problems when it's lacking or inconsistent. My content is uniquely designed to help folks rest after years of struggle. It can be used to soothe anxiety and teach mindfulness and gratitude,” said Host Kathryn Nicolai. “As the podcast has grown and reached global audiences, I’m excited to join iHeartPodcasts and leverage their scale and reach to share this exciting, imaginary world with millions of listeners who will benefit from this content.”  

 

 This is an interesting development because iHeart has a successful sleep podcast, even though its focus is different. Called Chasing Sleep, the show began in September 2022, when Mattress Firm partnered with iHeart Podcasts to develop a show about sleep. The show's first season ran until November 2022, and the second season started this May with an episode called "Sleep And Love."

 

Perhaps, iHeartPodcasts will become the village square for sleep podcasts. Reportedly, from 50 to 70 million Americans suffer from sleep problems. That's a large potential audience.