Here's a podcast confession: at Descript, we're total audio snobs. We typically prefer unearthing hidden gems you've never heard of rather than pointing you toward the same mega-shows everyone recommends.

But sometimes you actually need those mainstream hits—maybe you're looking for inspiration for your own podcast, or you're just diving into the podcast world and want to start with proven winners. There's real value in knowing what millions of other humans are obsessively downloading.

So here it is: 15 of the most popular podcasts right now, ranked by listeners per episode. Whether you're hunting for your next audio obsession or studying what makes these shows stick in a crowded market, this list strips away the hype and focuses on what's actually working at scale.

15 Most Popular Podcasts to Listen to Right Now

1. The Joe Rogan Experience
2. Crime Junkie
3. The Daily
4. This American Life
5. Call Her Daddy
6. Dateline NBC
7. Stuff You Should Know
8. The Ben Shapiro Show
9. Office Ladies
10. SmartLess
11. 2 Bears 1 Cave
12. Morbid: A True Crime Podcast
13. Serial
14. Impaulsive With Logan Paul
15. This Past Weekend With Theo Von

1. The Joe Rogan Experience

Up first is The Joe Rogan Experience, the most listened-to podcast in the U.S., with an estimated 11 million listeners per episode. The show has become a cultural phenomenon, credited with popularizing long-form podcasts, with episodes typically ranging between two and four hours.

Joe Rogan's podcast remains as controversial as it is popular, drawing a dedicated audience for its high-profile guests and Rogan's engaging, thought-provoking interview style.

Notably, The Joe Rogan Experience is exclusive to Spotify. The platform reportedly invested $200 million for exclusive rights—an investment that has solidified the show's position as the number one podcast in the world.

🎧 LISTEN ON: Spotify

2. Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie is one of the most popular true crime podcasts, with an estimated 5.9 million listeners per episode. Hosted by Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat, the show captivates audiences with its compelling storytelling and deep dives into criminal cases. Podcast topics range from unsolved mysteries to high-profile investigations, often told from the victims' perspective.

Crime Junkie gained a massive following due to its commitment to factual, respectful storytelling that resonates with true crime enthusiasts.

Crime Junkie has remained a top-ranked true crime podcast since its launch in 2017, consistently attracting millions of listeners who crave in-depth criminal investigations.

🎧 LISTEN ON: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

3. The Daily

As the name suggests, The Daily is a daily news podcast produced by The New York Times. Hosted by Michael Barbaro and Sabrina Tavernise, the show releases five episodes per week, each lasting around 20 minutes.

With over 3 billion downloads, The Daily follows a structured podcast format, focusing on one major news story per episode. The hosts often interview New York Times journalists and experts to provide in-depth insights.

Despite being a daily podcast, The Daily remains accessible with concise 20-minute episodes, published by 6 a.m. to fit seamlessly into listeners' morning routines.

🎧 LISTEN ON: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

4. This American Life

This American Life is the gold standard of narrative nonfiction podcasts. Hosted by Ira Glass, the show explores a broad range of topics, capturing compelling stories from American life, society, and culture.

Originally called Your Radio Playhouse, This American Life was one of the first-ever podcasts. Its first radio episode aired in 1995—well before podcasting became mainstream. Today, over 4 million listeners tune in weekly, with an additional 1.6 million listening via 500+ public radio stations.

Since its inception, This American Life has earned prestigious accolades, including Peabody Awards and the first-ever Pulitzer Prize for a radio show or podcast.

🎧 LISTEN ON: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

5. Call Her Daddy

Call Her Daddy is a top-ranking podcast hosted by Alexandra Cooper. Previously ranked as the most popular podcast on Spotify Wrapped, the show is available on both Spotify and YouTube.

Alex Cooper uses her video podcast to discuss relationships, dating, and sex, blending personal experiences with advice tailored to the show's predominantly young, female audience.

Call Her Daddy frequently features celebrity guests, including Hailey Bieber, Miley Cyrus, and Bella Poarch. The show's influence extends beyond podcasting—episodes often drive significant spikes in music streams, as seen when Madison Beer's streams climbed 130% within 48 hours of her appearance.

🎧 LISTEN ON: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

6. Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC, originally a television show, has found success in podcast form. Executive producer David Corvo describes it as an extension for those who prefer audio over TV, while also rewarding dedicated fans.

The podcast covers gripping true crime stories, mysteries, and legal cases, amassing over 775 million downloads since its launch in 2019.

🎧 LISTEN ON: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

7. Stuff You Should Know

Stuff You Should Know is a widely popular educational podcast hosted by Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant. Known for transforming complex subjects into engaging discussions, the show has built a loyal global audience.

Acquired by iHeartMedia in 2018, SYSK has expanded its archive to over 1,500 episodes, covering everything from history to science in an entertaining format.

Hosts Josh and Chuck have fantastic chemistry, which is probably why Stuff You Should Know sits amongst the world's most popular podcasts. Their presenting style makes even the most complex subjects accessible and fun to learn about—whether it's dissecting the history of pinball machines or explaining the science behind black holes.

🎧 LISTEN ON: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

8. The Ben Shapiro Show

The Ben Shapiro Show is dubbed “the most fast-moving daily program in America.” Host Ben Shapiro promises to deliver hard-hitting truths about conservative political and social issues in its daily show. YouGov rated it as the 11th most popular podcast in the US.

The political podcast is known for its straightforward and often confrontational style, where Ben shares his viewpoints and sparks debates with guests. There are 1,800 episodes to date—all of which are available on major podcast sites like YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

🎧 LISTEN ON: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

9. Office Ladies

Office Ladies is a popular podcast hosted by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, both of whom played characters on the American version of The Office—one of the most popular TV series of all time.

In each show, Jenna and Angela revisit episodes of the TV show. They give behind-the-scenes insights, personal anecdotes, and commentary on the making of the show from their unique perspective as cast members.

What's especially great about the podcast is that the hosts invite listeners to ask questions. This interactive element of the show makes it one of the most popular podcasts, helping it land position #22 on Apple Podcasts' ranking of comedy podcasts in the United States.

🎧 LISTEN ON: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

10. SmartLess

SmartLess is a popular comedy podcast hosted by three well-known comedians: Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett. In each episode, one of the three hosts takes a turn bringing on a guest. But there's a catch: the other two hosts have no prior knowledge of who the guest is or what they'll talk about.

All three hosts have a discussion with these surprise, sometimes-celebrity guests, asking questions, sharing stories, and creating an entertaining and often unpredictable dialogue.

The surprise element of not knowing the guest in advance adds an extra layer of fun for both the hosts and the listeners, which may be why the popular podcast has built such a loyal audience.

🎧 LISTEN ON: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

11. 2 Bears 1 Cave

2 Bears 1 Cave is another comedy podcast hosted by Tom Segura and Bert Kreischer with one goal in mind: to make the other person laugh.

The podcast is popular for its raunchy humor and the genuine camaraderie between the hosts. Each episode has a mix of comedy, storytelling, and witty banter that appeals to comedy fans looking for a lighthearted and entertaining podcast experience.

The podcast has such a loyal social media following that the hosts have even launched their own merchandise—a smart way for the creators to monetize their podcast outside of ads and sponsorship deals.

🎧 LISTEN ON: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

12. Morbid: A True Crime Podcast

Morbid is a true crime podcast hosted by Alaina Urquhart and Ashleigh Kelley. Covering eerie cases, disappearances, and unsolved mysteries, the show provides deep research, gripping storytelling, and a respectful approach to victims and their families.

The show is popular because it offers a mix of storytelling, research, and discussion, making it engaging for listeners who want to learn about and explore the darkest corners of true crime. The hosts' respectful approach to the victims and their families also contribute to the show's appeal.

🎧 LISTEN ON: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

13. Serial

Serial is a groundbreaking true crime podcast from the creators of This American Life. It revolutionized the genre with its serialized storytelling approach.

The first season, which investigated Adnan Syed’s conviction, gained massive attention and ultimately played a role in his charges being dropped.

Serial's host, investigative journalist Sarah Koenig, reexamined the case and presented new evidence through each episode in the series. The podcast's unique storytelling style, which unfolded the narrative week by week, created buzz and attracted a massive audience of true crime enthusiasts.

🎧 LISTEN ON: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

14. Impaulsive with Logan Paul

Impaulsive is a popular weekly podcast hosted by Logan Paul, a well-known YouTuber and internet personality. It's known for its candid and unfiltered discussions on pop culture topics, entertainment, current events, and personal experiences.

Impaulsive often features guest appearances from celebrities and influencers, which are largely how Impaulsive got so popular. Its YouTube channel boasts over 4.5 million subscribers and episodes often go viral—this interview with fellow YouTuber KSI, for example, has over 18 million views to date.

🎧 LISTEN ON: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

15. This Past Weekend with Theo Von

This Past Weekend is a popular comedy podcast hosted by comedian Theo Von. The host invites comedians, actors, and musicians to join him on the podcast to talk about everything from pop culture to personal growth—with a comedic twist, of course.

This Past Weekend is a long-form podcast; episodes range from 1.5 hours to over 3 hours. The host also invites listeners to participate in the show by submitting a response to the “hotline,” and there's also an option to upload a fan video that could get featured in an upcoming episode.

🎧 LISTEN ON: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

Podcast Categories and Genre-Specific Rankings

Discovering podcasts by genre can help listeners find content that matches their interests. For example, true crime enthusiasts might enjoy My Favorite Murder and Crime Junkie, both known for captivating storytelling and deep dives into criminal cases. Comedy podcasts like SmartLess and 2 Bears 1 Cave offer humor and entertaining banter. Understanding these categories allows for a tailored listening experience, making it easier to navigate the vast podcast landscape.

Popular Podcasts by Platform

Podcast popularity differs from platform to platform, especially when a certain show is exclusive to that channel (like The Joe Rogan Experience being available on Spotify only). Let's break down the most popular shows across each podcast platform.

Top Spotify Podcasts

Spotify is a huge podcast platform that allows listeners to tune into shows across all genres. The platform's impact on podcasting is colossal—it's paid millions to creators who have made their shows exclusive to Spotify.

That said, not all chart-topping shows are Spotify exclusives. Here are the most popular Spotify podcasts right now:

1. The Joe Rogan Experience
2. New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce
3. Hot Mess with Alix Earle
4. Strike Force Five
5. The Broski Report

Best Apple Podcasts Shows

Apple Podcasts is the world's most popular podcast directory. It's a branch of iTunes that specializes in podcast episodes, and is the platform of choice for 41% of podcast listeners.

The following shows currently top the Apple Podcast Charts:

1. The Rest is Politics
2. Stick to Football
3. The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett
4. The News Agents
5. The Today Podcast

Most-Watched YouTube Podcasts

YouTube is a video-sharing platform, but many podcasters are taking advantage of its gigantic user base by turning their podcast into a video show.

The most popular podcasts on YouTube as of this writing are:

1. H3 Podcast
2. The Pat McAfee Show Live
3. Flagrant
4. Club Shay Shay
5. This Past Weekend

Monetization Strategies for Popular Podcasts

Many popular podcasts employ diverse monetization strategies beyond traditional advertising. Sponsorships are a common revenue stream, with hosts promoting products relevant to their audience. Some shows, like 2 Bears 1 Cave, have successfully launched merchandise, creating a steady income stream. Additionally, podcasts might use platforms like Patreon to offer exclusive content to paying subscribers. Understanding these strategies can be invaluable for aspiring podcasters looking to turn their passion into profit.

How to Create a Popular Podcast with Descript

Some of the world's most popular podcasts use Descript's podcast editor to edit their shows. If you do too, you're in good company.

Get access to professional audio editing tools that help you create a great podcast. From its Studio Sound tool that removes background noise and enhances your voice to remote recording features to interview guests, you'll get it all in Descript.

Popular Podcasts FAQ

What's the number one podcast in the world?

The Joe Rogan Experience is the number one podcast. It's only available on Spotify but attracts an estimated 11 million listeners for each episode.

What are the most downloaded podcasts?

1. The Joe Rogan Experience
2. Crime Junkie
3. The Daily
4. This American Life
5. Call Her Daddy
6. Dateline NBC
7. Stuff You Should Know

What is the top podcast in the world right now?

The Joe Rogan Experience is the top podcast in the world right now. After Spotify bought exclusive rights to the show, more than 11 million people tune into the podcast on a regular basis.

How can I start my own podcast?

Starting a podcast involves planning your content, choosing the right equipment, and selecting a hosting platform. Utilize tools like Descript for editing and enhancing audio quality. Define your target audience and format to create engaging episodes. Once ready, distribute your podcast on platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts to reach a wider audience.

What podcast genres are currently trending?

True crime, comedy, and self-improvement podcasts are among the most popular genres today. Shows like Crime Junkie and SmartLess continue to dominate the charts. Emerging trends also include podcasts focused on personal development and storytelling.