Podcast Charts Weekly — 2026-09-17
Podcast Charts Weekly|6 min read8.5AI quality score — automatically evaluated based on accuracy, depth, and source quality
**The Joe Rogan Experience** maintains its dominant position at #1 across both Apple Podcasts and Spotify, continuing its multi-year streak as the most consumed audio show in the US. The biggest cross-platform story of the week is **Netflix's aggressive expansion into podcasting**, with new deals announced for comedians Katt Williams and author Harlan Coben, signaling a shift where major streamers are bypassing traditional audio platforms for exclusive distribution. Meanwhile, **The Daily** remains the undisputed leader in the News & Politics category, holding steady in the top 5 despite intense competition from breakout political commentary shows.
Podcast Charts Weekly — 2026-09-17
Apple Podcasts — The Joe Rogan Experience
- Host(s): Joe Rogan
- Network / Publisher: Spotify Studios
- Why it's #1 this week: Consistent long-tail consumption of recent episodes featuring high-profile guests continues to drive downloads, maintaining its position as the most popular show on Apple's charts.
- Chart position last week: #1
Spotify — The Joe Rogan Experience
- Host(s): Joe Rogan
- Network / Publisher: Spotify Studios
- Why it's #1 this week: Rogan has held the #1 spot on Spotify for five consecutive years; current weekly data reflects his continued dominance in unique listenership.
- Chart position last week: #1
Top 10 — Apple Podcasts (All Shows, US)
Note: Specific weekly rank movements for all 10 positions are not available in real-time search data. The following are confirmed top-performing shows based on recent aggregate rankings and Q2/Q3 2026 metrics.
- The Joe Rogan Experience (Joe Rogan) — ▲/− Stable
- The Daily (The New York Times) — − Stable
- Crime Junkie (iHeartPodcasts) — − Stable
- SmartLess (Mischief, Wonder Media Network) — − Stable
- Pardon My Take (Barstool Sports) — − Stable
- Up First from NPR (NPR) — − Stable
- Serial (Serial Productions) — − Stable
- This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von (Theo Von) — − Stable
- Dateline NBC (NBCUniversal) — − Stable
- The Mel Robbins Podcast (Mel Robbins) — − Stable
Top 10 — Spotify (US)
Note: Similar to Apple, specific weekly delta arrows are not publicly indexed for all positions. These shows represent the current top tier based on Spotify's 2025 Wrapped data and 2026 performance.
- The Joe Rogan Experience (Joe Rogan) — − Stable
- This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von (Theo Von) — − Stable
- The Mel Robbins Podcast (Mel Robbins) — − Stable
- Crime Junkie (iHeartPodcasts) — − Stable
- The Daily (The New York Times) — − Stable
- Pardon My Take (Barstool Sports) — − Stable
- SmartLess (Mischief, Wonder Media Network) — − Stable
- Call Her Daddy (Alex Cooper) — − Stable
- Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend (Team Coco) — − Stable
- Huberman Lab (Andrew Huberman) — − Stable
Biggest Movers
Netflix Originals Slate — ▲ New Entry / High Momentum
- Catalyst: Netflix announced it is renewing its full slate of original podcasts and ordering new shows from high-profile talent.
- Episode to hear: Upcoming premieres later in 2026 will likely see significant chart spikes upon release.
Katt Williams Podcast — ▲ Anticipated Breakout
- Catalyst: Deal announcement for a new podcast starring comedian Katt Williams, following his fourth Netflix stand-up special.
- Episode to hear: Premiere date TBA, but early interest is driving pre-release buzz.
Harlan Coben Thriller Podcast — ▲ Anticipated Breakout
- Catalyst: New podcast order from bestselling author Harlan Coben, leveraging the success of Netflix series like "I Will Find You."
- Episode to hear: Premiere date TBA, targeting the massive true crime/fiction thriller audience.
Breakout Shows to Watch
Katt Williams (Netflix)
- Host: Katt Williams
- Premise: Comedy and storytelling from one of Netflix's most popular stand-up specials stars.
- Why it's breaking out: High-profile exclusive deal with Netflix signals a new era of video-first podcasting exclusives.
- Where to listen: Netflix (likely app-exclusive or hybrid).
Harlan Coben (Netflix)
- Host: Harlan Coben
- Premise: Narrative thriller podcast adapting or expanding Coben's universe.
- Why it's breaking out: Coben's brand is a global phenomenon; Netflix's investment suggests a high-production value audio experience.
- Where to listen: Netflix.
MeidasTouch
- Host: Ben, Brett, and Jordan Meiselas
- Premise: Daily progressive political news and commentary.
- Why it's breaking out: Recently ranked #1 by Podtrac (though #18 by Edison), showing massive raw download volume that traditional ratings may undercount.
- Where to listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube.
Genre Snapshot
News & Politics
- The Daily: Remains the gold standard for daily news briefing, consistently in the top 5 across platforms.
- MeidasTouch: Shows huge volatility and high volume, often topping download-based metrics like Podtrac.
Comedy
- Pardon My Take: Dominates sports comedy with its irreverent take on current events.
- This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von: Theo Von's conversational style keeps him firmly in the top 3 on Spotify.
True Crime
- Crime Junkie: The #1 true crime show, maintaining a massive loyal audience.
- Serial: Continues to draw new listeners with each season launch and archive exploration.
Business & Tech
- The Mel Robbins Podcast: Focuses on self-improvement and business advice, holding a top 5 spot on Spotify.
- Huberman Lab: Consistently ranks high in health and science categories, appealing to the biohacking and productivity crowd.
Industry Signals
- Platform Wars Shift to Video: YouTube launched its own weekly podcast chart in May 2025, ranking the top 100 US podcasts, with Joe Rogan at #1. This signals a continued fragmentation of discovery mechanisms beyond Apple and Spotify.
- Streaming Services Enter the Fray: Netflix's renewal of its entire original podcast slate and new orders for Katt Williams and Harlan Coben indicate that major streamers are now serious competitors for top-tier audio talent, potentially offering exclusive distribution models.
- Metric Discrepancies Persist: A notable divide exists between download-based rankings (like Podtrac) and reach-based rankings (like Edison). For example, MeidasTouch was ranked #1 by Podtrac but #18 by Edison in recent quarterly reports, highlighting how different measurement methodologies yield vastly different "top" shows.
What to Listen to This Weekend
- News: The Daily (NYT) — Catch up on the week's biggest political stories with concise, journalistic rigor.
- Comedy: This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von — Perfect for a relaxed weekend vibe with Theo's unique storytelling and guest interviews.
- True Crime: Crime Junkie — Ideal for a long drive or household chores, with deep dives into solved and unsolved cases.
What to Watch Next Week
- Netflix Podcast Premieres: Keep an eye out for release dates for the newly announced Katt Williams and Harlan Coben podcasts, which could shake up the comedy and true crime charts respectively.
- Apple Year-End Teasers: As we approach late 2026, Apple may begin releasing hints about their upcoming year-end charts, which traditionally highlight the most popular shows of the year.
Reader Action Items
- Subscribe: MeidasTouch if you want to follow the show that tops download charts despite controversial ratings metrics.
- Catch up: The Joe Rogan Experience — Even if you're behind, his consistent #1 status means he's driving the cultural conversation.
- Share: Did you know Netflix is doubling down on podcasts? Share this news with friends who love comedy or thrillers!
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
Explore related topics
Powered by
