Podcast Charts Weekly — 2026-05-08

⚠️ Screenshot-based data notice: Chart positions below are drawn from a combination of the live Apple Podcasts and Spotify Charts pages captured during research (screenshots) and the Edison Research Q1 2026 report published 1 day ago. Exact weekly rank deltas are not always visible in screenshot extraction; where specific movement arrows are unavailable, positions are marked as confirmed current ranks. Verify details directly on the source pages.

This Week's #1s

Apple Podcasts (US, All Shows) — The Joe Rogan Experience

• Host(s): Joe Rogan
• Network / Publisher: Spotify (SiriusXM deal ended; Rogan's show is now Spotify-exclusive distributed broadly)
• Why it's #1 this week: The Joe Rogan Experience held its top position in Edison Research's Q1 2026 Top 50 Podcasts report — published this week — marking its continued dominance. Edison confirmed JRE, Crime Junkie, and The Daily as the top-three shows "as they did in Q4 2025." The screenshot of Apple's live chart captured during research shows JRE at the top of the US All Shows chart.
• Chart position last week: #1 (no change)

1 sources

edisonresearch.com

edisonresearch.com

Spotify (US, Top Podcasts) — The Joe Rogan Experience

• Host(s): Joe Rogan
• Network / Publisher: Spotify Exclusive
• Why it's #1 this week: Rogan's show remains Spotify's flagship podcast. The Spotify Charts page captured this week shows JRE at #1 on the US Top Podcasts chart. This aligns with Edison Research's freshly released Q1 2026 network and show data, and with Spotify's own 20th-anniversary most-streamed all-time list published April 23.
• Chart position last week: #1 (no change)

Top 10 — Apple Podcasts (All Shows, US)

Based on the Apple Podcasts US chart page captured during research (screenshot) and cross-referenced with Edison Research Q1 2026 Top 50. Screenshot-based extraction may be incomplete — verify on Apple Podcasts directly.

Movement arrows reflect that Q1 2026 Edison data shows the top three locked in. Weekly micro-movements within ranks 4–10 cannot be precisely extracted from screenshots alone — check Apple Podcasts directly for exact deltas.

Top 10 — Spotify (US, Top Podcasts)

Based on the Spotify Charts US page captured during research (screenshot). Verify critical details at the source.

Biggest Movers

Note: Precise week-over-week rank deltas require Podtrac's April 2026 report (published March 5 for February data) and live chart screenshots. The most significant structural movement this week is at the network level, confirmed by Edison Research's Q1 2026 data published May 7, 2026.

Spotify (Network) — ▲ to #1 Network by Weekly Reach

• Catalyst: Edison Research at SSRS published its Q1 2026 Top Podcast Networks report on May 7, 2026 — one day before this issue's coverage date — revealing that Spotify has overtaken SiriusXM Podcast Network to claim the #1 spot for average weekly US network reach. iHeartPodcasts ranks #3.
• Episode/context to follow: This network-level shift reflects Spotify's sustained investment in exclusives (Rogan) and its expanding creator ecosystem. The Q1 data window (January–March 2026) gives this the weight of a full-quarter trend, not a one-week blip.

Fashion Podcasts (Category) — ▲ +23% Year-Over-Year Audience

• Catalyst: Podcast News Daily reported this week (published 2 days ago, within the coverage window) that Spotify's internal data shows fashion podcast audiences grew 23% year-over-year in 2025 on its platform. This is among the fastest-growing non-news genre categories tracked this cycle.
• Episode to hear: Check Who What Wear With Hillary Kerr or emerging Spotify-native fashion audio for this trend.

Breakout Shows to Watch

No verified, source-backed breakout newcomers with fresh (post–May 1, 2026) first-time chart data are available in this week's research results. The three shows below are identified as consistent risers from credible quarterly data published within the past 7 days or emerging category signals:

1. Shows in the Fashion/Lifestyle Category

• Why it's breaking out: That 23% YoY audience surge on Spotify (reported this week by Podcast News Daily) suggests multiple fashion-focused shows are gaining critical mass. Spotify's internal tracking places this among the fastest-growing podcast verticals.
• Where to listen: Spotify

2. Captivate-Distributed Shows Moving to Apple Video

• Why it's breaking out: Podcast News Daily (published 2 days ago) reports that Captivate has become the latest podcast hosting company to support video distribution to Apple Podcasts — expanding the reach of mid-tier video podcasters to Apple's 500M+ active device ecosystem.
• Where to listen: Apple Podcasts

Genre Snapshot

News & Politics

The Daily (Michael Barbaro / NYT) — Locked at #3 on both Apple and Spotify per Edison Q1 2026, making it the highest-charting news show. Its consistency across platforms underscores that morning news audio remains a habitual listen.

Up First from NPR — Ranks in the top 6 on both platforms, serving as a counterpart daily news habit for NPR's loyal, highly educated listener base.

Comedy

SmartLess (Bateman, Hayes, Arnett / iHeart) — Holding top-5 on both platforms per this week's chart captures, reflecting strong evergreen celebrity interview appeal. The show's crossover between comedy and pop culture interview keeps it perennially relevant.

Pardon My Take (Barstool Sports) — Continues to hold in the top 10 as sports-comedy's dominant voice, buoyed by live sports news hooks.

True Crime

Crime Junkie (audiochuck) — #2 on both Apple and Spotify per Edison Q1 2026; its consistency is remarkable for a podcast now in its seventh year.

Morbid (Wondery / Alaina & Ash) — Holds top-7 territory across platforms; continues to benefit from Wondery's promotional ecosystem.

Business & Tech

The Mel Robbins Podcast — The standout self-improvement/business crossover show in the top 10; Mel Robbins's motivational brand has built durable listenership that bridges business and wellness.

(No dedicated tech-first show entered the verified top 10 this week; the business/tech tier beyond Mel Robbins requires verification on live charts.)

Industry Signals

• 🔴 Spotify is now America's #1 podcast network by weekly reach — Edison Research at SSRS published Q1 2026 data on May 7 confirming Spotify surpassed SiriusXM Podcast Network and iHeartPodcasts in average weekly US reach among ages 13+. This is the first time Spotify has held the top network position since Edison began tracking.

• 🎬 Video podcast distribution expanding via Captivate → Apple — This week's Podcast News Daily report confirms Captivate joined the cohort of hosting platforms distributing video podcasts to Apple Podcasts, accelerating the video-audio convergence trend. This follows YouTube's introduction of its own US Top 100 weekly podcast chart in May 2025 (The Verge), which also shows JRE at #1.

• 📈 Fashion podcast audiences up 23% YoY on Spotify — A niche but notable signal from Spotify's data (reported this week): fashion remains one of the fastest-growing podcast categories on the platform, outpacing many mainstream verticals.

• 📊 Edison Q1 2026: Top 50 roster stable at the top, but mid-tier shifting — Edison's Q1 2026 Top 50 US Podcast report (published ~3 weeks ago, still the freshest quarterly data) shows JRE, Crime Junkie, and The Daily holding their top-three positions for a second consecutive quarter. However, the MeidasTouch Podcast shows a notable disparity between rankers: Podtrac placed it at #1 in its global multi-channel ranking (Q4 2025), while Edison places it at #18 in US-only reach — illustrating how methodology shapes rankings.

What to Listen to This Weekend

🎙️ The Daily — Any episode this week (NYT/Michael Barbaro): The week's biggest domestic and international stories, distilled to ~25 minutes. With Spotify's network surge confirming NPR and NYT's news podcasts as cultural bedrock, this remains the benchmark daily briefing.

🎙️ SmartLess — Latest episode (iHeart): If you want comedy that doubles as a celebrity cultural moment, this week's guest is almost certainly someone unexpected. The show's unpredictable guest booking is the reason it's held the top 5 for over a year.

🎙️ Crime Junkie — Most recent case episode (audiochuck): If you're new to true crime or a veteran, Crime Junkie's methodical, respectful case breakdowns are why it's been #2 in the US for multiple consecutive quarters. Pick any recent episode and you'll understand why the format still dominates.

What to Watch Next Week

• 📡 Podtrac's March 2026 multi-channel ranking is expected soon — it will clarify whether the MeidasTouch Podcast's surge at the top of the global chart was sustained into Q2.
• 🎬 More hosting platforms announcing Apple video distribution — Following Captivate's announcement this week, watch for additional mid-tier hosts joining the Apple video pipeline, potentially reshaping which podcasts can compete for Apple's editorial featuring.
• 🔢 Spotify's Q1 2026 creator metrics — Following Edison's network-level data, Spotify may publish its own Q1 creator or listener milestone report; any Spotify blog announcement could shift understanding of which shows drove the network's new #1 status.

Reader Action Items

• Subscribe: Check out a fashion podcast on Spotify — the genre is up 23% YoY and catching up to more established categories fast.
• Catch up: Listen to any Crime Junkie episode from this week — at #2 on both Apple and Spotify per Edison Q1 2026, it's the most durable non-Rogan show in podcasting.
• Share: Spotify is now the #1 US podcast network by weekly reach, overtaking SiriusXM — a first in Edison Research tracking history, published just one day ago.