Top 10 Best Popular Podcasts to Listen to in 2024
Are you interested in the realm of podcasts but are unsure of where to begin? Or perhaps you’ve stopped listening to podcasts and want to know which ones are most popular right now.
In any event, let’s have a look at the most well-liked podcasts of 2024 (every single one of them is either on Spotify, Apple, or both).
The Top 10 Podcasts for 2024
Despite the fact that there are millions of podcasts available, these are the most well-liked ones that you should be listening to right now. Try one of these podcasts out, regardless of whether you like comedies or crime dramas.
#1 The Joe Rogan Experience
The Joe Rogan Experience, one of the most well-known podcasts in the world, was introduced by Joe Rogan in 2009.
Anyone interested in 3-hour-long discussions about politics, UFOs, stand-up comedy, history, psychology, psychedelics, and any other topic under the sun should check out the podcast, even if it is mostly listened to by guys.
Joe Rogan is a controversial personality who has made headlines for all the wrong reasons, most notably for having guests that disseminate false information about Covid. Joe has a tendency to be a bit too open-minded, which causes him to occasionally welcome conspiracy theorists like Alex Jones.
Joe Rogan has nevertheless also hosted respected scientists including Sir Roger Penrose, Professor Brian Cox, Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson, and Dr. Steven Pinker. Joe is obviously open to hearing from anyone as long as they have anything worthwhile to say.
Each episode of the podcast receives about 11 million listeners.
Here are the episodes to watch if you want a taste of The Joe Rogan Experience.
Edward Snowden, JRE #1368 There’s a solid reason why the episode has received 32 million views on YouTube. The NSA has been eavesdropping on individuals, the well-known whistleblower exposes in it, and how his discovery prompted the US intelligence establishment to pursue him.
JRE #1315, Jeremy Corbell and Bob Lazar— This one ventures into the realm of UFOs, and Bob Lazar’s description of Area 51 and the extraterrestrial technology he discovered there is interesting.
Want to see Elon Musk stoned? Check out JRE #1169, Elon Musk. Joe and Elon discuss Tesla, space exploration, and the future of AI in this episode.
#2 The Daily
Are you looking for a podcast that delves deeply into the most recent, important news stories? After the Joe Rogan Experience, The Daily is the second most popular podcast in the world.
Consider The Daily to be a podcast version of the New York Times. Each episode lasts 25 to 45 minutes.
Michael Barbaro serves as the host, and it includes interviews with New York Times reporters who covered the day’s most popular stories. The excellent music and pertinent audio samples that are played throughout the podcast improve the production value and storyline.
In addition to important news events, the podcast also discusses national and international politics. It debuted in 2017. 2 million people downloaded each episode by the year 2020.
#3 This American Life
The host of the radio show This American Life, sometimes known as TAL, is Ira Glass. The Pulitzer Prize for best audio journalism was awarded to it in 2020.
TAL offers excellent narratives. Field recordings, strange music, essays, and radio monologues are used to discuss real-life American experiences of regular people. The tales are startling, hilarious, and bittersweet in nature.
Despite being one of the oldest podcasts on this list, TAL is still quite well-liked by listeners.
Here are the top episodes of TAL so you can have a taste of it:
Episode 589, “No Coincidence, No Story,” requested listeners to submit amazing coincidences that had occurred in their lives.
Summer camps are the focus of episode 109 of Notes on Camp. Others adore them, while others despise them. Between the two factions, the episode aims to create a bridge.
Harper High School, Ep. 487 and 488 – This two-part program focused on a string of gun-related incidents that occurred at Harper High School in Chicago. This program was recognized with a Peabody Award for its investigative journalism.
#4 Stuff You Should Know
Are you generally interested in the world and how things operate? Then check out Stuff You Should Know, sometimes referred to as SYSK by aficionados.
The podcast contains more than 1400 episodes. Even just reading the episode titles makes you eager to put on your headphones and start listening. Here are a few instances: How Money Laundering, Schizophrenia, and Police Interrogation Operate.
The program is based on facts and science. The show’s creators aimed to explain everything in their production. The two broadcasters have terrific chemistry and humor, which makes listening to the podcast entertaining. Episodes are one hour long.
Several of their top episodes include:
How Electoral Colleges Function, Episode 454 — Do you want to know how the Electoral Colleges operate? Then read ep 454, which explores the history and purposes of the establishment of the electoral college in the United States.
If you wish to understand about the beginnings of the diamond business, see episode 412, “How Diamonds Work.” It also discusses the development of diamond advertising across time and how diamonds came to represent the modern wedding standard.
What is fascism, episode 197? Exactly what is fascism? The fundamental ideas of fascism are covered in Stuff You Should Know, along with frequent myths about it.
#5 Pod Save America
This podcast is recommended for anyone looking for a more left-leaning political discussion that covers the week’s political happenings.
After Donald Trump was elected president, three Obama staff members created a program, with the first few episodes focusing on his administration.
Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, and Joe Biden are just a few of the prominent people who have been interviewed on the program.
Although Pod Save The World offers more global coverage, Pod Save America mostly focuses on American issues.
#6 The Ben Shapiro Show
The finest podcast on the other side of the political spectrum is The Ben Shapiro Show.
Following his discussion about gun control with Piers Morgan, Shapiro gained notoriety. He is well-liked among conservative thinkers and is well-known for his quick speech.
From a conservative viewpoint, the program discusses news, cultural, and political developments in America.
#7 Call Her Daddy
Women enjoy the sex-positive dating and relationship podcast Call Her Daddy. The tales, sex advice, female banter, and millennial culture are all included in the filthy, bawdy stuff.
Nothing sums up the show more well than this New York Post quote:
Virtually nothing is off-limits for the two roommates on their weekly program, which ranges from talking about sex acts like the “gluck gluck 9000” to listening to each other get intimate from the next room (with the exception of Cooper’s prior connection with Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard). Within two months, 12000 to 2 million listeners flocked to the material.
The podcast premiered in 2018 and was purchased by Spotify for $60 million in 2021.
Watch out for the following episodes:
Sext Me So I Know It’s Real, Episode One — This is a fantastic first episode of the podcast and a perfect starting point for new listeners.
The Gluck Gluck 9000, episode three One of the most recognizable moments in Call Her Daddy history may be found in this episode. It contains explicit sexual content and sex advice. Even now, dating apps contain references to this event.
Miley Cyrus, episode 92 In the episode, Miley Cyrus is interviewed and discusses her prior relationships and sexual history.
#8 Office Ladies
Want to revive your passion for The Office’s earlier seasons because you miss them? You should also watch Office Ladies, which is presented by Jenna Fischer (Pam Beesly) and Angela Kinsey (Angela Martin).
The two reply to queries from fans while commenting on episodes of The Office. Co-stars, producers, and writers from The Office are among the visitors, with Rainn Wilson standing out.
The hosts of the podcast have terrific chemistry and share funny anecdotes about their personal lives and the production of the TV episodes. The podcast has the same fun tone as the TV show.
Each episode of The Office is introduced with a brief introduction, followed by a scene-by-scene analysis and interesting information about the filming, props, and scripts.
#9 Morbid: A True Crime Podcast
Interested in horror and true crime? Then tune into Morbid: A True Crime Podcast, hosted by hairstylist Ashleigh “Ash” Kelley and autopsy technician Alaina Urquhart.
Murder. frightening urban legends. History is creepy. Haunted locations. You may anticipate this from the podcast. It’s not all gloom and doom, though; the program also has a decent amount of comedy.
The following are some episodes you must not miss:
The Unbelievable Life & Crime of Carl Panzram (Episode 184) — The first of a series of podcasts about serial murderer Carl Panzram, who admitted to 21 killings and 1,000 acts of sex assault against boys and men, is the episode. The first episode focuses on his formative years, which were marked by abuse and incarceration.
The Tragic Case of Molly Bish (Episode 214) — In Warren, Massachusetts, a 16-year-old lifeguard named Molly Bish vanished while on duty. The case gained notoriety and was covered by the majority of the US’s top news outlets.
The Chicago Ripper Crew, episode 178 This podcast investigates a satanic cult that was said to have kidnapped and mutilated women in the 1980s and included serial murderers, cannibals, necrophiles, and rapists.
#10 My Favorite Murder
Want to become a Murderino? Fans of the well-known true crime podcast My Favorite Murder refer to themselves as such.
In addition to discussing real crime, Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark also discuss more serious topics in the genre such sexual assault, mental illness, women’s rights, and sex work. The two hosts also talk about their personal experiences with addiction, mental illness, and religion.
In 2020, the podcast averaged 35 million downloads per month. Each episode airs every two weeks and lasts between 60 and 120 minutes.
The most recommended episodes to watch are:
Ep. 183, Here We Back Are, explores the urban legend of the Mothman, a 10-foot-tall black monster with red eyes and wings that was allegedly spotted in Virginia in the 1960s. The mythology holds that the beast was to blame for the 1967 collapse of the Silver Bridge.
Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark discuss Issei Sagawa, a Japanese guy who cannibalized, dismembered, and killed Renee Hartvelt in Paris in 1981, in episode 116 of Robot Grandma. Later, Issei was freed on a legal technicality.
400 Peeled Potatoes in Episode 185 This episode steers clear of graphic violence and doesn’t involve any murder. Instead, it tells the tale of Malachi Love-Robinson, a Florida teenager who conned several people by pretending to be a doctor without a medical license.
