Are you in search of a new podcast to entertain yourself? There’s no need to take another look! The year 2024 has been superb for the podcasting industry. Many creative characters are narrating breathtaking stories and funny discussions. The most popular podcasts of the year have something for everyone. Are you all set to press the play button? Ready? Let’s go!

We at Holaquiz have made a list of the 12 most popular podcast show right now. The list is ranked by the highest listening per episode. So, you can find your next podcast right away.

#1 The Joe Rogan Experience

It’s the official podcast of American comedian Joe Rogan. It has over 2000 episodes and is the most listened to podcast in the US. Each episode has over 10 million listeners! If that ain’t crazy we don’t know what is.

The Joe Rogan’s podcast draws as much ire as it has fans. Its loyal fans keep tuning in for the interesting guests and Rogan’s engaging hosting style. He poses intricate and interesting questions to the captivative audience.

The Joe Rogan Experience has an exclusive availability on the Spotify platform. The platform has paid $200 million for exclusive rights to the show. It was a good investment since The Joe Rogan Experience is the most listened to podcast in the whole world.

An honest review by a fan on IMDb says:

“This is hands down the best interview show that has ever existed, and for a number of reasons.

The first is that it’s not edited, the talks go on as long as they take, and everyone is given an honest exchange without editing to make a point.

But, it goes further than just that, Joe Rogan will sit down and talk to anyone, and I mean ANYONE, including media pariahs and people that will clearly speak four feet above his head. It doesn’t matter who they are, he’s sitting down and talking to them.

And the thing is that he gets into the conversations, after three or four hours it’s not uncommon to see him beg guests to stay just a little while longer because he’s gotten into the conversation and that just draws you in further.

You get to hear a range of topics, politics, science, arts and entertainment, conspiracy theories, sports, martial arts, comedy, literally anything and everything that can be debated and discussed eventually makes it’s way onto the show, so much so that, when you tune in, you never know who the next guest is going to be and discussed as the conversations meander and spin their way through the show at the whims of interests.

It’s not the best in any category, but it’s the only show with absolutely every category.

This redefines the term variety show.”

#2 The Good Whale

The Good Whale podcast is presented by Daniel Alarcón, and shows the writing, starting with the expansive, moody and poetic prose. Throughout the series, we hear different people who took part in the search for Keiko’s return to his home. For a long time, the only voice we hear is Alarcón’s which creates an experience of an audiobook.

When the movie “Free Willy” released, word got out that a killer whale named Keiko is sick and living in a tiny pool at a Mexican amusement park. An environmentalist sets out to give the fans what they want: their favourite celebrity orca back in the sea. 

#3 The Daily

The Daily is a news podcast developed by The New York Times which features host Michael Barbaro and reporter Sabrina Tavernise who both come out with 5 episodes a week which run for about 20 minutes each as well. 

Sabrina Tavernise and Michael Barbaro are known for their podcast with 3 billion downloads established in 2017. Barbaro’s development had a typical podcast format where inaugurating a new episode and focusing on one news story relevant to the current day. New York Times reporters and other experts participate in the interviews, providing their own insights into the events. The format of the podcast is classic, where the host talks about the events of one single day. 

Listeners otherwise would shudder at the thought of having to listen to the same podcast daily but the creators of The Daily targeted its up-to-the-minute news discussions to audiences suggesting that episodes focus on what’s out at the time. Episodes are 20-minutes long and the podcast is available by 6 AM everywhere thanks to its support.

#4 Crime Junkie

With an average listening of 5.9 million per episode, Crime Junkie Po ranks as the second-most preferred podcast. Taking on true crime, Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat unravel criminal stories with intricate details and a unique[9dq narrative touch. The podcasts may delve into cold cases and famous murders while reconstructing events through the eyes of the victim. 

Due to their respectful and responsible approach to story-telling, the Crime Junkie podcast developed a huge audience in no time. 

Currently, Crime Junkies meets the needs of audiences that focus on Criminal Investigation or just true crime. It has permanently gained a place among the best podcasts since December 2017 when the first episode was aired.

#5 Radioactive: The Karen Silkwood Mystery

Karen Silkwood’s death 50 years ago this November still casts a shadow on Oklahoma and the entire nation. At the age of 28, a worker in a plutonium plant was killed in a car crash while on her way to hand over, as reported, some evidence regarding the death which was unsafe to Karmans of New York newspaper.

After all, some of the reporters witnessed some of the events that made up the Silkwood story. In 1974, two of them spent the better part of the years ever since obsessively trying to piece together a common story that so many in Oklahoma do. Karen Silkwood perhaps died for what she knew. Now, listening to secret footage, last words, and interviews conducted to explain exactly what happened that night.

#6 This American Life

This American Life is everything a narrative non-fictional podcast should be. The podcast is hosted by Ira Glass and features non-fiction stories of real people from America and, even though that sounds straightforward, it is not as simple as that. Few podcasts can deal with every possible issue and yet remain solely focused on the American way of life, American society, American culture and American people through stories and so many others that it makes you curious about the next one. 

This American Life was rebranded from the former title called Your Radio Playhouse and became several Podcasts eventually. Their very first radio episode aired on November 17th, 1995 which is almost ten years before the invention of podcasting. Now, 4 million fans hear the podcast on a weekly basis and 1.6 million people within 500 public stations also hear it. 

This American Life to today’s time also went and bagged some amazing rewards like the Peabody Awards and Pulitzer Prize for their exceptional quality of journalism and narrations. The best thing is that This American Life was the first recipient of the Pulitzer Prize awarded in the category of a radio program or a podcast ever.

#7 The Megyn Kelly Show

With over 900 episodes, The Megyn Kelly Show is your home for open, honest conversations with the most interesting and important political, legal and cultural figures today.

Listers say that “I really enjoyed Megyn on Fox, and have followed her over to NBC. Her new show, being in its first year, is still trying to find its footings. That is to be expected. If you look at other talk shows such as Ellen, Rachael Ray, or even Steve Harvey, their show experimented and tried new things their first few years on the air and have become very successful. I feel that Megyn’s new show will also find its place in the TV market, and will become a great success in the years to come.”

#8 The Ben Shapiro Show

Described as ‘the most fast paced daily program in America’, The Ben Shapiro Show also features its conspiratorial host Ben Shapiro, whose staunch conservativism avows for a daily show carrying ‘bloody truths’ regarding conservative political and social matters. According to YouGov’s statistics, it’s ranked as the 11th most popular US podcast.  It doesn’t include words of encouragement, such as highly appropriate for a political meeting.

Ben, the host, adores expressing his opinions on the matter and arguing with the guests about diverse topics, making the meeting feel like a quarrel. To this day, there are 1,800 episodes available, all of which can be found on well-known platforms such as YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and others.

#9 SmartLess

Being a podcast celebrity has its perks, wits and all! SmartLess is one of the most popular comedy podcasts where the hosts are well-known comedians Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett – and it’s “three” comedians instead of just one. Leeroy’s guests are competent and knowledgeable individuals, who actively work with businesses on a freelance basis and/or have “influencer follows”. The ‘three’ of the trios tell a little more about each new guest, which always comes as a shocker to the rest of the duo.

It is a magnificent plot twist, one which is best viewed in action. All three say such “surprising” personalities, ask questions, exchange stories and create what the listener wants – a shocking and always unexpected narrative.

And of course, it’s entertaining for the viewers as well as the presenters, who have no idea about their guests and thus why the desired podcast has become quite popular and attracted an army of fans.

#10 Morbid

Morbid is a true-crime podcast and web series by Alaina Urquhart and Ashleigh Kelley. It has over 600 episodes. The series features various credible eerie crime episodes from murder and missing person cases. It encompasses all these primed with the details and the story behind the scenes. 

This podcast attracts attention because it combines narration, investigation, and conversation, so for those who are simply interested and wish to delve into the criminal world, it is appealing. The way the moderate hosts treat the audience and the relatives of the victims also makes the show entertaining.

#11 This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von

This Past Weekend is a well-known comedy podcast created by the humorist Theo Von. For his guests, he invites comedians, actors and musicians to talk with him about everything, from what is currently trending to self-improvement but with a humorous edge as usual. 

This Past Weekend is a podcast consisting of multiple episodes, each of which lasts an hour and a half to more than three hours. The host urges every one of his fans to get in touch with him directly regarding questions by leaving a message on the ‘hotline’ and even requests them to send a fan video that may be showcased on the next episode.

#12 Stuff You Should Know 

Stuff You Should Know (SYSK) is an informative podcast by Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant. This show, short for SYSK, is widely appreciated for explaining difficult topics in an enjoyable and straightforward way.

In 2018, SYSK was purchased by iHeartMedia. Since then, the show has grown in popularity and now boasts over 2400 episodes.

What strikes the best about Josh and Chuck is their great chemistry which is why Stuff You Should Know is ranked one of the best podcasts in the world. Their way of presenting allows to learn about the most intricate issues with ease and pleasure, be it the evolution of pinball machines or the reason why there are black holes.

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