The 44 Most Powerful Players in Podcasting in 2025

TALENT

SmartLess

What a year for the trio that turned a pandemic experiment into a power podcast with a $100 million deal at SiriusXM. They passed the 300-episode mark with a little help from their usual mix of celebrities (Ariana Grande), politicos (Gov. Tim Walz), moguls (Bill Gates) and musicians (John Mayer). They even managed to convince “white whale” Howard Stern to sit for a special taping in the Hamptons. Say more: They launched SmartLess Mobile, a budget-conscious cellphone service to compete with giants like Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T. The kids call that dialed-in.

TALENT

The Daily

The New York Times‘ flagship podcast underwent a significant refresh in 2025 with the addition of two new co-hosts. Natalie Kitroeff and Rachel Abrams joined veteran Michael Barbaro after Sabrina Tavernise returned to full-time reporting. The trio now guides one of podcasting’s most influential shows, delivering news analysis to 3 million daily listeners.

What’s something you wish more podcasters would stop doing?
Abrams: “I’m not falling for that trap!”

TALENT

Stuff You Should Know

For the past 17 years, the Atlanta-based duo, former senior editors at HowStuffWorks.com, have been podcasting’s ultimate generalists, hopping week to week from champagne to satanism to the Stonewall Uprising, among other disparate topics. Their iHeartRadio podcast remains a perennial Top 10 powerhouse and 10-time Webby winner, having released more than 1,500 episodes that transform random trivia into essential listening, and spawned legions of imitators who don’t seem to realize that there’s more to it than repackaging Wikipedia entries.

What’s something you wish more podcasters would stop doing?
Bryant: “Video podcasting. I know it’s a popular thing, but to me podcasting works best as an audio medium, and minimizing a screen of people sitting in a generic studio doesn’t serve much of a function.”

TALENT

The Joe Budden Podcast

A decade after Joe Budden launched his namesake podcast, it remains the most influential in all of hip-hop. The rapper turned media mogul recently revealed that his podcast network is expected to generate more than $20 million in 2025 between subscriptions and ads, making him one of the most successful podcasters in the industry.

Biggest challenge facing podcasting now? “It’s us versus algorithms.”

TALENT

The Tucker Carlson Show

The show touts itself as a “beacon of free speech and honest reporting in a media landscape dominated by misinformation,” for whatever that’s worth. After a few years in the media wilderness, the former Fox News Channel personality has become a major player in the ascendant conservative-radio space. To his credit, he’s not afraid to buck sectors of the right’s establishment. In June, Carlson outed Sen. Ted Cruz mid-interview for not knowing the population of Iran — it turned out to be the podcast’s most viral moment of 2025 (so far).

TALENT

Call Her Daddy

The podcaster exploded into the mainstream last year with her Olympics commentary and her headline-making sit-down with Democratic presidential contender Kamala Harris in October. (A THR cover didn’t hurt, either.) Cooper boldly jumped ship from Spotify to SiriusXM for a $125 million three-year deal. She has continued to hover in the podcast charts’ top 5, sometimes even topping Joe Rogan thanks to her pop culture savvy, and her insight that sometimes a Love Island contestant can be a bigger draw than any A-lister on SmartLess.

How will podcasting evolve in the next five years? “Like classic talk shows, I think live content and audience interactivity will play key roles in the format’s growth, especially as more brands embrace multiplatform creator communities.”

TALENT

Crime Junkie

Thanks to her flagship true-crime show, Flowers is the undisputed queen of podcasting’s most consistently popular genre. Beyond her own pod, she has built her company audiochuck into a true-crime network spanning multiple podcasts and partnerships, and boasting more than 2.5 billion downloads. Somehow she finds the time to publish crime novels and run SiriusXM’s 24/7 true-crime channel, Crime Junkie Radio.

What’s your current favorite podcast? “I’m such an Amy Poehler fan and Jenna Weiss-Berman is such an incredible producer, so Good Hang is one of the very few non-true-crime podcasts I listen to, but I won’t miss an episode!”

TALENT

Kill Tony

A former staffer on the Comedy Central Roast series, Hinchcliffe helped usher in America’s post-“woke” era when, at a Trump rally at Madison Square Garden on the eve of the 2024 election, he referred to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage.” The next day, on his popular Kill Tony show, he said, “I apologize to absolutely nobody.” That Austin-based production, a meritocratic format for spotlighting and launching next-gen insult comics, is a key vector fueling today’s reactionary cultural landscape.

What’s your current favorite podcast? “Mine.”

TALENT

Huberman Lab

The Stanford professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology recently surpassed 7 million YouTube subscribers for his conversations examining health, wellness and the brain. Huberman’s show was a winner at this year’s iHeartPodcast Awards, while a (not altogether flattering) 2024 New York magazine cover deemed him “the world’s biggest pop neuroscientist.” In a testament to that fame, he appeared as a dinner party guest this year on The Kardashians, where he gushed over Kim’s eyes.

How much prep do you do for each episode? “For solo episodes, I take dozens to hundreds of hours to prepare. I read everything I can on a topic — research papers, textbooks, lecture transcripts and more.”

TALENT

New Heights

The promotional blurb for New Heights calls the brothers “football’s funniest duo,” and it’s doubtful any ref would toss a flag at that. They roast one another as only siblings (and former gridiron rivals) can … and they’re laughing all the way to the bank. Last August, the Kelces penned a lucrative three-year pact with Wondery reportedly worth north of $100 million. Now, with Wondery winding down, their show moves over to Amazon’s newly launched Creator Services. The internet went into a tailspin when the podcast revealed that Travis Kelce’s other half (Taylor Swift) would be guesting on a new episode on Aug. 12, which will undoubtedly take the show to new heights.

TALENT

Morbid

Kelley and Urquhart-White recently found a new home for their hit podcast Morbid at SiriusXM after several years at Amazon’s Wondery. The show remains one of the top-charting true-crime shows, propelled by the duo’s blend of research, humor and expertise (Urquhart-White trained as an autopsy technician). The co-hosts have built on the show’s success by creating a larger true-crime and horror podcast network to rival Ashley Flowers’ audiochuck.

Which episode are you most proud of?
Urquhart-White: “The Jack the Ripper series was something I really poured myself all into, and I felt like I was able to get our listeners into it with me.”

TALENT

The Megyn Kelly Show

Thanks to her podcast, the former Fox News host’s influence and audience has never been stronger, proving that the platform TV used to provide is no longer as essential as it once was. Her show garners more than a billion views a year (some episodes draw more views than the output of entire news organizations on YouTube). Now she is turning her Devil May Care Media into a podcasting empire, with hosts like Mark Halperin and Link Lauren, and even expanding into true crime and other genres.

How much prep do you do for each episode? “At least four hours each morning before going live at noon. After the show, I never stop consuming the news. It’s constant.”

TALENT

The Ezra Klein Show

If there was a turning point in the conversation around whether President Joe Biden should have run for re-election last year, it may have been an audio essay from Klein titled “Democrats Have a Better Option Than Biden.” The host’s New York Times-produced show — featuring extended conversations with experts and newsmakers — has greatly expanded his power and influence within Democratic politics, allowing him to become arguably the most important voice in the space.

TALENT

The MeidasTouch

The three brothers parlayed their anti-Trump super PAC into a progressive media network, with a flagship podcast that recently dethroned Joe Rogan on YouTube charts. Their studio (or Zoom screen) has become an essential stop for top Democratic leaders, combining brotherly banter with aggressive political advocacy. The MeidasTouch Podcast was awarded Podcast of the Year at the 2025 Webby Awards, cementing their influence in left-leaning political media.

TALENT

IMO With Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson

The former first lady leveraged her global platform to launch a life advice podcast with her basketball coach brother. Produced by the Obamas’ company, Higher Ground, the pod tackles listener dilemmas with A-list guests like Issa Rae and Tracee Ellis Ross offering candid perspectives on relationships, parenting and personal growth — and expanding Obama’s multimedia empire in the process.

What have you learned about yourself by podcasting?
Robinson: “Learning a completely new skill has reenergized my brain and made me realize that we all should embrace being inquisitive, no matter what age. It is truly revitalizing.”

TALENT

Good Hang With Amy Poehler

The first episode of the beloved comedian’s chart-topping podcast, launched in March, set the tone with its riotous intro: Just seconds in, Poehler and several fellow Saturday Night Live stars dissolved into laughter as Rachel Dratch worked to unravel her headphones, and received a food delivery. Poehler has built on that blend of camaraderie and humor in her interviews with former collaborators including Tina Fey, Seth Meyers, Rashida Jones, Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer, in addition to new friends such as Reneé Rapp and Cole Escola.

What’s your pre-recording ritual? “Hyperbaric chamber/Blood facial/Light ayahuasca.”

TALENT

The Mel Robbins Podcast

The author isn’t just having one of the best years in podcasting. She’s having one of the best years in all of media. Buoyed by the 2024 title The Let Them Theory and its 6 million copies sold to date, and focused on personal growth, her show ranks as the No. 1 podcast globally, frequently besting Joe Rogan in the U.S. and earning her “best overall host” at the recent iHeartRadio Awards. As enthusiast Oprah Winfrey put it, she’s having a moment.

Thoughts on using AI in podcasting? “There are so many podcasts out there that are hosted by AI bots and not real humans, and they are repurposing and reposting the work of many shows. At a minimum, we need regulations that require AI-generated content to be labeled as such.”

TALENT

The Joe Rogan Experience

In the past year, the longtime self-proclaimed centrist waded deeper into partisan politics and demonstrated the influence of the medium over which he reigns supreme. Rogan’s three-hour sit-down with then-candidate Donald Trump last October — and his subsequent endorsement — were credited with boosting Trump’s re-election campaign. Meanwhile, his platforming of fringe guests pushing conspiracy theories that range from Jeffrey Epstein speculation to Holocaust revisionism have generated pushback from even some longtime fans. Not that it’s dented his numbers.

TALENT

Las Culturistas

The podcast that asks every guest, “What was the culture that made you say culture was for you?” reached a new high this year as the two longtime friends interviewed Lady Gaga, Chappell Roan, Cate Blanchett, Sarah Jessica Parker and more. Additionally, The Las Culturistas Culture Awards, a fake awards show created by Rogers and Yang, became even more real as the latest ceremony (with categories like the “Eva Longoria Award for Tiny Woman, Huge Impact”) was televised on Bravo earlier this month.

What’s something you wish more podcasters would stop doing?
Rogers: “I would specifically like comedy and lifestyle podcast hosts to really think before they host politicians! Most of us are not journalists. We’re clowns.”

TALENT

The Shawn Ryan Show

The former Navy SEAL and CIA contractor — who helped train Keanu Reeves for the John Wick franchise — sits down with guests to share war stories, financial advice, self-help tips and a smattering of conspiracy theories. The podcast, which cracked Spotify’s top 10 of 2024, frequently features military vets but has also grabbed attention for chats with the likes of Donald Trump, Gavin Newsom, Pete Hegseth and Gina Carano.

Which episode are you most proud of? “SRS #045 with Bob ‘Ninja’ Poras, the CIA/Delta Force Operator.”

TALENT

The Rest Is History

Whether they’re debating which of Henry VIII’s wives would win Love Island or exploring Constantinople’s sectarian politics, the British historians have turned academic expertise into podcasting gold. With 11 million monthly downloads, more than 45,000 paying subscribers and a large under-40 listenership, the duo has managed to extend the reach of history well beyond the usual dad market.

Which historical figure would you most like to interview? Holland: “Herodotus, the first historian, was also the first man in world history whom it is easy to imagine presenting a podcast.”

TALENT

Armchair Expert

Dax Shepard may be the O.G. actor turned podcaster — or maybe his arc has the nicest bend after his segue from unmemorable movies to his essential interview show, Armchair Expert. Shepard and co-host Monica Padman sit with celebs, academics and reporters to get into the “messiness of being human.” Shepard secured a $80 million deal with Amazon’s (now greatly diminished) Wondery last year.

Who doesn’t have a podcast yet but should? “Ethan Hawke. He is the bottomless breadsticks of unique, thoughtful perspective.”

TALENT

On Purpose With Jay Shetty

If there were any question about just how high Shetty’s star has risen, look no further than his recent sold-out On Purpose Live Tour, with stops at high-profile venues in 15 major U.S. cities, and adoring fans lined up for his workshops to help everyone become “happier, healthier and more healed.” The former Hindu monk’s recent high-profile guests have included Khloé Kardashian, Bill Gates, Julia Fox, Nara Smith and Cynthia Erivo, but it was his conversation with Michelle Obama (on therapy, motherhood and her relationship with her husband) that dominated headlines this year.

Which historical figure would you most want to interview? “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I would be fascinated to understand his perspective on where the world is today.”

TALENT

Pivot; On

The Silicon Valley chronicler cum gadfly hosts two podcasts: On, by herself, and Pivot, alongside NYU professor Scott Galloway. Both are produced by Vox Media and New York magazine (the former owns the latter, and THR‘s parent company owns part of the former). The co-founder of Re/code, Swisher is a kingmaker (and breaker) in the tech space, and she has quite possibly the shrewdest sales pitch to getting the best guests: “Smart people like difficult questions.”

How will podcasting evolve in the next five years? “Bigger market, fewer economically successful players.”

TALENT

The Bald and the Beautiful

Since mind-melding back in 2009 on season seven of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Trixie Mattel and Katya have proven an irresistible duo — quick on their stilettos, searingly funny and just a little bit twisted. Their Bald and the Beautiful podcast, launched in 2020, covers everything from makeup trends to their bumpy personal lives, and has gone on to win multiple awards and a loyal following.

How has recording episodes on video changed your approach? Trixie: “Now I have to assemble completely mid outfits and be ripped apart for the length of my men’s socks.”

TALENT

This Past Weekend With Theo Von

Von’s podcast has risen to third on Spotify’s chart on the strength of the host’s everyman blend of humor, vulnerability and straight talk, which makes disaffected dudes see him as their Mark Twain and powerful men across the ideological spectrum — Trump, Vance, Sanders, Zuckerberg — want to sit with him. The born-and-bred Louisianan, a touring stand-up comic and sometime actor, recently garnered headlines for his commentary about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which he’s called a genocide.

EXECS

Audible

Ghiazza already has had a quickly growing influence in the podcast world, rising from senior vp for Content Acquisition and Development since joining Audible just six years ago all the way to chief content officer. She’ll have an even bigger purview now with a whole slew of Wondery hits joining Audible’s slate. Ghiazza is more than equipped to handle it — the USC MBA has also worked at Spotify and Yahoo! And when an especially thorny challenge arises, she can employ one of her go-to strategies: Ghiazza is a big fan of inspirational author Mel Robbins’ book The Let Them Theory, which advocates reclaiming your power by giving others around you wide latitude.

Who doesn’t have a podcast yet but should? “Rachel Brosnahan — she’s super invested in so many important issues facing the world and industry today.”

EXECS

Black Effect Media

The radio personality turned media mogul has built an empire beyond his nationally syndicated morning show, The Breakfast Club, and The Brilliant Idiots, his unfiltered gab fest with comedian Andrew Schulz. His real power play was co-founding Black Effect Media in partnership with iHeartMedia, creating a groundbreaking network celebrating and empowering Black culture-shapers.

What’s your current favorite podcast? “The Weekly Show With Jon Stewart.“

EXECS

Crooked Media

Started in 2017 by the trio of former Obama staffers as a response to the first Trump era, Crooked Media and its marquee show, Pod Save America, are seeing another surge in listenership during Trump’s second term. The company also encompasses several other podcasts, including Lovett or Leave It and Hysteria, newsletters, a fundraising and voter registration initiative, and live events, including a two-day Crooked Con this November in D.C. on the future of the Democratic party.

Who doesn’t have a podcast yet but should? “Hunter Biden. Apparently he has some thoughts.”

EXECS

Dateline NBC

NBC’s venerable true-crime newsmagazine may have been late to leap to podcasting, but under Cole’s watch, it’s come to dominate the all-important true-crime space, leveraging its extensive library and veteran journalists to consistently rank among the top podcasts.

What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned through podcasting? “Dateline’s been on TV for 33-plus years, so I’ve been surprised (and pleased) by the number of young people discovering it for the first time through audio.”

EXECS

Exactly Right Media

As their marquee series, My Favorite Murder, approaches 10 years on the air, the true-crime/comedy duo turned executives have signed a deal this year with iHeartMedia for exclusive co-production, sales, marketing and distribution of their 12-show roster. (The latest launch, Trust Me, tackles cults!) As for Hardstark and Kilgariff, they recently gave in to their genre’s video push and announced their first tour in six years. “Murderinos” can catch them at one of 22 shows this fall, though most have already sold out.

EXECS

iHeart

iHeart remains podcasting’s most listened-to network, with Byrne and Pearson commanding a platform that houses Shonda Rhimes’ Shondaland, Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players and the NFL’s entire audio empire. As America’s largest radio conglomerate, they’ve seamlessly translated terrestrial dominance into digital supremacy. With 160 million monthly downloads, iHeartPodcasts proves that size really does matter in the attention economy.

How will podcasts evolve in the next five years? Pearson: “We’re going to see the continuation of a trend that’s really picked up steam over the past two to three years, and that’s the emergence of successful podcasters as 360-degree influencers.”

EXECS

NPR

NPR’s head of growth strategy for podcasts will undoubtedly be faced with new challenges this year as his company weathers the ramifications of Congress’ clawback of $1.1 billion in federal funds for public media. Nevertheless, with powerhouse titles like NPR News Now, Up First, Planet Money and its investigative Embedded franchise still going strong, NPR remains one of the top-ranking podcast networks in the country.

EXECS

The New York Times

As each week of Trump’s second presidency has raised new questions, The New York Times‘ audio division under Dolnick’s leadership has leapt to answer them. The addition of two new co-hosts, Natalie Kitroeff and Rachel Abrams, alongside Michael Barbaro has only energized stalwart blockbuster The Daily, which reaches millions. Conservative Times opinion columnist Ross Douthat launched his own show, the appropriately titled Interesting Times, while Wesley Morris’ culture podcast Cannonball has provided both an escape from the daily chaos and highlighted how art can be a reflection of it. Throughout it all, deputy managing editor Dolnick has helped ensure that NYT titles remain as essential as the paper itself.

EXECS

Red Seat Ventures

Founded by the Balfe brothers in 2015, Red Seat has become the go-to digital media company for podcasters focused on right-leaning politics and true crime, helping clients like Megyn Kelly, Nancy Grace and Brett Cooper with distribution, ad sales and branding. Now under the ownership of Fox’s Tubi Media Group, the firm plans to expand into sports, comedy, lifestyle and other verticals, bridging the gap between legacy media and creators.

Biggest challenge facing podcasting now? Chris Balfe: “Standing out from the crowd. ‘Two people talk on camera’ is a proven model, but it also fools people into thinking that anyone can be Joe Rogan.”

EXECS

The Ringer

The sports podcast innovator re-upped with Spotify this year to serve as head of talk strategy. Five years after the audio streaming giant acquired The Ringer, he continues to add new programming, including shows from Amy Poehler and Zach Lowe. And Simmons himself remains one of the most popular podcast hosts, on his namesake show and The Rewatchables.

If you had unlimited budget, what podcast would you create? “There’s no way I’m giving away that idea — I work for Spotify, have you seen our stock lately? We might have unlimited budgets soon!”

EXECS

SiriusXM

The audio giant, which acquired SmartLess and Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy last year, has continued snapping up popular podcasts with its recent deal for true-crime show Morbid. The company is home to four of the top 10 podcasts on Edison Research’s charts, with other titles including Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, as well as his audio empire, Crime Junkie, Dateline NBC and The Mel Robbins Podcast. Several podcasts also have crossover radio shows on SiriusXM as part of the company’s synergistic strategy.

What’s your current favorite podcast? Sachs: “I’m late to the party, but I’m hooked on The Rest Is History.“

EXECS

Spotify

Wasenmüller was recently appointed to lead Spotify’s global podcast business, alongside Prohovnik, vp of podcast product, and Newman, head of content partnerships. After moving away from exclusive distribution of its shows (including the Joe Rogan Experience), the team’s next push has been toward video podcasts, with more than 430,000 of them on the platform, and with consumption of video podcasts growing 20 times faster than audio-only shows. Spotify remains the top podcast network in the U.S. based on reach, according to Edison Research.

How will podcasting evolve in the next five years? More video, more interactivity and more ways for creators to earn.

EXECS

Team Coco

In May, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend began to release full video episodes (as opposed to 10- to 15-minute clips) on the Team Coco YouTube channel. It worked: Team Coco’s views increased 17 percent from the prior year, and its watch time jumped twice that. The flagship pod soared up the charts, while Team Coco’s broader slate — including Where Everybody Knows Your Name and Literally! With Rob Lowe — has solidified the comedy empire’s digital dominance. Now with more than 9 million Team Coco YouTube subscribers, Conan O’Brien has, well, a lot of friends.

EXECS

The Wall Street Journal

Patterson must be doing something right at The Wall Street Journal — its podcast game has leveled up since she took over as head of audio in 2023. Transitioning from the Standards and Ethics team, she has overseen fast-growing shows like The Journal (the paper’s answer to its crosstown rival’s The Daily) and helped drive a 20 percent year-over-year increase in listener volume across WSJ‘s audio network.

What’s something you wish more podcasters would stop doing? “A lot of shows are just far too long. We’ve even seen some show-length creep in some of our episodes that we need to address. Podcast listeners tend to be very forgiving and willing to give us a lot of time, but one bit of feedback I see over and over again is that people like our shorter show lengths and a common refrain is that we show ‘respect’ for their time.”

AGENTS

WME

To represent podcasters in 2025 is to serve some of the biggest stars in town. And few do that like the WME dynamic duo of Davis and Hurwitz, who along with their digital department count multitool players such as Amy Poehler among their clients. Other artists they’ve shepherded to the pinnacle include Jon Stewart, Jay Shetty, Theo Von and the Rest Is History hosts.

How will podcasting evolve in the next five years? Davis: “The lines will continue to blur with television and streaming platforms.”

AGENTS

CAA

CAA’s podcast department, which is run by Lindgren with help from power agents like Edwards, is responsible for a lucrative and growing roster of top talent. Among the latter: SmartLess and its expansive slate as well as popular pods such as Stuff You Should Know, Pantsuit Politics and a new addition from Allison Williams, Landlines. The team not only brokers major deals, including renewals for Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s Dinner’s on Me and Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Wiser Than Me, but also serves as a full-service advisory group, helping its clients navigate IP development, licensing and marketing across platforms.

How will podcasting evolve in the next five years? Lindgren: “The next great creators will focus on what they want to say, and the medium itself will be secondary.”

AGENTS

UTA

Rosenbaum and Leone were already podcasting all-stars thanks to their department’s representation of personalities like Alex Cooper, Emma Chamberlain, and Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers. This year, Steinberg joins Leone and Creators co-head Rosenbaum on our list as an agent, solidifying the agency’s position as a podcast power broker. Corporate clients like iHeart, Exactly Right and Campside help complete the case.

Who doesn’t have a podcast yet but should? Rosenbaum: “I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t have a podcast. But I know we need more. If you’re out there, call us.”

TALENT

Flagrant; The Brilliant Idiots

The mustachioed, fast-talking comedian, who yaps opposite Charlamagne tha God on The Brilliant Idiots, hosted Donald Trump on his ascendant cultural commentary showcase Flagrant just before the election for a talk that went viral among Schulz’s key demo of post-partisan young men. But by July, he’d had his Howard Beale on-air moment, breaking with the president about a variety of grievances, from policy issues to the Jeffrey Epstein betrayal, mirroring an apparent broader shift in the president’s coalition.

Which podcast completely changed how you think about the medium? “Joe Rogan Experience. It has defined and redefined the genre over and over again. Honestly, I don’t even think it gets enough credit.”