Looking for the top podcasts on YouTube right now? Wondering which podcast ranks highest on YouTube’s brand-new chart? YouTube has officially launched a weekly podcast ranking system, and The Joe Rogan Experience has claimed the #1 spot in its first release. If you're a fan of podcasting or content creation, this new feature helps you discover trending podcasts based on watch time—giving you insight into what’s dominating the platform week after week.
YouTube’s new podcast chart highlights the top 100 podcasts in the US, with rankings refreshed every Wednesday. These rankings are based on total watch time, offering a transparent metric that showcases which shows are actually being consumed the most. Only playlists tagged as "podcasts" during the upload process qualify, meaning clip-only compilations or Shorts don’t count—ensuring the chart stays focused on full-length podcast content.
As of the week of May 5 to May 11, the top-ranking podcasts on YouTube are:
The Joe Rogan Experience
Kill Tony
Rotten Mango
48 Hours
This mix of comedy, crime, and commentary highlights how diverse the podcasting audience has become on YouTube. With over 1 billion podcast listeners on YouTube each month, the platform is clearly a powerhouse—far surpassing Spotify’s reported 100 million podcast listeners in 2023.
This isn’t just a popularity list—YouTube’s podcast chart is a data-driven ranking system that has real implications for visibility, audience growth, and revenue. Podcasts that make it onto the chart will likely see higher engagement, better brand partnerships, and increased CPMs from advertisers looking to tap into premium audio content.
For creators, this is a golden opportunity to optimize their content for YouTube’s podcast-specific features, such as long-form metadata, playlist grouping, and audience retention analytics. For marketers, the chart offers a go-to guide for influencer collaborations, ad placements, and trend spotting.
According to YouTube’s podcast product lead Steve McLendon, this is just the beginning. YouTube plans to expand the podcast chart globally and roll out additional tools for creators to optimize and promote their podcast content. As the platform evolves, creators who embrace YouTube’s ecosystem—by properly tagging uploads, utilizing chapters, and engaging viewers with timestamps—will gain a competitive edge.
This aligns with Google’s broader push into AI-driven recommendations and search visibility, meaning podcasts featured on YouTube could also gain more traction through Google Search, Google Podcasts, and even smart assistant results.
YouTube is no longer just a place for video—it’s now a podcasting heavyweight, and this chart cements its position. Whether you're a content creator, advertiser, or just someone looking to follow the best podcasts, the YouTube Podcast Chart is your new go-to resource.
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