YouTube Launches US Podcast Chart with Joe Rogan Leading

YouTube has officially launched a new podcast chart that ranks the top 100 podcasts in the United States each week. This initiative marks a significant step in YouTube’s growing role as a major platform for podcast consumption, both in audio and video formats.

The chart is updated every Wednesday and ranks shows based on watchtime, providing a clear metric of audience engagement. Importantly, the chart includes only playlists that creators have designated as “podcasts” during upload, excluding playlists that contain only clips or Shorts. This ensures the rankings reflect full-length podcast content.

For the week of May 5th to 11th, The Joe Rogan Experience secured the number one spot, followed by Kill Tony, Rotten Mango, and 48 Hours. This ranking highlights the popularity of established podcasts and the diverse interests of YouTube’s podcast audience.

YouTube’s investment in podcasting is underscored by its reported monthly audience of over 1 billion podcast listeners, a figure that dwarfs Spotify’s 100 million reported regular listeners in 2023. This scale positions YouTube as a dominant player in the podcast ecosystem.

Looking ahead, YouTube plans to enhance the podcast chart with additional features and expand its availability to more regions worldwide. This ongoing development signals YouTube’s commitment to supporting podcast creators and listeners alike.

The Broader Significance of YouTube’s Podcast Chart

By introducing a dedicated podcast chart, YouTube not only enhances discoverability for podcast creators but also provides advertisers and marketers with valuable insights into audience preferences and engagement trends. This transparency can drive more targeted advertising strategies and foster growth in the podcasting industry.

For developers and platform strategists, YouTube’s approach highlights the importance of integrating comprehensive analytics and user engagement metrics to support content creators effectively. The focus on watchtime as a ranking metric underscores the shift toward deeper engagement rather than just downloads or listens.

As podcast consumption continues to grow globally, platforms that innovate in content ranking and discovery will shape the future of the medium. YouTube’s podcast chart is a clear example of leveraging existing infrastructure and massive user bases to create new opportunities for creators and audiences alike.