September 2025 Podcast Rankings
Summary
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce (Wondery) exploded across the board, driven by the episode featuring Taylor Swift:
Debuted at #5 in Audio Reach (~5.3M, +205%)
Entered at #2 Per Episode (~3.2M, +830%)
Landed at #7 Monthly Downloads (~31.8M, +644%)
The Daily (NYT) stole the spotlight — surging to #1 in Audio Reach (~11.7M) and #2 in Monthly Downloads (~39.6M) after being outside the top tier in August.
The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett kept momentum strong, rising to #1 Per Episode (~3.4M, +19%) and #3 Monthly (~37.9M, +116%).
Crime Junkie (SXM Media) slipped from #1 to #2 in Audio Reach but still grew (+7%). It also climbed to #6 Per Episode and #8 Monthly, proving its enduring true-crime dominance.
News dominates September podcast ranker: The Daily, IHP News, and NPR shows highlight how major news cycles can massively shift audience behavior.
Top Podcasts by Audio Reach
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Ranked by the estimated number of monthly listeners who download at least one episode. Excludes YouTube viewers.
| Rank | Show | Audio | Dls. & Views / Ep. | Dls. & Views / Mo. | Ad Load | YT Ad Load | % Direct Response | % Host Read | Top Advertisers |
|---|
Top Podcasts by Downloads & Views per Episode
Ranked by the average estimated downloads and views an episode receives within its first 60 days. Includes podcast and YouTube metrics.
| Rank | Show | Audio | Dls. & Views / Ep. | Dls. & Views / Mo. | Ad Load | YT Ad Load | % Direct Response | % Host Read | Top Advertisers |
|---|
Top Podcasts by Downloads & Views per Month
Ranked by the total estimated downloads and views across all episodes for the month. Includes podcast and YouTube metrics.
| Rank | Show | Audio | Dls. & Views / Ep. | Dls. & Views / Mo. | Ad Load | YT Ad Load | % Direct Response | % Host Read | Top Advertisers |
|---|
*Data captured from August 1st - August 30th, 2025.
**Wondery data is computed solely from public data such as Apple & Spotify ratings, not direct download data.
About Podscribe’s Ranker
The Podscribe Ranker is the industry's most comprehensive podcast ranker, offering a complete view of show, publisher and advertiser performance. Unlike traditional rankers, we go beyond RSS data—tracking podcast downloads, YouTube views, Spotify Video, and more—to reflect how audiences consume podcasts today.
We also include every known show and publisher in the rankings, to always ensure a complete industry view.
Rather than a static snapshot, Podscribe provides live growth trends, helping buyers and publishers spot rising shows early. With cross-platform tracking and direct data from major shows, it delivers the most accurate rankings available, even for podcasts without a prefix.
