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- Apple has released a list of the 10 most popular podcasts of 2023.
- True crime and podcasts by news organizations were some of the top listener picks.
- Apple also included lists of the most followed and most shared podcasts.
Choosing a new podcast to start can be a daunting task, with thousands of options to consider. If you need some background noise while you finish up some housework, why not try a fan favorite?
Apple shared a roundup on Tuesday of the most popular podcasts of 2023. These numbers came from data from Apple listeners in over 100 countries.
Apple included lists of the top 10 free and subscriber channels, most shared shows and episodes, top new shows, and most followed shows. But today, we will be focusing on the top 10 podcasts overall, according to Apple.
10. Stuff You Should Know
Denise Truscello
"Stuff You Should Know" will, according to Apple Podcasts, teach you everything you need to know about science, history, religion, crime, and more. The podcast has been running since 2008 and has 2,000 episodes.
The SYSK podcast is hosted by Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant. Clark also made a podcast called "The End of The World with Josh Clark." Byrant worked in both film and as a professional writer before joining SYSK.
9. Hidden Brain
Apple Podcasts
"Hidden Brain" is a podcast by NPR that describes itself as exploring "unconscious patterns that drive human behavior and questions that lie at the heart of our complex and changing world," according to its website. It analyzes intangible concepts like gratitude, death, pain, and grief.
The podcast is hosted by Shankar Vedantam, a journalist and author who previously worked for The Washington Post before joining NPR.
8. Huberman Lab
Chance Yeh
Huberman Lab is hosted by neuroscientist Andrew Huberman. It is the top health and fitness-related podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, according to the podcast's website.
Huberman Lab explores different health-related topics like fitness, mental health, sleep, and supplements. The podcast has featured countless health experts and recently featured Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan.
Even though the podcast only made eighth place on this list, it was in first place on Apple Podcasts's list of most-followed shows. It was also Apple's fourth most shared podcast.
7. Up First
Drew Angerer
"Up First" is a daily podcast produced by NPR. The podcast is a 10-minute summary of some of the top news stories of the day.
Released every morning, 6 a.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m. on weekends, the podcast is meant to help listeners start their day off on a more informed note.
6. Morbid
Morbid podcast/Wondery
One of the genres to top this year's list was true crime, and "Morbid" is no exception. "Morbid", which is part of the podcast publishing platform Wondery, focuses on true crime, history, and horror.
"Morbid" is hosted by sister duo Alaina Urquhart and Ash Kelley, according to the podcast's webpage. Urquhart is an autopsy technician with a background in criminal justice, psychology, and biology who also wrote the thriller novel "The Butcher and The Wren." Kelley works as a hairdresser and lives in Boston.
5. This American Life
Astrid Stawiarz
"This American Life" is a public radio podcast hosted by Ira Glass that focuses on mixing journalism with entertainment, according to the podcast's website. The podcast, which puts out a new episode every Sunday, gets over 4 million weekly listeners.
The show is a collaborative production with WBEZ Chicago that's sent out to stations by Public Radio Exchange — PRX. Glass began his career in reporting in 1978, when he began interning with NPR, before working on "This American Life" in 2006, according to Britannica.
4. SmartLess
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images (left), Manny Carabel/Getty Images (center), Amy Sussman/Getty Images (right)
"SmartLess" is a weekly podcast hosted by actors Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett. "SmartLess" focuses on using comedy and shared experiences to connect people from "all walks of life," according to the podcast's website.
In every episode, one of the hosts also invites a surprise guest for the other two hosts onto the show. The podcast began in July 2020, and the three actors have been longterm friends.
The podcast has hosted a long list of well-known guests including Ryan Reynolds, Jennifer Aniston, Will Ferrell, and Adam Sandler.
3. Dateline NBC
NurPhoto
"Dateline NBC" is a long-running series that focuses on crime, mysteries, documentaries, and in-depth reporting. According to Nielsen Media Research reported by NBC, "Dateline" was the most-watched news magazine during the third quarter of 2023, with over 66 million viewers.
"Dateline NBC" may be best known for its TV series, but the podcast adaptation is apparently also a hit with fans, coming in third place on Apple's top 10 list.
2. The Daily
Gary Hershorn
Podcasts hosted by news organizations dominated this year's list, so it's no surprise that "The Daily," a podcast by The New York Times, took second place.
"The Daily," is a 20-minute podcast that goes out every day Monday-Friday. It's hosted by Michael Barbaro and Sabrina Tavernise. The podcast gives listeners an overview of the day's top story.
1. Crime Junkie
NBC
"Crime Junkie" is a podcast focused on covering true crime cases and was Apple's most popular podcast in 2023. The Crime Junkie team has also donated $643,000 to family members of victims and to several nonprofit organizations, according to the podcast's website.
The podcast began in 2017. It's hosted by Ashley Flowers, who founded the podcast production company Audiochuck, along with Brit Prawat, who used to work for a private investigator.