'The Joe Rogan Experience': What Makes the Show Apple USA's Top Podcast of 2025?

Apple has named 'The Joe Rogan Experience' the most popular podcast in the US for 2025, placing it No. 1 in its annual year-end Top Shows list released this month. This ranking is based on listener data from Apple Podcasts, marking another year in which the series topped mainstream news, crime, and lifestyle programming such as The Daily, Crime Junkie and Dateline NBC.

Rogan's show first launched in 2009 and has now surpassed 2,000 long-form episodes featuring guests from entertainment, science, sports, business and government. Its continued popularity comes at a time when podcast audiences are growing more selective, making its sustained dominance notable in a crowded market.

Long-Form Format That Defies Trends

A major factor behind the podcast's staying power is its format. According to its official description, the programme is 'a long form conversation' featuring a wide range of public figures, including comedians, athletes, authors, actors and scientists. Episodes often run between two and three hours, significantly longer than the 20–40 minute industry average.

While most major podcasts rely on editors, scripted structures or segmented episodes, Rogan's interviews are largely free flowing. Listener comments on IMDb frequently point to the raw format — not necessarily as a value judgment, but as a distinguishing feature. For example, one listener described it as a show where conversations are not 'cut for time,' while another observed that the programme covers unpredictable topics ranging from science to pop culture.

These unedited exchanges may appeal to audiences looking for informal discussions rather than curated commentary, helping the podcast maintain a unique position within the industry.

Wide Guest Range and Public Interest in Direct Dialogue

Rogan's guest list spans celebrities, entrepreneurs, UFC fighters, academics and authors. His platform has also become a promotional space for public figures, as seen in 2025's top episode rankings, which included '#2223 – Elon Musk' in Apple's Top Episodes list. The mix of entertainment and expert interviews attracts different audiences to different episodes rather than the same listeners each time.

The podcast's broad scope can make it function like an open-ended interview series, one not limited to a single theme. This flexibility sets it apart from category-driven formats such as true crime shows, political explainers or daily news recap podcasts.

Beyond Podcasting: Rogan's Multi-Industry Influence

Rogan's longevity also reflects his broader career. He has been a stand-up comedian for more than 30 years, with a Netflix special released in August 2024.

He has also been a UFC commentator since 2002 — a role rooted in his martial arts background, including a US Open Tae Kwon Do Championship title.

Relevant to his guest lineup, his experience spans television hosting (Fear Factor), film roles, and ownership of a comedy venue in Austin. This crossover visibility helps maintain a dynamic audience that does not rely solely on podcast distribution.

Why the Podcast Ranks No. 1

Based on Apple's listenership charts, 'The Joe Rogan Experience' continues to outperform newer, heavily promoted shows because of three core advantages:

1. Format Consistency: It has not shifted toward short-form or topic-restricted trends.
2. Guest Variety: It appeals to different audiences episode by episode.
3. Cross-platform visibility: Rogan's career outside podcasting keeps new listeners discovering the show.

Rather than changing to meet podcast market trends, it thrives by staying largely the same — an unscripted, long-form conversation that allows public figures to speak at length without heavy structure. In a landscape increasingly shaped by curated content and algorithmic clips, Rogan's show remains an outlier, and its audience continues to show up.