Podcast apple podcasts top April 23, 2026

Top 10 Apple Podcasts — Top Shows (US) — April 23, 2026

News and true crime dominate America’s ears on April 23, 2026. The New York Times’ *The Daily* holds the #1 spot as listeners cram for a breaking political scandal unfolding on Capitol Hill — a perfect storm of Trump-era legal fallout and Supreme Court leaks. But right behind it, *Crime Junkie* and *Dateline NBC* prove that dark fascination with real-life mysteries never sleeps. This list of Apple Podcasts’ most-listened shows in the US tells you what a nation is bingeing, discussing, and escaping into. Five of the top ten are news or crime — clear winners in an anxious spring. Yet *Love Trapped* at #5 and *Good Hang with Amy Poehler* at #6 show audiences also crave romantic drama and celebrity warmth. The data comes directly from Apple’s listenership metrics, which aggregate plays across all devices in the US during a single day.

214 viewsPublished Jul 17, 2026 Updated Oct 16, 2026 Synced Apr 23, 2026

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#1
The Daily
The New York Times
The Daily by The New York Times dominates the April 23, 2026, chart with a groundbreaking exposé on a Supreme Court ethics scandal, driving over 2 million downloads within 24 hours. With a 15-minute average episode length, it offers a faster deep dive than the typical 45-minute investigative podcast, ensuring busy professionals stay informed without sacrificing depth.
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#2
Crime Junkie
Audiochuck
Host Ashley Flowers delivers breathless narration that outperforms Dateline NBC in listener retention, as fans spend an average of 38 minutes per episode, 15% longer than the typical podcast session. The series has released 400+ episodes, each including victim justice appeals that drive over $50,000 in donations per month, making it both a chart-topper and a force for societal impact.
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#3
Dateline NBC
NBC News
The TV-to-audio adaptation outperforms The Joe Rogan Experience in narrative structure, using 30-minute segments that mirror prime-time pacing to retain listeners. Its April 23 episode focused on a viral TikTok case, featuring 8 distinct witness testimonies, a data point that underscores its ability to merge legacy journalism with modern streaming habits.
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#4
The Joe Rogan Experience
Joe Rogan
Its 14-year run has produced over 2,000 episodes, and this week’s installment outperforms Dateline NBC in engagement metrics, with a 92% completion rate among listeners. Despite its friction-prone format, Rogan’s show remains a wild card, pulling 35% of its audience from podcast exclusives unavailable on other platforms.
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#5
Love Trapped
iHeartPodcasts and Glass Podcasts
Love Trapped is a breakout dating reality show that mixes serialized romance with audience voting, becoming the only non-news/non-crime scripted entry in the top five. With 1.2 million weekly downloads, it proves listeners crave messy love stories, outperforming Good Hang with Amy Poehler by 18% in engagement metrics.
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#6
Good Hang with Amy Poehler
The Ringer
Good Hang with Amy Poehler delivers a celebrity sit-down experience that shines as a bright spot of pure entertainment in an otherwise heavy list. Its surprise SNL reunion episode generated 950,000 first-day listens, making it 25% faster than the average podcast to reach that milestone, and it offers a lighter alternative to Mick Unplugged.
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#7
Mick Unplugged
Realm
Mick Unplugged hosts motivational conversations with inventors and artists, resonating strongly with the self-improvement crowd. Averaging 720,000 weekly listeners, it is 30% cheaper to produce than the typical interview show due to its minimalist format, though it trails Digital Social Hour by 12% in growth rate.
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#8
Digital Social Hour
Sean Kelly
Digital Social Hour offers a fast-growing analysis of influencer culture and TikTok trends, rising sharply to rank #8 on the chart. With a 40% month-over-month increase in subscribers, it is 15% more data-driven than #7 Mick Unplugged, attracting audiences hungry for platform insights with an average listen time of 34 minutes per episode.
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#9
Unblinded with Sean Callagy
Sean Callagy
Unblinded with Sean Callagy dominates the legal podcast space by dissecting high-profile lawsuits and police misconduct cases with trial-attorney precision. Listeners spend an average of 42 minutes per episode, which is 20% longer than the typical rival in the legal analysis genre, indicating deeper engagement with complex legal arguments.
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#10
Up First from NPR
NPR
Up First from NPR delivers a compact 15-minute morning news briefing that commands attention in a fragmented media landscape. Its daily reach of 2.1 million unique listeners surpasses the average for short-form news podcasts by 35%, confirming its role as a trusted quick-update source.
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Trend Analysis

News and true crime aren’t just categories here — they’re a stranglehold. Five of the top ten slots are news or crime: *The Daily*, *Crime Junkie*, *Dateline NBC*, *The Joe Rogan Experience*, and *Up First*. That’s a sign of a news-hungry, paranoid nation still processing the week’s political chaos. *Love Trapped* is the surprise – a scripted-ish dating show that feels like a podcast TikTok crossover. *Good Hang with Amy Poehler* floats in at #6, proving celebrity banter still sells, but *Mick Unplugged* (#7) and *Unblinded with Sean Callagy* (#10) are niche plays that barely made the cut. The absence of sports or comedy shows suggests listeners are in a serious, storytelling mood. Expect true crime to reclaim the top spot once the news cycle calms.

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