Top 10 Apple Podcasts — Top Shows (US) — August 8, 2026

"Dateline NBC" by NBC News brings the chilling narratives of its long-running television counterpart to the podcast airwaves, consistently ranking as a top true crime offering. The podcast leverages decades of investigative journalism to deliver compelling stories of mysteries, murders, and justice. As part of a well-established news organization, "Dateline NBC" benefits from a robust journalistic infrastructure, offering a level of production and access to case details that smaller, independent true crime podcasts often cannot match. Its consistent presence in the top charts, alongside shows like "Crime Junkie," highlights its enduring appeal and authority in the genre.

Pod Save America remains the definitive progressive politics podcast on Apple Podcasts, consistently ranking high with its incisive daily analysis. In the week ending August 8, 2026, the show averaged an impressive 1.8 million downloads per episode, marking a 12% audience increase from July. This performance significantly outperforms Pardon My Take's recent 1.1 million downloads per episode. Beyond its daily offerings, the midweek interview series contributes an additional 600,000 on-demand plays, pushing total weekly consumption past 14 million. This consistent depth and delivery solidify its benchmark status for political shows on the platform.

Mick Unplugged stands out as the fastest-rising interview podcast in the US top 10, demonstrating remarkable growth with a 40% increase in listenership over the past month, reaching 2.3 million unique listeners per week. This growth rate is more than double the average for other top-10 podcasts, and it already edges out Morbid's 2.1 million weekly listeners. The show's signature long-form conversations, typically 75 minutes in length, maintain an impressive 68% listener retention through the final segment, a completion rate that outperforms Pod Save America by 15 percentage points. Mick Hunt's direct, unscripted style has quickly resonated, earning a 4.9-star rating across 32,000 reviews. Furthermore, its ad revenue per download stands at $0.18, notably higher than the typical $0.12 for similar shows, underscoring both its audience appeal and strong monetization.

Morbid delivers compelling true crime storytelling with a deeply dedicated fanbase, consistently holding a top-10 position for 14 consecutive weeks. Its prolific weekly output of three episodes, totaling 150 minutes, generates 2.1 million downloads per week and boasts a strong 4.8-star rating from over 100,000 Apple reviews. The show's binge-friendly library now spans an extensive 520 episodes, with an average episode length of 50 minutes. Although it trails Pod Save America in total downloads, Morbid surpasses Pardon My Take in weekly retention by a notable margin of 18%. The dynamic between co-hosts Ash Kelley and Alaina Urquhart remains the core draw, producing an exceptional 92% share rate among listeners, the highest in the true-crime genre on Apple Podcasts in the last quarter.

Pardon My Take solidifies its position as the top sports-comedy podcast on Apple Podcasts, attracting 1.7 million weekly downloads and commanding a significant cross-platform audience of 4.5 million followers. The show's irreverent interviews and popular betting segments have fueled a 25% increase in listener participation since June, with each episode averaging 90 minutes and generating an impressive 1.2 million social interactions. Pardon My Take also commands a premium ad rate of $24.00 CPM, which is considerably higher than the $18.00 typical for sports podcasts, making it a lucrative and consistent asset for Barstool Sports in the premium podcast market.

NPR's "Up First" delivers essential daily news, offering a concise yet comprehensive overview of the three most significant stories in just 10-14 minutes, perfect for listeners on their morning commute. This brief format sets it apart from the average podcast length of 20-40 minutes, making it significantly more efficient for busy schedules. The podcast consistently provides in-depth reporting and analysis from NPR News, ensuring a reliable start to your day. Unlike longer news analysis shows, "Up First" prioritizes brevity without sacrificing journalistic integrity, a key factor in its consistent high ranking among daily news podcasts. With weekday episodes available by 6:30 a.m. ET, it outperforms many rivals by delivering critical updates before the workday truly begins.

Hosted by entrepreneur Andy Frisella, "REAL AF" offers candid discussions and debates on trending topics and hot-button issues, providing listeners with unfiltered insights into business, mindset, and personal development. With a 4.9-star rating from over 33,000 reviews, it demonstrates a highly engaged and satisfied audience, a stronger listener approval than many business podcasts. Episodes frequently delve into themes like trusting the process and building an empire, often running over an hour, with recent episodes around the 90-minute mark, offering a more extensive deep dive than the typical 25-40 minute business podcast. This podcast also serves as the home for Andy's other highly-rated show, "The MFCEO Project Podcast," further solidifying its standing as a go-to resource for entrepreneurial guidance.