Top 10 Apple Podcasts in the US This Week (August 28, 2026): the Daily Leads
August 28, 2026 reveals a telling snapshot of what Americans are choosing to hear during their commutes, workouts, and evening wind-downs. The most-listened podcasts on Apple Podcasts in the United States capture not just raw listenership, but the collective attention patterns of millions of users who have selected these shows as their regular audio companions. The Daily from The New York Times continues its remarkable reign at the top, demonstrating that serious journalism still commands massive audiences when delivered with consistency and depth. Crime Junkie's presence alongside its Audiochuck sibling The Truth About Natalie signals that true crime remains the genre that listeners return to again and again. Meanwhile, Dolly Parton's America stands out as the sole cultural deep-dive in the top 10, reflecting a national appetite for exploring American icons through intimate storytelling. These rankings matter because they reveal what themes—crime, news, entertainment, history—occupy the American consciousness during a specific moment in time. Apple Podcasts measures actual listening behavior rather than subscriptions or ratings, making this data a genuine barometer of content consumption in the US market.
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Current Rankings
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The New York Times
The Daily from The New York Times holds the number one position as the most-listened podcast on Apple Podcasts in the US, offering a daily news briefing that has become a morning ritual for millions of Americans seeking authoritative journalism in under 30 minutes.
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Joe Rogan
The Joe Rogan Experience claims the second spot with its signature long-form format, where host Joe Rogan conducts in-depth conversations with guests spanning entertainment, sports, science, and politics for episodes that often exceed three hours.
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Audiochuck
Crime Junkie occupies third place as Audiochuck's flagship true crime podcast, delivering weekly deep dives into criminal cases with methodical storytelling that has cultivated one of the most loyal audiences in the podcasting space.
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NBC News
Dateline NBC ranks fourth as the television news magazine's podcast extension, bringing the investigative reporting and signature dramatized storytelling of the Dateline franchise to audio listeners seeking detailed case coverage.
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Mick Hunt
Mick Unplugged breaks into the top five at number five, representing the sports podcast contingent with host Mick Hunt offering candid conversations and unfiltered sports analysis that resonate strongly with American audiences.
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WNYC Studios & OSM Audio
Dolly Parton's America lands at number six, the WNYC Studios and OSM Audio collaboration that explores the cultural phenomenon of Dolly Parton through interviews and cultural criticism.
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Audiochuck
The Truth About Natalie secures the seventh position as Audiochuck's investigative true crime podcast, examining specific cases with the same production quality and narrative approach that powers the network's other successful entries.
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NPR
Up First from NPR rounds out the top ten at number eight, providing the essential morning news briefing that compresses the day's top stories into a concise 15-minute format for time-constrained listeners.
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Goalhanger
The Rest Is History claims ninth place as Goalhanger's history podcast that transforms academic subjects into engaging narrative content, proving that educational podcasts can attract mainstream audiences when storytelling takes precedence.
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Ash Kelley & Alaina Urquhart
Morbid completes the top ten at number ten, with hosts Ash Kelley and Alaina Urquhart delivering true crime content with a conversational tone that balances investigative rigor with accessible presentation for dedicated genre fans.
Trend Analysis
The August 28, 2026 US rankings expose a podcast ecosystem dominated by two forces: true crime and trusted journalism. Four of the top ten entries fall squarely into the crime genre—Crime Junkie, Dateline NBC, The Truth About Natalie, and Morbid—revealing that audiences remain deeply invested in criminal investigations, cold cases, and investigative storytelling. News-adjacent content occupies another significant bloc, with The Daily and Up First from NPR serving listeners who want to stay informed without sifting through social media noise. The presence of The Rest Is History at number nine demonstrates that educational content delivered with entertainment sensibilities maintains a devoted following, while Dolly Parton's America proves that cultural criticism and celebrity-focused podcasts can compete with news giants when execution is exceptional. Mick Unplugged's appearance at number five represents the sole sports entry in the list, indicating that individual personalities with dedicated fanbases can break through even when competing against institutional media brands. This composition suggests American podcast audiences in late August 2026 prioritize depth and trust over novelty, gravitating toward established shows with proven track records rather than newer experimental formats.
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