Starting fresh to the podcasts craze? 

 

Look no further, here we will explore the Top 5 podcasts hosted on YouTube. Did you know that around 33-42% of US listeners use YouTube to consume both audio and video podcast content? However, in the UK, 39% of viewers/listeners use YouTube for video-based podcast consumption – Spotify trailing along with 33%. If you wish to reach younger audiences, boosting your content on Spotify would be your best bet with around 64%, of the 33% previously mentioned, between the ages of 16 and 34. 

If you are intrigued in starting your own podcast, why not have a look into starting your career and filming with NoStairway Creative! With excellent facilities, you can be provided with both tracking shot as well as a whole shot of your podcast to upload to YouTube. Want to have audio only options? No worries at all as NoStairway Creative provides high-quality audio with a professional broadcast audio booth.  Interested in working with us? email info@nostairway.com. Prefer a chat over the phone? –  020 3475 8744. 

 

Now to get onto the current leading podcast channels of 2026.  

 

Starting with The Diary of a CEO coming in at number 5. 

 

Available as a book series and podcast hosted by the British entrepreneur Steven Bartlett, the podcast revolves around inviting experts, celebrities and thought leader into a deep-dive of emotions with unfiltered conversations. With rivalling success, as of 2026, the podcast generates over 40 million monthly downloads across multiple platforms and constantly ranking within the global top 5 on Spotify.

Being in the category of education, the channel focuses on informing audiences that the higher ups aren’t as different to everyone else and their path of conquering challenging aspects to reach where they are today. The highest viewed video on the channel is an episode called “Robert Green: How to seduce anyone, build confidence & become powerful”, what a title. 

 

Moving onto the 4th highest ranked is The MeidasTouch podcast. 

 

A political commentary show primarily hosted by the three Meiselas brothers, Ben Meiselas, Brett Meiselas, and Jordan Meiselas. The podcast gains traction from its blend of new analytics, an unapologetic pro-democracy stance and a good banter between brothers. The frequent upload schedule keeps viewers hooked with up-to-date information on the latest affairs with views that are commonly shared across their listeners.

Providing that Ben Meiselas has a background in being a prominent civil rights lawyer, viewers are intrigued by the masses of in-depth legal breakdowns that can be provided for cases being covered. As they have a large collection of Anti-Trump coverage, it is no surprise that their most viewed video is “Hidden Trump Videos Found by Meidas as Secrets Surface”. 

 

Now for the podium finishers!  

 

And the 3rd place winner is Dr. Insanity podcasts. 

 

Long-form documentaries turned into podcast episodes, this true crime channel is determined to surface ‘the scariest stories on the internet,’ with focuses mainly on promoting transparency in govenment and public safety with the use of fact-checked body-cam footage, investigative reports and real 911 calls. With a frequent upload schedule, viewers are expected to receive around 42-49 minutes of pure goodness each episode. The most viewed viewed video to date is “How Police Captured Colorado’s Smartest Killer” which explores the tragic events involving Kristil Krug and the criminal Daniel Krug. 

 

Keeping on theme with the true crime podcasts, 2nd place goes to the 2020-star Rotten Mango. 

 

One of the many true crime podcasts rose to stardom by combining Mukbang style videos with chilling stories, drizzling in a high-profile controversy with another popular YouTuber in late 2019 which brought her further into the mainstream attention. As mentioned before, her channel follows a “no holding back” approach and focuses on deep dives into lesser-known international cases which have been characterised as “dark but hilarious.”  

Her highest viewed video to date is a story covering the controversial TikTok influencer Ash Trevino, the title being ‘Worst TikTok Mom Loves to Date Killers in Prison & Makes Daughters Call Them “Daddy”’. Stephanie Soo is also one of the only two woman within the Top 10. Truly amazing!

 

And the moment you have all been waiting for

 

The 1st place medal goes to none other than The Joe Rogan Experience. 

 

This podcast is displayed in long-form interviews which are hosted by comedian and UFC commentator, Joe Rogan. It falls into the category of Society and Culture in YouTubes listings but includes content from athletics to conspiracy theories and more. Its popularity stems from its boundary-free format which allow for deep and uncensored discussions with their featured guests. Some Notorious guests that have been on the show are Elon Musk and even Donald Trump. As of mid-2026 it is the world’s most popular podcasts and has amassed over 2,500 episodes. Their highest viewed video being episode 1315 sharing the stage with Bob Lazar & Jeremy Corbell. 

 

Honourable mention!

 

One of many podcasts that I personally enjoy listening to. If you’re a fan of motorsports, especially F1, High Performance has one of the rawest interviews when it comes to unveiling the doubts, fears and failures of the world’s top drivers from current grid to retired legends. They interview many other celebrities varying from KSI to Gordon Ramsay.

I believe the pairing consisting of Jake Humphrey, a previous Formula 1 presenter, and Professor Damian Hughes who is an organisational psychologist, really get into the nitty gritty of how the drivers handle certain situations in their life. With a recent episode being with a VCARB driver Liam Lawson, the duo dive into the depths of how Lawson dealt with his demotion from Red Bull and the real cost of being in Formula 1.  

 

Hopefully through this discussion of the current reigning podcasts on YouTube, has made you find a new favourite through the variety of categories displayed. Perhaps a style has piqued your interest in starting your own journey in journaling. Remember, Nostairway Creative provides the best services in Chiswick and it would be a no brainer to contact us today to kick-start your career!