The Top 15 Podcasts of June 2025: Growth, Trends, and Rising Stars
June’s Xcelcast Universal Podcast Ranking highlights the evolving landscape of both audio and video podcasts, with key shifts among leaders in politics, finance, and culture. The ranking system itself stands out for integrating real-time data from major platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, and YouTube, providing a holistic view of reach and engagement across video and audio podcast sectors.
1. The Benny Show
Politics
Growth Rate: 27.56%
Subscribers: 4,290,000
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Are you sick of the establishment corporate media manipulating the truth in America? We are. The Benny Show is 100% INDEPENDENT and your source for breaking news and raw commentary.
2. The Trish Regan Show
Politics / Finance
Growth Rate: 17.46%
Subscribers: 828,000
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Trish Regan is one of America’s most recognized financial and political journalists. An award-winning reporter, author, and speaker, Trish brings sharp, informed insight into the critical issues shaping our economy, government, and global standing.
3. I've Had It
Politics / Culture
Growth Rate: 8.33%
Subscribers: 880,000
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Join Jennifer Welch and Angie “Pumps” Sullivan on their political pop culture podcast ‘I’ve Had It’ every Tuesday and Thursday. IHIP News, a daily or twice daily podcast, serving digestible political news in short doses.
4. Paul Barron Network
Crypto / Technology
Growth Rate: 8.06%
Subscribers: 1,461,000
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The Paul Barron Network, led by the award-winning journalist, author, and technologist Paul Barron, aims to educate and inspire our audience about the future of blockchain, finance, business, and technology.
5. All-In Podcast
Business
Growth Rate: 7.78%
Subscribers: 854,000
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Chamath Palihapitiya, Jason Calacanis, David Sacks & David Friedberg cover all things economic, tech, political, social & poker.
6. Open Book
Politics / Finance
Growth Rate: 6.78%
Subscribers: 150,000
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Anthony ‘The Mooch’ Scaramucci is an entrepreneur and thought leader with broad interests and a restless mind.
In his new podcast, Open Book, listeners will hear and get to know the real Anthony: the proud son of immigrant parents, a long-suffering New York Mets fan and a father of five. Each week, he’ll invite you into an intimate and open conversation with some of the brightest minds out there, from business, politics, entertainment, and more.
7. Mark Tilbury
Finance
Growth Rate: 5.99%
Subscribers: 6,150,000
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I firmly believe that anyone who learns the skill sets of a millionaire can become a millionaire, ANYONE.
8. The Diary Of A CEO
Business / Culture
Growth Rate: 4.56%
Subscribers: 10,600,000
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Subscribe to be invited to our next subscriber party!
9. The Iced Coffee Hour
Business / Culture
Growth Rate: 4.31%
Subscribers: 1,330,000
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All of the Iced Coffee Hour episodes posted here for your enjoyment! Podcast hosted by Graham Stephan and Jack Selby.
10. Ruthless Podcast
Politics
Growth Rate: 4.16%
Subscribers: 117,000
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A variety progrum. Smug, Holmes, Duncan and Ashbrook bring next generation conservative talk to the next level with RUTHLESS. There is no shelter for anyone as the fellas provide a lighter analysis of the news (and fake news) of the day.
11. MeidasTouch
Politics
Growth Rate: 3.24%
Subscribers: 4,880,000
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The fastest growing independent news network in the world. We cover breaking news, politics, law and more. We are unapologetically pro-democracy. Because TRUTH is golden.
12. The Tucker Carlson Show
Politics
Growth Rate: 3.06%
Subscribers: 4,050,000
Watch Here
This is the official Tucker Carlson YouTube page. Watch exclusive content on TuckerCarlson.com.
13. Candace Owens
Politics
Growth Rate: 3.01%
Subscribers: 4,300,000
Watch Here
The Candace podcast is back!
14. The Real AF Podcast
Politics
Growth Rate: 2.98%
Subscribers: 655,000
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The Real AF Podcast with Andy Frisella & DJ Johnson.
15. The David Pakman Show
Politics
Growth Rate: 2.75%
Subscribers: 3,210,000
Watch Here
The David Pakman Show is one of the most watched independent progressive programs in the country. Subscribe for daily new clips, interviews, debates, panels, and commentary. The daily video podcast goes live at 9pm Eastern time every weekday, and new clips are posted throughout the day.
Conservative Podcast Ascendancy: The New Powerhouses
A new lineup of conservative voices is now dominating the charts, replacing long-standing leaders such as The Ben Shapiro Show, Dave Rubin Show, PBD Podcast, Timcast, and Steve Bannon’s War Room. The current top conservative podcasts include:
The Benny Show: Benny Johnson’s blend of humor, viral news commentary, and high-profile interviews—amplified by his partnership with Cumulus Media—has led to explosive growth. With over 4.4 million YouTube subscribers (up 22% in the last month alone) and a combined audience of 12 million across platforms, Johnson’s authenticity and direct style have made him a go-to source for younger, independent-minded conservatives.
Trish Regan Show: Regan’s daily episodes dissect political and economic events with a sharp, theatrical presentation. Her expertise in finance and her willingness to tackle controversial topics have broadened her appeal, especially as she blends market analysis with political critique.
Candace Owens Podcast: Owens continues to surge, leveraging her unapologetic approach to cultural and political issues. Her YouTube subscriber base is now over 4.35 million, with projections to surpass 10 million in the next year, driven by high engagement and her ability to spark conversation around personal milestones and headline events.
Paul Barron Network: Dominating the finance and crypto sector, Barron’s channel offers deep dives into financial markets with a conservative slant. His consistent content output and ability to bridge finance and politics are expected to push his audience past 3.5 million in the coming year.
The Ruthless Podcast: Known for its sharp satire and insider political banter, Ruthless continues to attract listeners who want humor with their politics.
Tucker: Tucker Carlson’s independent media pivot has kept him at the forefront, with a loyal audience following him from mainstream cable to digital-first platforms.
Liberal and Left-Leaning Podcasts: A New Battle for Influence
While the left-leaning podcast sphere is less crowded, a new generation of progressive voices is making significant inroads:
David Pakman Show: Pakman’s fact-based, interview-driven format has made him one of the most-watched independent progressive hosts. With daily episodes and a growing YouTube and podcast audience, he is projected to reach 5 million subscribers in the next year.
I’ve Had It Podcast: Blending comedy with social and political commentary, this show has quickly risen as a left-leaning favorite. Its candid, relatable discussions on modern life and politics are resonating with younger, progressive listeners.
MeidasTouch Podcast: The Meiselas brothers’ progressive juggernaut has already surpassed 5 million subscribers, outpacing even some of the biggest names in podcasting. Their rapid response to breaking news, high-profile guests, and cross-promotion strategies are expected to push them toward 9 million subscribers by next year
Growth Projections and Market Shifts
The podcast market is booming, with 584 million global listeners in 2025 (a 6.8% year-over-year increase), and 55% of Americans aged 12 and above are now monthly podcast listeners. The following projections illustrate the scale of anticipated growth:
Candace Owens: Projected to exceed 10 million subscribers within a year, fueled by high engagement and a growing Gen Z audience.
Benny Johnson: On track to surpass 6.5 million subscribers, leveraging viral content and a robust cross-platform strategy.
Paul Barron Network: Expected to reach over 3.5 million, as finance and politics continue to intersect.
MeidasTouch Podcast: Set to hit 9 million subscribers, building on its current momentum and ability to mobilize progressive audiences.
David Pakman Show: Poised to reach 5 million, thanks to consistent content and credibility among progressive listeners.
Why the Shift?
Several factors are driving this generational turnover:
Audience Fragmentation: Listeners are seeking out more specialized, relatable, and independent voices rather than legacy media brands.
Gen Z and Millennial Engagement: Younger audiences prefer podcasts with humor, authenticity, and direct engagement—qualities embodied by the new leaders12.
Deep Dive vs News Deconstruction: The growth in these channels has showcased their ability to put show narratives together in politics, tech, and finance, which appears to be the growth model for these rising stars over the past model of just news deconstruction.
Political Polarization: As the political landscape becomes more polarized, audiences gravitate toward voices that reflect their values, whether that’s the unapologetic conservatism of Benny Johnson and Candace Owens or the progressive activism of MeidasTouch and David Pakman.
Conclusion: The Future of Thought Leadership in Podcasting
The next year will likely see even greater divergence between the new and old guard, with the fastest-growing shows leveraging multi-platform strategies, rapid news response, and authentic, personality-driven content. Conservative and progressive podcasts alike are poised for record growth, with the battle for thought leadership intensifying as new voices break into the mainstream and reshape the public conversation
