Over 80 million for… conversations. Forbes has revealed the king of global podcasts

Podcasts have long ceased to be a niche form of entertainment. Today, it is a multi-million-dollar business in which the biggest stars earn amounts comparable to Hollywood actors. The latest ranking by Forbes magazine shows that the leader of the ranking has gained an astronomical $82 million in just a year.

Forbes has named the highest-paid podcasters of 2026

Forbes magazine has published its annual list of the 20 highest-paid podcast creators. The ranking covers revenues generated between June 2025 and June 2026 and is based on estimates prepared on the basis of interviews with agents, managers, lawyers and representatives of the media industry.

Income related to the podcast business was taken into account, including revenue sharing from platforms, licensing fees and income from live events. At the same time, Forbes emphasizes that the ranking does not include programs published exclusively on YouTube or other sources of income, such as films, advertisements or television activities.

Joe Rogan is back on top. He earned $82 million

The leader of the ranking is Joe Rogan, an American sports commentator, TV presenter, comedian and film actor, creator of the extremely popular “The Joe Rogan Experience”. According to Forbes, his podcast generated approximately $82 million in revenue during the year, which put him firmly in first place on the list.

“The Joe Rogan Experience” has been one of the most listened to podcasts in the world for years. The program is available on Spotify and regularly hosts scientists, athletes, politicians and representatives of the world of culture, and the conversations often last up to several hours.

Second place went to the TBPN (Technology Business Programming Network) podcast, owned by OpenAI, whose annual revenues were estimated at $70 million.

The biggest podcast hits earn tens of millions

The next places include productions that have been extremely popular among listeners for years. “Diary of a CEO” by British entrepreneur and investor Steven Bartlett generated approximately $45 million in revenue, the true crime podcast “Crime Junkie” by Ashley Flowers generated $42 million, and the American comedy podcast “SmartLess” hosted by Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes achieved $37 million.

Mel Robbins earned $35 million each for “The Mel Robbins Podcast” and brothers Jason and Travis Kelce for their sports podcast “New Heights.” The top twenty also included titles such as “Armchair Expert” by Dax Shepard, “Good Hang” by Amy Poehler, “Giggly Squad” by Hannah Berner and “Call Her Daddy” by Alex Cooper.

The list also included Jay Shetty, author of the “On Purpose” podcast. His program has been attracting global stars for years, and among the interlocutors were Matt Damon and Michelle Obama.

Shetty recently struck a multi-year deal with Netflix and Spotify for the rights to the video version of the podcast. The value of the contract is estimated at approximately USD 100 million.

Alex Cooper also achieved large revenues. Her wildly popular podcast “Call Her Daddy,” often portrayed as a counter to Joe Rogan’s more conservative show, brought in about $32 million, according to Forbes.

Podcasts have become one of the most profitable media segments

The ranking shows how much the digital content market has changed. Just a few years ago, podcasts were treated mainly as an online curiosity. Today, the largest platforms are fighting for exclusivity for the most popular programs, signing long-term contracts worth tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars.

Forbes also reminds that the amounts presented represent pre-tax revenues and refer only to podcasting activities. Many creators at the top of the ranking also earn money from films, series, advertisements and other media ventures.