For several years, The Joe Rogan Experience held the title of the most famous podcast in the world. The UFC color commentator began his podcasting journey back in December 2009, inspired by The Tom Green Show. What started with just a few friends chatting on air eventually turned into a platform big enough to host the richest man on the planet, Elon Musk, and even the U.S. president, Donald Trump. Joe Rogan soon earned the nickname ‘Podcast King,’ building a $250 million empire that changed the media landscape. But of course, that success didn’t come without competition.

In a time when video platforms like YouTube and audio platforms are flooded with countless podcasts, The Joe Rogan Experience still stands out, especially on Spotify. With over 14 million monthly listeners, its massive popularity can be credited to both the host’s unique style and the lineup of stellar guests. For a while, even the 52-year-old Rogan himself couldn’t believe how big the show had become.

Rogan told researcher Jack Symes in episode 2193, “Well, first of all, we have lots of podcasts and lots of hosts. It’s just that mine is the most popular for a strange reason, but that’s not my fault. I mean, I can’t alter it because it’s too popular. That’s ridiculous.” 

In 2025, popular journalist John I. Goodman dropped the latest podcast rankings, and Joe Rogan still topped the list. But right behind him, in a surprising second place, was Grammy-nominated actress and comedian Amy Poehler. She launched her podcast Good Hang with Amy Poehler back in March 2025, and instantly it started making waves. Each week, she brings on some huge names—former first lady Michelle Obama and actress Patti LuPone. 

However, it’s not the first time another podcast has given The Joe Rogan Experience a run for its money. There have been multiple occasions where the world’s most popular podcast was overtaken. Surprisingly, one happened this year, and another a few years back. So, let’s take a look at those instances.

Times when other podcasts surpassed the Joe Rogan Experience

While it’s true that The Joe Rogan Experience might be the overall king when it comes to fascinating conversations and captivating guests, this year was a bit different. New York Times bestselling author and motivational speaker Mel Robbins briefly overtook the podcast in popularity on Spotify.

The 56-year-old Kansas native has been podcasting since 2022 and has welcomed many popular guests, including PhD scholars, doctors, and lawyers. Most of their conversations revolve around improving health, reducing anxiety, building careers, and developing better habits. Overall, a fun podcast for anyone interested in self-help topics. 

Also, in 2022, Meghan Markle’s podcast Archetypes topped the charts across the Western world, briefly surpassing The Joe Rogan Experience. The podcast king managed to reclaim his spot after a few months to set order back in the podcasting realm, but along came  Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy, with season 2 topping the Spotify charts. 

Although there have been several podcasts that have briefly passed The Joe Rogan Experience in the past, the ones we’ve listed are some of the most notable ones. That being said, which recent podcasts do you think have the potential to beat JRE and actually stay on top? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.