10 Best Podcasts of 2024, According to Apple

Technology giant Apple has named the most popular podcasts of the year, with Hugh van Cuylenburg and Ryan Shelton’s mental health program The Imperfects coming out on top. The series, which first started in 2019, topped the Australian Apple podcasts charts for this year, pipping true crime series Casefile to the post in a remarkable win for public health advocacy. However, The Imperfects wasn’t the only surprise winner in this year’s rankings.

The new data, which comes directly from Apple, explored localised content for listeners in nearly 100 countries and regions. The year-end charts include the top podcasts overall, the top new shows that debuted this year, the most followed shows, the most shared shows and episodes, and the top free and subscriber channels. The 2024 charts are available in the Browse tab through the end of the year, with listeners in over 15 markets able to explore Shows We Love—a curated collection of narrative and episodic series that proved popular with listeners this year.

“It’s the best way to discover and enjoy podcasts and support the creators who make them, with millions of shows covering practically every topic,” Apple said in a press release announcing the results. “Apple Podcasts also features thousands of premium podcasts, so when fans are looking for the ultimate experience of their favourite show, they can easily find it and listen on their iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple Watch with AirPods.”

Most Popular Podcasts on Apple

While The Imperfects was the most popular podcast in Australia, the rest of the list was dominated by Mia Freedman’s podcast network Mamamia. The company secured three places in the top 10, with Out Loud, the organisation’s flagship program topping out at number four. Here are the most popular podcasts of 2024 in Australia:

1. The Imperfects

• Focus: Mental Health
• Creator: Hugh van Cuylenburg, Ryan Shelton and Josh van Cuylenburg
• Hosts: Hugh van Cuylenburg and Ryan Shelton
• Years Active: 2019-Present
• Rating: 4.7/5

Taking out the title of Australia’s top podcast this year was Hugh van Cuylenburg’s mental health initiative The Imperfects. As founder of the strategy-based education program The Resilience Project, van Cuylenburg brings a wealth of clinical and practical knowledge to the table, with The Imperfects helping to provide a stellar entry point for those interested in learning actionable tools for wellness, personal growth and development. Make no mistake, however, The Imperfects is far from your stock-standard health chat.

Hosted by Hugh, his brother and filmmaker Josh and comedian Ryan Shelton, the podcast takes a decidedly more wholesome and humorous approach to the subject. No topic is off-limits, and the candid discourse creates a uniquely inviting atmosphere in which guests can speak without stigma and free from the often taboo undertones of everyday struggle.

Across more than 200 episodes, The Imperfects has explored the wonderful progress that can be made when we share our struggles. From Olympic athletes like Peter Bol to world-leading organisational psychologists such as Adam Grant, The Imperfect does a remarkable job of explaining that everyone, no matter how successful, has something they are battling with. Perhaps it’s why so many Australians are tuning in each and every week, with The Imperfects racking up thousands of hours of streaming time through Apple Podcasts.

2. Conversations

• Focus: Personal stories
• Creator: ABC Listen
• Hosts: Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski
• Years Active: 2005-Present
• Rating: 4.4/5

Long-running ABC podcast Conversations proved to be a hit again this year, with Apple naming the Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski-hosted series as the nation’s second-most popular. The long-form interview program runs daily, introducing viewers to a unique guest before diving deep into the lived experience. Through stories of resilience, success and failure, a rich tapestry of life is laid bare, with elements of history, science, art, and personal storytelling thrown in for good measure.

Incredibly, 2024 marked a whopping 20 years of Conversations, with the series boasting more than 1,900 episodes available for streaming. With such an extensive background on offer, Conversations remains one of the most diverse podcast offerings in Australia, with topics ranging from politics and sports to immigration and mental health.

If you are looking for some standout episodes to listen to, Richard’s chat with chef, author and teacher Elizabeth Chong is an absolute delight. For decades, Chong has educated Australians on the majesty of Chinese cuisine, helping to raise the profile of her homeland’s food and culture. An inspiring true story of identity, independence and triumph, Chong’s journey from the Guangdong Province to the Queen Victoria Markets is eye-opening and enriching.

3. Casefile True Crime

• Focus: True crime
• Creator: Casefile Presents
• Years Active: 2015-Present
• Rating: 4.7/5

The OG true crime podcast in Australia, Casefile remains a must-listen release for fans of the unexplained and unsolved. First launched in 2016 as a one-person side project, Casefile has grown into the nation’s premier crime-based audio product, dishing up over 400 episodes of nail-biting tension and real-life tragedy. The biggest mystery, however, is the identity of the Host.

The Casefile founder and host has never revealed his identity, choosing instead to explore the dark and twisted world of crime from a blanket of anonymity. Joined by a stellar team of researchers, producers and sound engineers, the Host dives deep into the “circumstances, investigations and trials” of both solved and unsolved cases from all over the world.

Episodes are generally releaes every Saturday for free across all major podcasting platforms, YouTube, and on the official Casefile website. If that is not enough, once a month the Casefile team also drops a bonus episode for paid subscribers on Patreon, Spotify Premium and Apple Premium. Paid subscribers receive them early and ad-free before they’re released on the main feed for all listeners later.

4. Mamamia Out Loud

• Focus: Pop-Culture, Politics, Fashion, Motherhood
• Creator: Mamamia
• Hosts: Mia Freedman, Holly Wainwright and Jessie Stephens
• Years Active: 2014-Present
• Rating: 4.3/5

The flagship podcast from Mia Freedman’s audio-focused empire, Mamamia Out Loud sees the Australian journalist, entrepreneur and pop-culture expert tackle the big issues without stigma. Flanked by Mamamia favourites Holly Wainwright and Jessie Stephens, the trio discuss a range of topics, covering everything from pop culture to politics, body image to motherhood, feminism to fashion.

Over more than 1,500 episodes, Mamamia Out Loud has delivered unique perspectives on current events and challenges facing women nationwide. With so much content to pull from, it’s hard to pin down the very best, but if you are looking for a taste of what Mia and Co can deliver, we recommend checking out The Conversation That Blew Up The Podcast from earlier this year. The 20-minute introductory snippet discusses the question of whether millennials really have it harder than other generations when it comes to buying a home. Spoiler alert* It’s not a straightforward answer.

5. No Filter

• Focus: Interview series
• Creator: Mamamia
• Hosts: Mia Freedman
• Years Active: 2015-Present
• Rating: 4.4/5

Back-to-back Mia Freeman wins in this year’s list of the best Apple podcasts, with the Mamamia founder’s interview series No Filter also nabbing a top-five spot. In this riveting series, Freedman takes listeners behind the scenes with some of the country’s most fascinating personalities, revealing the challenges and never-before-heard stories of their finest moments. There are over 600 episodes to work through, many of which can stretch on for over an hour, so if you’ve got nothing else to do, No Filter is a great way to lock in and tune out.

As a host, Freedman does an admirable job of letting the conversations flow easily, dipping in and out at a whim to keep things on track. In many cases, you feel like she is also a listener, guiding the guest through their story with intrigue and structure, which helps to make No Filter a tremendously easy listen. I highly recommend the episode with Stuart Diver, the remarkable adventurer who survived the infamous 1997 Thredbo Landslide. His harrowing tale of survival is truly inspirational, and the No Filter episode takes you inside the psyche of a man who simply refused to die. It’s a riveting listen, to say the least.

6. The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

• Focus: Business
• Creator: Flight Studio
• Hosts: Steven Bartlett
• Years Active: 2017-Present
• Rating: 4.6/5

British entrepreneur and businessman Steven Bartlett might cop some flack for not always critiquing the claims of guests, but you can’t deny that his world-leading podcast series The Diary Of A CEO is a wildly entertaining journey. The international phenomenon sees Bartlett sit down with some of the biggest names in global entertainment, business, sport and politics, unpacking their unique daily habits, challenges and moments of uncertainty.

As Bartlett himself describes it, The Diary of a CEO is an “unfiltered journey into the remarkable stories of people who have defined culture, achieved greatness and created stories worth studying”. Internationally, the series has achieved enormous success, claiming the top spot in the Apple podcasts list in Bartlett’s home country of the U.K., with his remarkably insightful episode with reality TV legend Simon Cowell dominating the sharing and download metrics.

The unexpectedly interesting episode saw the entertainment mogul detail raw, behind-the-scenes insights into his extraordinary career and personal challenges. Additionally, the same episode became the most shared podcast episode of 2024, as audiences across the UK and beyond spread its compelling message of resilience and reinvention.

7. Huberman Lab

• Focus: Health
• Creator: Scicomm Media
• Hosts: Andrew Huberman
• Years Active: 202-Present
• Rating: 4.8/5

In contrast to Bartlett’s series, neuroscientist, fitness fanatic and tenured professor Andrew Huberman’s podcast provides a wealth of vetted and peer-reviewed insights from the world’s leading medical and psychological practitioners. In The Huberman Lab, the American doctor discusses neuroscience and science-based tools for personal and professional growth, exploring how the connection between our brain and our organs. The insightful and surprisingly easy-to-digest series of details how the human body uses markers and indicators to control perceptions, behaviours and health, before relaying tools for measuring and changing how our nervous system works.

As a host, Huberman is a requisite expert, carefully and thoughtfully revealing information in layman’s terms whilst also providing medical research and journals to support his claims. Considering his personal contributions to the fields of brain development, brain function, and neural plasticity, it’s little wonder authenticity and accuracy remain paramount to his project.

Outside of brain and nervous system function, Huberman also provides a wide range of science-based fitness tips and tools that can help improve your overall health journey. If you are looking to improve your life and grow from the inside out, The Huberman Lab is a terrific place to build your knowledge bank.

8. The Rest Is History

• Focus: History
• Creator: Goalhanger
• Hosts: Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook
• Years Active: 2020-Present
• Rating: 4.6/5

Cult podcast The Rest is History has become a surprise hit in recent years, steadily climbing up the ranks and nabbing a top 10 spot in this year’s list. Hosted by historian and author Dominic Sandbrook and popular historian Tom Holland, the series provides an upbeat and impersonal retelling of the world’s most interesting and iconic historical events. Covering everything from Cleopatra to Captain Cook, ancient Rome to Richard Nixon, Tolkein to the Boston Tea Party, The Rest is History is your no-assumptions entry to the wide world of the past.

While the series is largely framed through a British lens, you will still get a huge amount out of listening to the series regardless of where you are located. The Jeremy Thorpe episode, for example, is one of the most fascinating podcast instalments I have ever listened to. It details the incredible true story of the flamboyant politician’s rise to power as the Leader of the Liberal Party, controversies and eventual trial over conspiracy to murder his former lover Norman Scott. It’s a fascinating look at a highly-publicised story that touches on elements never before discussed in detail.

9. Hamish & Andy

• Focus: Comedy
• Creator: Hamish & Andy
• Hosts: Hamish Blake and Andy Lee
• Years Active: 2007-Present
• Rating: 4.8/5

Australia’s favourite odd couple has come a long way since they first found their way onto broadcast television. Nowadays, Hamish Blake and Andy Lee dominate the podcast space, with the comedy duo’s eponymous series continuing to draw in massive figures domestically. The weekly show follows a familiar format, with Blake taunting Lee to no end, pranks being pulled, and listener stories explained on air.

Standout episodes over the past year include Totally Normal Tax Deductions, in which the duo speak to an accountant about what you legally can and can’t claim, and ConCon, an instalment that details the trials and tribulations of attempting to launch your own Conference Conference.

The inclusion of the Hamish & Andy podcast in Apple’s best-of list for 2024 is no major surprise. The show has consistently been rated one of Australia’s most downloaded programmes, and for five straight years, from 2018 to 2022, it was ranked the number-one comedy podcast in the country. The latest statistics show Hamish & Andy averaging around one million monthly listeners tuning into their hilarious instalments. Not bad for two blokes who started as correspondents on Rove Live.

10. True Crime Conversations

• Focus: True Crime
• Creator: Mamamia
• Years Active: 2019-Present
• Rating: 4.4/5

Another true crime podcast to make the list this year, True Crime Conversations, comes by way of Mia Freedman’s Mamamia. The revealing and insightful documentary series explores the stories and the people behind some of the world’s most notorious crimes. From the harrowing tale of the Lindt Cafe siege more than 10 years ago to the pop-culture phenomenon that is the Menendez Brothers’ case, host Gemma Bath explores the remarkable and unexplained elements that comprise these harrowing tales.

Top New Shows of 2024 in Australia

1. Bronwyn
2. The Mushroom Cook
3. The Missing Campers Trial
4. Just Married: The Anthea Bradshaw Mystery
5. Witness: William Tyrrell
6. The Louis Theroux Podcast
7. The Ultimate Sacrifice
8. The Truth About Amy
9. Troubled Waters
10. MID

Top Episodes of 2024 in Australia

1. Episode 1: Jon’s Castle, Bronwyn
2. The Lunch I 1, The Mushroom Cook
3. Episode 1: Fight Like a Mother, The Bakersfield Three
4. Dr Louise Newson – Maybe it’s Menopause, The Imperfects
5. Hamish & Andy 2023 Ep 240
6. Case 269: Caroline Crouch, Casefile True Crime
7. The House Next Door, Ghost Story
8. 1 I Til Death Parts Us, Just Married: The Anthea Bradshaw Mystery
9. Episode 1: Locate and Identify, Troubled Waters
10. Andy Lee on Failing Upwards, No Filter

Most Shared Shows of 2024 in Australia

1. The Imperfects
2. The Rest Is History
3. Ghost Story
4. Bronwyn
5. Huberman Lab
6. The Mushroom Cook
7. Pop Culture Parenting
8. Conversations
9. The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett
10. The Dr Louise Newson Podcast

Most Shared Episodes

1. Dr Louise Newson – Maybe it’s Menopause, The Imperfects
2. Dr. Stacy Sims: Female-Specific Exercise & Nutrition for Health, Performance & Longevity, Huberman Lab
3. The #1 Menopause Doctor: How to Lose Belly Fat, Sleep Better, & Stop Suffering Now, The Mel Robbins Podcast
4. The No.1 Menopause Doctor: They’re Lying To You About Menopause! Brand New Science! (Men Need To Listen Too!): Mary Claire Haver, Diary Of A CEO
5. Jayashri Kulkarni: our hormones and our minds, Conversations
6. When Sleep Isn’t Enough: The Seven Types of Rest, No Filter
7. Episode 1: Jon’s Castle, Bronwyn
8. 340 — The Bright Line Between Good and Evil, Making Sense With Sam Harris
9. How Maggie Dent Helps Dads Dad, How Other Dads Dad with Hamish Blake
10. Titanic: The Tragedy Begins (Part 1), The Rest Is History

Most Followed Shows

1. Bronwyn
2. The Rest Is History
3. The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett
4. The Imperfects
5. Huberman Lab
6. The Mushroom Cook
7. The Missing Campers Trial
8. The Joe Rogan Experience
9. The Bakersfield Three
10. Ghost Story

Top Channels of 2024 in Australia

1. Wondery
2. Mamamia
3. LiSTNR
4. Crime X
5. iHeartPodcasts
6. BBC
7. Casefile Presents
8. 9Podcasts
9. DM Podcasts
10. ABC News

Methodology

According to Apple, the data collected for the most popular podcast ranking takes into account viewership and listeners over the 12 months from December 2023 to December 2024. The Apple podcast charts are localised to the region and country in which they are based and will be available in the Browse tab through the end of the year.