Spotify’s Video Warning, YouTube’s Audio Takeover & Instagram’s Great Purge

More from The Podcast Top 5 All episodes →

1. 

   S2 · E7 · 30 Jul 2026 · 3 min

   Canada’s Podcast Boom, Ad-Free Apps & YouTube’s Battle for Attention

   On this episode of The Podcast Top 5, hosted by Emily Soule, we’re breaking down Canada’s growing audio habits, why podcasts still have room to grow, and the controversy surrounding a new app that removes podcast ads. Plus, we look at how brands are adapting podcasts for Japanese audiences, YouTube’s $40 billion advertising empire, and this week’s podcast pick: The Toast, a hilarious pop culture show covering celebrity news, internet drama, and everything everyone is talking about. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2. 

   S2 · E6 · 13 May 2026 · 4 min

   Netflix’s Clips Feed, YouTube Podcast Lineups & a $100M+ AI Podcast Deal

   On this episode of The Podcast Top 5, hosted by Emily Soule, we break down Netflix’s new Clips feature a vertical, TikTok-style feed designed to surface bite-sized highlights and drive viewers into full shows. YouTube is also rolling out curated “top podcast lineups” across genres like Sports, Comedy, and True Crime, aimed largely at advertisers navigating the podcast boom. Meanwhile, reports suggest OpenAI has acquired the tech-focused show TBPN in a deal worth the “low hundreds of millions,” signaling just how valuable podcasting has become in the AI era. From…

3. 

   S2 · E4 · 21 Apr 2026 · 2 min

   China Cracks Down, Netflix Bets Small & a $150M Podcast Deal

   On this episode of The Podcast Top 5, hosted by Emily Soule, China tightens rules on podcast creators, Oxford Road calls out a $1B measurement problem, and Netflix bets on smaller podcasts heading to streaming. Plus, Audiochuck makes a massive $150M move into ads and video, proving podcasting is getting bigger (and more valuable) than ever. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

4. 

   S2 · E3 · 23 Mar 2026 · 2 min

   Acast’s NYC Studio, NPR’s Pod Club & Drew Afualo’s Viral Podcast

   On this episode of The Podcast Top 5, hosted by Emily Soule, we cover Acast opening a new studio in SoHo with Ariana Grande appearing on Shut Up Evan, NPR launching its new Pod Club recommendation newsletter, and a new hosting platform called Fountain for Podcasters. Plus, this week’s podcast pick is It’s Going DOWN in the Comments with Drew Afualo, diving into the wildest TikTok comment sections with humor and candid conversation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

5. 

   S2 · E2 · 16 Mar 2026 · 2 min

   MrBallen’s SiriusXM Deal, Spotify’s TV Upgrade & AI Ads for Podcasters

   On this episode of The Podcast Top 5, hosted by Emily Soule, we’re covering some big moves in the podcast world. Storytelling powerhouse MrBallen has signed a major distribution and monetization deal with SiriusXM, expanding his reach across both audio and video platforms. Meanwhile, Minneapolis has a new podcast hub with the launch of AMP Studios, a unique production space located inside a financial services company, showing that even the finance world is getting into podcasting. Over on the tech side, Spotify has upgraded its Apple TV app, finally bringing video podcasts to the big…

6. 

   S2 · E1 · 27 Jan 2026 · 4 min

   AI Tools, Ad Insights & History’s Greatest Stories

   On this week’s Podcast Top 5, Emily Soule brings you the latest podcast news: Trebble just launched DeepCut, an AI editing tool that lets podcasters cut, polish, and refine episodes using plain language, plus an optional Safe Cut feature for natural-sounding edits. Oxford Road unveiled ORBIT, the first podcast ranking system based on ad performance rather than popularity, giving marketers the data they’ve been waiting for. James Corden’s This Life of Mine is now available everywhere, moving beyond its SiriusXM exclusivity to reach all listeners. And Altmetric is tracking…

7. 

   S1 · E40 · 24 Nov 2025 · 4 min

   Diary of a CEO in Cinemas, Golden Globes Podcast Awards & The Art Angle

   On this week’s Podcast Top 5, Emily Soule brings you the latest podcast news: Diary of a CEO fans can catch a special Louis Tomlinson episode in six Cineworld cinemas across the UK and Ireland before it drops anywhere else. PodRoll launches PodRoll Video Promos on Apple Podcasts, letting creators add unskippable trailers right in their feed. Hollywood is joining the podcast party, Golden Globes just announced 25 eligible shows for its very first Best Podcast award, with six nominees to be revealed in December. And if you missed Podcast Movement 2025 in Dallas, every session is now…