Top-rated podcasts from conservative, contrarian hosts left off Time’s best podcasts of all time list

Despite dominating charts, pulling massive viewership numbers, and shifting cultural conversations, podcasts like The Joe Rogan Experience, Morning Wire, Timcast IRL, The Charlie Kirk Show, Human Events Daily, The Megyn Kelly Show, and The Tucker Carlson Podcast were nowhere to be found on the list.

Joe Rogan—the most successful podcaster of all time—did not make the cut, even though he was just featured on Time's 2025 “Most Influential People” list. Rogan’s YouTube channel has over 20 million subscribers, with more than 6 billion views. His show has topped Spotify charts for years and continues to lead even after his exclusive deal ended in 2024.

"Joe Rogan has changed broadcasting," wrote TV host Mike Rowe for Time’s influencer profile. “His conversations have moved markets, influenced elections, and introduced millions to subjects they didn’t know they were interested in. He’s changing the way we listen.”

But the acknowledgment stopped there. The same publication that praised his impact declined to include him among the “greats” of the podcasting world.

Other notable omissions include Morning Wire, the popular daily news podcast from The Daily Wire, and Timcast IRL, hosted by Tim Pool.

Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA show is consistently one of the top-ranked conservative podcasts in the country, while Human Events Daily with Jack Posobiec has carved out a growing audience with its populist appeal.

Tucker Carlson, who launched his long-form show after leaving Fox News, also didn't make the list—despite routinely generating millions of views per episode and landing interviews with world leaders and whistleblowers.

Megyn Kelly, another veteran journalist with a top-ranked podcast, was likewise left off.