Apple Podcasts Editors' Choice

Apple Podcasts Editors' Choice

Apple Podcasts Editors' Choice is a curated editorial list highlighting selected audio programs across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India, Germany, France, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Israel, Turkey, Greece, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan and other markets. It serves as an editorial selection within Apple Inc.'s Apple Podcasts app and storefront and has influenced listeners, creators, advertisers, critics and industry organizations across global audio ecosystems.

Overview

Editors' Choice operates as an editorial designation by teams at Apple Inc., intended to spotlight standout audio content including narrative nonfiction, investigative journalism, comedy, drama, science, history, technology, politics and culture. Featured works have included programs from producers such as NPR, BBC, Gimlet Media, Radiotopia, Wondery, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Atlantic, Slate, Crooked Media, Earwolf, PRX, Stitcher, Sony Music Entertainment, Audible, iHeartRadio, Spotify, WNYC Studios, This American Life, Serial Productions, ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), CBC Radio, CBC Podcasts, Deutsche Welle, France Inter, La Repubblica, El País, Le Monde, Rai Radio, NHK, KBS (Korean Broadcasting System), Czech Radio, Sveriges Radio, NRK, RTÉ, Sveriges Television, ZDF, Arte (broadcaster), Channel 4, Sky News, Bloomberg L.P., Reuters, Financial Times, Forbes, The Economist, Time (magazine), Vox Media and others.

Selection Criteria and Process

Apple's editorial teams evaluate programs based on storytelling, production values, originality, host performance and audience engagement. Submissions and scouting draw from producers such as Radiolab, 99% Invisible, Freakonomics Radio, Hidden Brain, Planet Money, How I Built This, TED Radio Hour, The Daily (The New York Times), Up First, The Indicator from Planet Money, Stuff You Should Know, Hard Fork (The New York Times), Pod Save America, The Michelle Obama Podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, My Favorite Murder, Crime Junkie, Sword and Scale, Revisionist History, Invisibilia, The Moth, Reply All, The Ezra Klein Show, Fresh Air, On Being, Radiant Mix, The History of Rome, Hardcore History, Dan Carlin, Lore (podcast), Welcome to Night Vale, Homecoming (podcast), Alice Isn't Dead and public radio outlets. The process often combines qualitative editorial review with quantitative metrics from platforms like Chartable and industry measurement tools, plus listener reviews and download trends. Editorial staff coordinate with rights holders and networks including Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group and independent production houses.

Impact and Reception

Being designated as Editors' Choice has resulted in measurable audience growth, higher chart placements on lists such as Apple Podcasts Top Charts and increased advertising interest from agencies like WPP, Omnicom Group, Publicis Groupe, Dentsu, IPG and brands including Apple Inc., Amazon (company), Google, Microsoft, Netflix, Disney, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola Company, Procter & Gamble, Nike, Inc., Samsung Electronics, Toyota Motor Corporation, Ford Motor Company, General Motors and Volkswagen Group. Critics and scholars from institutions like Columbia University, Harvard University, Stanford University, Oxford University, Cambridge University, Yale University, University of California, Berkeley, New York University and University of London have analyzed the editorial selection for cultural bias, diversity, discovery effects and platform influence. Trade publications including Variety (magazine), The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard (magazine), Adweek, Ad Age and The Verge have reported on its role in the podcast economy.

Notable Editions and Featured Podcasts

Past featured shows have included investigative series such as Serial, narrative investigations from S-Town (podcast), adaptations like Homecoming (podcast), journalistic staples including The Daily (The New York Times), cultural experiments like Welcome to Night Vale, comedy staples like Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, storytelling from This American Life, Radiolab, The Moth, true crime exemplars like Serial and Criminal (podcast), and branded productions by Barack Obama's associates or hosts with profiles such as Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, Joe Rogan, Conan O'Brien, Ira Glass, Sarah Koenig, Nina Totenberg, Ira Glass and Terry Gross. Networks with repeated inclusion have included Gimlet Media, Wondery, WNYC Studios, NPR', BBC Sounds, CBC Podcasts, Audible Studios, iHeartPodcast Network, Stitcher and independent creators.

Relationship to Apple Podcasts Platform

Editors' Choice operates within the Apple Podcasts app and storefront, complementing algorithmic charts and personalized recommendations such as those influenced by Siri, Apple ID, iCloud, App Store integration and ecosystem features across devices like iPhone, iPad, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, HomePod, AirPods and CarPlay. The curation affects metadata presentation in the store alongside editorial artwork, episode highlights and editorial notes, coordinating with distribution standards like RSS and organizations including RSS (file format), ID3, Podcast Index, IAB Tech Lab and measurement firms.

Category:Apple Inc. services