In the time before that transformation, podcasts just occupied a quiet online niche for long-form talk known by only the die-hard fans. But now it is an entertainment superhighway, where hosts have converted, drawing fervent cult followings signing nine-figure deals, influencing public debate in ways that radio and magazines could only dream of and gradually selling out arena-sized live shows. In 2025, many podcasters bring the cultural wages of A-list movie stars – sometimes even more. Some of the podcast hosts who have made that leap, why, and what listeners’ rise implies about media and the cultural moment streaming era are. Check below for a few of them:
Why a few podcasters outstrip movie stars
Directness and intimacy: podcasting is occurring over tens of hours, often years, usually gone between a host and listener. That dynamic often leads to trust and growing power.
Scale + frequency: a touchpoint isn’t any less a touchpoint than a live show or a new photo shoot. With day-to-day or weekly podcast episodes, some hosts do millions of touchpoints a year. Just being there can be culturally relevant over time.
Monetization power: exclusive distribution contracts, sponsorships, and live tours can amount to an amount the same as some movies’ salary.
Cross-platform exposure: they show with ease, go into TV, do live movie script readings, write books, and surge with new success at social media.
You may also like: Who’s Behind the Funniest Celebrity Memes?
1) Joe Rogan — the model for podcast mega-influence
The Joe Rogan Experience is the blueprint for one model of a podcasting empire: behemoth listenership, headline-grabbing mishaps, and tremendous economic worth. Since inking his deal, Rogan has been Spotify’s top podcast globally for listens and frequently ranks at the top of listening charts internationally. His episodes — 2- to 3-hour free-wheeling, one on one conversations with everyone from scientists and celebrities to political figures — are headline-making events that cascade across social media. Rogan is not a niche; to those listeners, he is the mainstream.
Why that makes him “bigger than movie stars”: his audience numbers, episode virals, and his ability to steer the narrative are on par with —and sometimes exceed— major theatrical release coverage.
2) Alex Cooper — the podcast whisperer from a headset
Cooper was the raw, candid voice on Call Her Daddy from its earliest days —and has since spun that energy into a new-gen media brand. When Cooper transitioned the show from raunchy advice to intimate discourse about relationships, politics and mental health, it allowed her to grow her listeners into the millions. That she helped convert podcast power into mainstream clout and revenue is evidenced by its multi-platform deals, and reportedly multi-million dollar contracts. To make a long story short: she created so much more than just an initial podcast.
3) Michael Barbaro — The voice setting the news agenda
Taking Michael Barbaro-hosted The Daily from the New York Times as an example of how podcasts make journalists more influential. Through episodes that recap, personify and escalate big news stories, The Daily has become appointment listening for millions who want more than just the headlines. Its daily schedule and Times imprimatur also bestow upon Barbaro an executive control that few movie stars boast. If The Daily takes on a story, other media and social platforms would likely pay attention.
And that editorial power is now a form of cultural capital: in elections, crises and viral moments, Barbaro’s show frequently becomes one of the first places to which the public looks — traditionally a role filled by major network stars, not movie actors.
4) Dax Shepard & Monica Padman — raw, celebrity-level intimacy
Armchair Expert, the podcast created by host Dax Shepard and Monica Padman combined Hollywood access with deep human interviews. The show has landed blockbuster guests (former presidents, filmmakers and tech pioneers alike) and spun those talks into rich platform deals — including a sizable distribution-ad sales deal unveiled on the eve of Shepard’s endorsement that underscored how much commercial value the podcast carries. Dax is a full-fledged insider while Monica serves the role of unhurried co-host opposite his motormouth and this blend of celebrity along with genuineness certainly attracts both pop-culture lovers and thoughtful listeners.
Why they are huge: They commodify access to celebrities into tight gathering, perpetually viewable morsels on which fan bases are cultivated over time — the very kind of devotion that equates to concert tickets and tee shirts…not to mention several dollars for each ad.
5) Conan O’Brien — late-night sensibility, podcast reach
Conan O’Brien reinvented the late-night craft into a podcast with Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend, and showed that celebrity hosts could use podcasts to grow their brand rather than compete against each other. The comedic relief and conversational nature of the podcast combined with its A-list guest roster make it one that often appears at or near the top of podcast charts, with millions in monthly downloads. Conan is an example of how a seasoned entertainer can convert millions of listeners on the radio into a dedicated podcast following and then leverages his numbers back into TV, streaming and a broader range of tours.
6) Bill Simmons — sports media’s crossover king
The Bill Simmons Podcast and The Ringer are the result of this sports obsession in Bill Simmons transforming his empire into a podcast network. His unique mix of sports analysis, pop culture chat and celebrities coming on his show made for a specific listener that advertisers will pay to reach. Given Simmons’ role in the current sports media landscape (not to mention his creating a network, not to mention his deals with nearly every major platform), he’s as much of a media business figure as many of the screens we see popping up. They have also shown that niche expertise combined with personality can trump generic celebrity.
7) Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark — the true-crime phenomenon
My Favorite Murder didn’t just top the charts; it created a community. Their conversational true-crime podcast style prompted “Murderino” fan groups, but their dedication to keeping a two-hour long episode bordering on 75 percent ad-free led to sell-out live shows and merch and an entire network of properties. In other words: True crime listeners are passionate, and some shows have sustained listening numbers and cultural impact that equal — if not surpass the devotion paid to the latest film superhero franchise. Community building and genre focus over celebrity gloss.
What these hosts share and why it matters
How often you can show up: Weekly or daily episodes put hosts in people’s lives in a way that a two-hour movie never can.
Merch and tours: Tours and branded goods make listeners paying fans. The runs of stadiums, the tickets sold simply echo what movie stars pay for at premieres and on personal appearances — it’s just a little more direct in conversion.
Platform leverage: Firms like Spotify, Wondery, SiriusXM and others have nine-figure distribution deals that creators earn hundreds of thousands of dollars — a revenue model typically available only to TV networks or film studios.
Trust, and authenticity: Hour-long conversations create trust — specifically in the podcasting world where listeners might actually feel closer to their favorite hosts than the actors they watch occasionally onscreen. That trust literally fuels everything, from book deals to political power.
Cross-media careers: These hosts frequently cross the line to television, into various books and documentaries, political interviews and other ways propagating their appeal far beyond the microphone.
Cultural Ramifications: Media, Politics and Advertising
Advertiser dollars chase the ear: CPMs for top podcasts near premium digital inventory when host reads are used. That changes where advertising dollars go.
News and politics: Podcast hosts can shape political discussions and bring on guests that drive the news, often faster than traditional outlets. In other words, it centralizes the power of setting the national agenda in fewer, more personality-driven hands.
Cycle of celebrity reordering: film/TV endorsements → podcast → media empire → cultural power. That ladder is shorter for most hosts, and it leads to more money.
Risks and limits
A reminder: Great influence comes with great responsibility (and near constant scrutiny). People with huge platforms tend to share false information wherever the internet echoes, guests cause a scandal, and lawsuits or other legal problems are broadcast far and wide. Podcast episodes are made (and heard) much faster than a movie, which allows for any effect and backlash to happen with speed.
What’s next?
We will see more hybrids: abridged versions for social, international in-language editions and subscription levels that offer ad-free access as well as exclusive behind-the-scenes content. Streaming platforms, media companies and advertisers will seek out podcast hosts as partners long into the future; host-read ads perform well because their audiences are very engaged, unlike some watch-through audiences.
Final take: Why podcasters are the new rockstars
Movie stars count because their work has a reach in the billions on this little blue planet, and movie premieres are global cultural events. However, the superstar landscape of America is different. The success of podcast hosts comes from being part of listeners’ lives: consistency, genuine voice, and multi-platform business acumen. Some of the most important voices in the world today are not blaring across a billboard — they’re whispering to you over earbuds, 45–120 minutes at a time, each week. All of that consistent exposure means — and often exceeds — silver screen cultural cachet to millions of people.
Sources & further reading
What you need to know about Joe Rogan and Spotify, Alex Cooper sharing the wealth, The Daily’s effects, Dax Shepard cashing in Armchair Expert for all platforms, Conan rocking podcast stats and charts plus top true crime investigations audio and Bill Simmons media moves.
