Plain English with Derek Thompson
by The Ringer
Is this your podcast?The Ringer is a prominent media company known for its in-depth analysis and commentary on sports, culture, and technology. Founded by Bill Simmons, it has carved out a niche in the podcasting landscape with its engaging content and expert h…
Insights from recent episode analysis
Audience Interest
- current events and news analysis
- technology trends and insights
Podcast Focus
- clear viewpoints on major headlines
- engaging discussions with guests
Publishing Consistency
- 368 episodes released
- active for 4 years
Platform Reach
- available on Spotify
- YouTube channel for episodes
Insights are generated by CastFox AI using publicly available data, episode content, and proprietary models.
Most discussed topics
Brands & references
Total monthly reach
Estimated from 48 chart positions in 48 markets.
By chart position
- 🇨🇦CA · News Commentary#8300K to 1M
- 🇦🇺AU · News Commentary#14300K to 1M
- 🇺🇸US · News Commentary#15300K to 1M
- 🇩🇪DE · News Commentary#22100K to 300K
- 🇬🇧GB · News Commentary#23100K to 300K
- Per-Episode Audience
Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
694K to 2.3M🎙 Daily cadence·368 episodes·Last published 1mo ago - Monthly Reach
Unique listeners across all episodes (30 days)
2.3M to 7.5M🇨🇦13%🇦🇺13%🇺🇸13%+45 more - Active Followers
Loyal subscribers who consistently listen
694K to 2.3M16K real followers tracked across platforms
Market Insights
Platform Distribution
Reach across major podcast platforms, updated hourly
Total Followers
—
Total Plays
—
Total Reviews
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* Data sourced directly from platform APIs and aggregated hourly across all major podcast directories.
On the show
From 31 epsHost
Recent guests
Recent episodes
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MEGAPOD: The Most Overrated American Who Ever Lived
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A Surprising Theory About the Future of War
Jun 30, 2026
56m 22s
Social Links & Contact
Official channels & resources
Official Website
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| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7/17/26 | Western storytellingHomer+5 | Karen Ní Mheallaigh | Johns Hopkins UniversityThe Odyssey | — | The OdysseyHomer+5 | — | 1h 03m 42s | ||
| 7/14/26 | philosophyinternet+5 | Agnes Callard | The Ringer | — | unicontextdivision+5 | — | 58m 06s | ||
| 7/7/26 | IsraelAmerican politics+4 | Peter Beinart | The RingerDemocratic Party+1 | IsraelGaza | IsraelGaza+5 | — | 1h 04m 46s | ||
| 7/3/26 | American historyhistorical figures+3 | Beverly GageH.W. (Bill) Brands+1 | The RingerSpotify+1 | — | American historyoverrated Americans+3 | — | 1h 09m 38s | ||
| 6/30/26 | dronesmodern warfare+4 | Erik Lin-Greenberg | MITThe Remote Revolution: Drones and Modern Statecraft | UkraineMiddle East | dronesmodern warfare+5 | — | 56m 22s | ||
| 6/26/26 | trillion-dollar companieszero-profit companies+4 | Ben CarlsonMichael Batnick | SpaceXOpenAI+3 | — | SpaceXOpenAI+7 | — | 53m 44s | ||
| 6/23/26 | Iran WarMiddle East+4 | Karim Sadjadpour | The Ringer | IranU.S.+2 | IranU.S.+6 | — | 56m 46s | ||
| 6/19/26 | Donald Trumpcorruption+4 | Isaac Saul | Tangle | — | Donald Trumpcorruption scandal+5 | Accenture | 1h 08m 02s | ||
| 6/16/26 | medical breakthroughshealthcare advancements+4 | Matthew Herper | pancreatic cancer therapygene-editing treatment+3 | America | medical progressdrug development+5 | — | 59m 05s | ||
| 6/12/26 | gerontocracypolitical power+3 | Samuel Moyn | The RingerGerontocracy in America | — | gerontocracyelderly power+3 | — | 1h 01m 56s | ||
| 6/9/26 | modern fatherhoodpsychology+3 | Darby Saxbe | USCSpotify+2 | — | fatherhoodmen's brains+3 | — | 1h 04m 27s | ||
| 6/5/26 | AI and creativityimpact of AI on writing+3 | Dr. Adam Green | The Ringerliterary prize | — | AIcreativity+5 | — | 56m 02s | ||
| 6/2/26 | friendshiploneliness+4 | Laurie Santos | YaleHappiness Lab+2 | — | modern lonelinessantisocial century+5 | — | 58m 53s | ||
| 5/29/26 | NBAsports management+5 | Tim Alberta | The AtlanticNBA+2 | — | NBAAdam Silver+7 | — | 57m 32s | ||
| 5/22/26 | gender rolespolitics+3 | Helen Lewis | The Ringer | — | toxic feminismgender roles+3 | — | 59m 16s | ||
| 5/19/26 | national debtfiscal policy+4 | Justin Wolfers | The Ringer | U.S. | national debtfiscal policy+5 | — | 1h 01m 54s | ||
| 5/15/26 | fertility crisiseconomic factors+3 | Jesús Fernández-Villaverde | The Ringer | — | fertility rateseconomic factors+3 | — | 1h 01m 27s | ||
| 5/12/26 | AI job impacteconomic analysis+3 | Alex Imas | Silicon ValleySpotify+2 | — | AI job apocalypsejob loss+3 | — | 54m 07s | ||
| 5/8/26 | American happinessCOVID-19+5 | Morgan HouselDavid Wallace-Wells | The Ringer | — | American happinesseconomic strength+5 | — | 1h 00m 48s | ||
| 5/5/26 | pancreatic cancermedical breakthroughs+4 | Dr. Ajit Goenka | Mayo ClinicSpotify+1 | — | pancreatic cancerAI detection+4 | — | 45m 17s | ||
| 5/1/26 | freedomcreativity+4 | David Epstein | RangeInside the Box | — | freedomcreativity+5 | — | 49m 46s | ||
| 4/28/26 | TrumpismIran War+4 | Ross Douthat | The Ringer | Iran | TrumpismIran War+6 | — | 58m 21s | ||
| 4/24/26 | Hollywood crisismovie attendance+3 | Sean Fennessey | The RingerThe Wall Street Journal | — | Hollywoodmovie attendance+5 | — | 1h 10m 58s | ||
| 4/21/26 | AI safetycybersecurity+3 | Kevin Roose | MythosAnthropic+3 | China | AI modelMythos+5 | — | 1h 02m 21s | ||
| 4/14/26 | energyIran conflict+4 | Nat Bullard | The RingerSpotify | Iran | energyIran+4 | — | 1h 04m 08s |
Showing 25 of 25
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Distribution & Reach
About the show, platforms, and key insights.
Distribution & Reach
About the show, platforms, and key insights.
The Ringer is a prominent media company known for its in-depth analysis and commentary on sports, culture, and technology. Founded by Bill Simmons, it has carved out a niche in the podcasting landscape with its engaging content and expert hosts. "Plain English with Derek Thompson" stands out for its clear and incisive examination of pressing news topics, ranging from technology and culture to political discourse. Derek Thompson, a seasoned writer from The Atlantic, presents each episode in a conversational format, often inviting guests to provide diverse perspectives and memorable insights. With episodes released twice weekly, the podcast encourages listener interaction by inviting topic suggestions. The show attracts a broad audience interested in gaining a clearer understanding of complex issues. Listeners appreciate Thompson's ability to distill intricate subjects into digestible discussions, making it a valuable resource for those seeking informed commentary in a fast-paced world.
By the numbers
- Total followers: 16K
- Total plays: 636K
- Total reviews: 2.0K
Platforms
TuneIn
- Followers: 395
Castbox
- Followers: 5.1K
- Plays: 372K
- Reviews: 10
YouTube
- Subscribers: 6.5K
- Views: 264K
- Videos: 92
Podcast App
- Followers: 2.3K
- Reviews: 2.0K
Podcast Republic
- Followers: 1.9K
- Reviews: 8
Find them online
Audience
general
Key insights
What the show covers
- clear viewpoints on major headlines
- engaging discussions with guests
- cutting through noise in news
- memorable takeaways from topics
Audience interests
- current events and news analysis
- technology trends and insights
- cultural commentary and discussions
- political issues and perspectives
Platform reach
- available on Spotify
- YouTube channel for episodes
- growing audience across platforms
- email engagement for topic suggestions
Publishing consistency
- 368 episodes released
- active for 4 years
- new episodes every Tuesday
- new episodes every Friday
Chart history for Plain English with Derek Thompson
Peaked at #6 in IL, top 10 in 5 of 50 tracked markets, currently #6 in IL.
| Market | Genre | Peak | Current | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IL | — | #6 | #6 | — |
| TH | — | #7 | #7 | — |
| Canada | — | #8 | #8 | — |
| India | — | #9 | #9 | — |
| PH | — | #9 | #9 | — |
| PL | — | #11 | #11 | — |
| CL | — | #11 | #11 | — |
| PE | — | #11 | #11 | — |
| HK | — | #12 | #12 | — |
| South Africa | — | #12 | #12 | — |
| IS | — | #13 | #13 | — |
| RO | — | #13 | #13 | — |
| Australia | — | #14 | #14 | — |
| PT | — | #14 | #14 | — |
| KE | — | #14 | #14 | — |
| United States | — | #15 | #15 | — |
| Sweden | — | #16 | #16 | — |
| GR | — | #16 | #16 | — |
| SG | — | #16 | #16 | — |
| AR | — | #16 | #16 | — |
Chart Positions
50 placements across 48 markets.
Chart Positions
50 placements across 48 markets.