Theo Von’s podcast is climbing the charts, with just a little assist from TikTok

That is Scorching Pod, The Verge’s e-newsletter about podcasting and the audio business. Enroll here for extra.

Hope you all had an ideal weekend. At this time, I’ve obtained information on James Corden’s new SiriusXM deal, Theo Von’s rise on the charts, and, in what I’ll admit is a major tone shift, a take a look at which podcasts are literally serving to the dialogue across the Israel-Hamas battle.

Don’t name it a podcast deal (so I’ve been instructed). The previous Late Late Present host can have a brand new weekly program on SiriusXM that’s unique to subscribers. This Lifetime of Mine with James Corden might be a weekly movie star chat present, as a result of actually what else wouldn’t it be? The present, which is able to launch in early 2024, was introduced within the run-up to SiriusXM debuting its new app on Wednesday.

The brand new app is anticipated to raised mix SiriusXM’s satellite tv for pc and podcast choices, as executives mentioned throughout an investor call last week. The corporate is underneath strain to enchantment to youthful audiences as its flagship satellite tv for pc product and Pandora hemorrhage subscribers. In Q3, SiriusXM misplaced 94,000 subscribers and Pandora misplaced 112,000. Podcasting income, in the meantime, grew 28 %, even throughout what everybody can agree has been a fairly crappy 12 months for podcasting. 

The concept Corden has traded the day by day grind of late-night tv for a lower-lift audio present is just not groundbreaking (see Conan O’Brien and Trevor Noah), however it’s attention-grabbing that his present is on SiriusXM correct and never being broadly distributed like a podcast. Corden has by no means been recognized for being edgy, however he was exceptionally good at making fluffy, viral movie star content material. (“Carpool Karaoke” being essentially the most notable.) A deal the place his present is unique, and a radio present first, podcast second, appears to run in opposition to that energy.

Then once more, we don’t know but how the brand new app will combine SiriusXM reveals with podcasts. Possibly the exclusivity and new app configuration will encourage Corden-heads to go over to the satellite tv for pc aspect. 

Or possibly it’s simply me, however I blame that on maternity depart (as I do the whole lot!). Edison Analysis launched its list of most popular podcasts between July and September, and This Previous Weekend w/ Theo Von landed the No. 5 (!!) spot, proper between This American Life and SmartLess. 

Von, a comic who’s a frequent visitor on The Joe Rogan Expertise, has been making his present since 2016. Whereas we’ve seen new reveals with huge names land within the rankings fairly shortly, it has been some time since we’ve seen a longstanding present pop like this. Between April and June this 12 months, he ranked No. 15. In the identical quarter final 12 months, Von didn’t even break Edison’s top 50. 

According to Rolling Stone, clips from This Previous Weekend have been blowing up on TikTok these days, which might clarify this sudden rise. Like different reveals that generate viral moments (Name Her Daddy, JRE), Von’s present is a video podcast.

I’ve been wracking my mind looking for a manner into how podcasting impacts how the general public digests and debates the battle. In some ways, podcasting takes a again seat to different types of digital media on this scenario. TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter / X have been entrance and middle as a result of they’re constructed to amplify the type of stunning visuals popping out of the battle and the ensuing outrage. That, I feel, is the place podcasting can present one thing completely different and sorely wanted. 

What podcasting lacks in its capability to go viral, it might (can being the important thing phrase right here) make up for with depth. Over the previous month, there are a selection of podcasts I’ve turned to whereas attempting to make sense of what’s occurring, and for me, it’s been an antidote to the oversimplified, righteous rage of social media. 

For day-to-day information and evaluation, I’ve been loving The News Agents. The UK-based present, hosted by three former BBC heavyweights — Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel, and Lewis Goodall — has executed an ideal job of wanting on the battle from completely different viewpoints, and the hosts’ analyses handle to be spicy with out being sensational. Whereas The New York Instances has made some, uh, missteps in its breaking protection, The Every day published a fascinating episode final week about how the methods by which folks view the battle of 1948 nonetheless gasoline the battle at present. Moreover, The Ringer’s Plain English with Derek Thompson has had various nice episodes that strategy the Israeli-Palestinian battle with nuance.

I’ll proceed to maintain a watch (ear) on how this continues to play out in podcasting. I’m additionally involved in how left-leaning political reveals might mirror the accelerating divide on the left more generally, so look out for that in a future difficulty. Within the meantime, which reveals have you ever turned to previously month? Be at liberty to hit me up with ideas and recs at ariel.shapiro@theverge.com.

That’s all for at present! I’ll be again subsequent week with the most recent audio information.