Rephonic
Artwork for 99% Invisible

99% Invisible

Roman Mars
Robert Moses
New York City
Climate Change
The Power Broker
Urban Planning
Robert Caro
Constitution
Los Angeles
California
Covid-19
Infrastructure
Urban Design
Video Games
Congress
Chicago
Tennessee Valley Authority
Supreme Court
Homelessness
Environmental Law
Design

Design is everywhere in our lives, perhaps most importantly in the places where we've just stopped noticing. 99% Invisible is a weekly exploration of the process and power of design and architecture. From award winning producer Roman Mars. Learn more at 99percentinvisible.org.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes831Founded16 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
DesignArts

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for 99% Invisible

Latest Episodes

Articles of Interest host Avery Trufelman joins Roman to tell the incredible story of the American military’s jacket problem: How should the military outfit its soldiers to make them as safe and effective as possible? The answer was the M43 Field Jac... more

Every product has to be tested somehow, and sometimes that means finding increasingly creative ways to break it.

Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early.

Start a free trial now on A... more

This episode is sponsored by Claude. For problems worth solving, get started with Claude at Claude.ai.

If you watched Wheel of Fortune in the 1980s, you probably remember one prize more than all the others: the ceramic Dalmatian. For a brief moment,... more

This week, two stories about the strange power of the 1-800 number.

Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early.

Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/pod... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Roy Eldridge
Former Denver police officer; Terry's father
Individual
Episode: 100 Objects #16: Wheel of Fortune Dalmatian
Adam Neediff
Game show author and researcher for the National Archives of Game Show History
National Archives of Game Show History
Episode: 100 Objects #16: Wheel of Fortune Dalmatian
Terry Eldridge
Owner of the Wheel of Fortune ceramic dalmatian; interviewee
Family of Terry Eldridge
Episode: 100 Objects #16: Wheel of Fortune Dalmatian
Stephen Minnig
telecom industry veteran and educator at Georgetown
Georgetown University
Episode: 1-800-PODCAST
Rick Pop
Historian at University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Episode: 1-800-PODCAST
Jody Lovallo
Amateur historian from Omaha; worked in a call center during toll-free heyday
Omaha call centers
Episode: 1-800-PODCAST
Kate Simonen
Professor of architecture and advocate for reuse in construction
University of Washington
Episode: Spolia
Louis Jones
Member of Assemble; involved in Granby project
Assemble (design collective)
Episode: Spolia
Dr. Emma Southern
Roman historian and critic of Roman empire imagery
Independent author and historian
Episode: Spolia

Host

Roman Mars
Host of 99% Invisible

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 46k ratings
  • A podcast celebrating human creativity and design shilling AI is mind bogglingly tone deaf.

    Podcast Addict
    1
    Gwozeg
    10 days ago
  • say no to AI money

    I love this podcast but am hugely disappointed by the AI ads. It’s antithetical to what this community stands for.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    sgnfsq
    United States14 days ago
  • Ăĩ bad

    I’ve been a long time listener, but after hearing podcaster-recorded ai ads, I have to question the legitimacy of a podcast that educates on traditionally, human-designed things. Might as well ask, how much of the script is human written? Disappointed, will explicitly not recommend this podcast to friends and students. Do better

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Gerry Åtric
    United States16 days ago
  • carefully crafted, perfectly executed

    constantly surprising, amusing, inspiring, and amazing

    2026 update: well, after the claude sponsorship for 100 objects i’m sad to say i’m incredibly sad to say that the longstanding integrity and trust i’ve had the show is gone. how incredibly tone deaf and sad and antithetical to design and justice.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    lene a
    Norway17 days ago
  • Aks

    I’ve really enjoyed this podcast but am unsubscribing after hearing Roman give a glowing ad for Anthropic and Claude lauding its research ability. That is harmful nonsense.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Aaaaakkkssssss
    Canada18 days ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

A few listeners enjoy the nerdy object deep-dives; others push back on ads and pacing.
Rigorous research, engaging interviews, and broad topic range.
Thoughtful design history storytelling that connects past and present.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Spotify
#9
United States/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#173
United States/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#1
United States/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#3
United States/Arts
Spotify
#14
United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#87
Canada/Top Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Original 100 Objects
Q: Why interview the makers of objects, like David Hockney, instead of only discussing the artifacts themselves?
Interviewing makers adds a dimension of agency and intention, showing how objects embody freedom, creativity, and social change, and it marks a turning point in the storytelling approach.
The Original 100 Objects
Q: What was it like to shift from a traditional narrative of world history to a hundred-object approach that includes everyday items?
The approach allows us to tell a more inclusive, interconnected story of humanity, highlighting the biographies of objects and the voices of those who weren't always heard.
The Score
Q: How do we use scores and scoring systems in an effective way to make the world a better place, and have them not dominate our lives in a bad way?
Use scores to coordinate at scale where appropriate (like lifespan metrics), but guard against over-relying on single metrics; cultivate ironic distance; allow for context and nuance; and create spaces where people design their own metrics to reflect values beyond simple counts.
The MAPL Test
Q: Okay, and do you have an answer for this, Max? What is your big solution to all of this?
Max suggests increased public funding, tax credits, and bursaries as practical ways to sustain and grow the arts ecosystem in Canada, balancing support with market-driven success to ensure broader inclusion beyond CanCon mandates.
100 Objects #1: The Century Safe
Q: Do you have some advice for telling the history of the United States through objects, given the imperfect archive we have?
Lepore emphasizes the need to look beyond official records, engage with various voices, and balance sensational artifacts with quieter, personal objects to repair gaps in the historical record.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About 99% Invisible

What is 99% Invisible about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show repeatedly explores how design and artifacts shape culture, society, and everyday life. Recent episodes thread together themes like the social power of consumer goods, design history, and how objects carry meaning beyond their utilitarian use. Guests range from historians and design scholars to journalists and industry practitioners, offering deep dives into topics like slavery's material culture, public policy around welfare programs, and iconic design instruments. The series stands out for connecting archival research with contemporary critique, often weaving in manufacturing, policy, and cultural storytelling to illuminate how small objects reflect broader historical forces. Potential listeners will likely appreciate rigorous r... more

Where can I find podcast stats for 99% Invisible?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for 99% Invisible. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to 99% Invisible and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does 99% Invisible get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for 99% Invisible, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for 99% Invisible?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for 99% Invisible, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does 99% Invisible have?

To see how many followers or subscribers 99% Invisible has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to 99% Invisible?

These podcasts share a similar audience with 99% Invisible:

1. Articles of Interest
2. Radiolab
3. What Trump Can Teach Us About Con Law
4. This American Life
5. Search Engine

How many episodes of 99% Invisible are there?

99% Invisible launched 16 years ago and published 831 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact 99% Invisible?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for 99% Invisible?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for 99% Invisible from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for 99% Invisible?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of 99% Invisible. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on 99% Invisible?

Recent guests on 99% Invisible include:

1. Roy Eldridge
2. Adam Neediff
3. Terry Eldridge
4. Stephen Minnig
5. Rick Pop
6. Jody Lovallo
7. Kate Simonen
8. Louis Jones

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days