Plain English with Derek Thompson
The RingerLongtime Atlantic tech, culture and political writer Derek Thompson cuts through all the noise surrounding the big questions and headlines that matter to you in his new podcast Plain English. Watch Derek and guests engage the news with clear viewpoints and memorable takeaways. New episodes drop every Tuesday and Friday, and if you've got a topic you want discussed, shoot us an email at plainenglis... more
| Publishes | Twice weekly | Episodes | 401 | Founded | 5 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | News CommentaryNews | |||
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Latest Episodes
In the late 19th century, a railroad boom fueled by easy money, speculative investment, and new technology helped kick off one of the worst financial crises in American history. Sound kind of familiar?
In today’s episode, Derek talks with author Lia... more
So many people seem to hate AI, and it’s not just because it might displace millions of jobs, destroy the world, or deepen distrust in big corporations and government. The reason might actually be simpler than we think: People don't like AI because i... more
For much of the 21st century, the U.S. economy was built around cheap money. Today, though, interest rates are rising, and borrowing is getting much more expensive. At the same time, the federal government is running huge deficits while governments a... more
It would be an understatement to say that higher education is in crisis, as it faces attacks from both the current presidential administration as well as issues of its own making, like diversity politics. Today, Derek talks with Tyler Austin Harper, ... more
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Reviews
- Yuck
Stop talking over your guests. Very telling with how much it happens with women guests. Should have known better than to listen when I saw “a Spotify podcast” 🤢
Apple Podcasts1svnchez
United Statesa month ago Covers interesting topics, but the show is more interested in the headline than the truth. After hearing a couple of episodes on topics I know about, I feel that they don't push back on interviewers enough and are trying too hard to twist the facts into an interesting narrative.
Podcast Addict2a month agomegalodonI don't normally leave reviews. Derek Thompson normally does a fantastic job on Plain English even when I disagree with him. He's fair and balanced, but this podcast and skathing review of Donald Trump feels unnecessary.
Podcast Addict12 months agoChad Sylvester- Best of the best
I listen to a wide variety of podcasts. Plain English is one of my favorite and one of the most thought invoking out there. Thank you for your work!
Apple Podcasts5Big $ MillUnited States2 months ago - Gambling sponsorship is v disappointing
Interesting show but INCREDIBLY disappointing to hear that it is sponsored by Neds gambling- no excuse.
Apple Podcasts3PoorAdolphus
Australia3 months ago
Listeners Say
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Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Spotify | #199 | United States/Top Podcasts |
Spotify | #30 | United States/News |
Apple Podcasts | #198 | United States/Top Podcasts |
Apple Podcasts | #8 | United States/News/News Commentary |
Apple Podcasts | #25 | United States/News |
Apple Podcasts | #86 |  Canada/Top Podcasts |
Talking Points
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Audience Metrics
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Plain English
What is Plain English about and what kind of topics does it cover?
Thoughtful, data-driven conversations across politics, technology, culture, and history drive current events with nuance. Episodes frequently feature researchers, academics, policy experts, and journalists who unpack complex topics—ranging from cannabis policy and literacy trends to AI, drones, foreign policy, and aging—with clear takeaways and practical implications for readers, listeners, and decision-makers. The show stands out for its rigorous guest selection, ability to connect deep scholarship with timely public discourse, and a willingness to challenge conventional wisdom while staying accessible to a broad audience.
Where can I find podcast stats for Plain English?
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Plain English. 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 Plain English and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
How many listeners does Plain English get?
Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Plain English, 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 Plain English?
Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Plain English, 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 Plain English have?
To see how many followers or subscribers Plain English 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 Plain English?
These podcasts share a similar audience with Plain English:
1. The Bill Simmons Podcast
2. The Ezra Klein Show
3. The Press Box
4. The Zach Lowe Show
5. The Rewatchables
How many episodes of Plain English are there?
Plain English launched 5 years ago and published 401 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 Plain English?
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 Plain English?
Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Plain English 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 Plain English?
Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Plain English. 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 Plain English?
Recent guests on Plain English include:
1. Mark Spero
2. Tyler Austin Harper
3. Alex Stamos
4. Jasmine Sun
5. Jonathan Caulkins
6. Beau Kilmer
7. Rose Horowitch
8. Emily Wilson
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.