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 | 392 | Founded | 5 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | NewsNews Commentary | |||
Listen to this Podcast
Latest Episodes
Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' is finally here, but how exactly has a 3,000-year-old story endured long enough to become the foundation of Western storytelling? Derek is joined by Karen Ní Mheallaigh, chair of Classics at Johns Hopkins University,... more
Why does it feel like everything is more divided and exhausting than it used to be? Philosopher Agnes Callard has a surprisingly simple answer: the unicontext. It's her term for what happens when billions of people are all forced to inhabit the same ... more
Peter Beinart joins Derek to unpack a major shift inside the Democratic Party. As Democratic Socialist-backed candidates notch a string of surprising primary victories, one issue has emerged as a defining political litmus test: Israel and the war in ... more
To celebrate America's 250th birthday, Derek is joined for a history draft by three of the country's leading historians: Beverly Gage, H.W. (Bill) Brands, and Richard White. The goal isn't to revisit the familiar stories everyone learned in school. I... more
Key Facts
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Reviews
- Informative but too much Derek
I’m usually interested in the topics covered and Derek invites on high-quality guests. That adds to the frustration, then, when he talks over his interviewees, takes the last word for himself, or goes on long diatribes. Still, I learn a lot from his show!
Apple Podcasts4Normie Listener
United Statesa month ago - Love this podcast, please stop advertising glp1s
Your podcast is wonderful and i savor every episode. Please stop advertising GLP1s, it makes me want to turn your wonderful podcast off. GLP1s can be really help for many people but that does not mean direct to consumer advertisement for them is good for people. It can also be really harmful for people. Eating disorders are the second leading cause of death from psychiatric illness behind opioid addiction. Burt Toast Podcast has a great discussion on the topic of GLP1 that i think would broaden... more
Apple Podcasts5CedarYofiUnited States2 months ago - Disappointed
I heard Derek Thompson on The Bulwark with Tim Miller and was impressed by his intellect. So I was bummed when I went to this podcast they promoted and the first episode had an interview with Helen Lewis about gender. She’s a famous transphobe who doesn’t believe in “gender identity” so why is she the “expert.” The episode was okay. Nothing new. They were AMAZED that different social media feeds are associated with different advertisers, as tho that was a WOW realization. But I’m old enough to h... more
Apple Podcasts4DrDK2United States2 months ago - David Stern
Cool your jets on Stern. He committed a most egregious sin twice. He oversaw 2 work stoppages. That is a failure solely ohf his making. He also was late to the game regarding black culture. He did not understand the importance of culture and fashion among young black men.
Apple Podcasts5Raj FanUnited States2 months ago - Great podcast (one exception)
As soon as the Knicks are in the finals he drops an episode about the nba failing, coincidence???
Apple Podcasts5Noodles115United States2 months ago
Listeners Say
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Spotify | #174 | United States/Top Podcasts |
Spotify | #29 | United States/News |
Apple Podcasts | #16 | United States/News/News Commentary |
Apple Podcasts | #75 | United States/News |
Apple Podcasts | #15 |  Canada/News/News Commentary |
Apple Podcasts | #17 |  United Kingdom/News/News Commentary |
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 conversations that balance data-driven analysis with accessible storytelling across a wide range of timely topics, including economics, technology, culture, and politics. Episodes feature renowned economists, journalists, and researchers who unpack complex issues—like demographics, AI's impact on work, energy dynamics, and global risk—in a way that's practical for policymakers, business leaders, and curious general audiences. Notable strengths include a steady stream of expert guests, clear explanations of big ideas, and a willingness to challenge conventional narratives, often with forward-looking implications for markets, policy, and society.
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 three 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 Press Box
3. The Ezra Klein Show
4. The Rewatchables
5. The Watch
How many episodes of Plain English are there?
Plain English launched 5 years ago and published 392 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. Peter Beinart
2. H. W. Brands
3. Beverly Gage
4. Erik Lin-Greenberg
5. Karim Sadjadpour
6. Isaac Saul
7. Matthew Herper
8. Samuel Moyn
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.