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 | 395 | Founded | 5 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | News CommentaryNews | |||
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Latest Episodes
Two extraordinary trends are happening in the United States simultaneously. One is that alcohol consumption is declining precipitously. The share of Americans who drink has hit a record low since Gallup started tracking it in the 1930s. In 2004, fewe... more
There’s no doubt that reading is in decline. But what is that decline doing to the way we think? Derek talks with The Atlantic's Rose Horowitch about why Americans are reading fewer books than ever and struggling more with complex texts and what that... more
Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' has brought one of history's oldest stories back into the spotlight. It’s also sparked a fresh debate about what it means to adapt a classic.
Today, Derek is joined by acclaimed classicist and translator Emily Wilso... more
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
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Reviews
I 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 Addict1a month 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 $ Mill
United Statesa month ago - Gambling sponsorship is v disappointing
Interesting show but INCREDIBLY disappointing to hear that it is sponsored by Neds gambling- no excuse.
Apple Podcasts3PoorAdolphus
Australia2 months ago - 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 ListenerUnited States2 months 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
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Chart Rankings
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Spotify | #31 | United States/News |
Apple Podcasts | #17 | United States/News/News Commentary |
Apple Podcasts | #94 | United States/News |
Apple Podcasts | #11 |  Canada/News/News Commentary |
Apple Podcasts | #21 |  United Kingdom/News/News Commentary |
Apple Podcasts | #87 | Canada/News |
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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 Zach Lowe Show
4. The Rewatchables
5. The Ezra Klein Show
How many episodes of Plain English are there?
Plain English launched 5 years ago and published 395 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. Jonathan Caulkins
2. Beau Kilmer
3. Rose Horowitch
4. Emily Wilson
5. Karen Ní Mheallaigh
6. Agnes Callard
7. Peter Beinart
8. H. W. Brands
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.