Spotify released their new Top Podcasts and Trending Podcast charts. The purpose appears to be to help listeners find their next podcast to listen to. My assumption is that podcasters will frequently check these charts to see if their podcast is on them.

The charts – which we are rolling out today in 26 markets on Spotify and mobile (iOS and Android) – will not only share the fastest-climbing-of-the-moment trends for podcasts with users, but will also list the overall most popular shows in your region based on recent listener numbers. Whether you’re looking for a tried-and-true favorite or the latest show that your coworkers are obsessing over, rest assured that these charts will help you discover them all.

Spotify points out that certain markets, including Brazil, Australia, Germany, Mexico, Sweden, the UK and the U.S., will dig further into the podcast data and separate out the Top Podcasts by category. In short, this means listeners can pick their favorite category of podcasts and see which ones are currently popular in that genre.

Top Podcasts charts will list the 200 overall shows in the selected region or category, and Trending Podcast charts will display the top 50 rapidly rising shows.

Alongside this new feature, podcasters can look forward to an updated experience in Spotify for Podcasters. Creators will get a notification on their dashboard when their podcast is charting. Then, they can turn their notifications into a visual card to share across social media platforms, alerting fans to their show’s rising status.

Overall, these new features sound like an interesting addition to Spotify Podcasts. I can see how it would make it really easy for listeners to find a new podcast to listen to. After they binge-listen to whatever new podcast attracted their attention, they might seek out other podcasts that are in the same genre.

My concern is that the Top Podcasts and Trending Podcasts charts will cause some podcasters to obsess over how to make their podcast be on them. There is potential that someone will find a way to “game the system” and get their podcast onto those list through inauthentic means. I’m hoping Spotify is prepared to monitor their new features and sift out those who are cheating.