The $p$-adic Igusa zeta function, topological and motivic zeta function are (related) invariants of a polynomial $f$, reflecting the singularities of the hypersurface $f = 0$. The first one has a number theoretical flavor and is related to counting numbers of solutions of $f = 0$ over finite rings; the other two are more geometric in nature. The monodromy conjecture relates in a mysterious way these invariants to another singularity invariant of $f$, its local monodromy. We will discuss in this survey talk rationality issues for these zeta functions and the origins of the conjecture.[-]