The Best Podcasts for 2020
Podcasts are a great way to pass the time, whether you're commuting, working, or relaxing. Check out our staff's 96 favorite podcasts in eight categories.
At some point in the recent past, podcasts made the jump from being a DIY tech for radio broadcaster wannabes to a reputable mainstream medium. You may recall when podcasts first popped into the public consciousness over a decade ago along with the newly ubiquitous iPod. Despite wavering levels of popularity, podcasts never really went away, and they are once again solidly in the mainstream.
The term podcast is—and always has been—a misnomer. Podcasts aren't exclusive to iPods or a particular device. Like other on-demand content, podcasts work on nearly every platform. All you need to do to get started is download a podcast app, such as Pocket Casts or Castbox. You can even listen to most podcasts from their associated websites.
If you're brave enough to venture into creating your own podcast, at the very least you need audio editing software to produce the best possible recording quality. We also recommend taking a look at dedicated podcast creation services, such as Cast, which take you through the entire process, including hosting and distribution. You need your own recording hardware, too; for that, you can read our feature on the best USB microphones.
We asked our staff members to share their favorite podcasts for this roundup and organized them into the categories below. Here are the latest entries we've added: Bodies; Business of Hype With Jeff Staple; Clockwise; Code Switch; Ear Hustle; Erik Krasno Plus One; FiveThirtyEight Politics; Homoground; Identity Politics; Latino USA; Leave Your Mark; LeVar Burton Reads; Long Distance; Lunch and Learn with Dr. Berry; Marketplace Tech with Molly Wood; Past, Present, Future, Live!; Queery; Radio Menea; Rocket; Sibling Rivalry; Spawn On Me; Snap Judgment; Strong Black Lead; Techmeme Ride Home; The E Word; The Guardian Book Podcast; The Open Ears Project; The Stoop; The Treatment; Up First; and Wheels Off with Rhett Miller. Our collection is just a small sampling of podcasts, though there are certainly many more quality ones out there. Happy listening!
Best Art, Books, Games, Movies, Music, and TV Podcasts
ArtCurious (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Van Gogh was maybe murdered, the Mona Lisa that is on display at the Louvre might be a fake, and an avant-garde artist could just be Jack the Ripper. If you thought art was boring, then you haven't listened to ArtCurious with Jennifer Dasal.
Books and Boba (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
This podcast discusses books from Asian and Asian American authors spanning many genres. New episodes release every week.
Castle Super Beast (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Formerly called The Super Best Friendcast, this weekly podcast features lively discussions of all things related to video games and pop culture.
Drink Champs (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN discuss endless untold hip-hop stories over drinks. What more do you want?
Erik Krasno Plus One (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Erik Krasno, a Grammy-Award winning guitarist, conducts in-depth interviews with prominent musicians each week. Some of the guests that have appeared on the podcast so far include Emily King, John Mayer, Dave Matthews, and John Scofield.
Giant Bombcast (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
The Giant Bombcast is a hilarious ongoing observation on life, the Internet, and everything, from dudes who happen to write about video games for a living. Also consider its East Coast spinoff, Giant Beastcast.
Homoground (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Do you want to discover the best music from queer (LGBTQ+ and allied) bands and artists? Some episodes of the Homoground music radio podcast (founded by Lynn Casper) focus on highlighting individual tracks, while others include interviews with musicians.
How Did This Get Made? (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Comedians Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Jason Mantzoukas watch terrible movies like Spider-Man 3, Barb Wire, and The Wicker Man and then pick them apart. They also read the unintentionally hilarious 5-star reviews by Amazon.com users about these bad movies.
Imaginary Worlds (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Most geeky and fandom podcasts are of the "friends talking" variety, but not Imaginary Worlds. This podcast, made by a former NPR producer, sounds more like a slickly made documentary in the style of This American Life or Radiolab. In each episode, the host examines a particular facet of science fiction, fantasy, and fandom, always in search of why these imaginary worlds are so compelling.
LeVar Burton Reads (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
LeVar Burton, of Roots, Reading Rainbow, and Star Trek fame, reads short fiction pieces during each episode. Some of the authors whose works have been featured on the podcast include Octavia Butler, Ray Bradbury, Neil Gaiman, Toni Morrison, and Haruki Murakami.
Linoleum Knife (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
This is a weekly go-to for learning about new movies. The criticism is on point, and the banter between hosts Alonso Duralde and Dave White is always entertaining.
Past, Present, Future, Live! (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
This weekly podcast explores a musician's journey from past to present and beyond. Each episode ends with a live performance by the artist.
Pop Culture Happy Hour (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
NPR's weekly rundown of what's happening in pop culture. Episodes can be about books, comics, movies, music, television, or pretty much anything else that's worth talking about.
Radio Menea (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Hosts Miriam Pérez and Verónica Flores discuss the Latinx music important to their lives. Episodes are a mix between featured music and cultural discussions.
Spawn on Me (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Kahlief Adams hosts this gaming news and interview podcast that features people of color in the wider industry. Episodes release weekly.
Star Wars Minute (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Each and every minute of the original Star Wars movies dissected. Literally—each episode deconstructs one 60-second chunk (yep, including the opening title sequences).
Strong Black Lead (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Netflix's Strong Black Lead podcast is run by host, Tracy Clayton. Each week, she interviews Black actors and actresses who have had a big impact on the entertainment industry.
The Chernobyl Podcast (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
HBO's five-part Chernobyl miniseries is a harrowing look at the 1986 nuclear power plant explosion that left the region uninhabitable and threatened the safety of people around the globe. After you watch each episode, listen to series creator, writer, and executive producer Craig Mazin and Peter Sagal of NPR's "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!" discuss the details.
The E Word (Apple Podcasts, Spotify)
Is this band emo? Who's to say? Hosts Ellie and Kyle take a deep dive into the world of emo music and all the bands that have contributed to or evolved from the genre. The duo even publishes a Spotify playlist featuring all of the bands mentioned during an episode.
The Guardian Books Podcast (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Claire Armitstead, Richard Lea, and Sian Cain conduct interviews with authors about their books and related topics. This podcast isn't currently in production, but its archives are still a must-listen for people who love reading. We hope it will resume recording once the COVID-19 pandemic is under control.
The Open Ears Project (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Although this podcast is no longer active, NPR's Open Ears Project is still a worthwhile listen for classical music fans. Each episode explores what one classical track means to the guest.
The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
This biweekly show covers gaming of all kinds, including board games, card games, miniatures games, role playing games, and many more. The show dives into geek topic discussions, board game walkthroughs and reviews, gaming community and industry news, and role-playing game theory topics.
The Treatment (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Film critic Elvis Mitchell has been hosting The Treatment (another KCRW show) since 1996 on radio, and now you can listen to the podcast of the same name. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of film and uses his platform to raise the voices of the wide variety of people working in film and television (and sometimes also fashion design).
Waypoint Radio (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Waypoint Radio offers insightful coverage of games through a social lens. Video games don't exist in a vacuum, and the staff expertly discusses and analyzes the latest industry stories and games in the context of current events and game history. The hosts, led by Editor-in-Chief Austin Walker, are some of the smartest people in games criticism, and usually very funny to boot.
Wheels Off with Rhett Miller (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Rhett Miller from the Old 97's interviews creative types on what's its like to live the creative life. Episodes air every other week and feature guests from many creative disciplines, including musicians, comedians, and writers.
Women at Warp (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
This podcast dissects the half century of Star Trek every two weeks with a pointed effort to include voices often left out of the discussion. Topics range from reflecting on the latest series, Star Trek: Discovery, to in-depth looks at specific episodes or characters to looking at the roles of women in the roots of the Trek fandom. Lively, funny, and honest, it's an excellent companion for any fan, especially with five new Star Trek shows in the works.
Best Comedy Podcasts
A Piece of Work (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
A Piece of Work is a mixture of comedy and art. Hosted by Abbi Jacobson, it's everything you want to know about modern art but you were afraid to ask.
Comedy Bang Bang (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
This long-running improv pod made us laugh out loud on the daily subway commute. The show is a combination of straight interviews with celebrity guests followed by one or two kooky characters. Even host Scott Aukerman's sponsored commercials offer hilarious bouts of surreal anti-humor.
Last Podcast on the Left (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
It's kinda like if Coast to Coast AM were hosted by funny skeptics, not paranoid cuckoos.
Mental Illness Happy Hour (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
A podcast about mental illness isn't going to appeal to everyone. But former Dinner and a Movie co-host Paul Gilmartin brings plenty of charm (and his own issues) to earnest conversations with comedians, clinicians, and regular people living and coping with the gamut of mental struggles and diagnosed disorders. The tone often bounces from lighthearted to dark and back again, but you'll be hard-pressed to find more deeply human and heartfelt conversations anywhere.
My Brother, My Brother and Me (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Three brothers—Justin, Griffin, and Travis McElroy—provide absurd "advice" in a way that only their unique sense of humor allows. Always hilarious and usually ridiculous, the brothers respond to listener-submitted questions and comb the depths of Yahoo Answers for some of the funniest off-the-cuff discussions and tangents in podcasting. It always makes us smile or laugh during a commute, and their good-natured riffing is a consistently reliable mood-lifter in these trying times.
My Favorite Murder (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
It takes a certain type of person to seek out what is effectively a comedy podcast about graphic murders and true crime horrors. But those fascinated by the subject, or even just casually interested, will find plenty to like here. Veteran comedy writer and performer Karen Kilgariff and TV host Georgia Hardstark bring the indomitable, rambling charm of their friendship to balance out the darkness. Stay sexy and don't get murdered.
Sibling Rivalry (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Drag queens Monét X Change and Bob The Drag Queen are hilarious, political, and profane.
Stop Podcasting Yourself (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Comedy delights from our neighbors to the north. Two hosts, one guest, lots of Canadian accents and laughs. Highlight: Overheards, where the hosts and listeners share the weird-ass things they've heard and seen out in the world.
Who Charted? (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Each week co-hosts Howard Kremer and Kulap Vilaysack welcome a celebrity guest to count down that week's top pop tunes and movies (or "space make-em-ups," as Howard calls them). Most of the top-performing music and movies are—rightly—ridiculed as soulless cultural waste; however, the show makes room for the occasional guilty pleasure.
Best Culture and Society Podcasts
Bodies (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Bodies is a documentary-style podcast created by Allison Behringer that explores how it’s difficult for women and marginalized genders, in particular, to get proper medical care, a problem compounded by racism, sexism, and capitalism. Episodes start with each subject asking the powerful question, “What’s wrong with me?”
Code Switch (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Co-hosts Shereen Meraji and Gene Demby lead discussions on race in America and how it impacts every aspect of life. Episodes are frequent and timely.
Ear Hustle (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
This podcast explores stories from both life inside prison and after reentry into society. The project's current team includes Nigel Poor, Earlonne Woods, Antwan Williams, and Rahsaan Thomas.
Identity Politics (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Co-hosts Ikhlas Saleem and Makkah Ali discuss their perspectives on race, gender, and Muslim life in the US. Many episodes feature guests with valuable experience about the topic at hand.
Latino USA (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Latino USA is a partnership podcast between The Futuro Media Group and NPR hosted by Maria Hinojosa. The weekly episodes explore the perspectives and experiences of Latino communities in the country.
Long Distance (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
This podcast, produced and hosted by Paola Mardo, explores a range of Filipino immigration experiences in a documentary style, with an emphasis on compelling audial storytelling.
Keep It (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
There's so much to say "Keep it!" to lately. Ira Madison III, Louis Virtel, and Aida Osman recap all the happenings in culture and politics over the past week. They're smart and funny and we hope they keep it up for a long time to come.
Snap Judgment (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Glynn Washington hosts this weekly podcast dedicated to the best and brightest new storytellers. Readings are accompanied by custom music tracks.
The Stoop (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Leila Day and Hana Baba anchor this podcast that features deeply reported stories on what it means to be a member of the Black community. Episodes often center on current events.
Who? Weekly (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Did you ever see a bold-faced name and wonder "who is that?" Every Tuesday Lindsey Weber and Bobby Finger talk about all the Whos are and what they're up to, and on Friday they take calls from listeners. We hate celebrity gossip and yet somehow, we love Who? Weekly. That's the typical audience of this podcast. One day we'll call in and leave Lindsey and Bobby a message. Good form, Bella Thorne.
Best Informative Podcasts
Freakonomics Radio (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Based on the best-selling book series, the fascinating Freakonomics podcast goes in-depth on various topics using purely empirical, number-driven evidence to uncover how the world really works.
Lunch and Learn With Dr. Berry (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Dr. Berry Pierre simplifies the most complicated medical topics in this weekly podcast. Recent episodes on COVID-19 are a good place to start.
Radiolab (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Robert Krulwich and Jad Abumrad put together an amazing podcast that is both extremely scientifically informative, and symphonically lovely to listen to. To boot, their downloadable app is one of the cutest things we've ever seen.
StarTalk Radio (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Host Neil deGrasse Tyson explores the world of science (with an emphasis on his area of expertise: cosmology). Neil can sometimes come off as a middle school science teacher desperately trying his best to get his class excited about science—and that's strangely comforting in a way. He also shares hosting duties each episode with a guest comedian—most of whom are kind of annoying, but you're usually in good hands when Eugene Mirman is around. (And check out PCMag's interview with NDT on our podcast, The Convo).
Stuff You Missed in History Class (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
A fun and in-depth look at notable past events that you probably don't know about.
Stuff You Should Know (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
From the people at HowStuffWorks.com, every episode of this podcast tackles and takes apart a topic—like tornados or bitcoin or the sun—so that you can come away with a good working knowledge. The hosts, with their southern accents and easy chummy chemistry, explain everything in layman's terms, with more than a few fun pop cultural tangents along the way.
The Bowery Boys New York City History (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Covering sundry topics from the Coney Island Boardwalk to neon lights to the history of drag queen performers, this long-running podcast explores the untold and retold tales from the Big Apple. It smartly walks a line between in-depth minutiae you'd expect from a small-town historian and big-picture history.
The History of England Podcast (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Do you like England and the history thereof? Then let this charming man recount the entire history of the island in these dispatches from his shed. Lively, engaging, and thoroughly researched, this podcast has topped 270 episodes and has only made it to the year 1554.
Best Miscellaneous Podcasts
99% Invisible (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Even if you've never cared about design or how the material world around us is put together, this weekly series will help you find the fascinating in the everyday.
Anna Faris Is Unqualified (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Not-so-great relationship advice from completely unqualified Hollywood types.
Atlanta Monster (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Revisiting a forgotten chapter in American crime, this podcast explores a series of child killings that terrified the city of Atlanta. It's a labyrinthine experience, with no dead ends, but no answers either.
Bear Brook (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
In 1985, a barrel containing human remains was discovered in Bear Brook State Park. Fifteen years later, a second barrel of remains is found a stone's throw away. This podcast covers the case in exhaustive and heart-breaking detail and examines a new investigative technique for cracking cold cases. A recent update completes the story, identifying the victims who were unnamed for decades.
Dan Carlin's Hardcore History (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Official Bio: In Hardcore History the very unconventional Dan Carlin takes his 'Martian,' outside-the-box way of thinking and applies it to the past. Was Alexander the Great as bad a person as Adolf Hitler? What would Apaches with modern weapons be like? Will our modern civilization ever fall like civilizations from past eras?
Dear Sugars (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
This podcast from the New York Times and WBUR dives into the concept of empathy. Hosts Cheryl Strayed and Steve Almond take questions from listeners during each episode.
Hurdle (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Hurdle covers stories of overcoming obstacles and embracing a healthier, more fulfilled life along the way.
In the Dark (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
In the Dark is similar to Missing and Murdered (see below) in that it follows a 1989 cold case murder. But this particular case, that of 11-year-old Minnesota boy Jacob Wetterling, was solved as this podcast was coming together. If you think that will make for an anti-climactic listen, you're wrong. In the Dark is as much about how local authorities bungled the investigation into this high-profile case as it is about the crime itself.
Last Seen (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
The costliest art heist in history wasn't at a famous European museum or at the secluded estate of an eccentric collector. It happened in the sleepy Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston in 1990. Thirteen works were taken, worth an estimated $500 billion, and have never been recovered. This podcast explores the crime, the museum, and the lost masterpieces.
Missing and Murdered (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
In the wake of Serial's success, a number of true-crime podcasts have cropped up, with journalists investigating decades-old cold cases. A notable entry in this genre is CBC's investigation into Alberta Williams, a young Indigenous woman murdered in British Columbia in 1989. In this eight-part podcast, CBC's Connie Walker talks to law enforcement, Alberta's family and friends, and suspects in the case to try to get a handle on what really happened that night almost 30 years ago.
No Such Thing as a Fish (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
You won't find facts presented like this anywhere else: Four QI researchers (aka "The QI Elves") present their favorite discoveries of the week. The Large Hadron Collider was once turned off for a short period of time because a piece of baguette was found in the machinery, for instance. The hilarious broadcasts range from 30 to 50 minutes, while the team members riff off each other, expand on various facts, and lose themselves in fascinating tangents.
Risk (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Sort of like a cross between This American Life and The Moth, but usually a lot more risqué. It's people telling true stories, but the 'risk' element is that these are the sort of stories people usually wouldn't dare share in public.
StartUp (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Another This American Life alum starts a new podcast, following his attempt to create a tech startup that will allow anyone in the world to easily make a podcast. It's a little meta, but very interesting, because Alex Blumberg comes off like a normal shlub with an idea, so it feels like something anyone could go through—if they worked for years at NPR, of course.
The Dollop Podcast (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
The Dollop is a darkly funny (and often profane) history podcast where veteran podcaster and comedian Dave Anthony reads a twisted story of America's past to his friend, Gareth Reynolds, who has no idea what the story is about. Previous subjects include America's disability-shaming 'ugly laws' and San Francisco's 40-foot-tall 'spite fence.'
Unexplained (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
This podcast smartly and calmly explores events and stories that defy explanation. Don't listen for solutions or exposés, just unusual stories recounted soberly by a calm British man.
Welcome to Night Vale (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
A fictional podcast about the desert town of Night Vale somewhere in the southwest. In the guise of a radio newscast, the narrator peppers banal local townie announcements with surreal, paranormal events that show that there's something not quite right here.
Best News & Politics Podcasts
FiveThirtyEight Politics (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
The FiveThirtyEight Politics podcast offers chatty political analysis balanced by a strong focus on statistics and data.
Pod Save America (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Former Obama staffers Jon Favreau and Dan Pfeiffer had a must-listen podcast during the 2016 campaign, Keepin it 1600. When the results didn't exactly go as planned in 2016, the duo—as well as fellow White House alums Jon Lovett and Tommy Vietor—regrouped with Pod Save America to discuss "challenges posed by the Trump administration" and more. The effort is part of Crooked Media, which now produces 11 podcasts, like the foreign-policy-focused podcast, Pod Save the World.
Reveal (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
A coproduction between the Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX hosted by Al Letson, this in-depth journalism podcast uncovers stories at both the local and national level. Each episode incorporates a ton of interviews and research, so you will be sure to get the full details of each piece.
Serial (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
An episodic investigation into a real-life crime. The first season was an engrossing investigation into a 15-year-old murder near Baltimore. The second season is a look into accused deserter Bowe Bergdahl. Season 3 explores the stories of notable courthouse cases each week.
The Bugle (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
UK-based co-host Andy Zaltzman humorously takes on the week's happenings with wall-to-wall zings delivered in an envelope of particularly British linguistic agility.
The Morning Stream (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Free form conversation every Monday through Thursday about news, politics, and culture.
The NPR Politics Podcast (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
If the news of the day (or hour, or minute) is getting you down, this podcast is great for keeping things in perspective. Twice a week, or whenever major news breaks, some smart people sit down at a mic to discuss the facts of the madhouse that is American politics in 2019. Never exaggerated or boring, the hosts are interested and interesting. It's the antidote to Fake News.
Throughline (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
There is nothing new under the sun, and many of the political and social battles playing out today started decades or centuries earlier. Throughline deftly follows the trail of a major issue back to its source, examining history, culture, and science along the way. If you like learning a lot in not a lot of time, this podcast is for you.
Tricky (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Journalism is as much in the news as the source of news itself. In the Tricky podcast, hosts Emily Bell of Columbia's Graduate School of Journalism and Heather Chaplin of the New School dive deeply into the thorniest problems facing journalism and journalists. It's all but required listening for anyone working in media today.
Up First (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
NPR's Up First podcast condenses the day's three most important stories into a 10-minute episode. If you want to be informed about the world, add this podcast to your morning routine.
Best Talkshow and Interview Podcasts
Business of Hype with Jeff Staple (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Jeff Staple interviews different creatives and brand builders within the fashion industry. Getting to hear some of their success stories as well as relatable creative struggles and how they tackle them makes for an enjoyable listen.
Fresh Air (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Terry Gross is one of the best interviewers in the business. And like most (all?) NPR shows, her one-on-one broadcast Fresh Air is available as a podcast.
Jalen & Jacoby (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
A former Grantland flagship podcast, Jalen & Jacoby pairs an ex-NBA star (Jalen Rose) with a sports nut (David Jacoby) to form a potent mix of sports, hip-hop, and general pop culture talk.
Jimquisition (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Jim Sterling's main podcast, The Podquisition, is just one part of the Jimquisition content brand. Check out related podcast, The Spin-Off Doctors, for more.
Leave Your Mark (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
If you're in need of career advice and inspiration, you can't do much better than listening to Aliza Licht's Leave Your Mark podcast. She's smart and funny and makes great conversation with guests like I Am a Voter's Mandana Dayani, TV personality Stacy London, and Odd Mom Out's Jill Kargman.
Love + Radio (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
The show's official bio: "Nick van der Kolk's Love and Radio features intimate and otherworldly produced interviews with an eclectic range of subjects, from the seedy to the sublime."
Queery with Cameron Esposito (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Cameron Esposito conducts extended interviews with members in the LGBTQ+ community. Recent guests include Anne McClain and Chasten Buttigieg.
The Ezra Klein Show (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Ezra Klein, a policy wonk and founder of Vox, takes a very analytical approach to any topic he broaches on his show. As a result, episodes include a lot of unusual and deep takes on typically more mundane topics, such as politics, writing, and cooking.
Why Is This Happening? With Chris Hayes (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
MSNBC host Chris Hayes is an inquisitive and chatty guy—two qualities he brings to this podcast, where he conducts one-on-one interviews with people he finds interesting. You can pick episodes based on who interests you, but some of our favorites were Dying of Whiteness with Jonathan Metzl, Breaking Government with Michael Lewis, and Politics and Violence with Joanne B. Freeman.
Women at Work (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Harvard Business Review's Women at Work is one of the smartest and most considerate show about workplace issues and how people get along. The hosts ask difficult but relatable questions and dive into uncomfortable topics. Every episode is brilliant and will make you a better person.
WTF With Marc Maron (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
One of the pioneers of the genre, comedian Marc Maron has helped define what podcasting can be. Each show opens with a humorous—and often exceedingly personal—monologue followed by an in-depth conversation with a guest (most of whom are fellow comedians, but the roster has really opened recently). Even if you're not a fan of Maron's self-obsessed brand of misanthropy, he is a hell of a captivating interviewer.
You Made It Weird (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
If you like to go deeeep and have two hours to kill, then comedian Pete Holmes's very in-depth one-on-one interview series is for you. Not only do Holmes and guest go into biography and career, they usually veer into philosophy and nature of existence (every episode usually features the question "what do you think happens after you die?").
Best Tech Podcasts
Clockwise (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
This show poses the real questions, like what’s the coolest tech you’ve dreamed about and how to best prepare an emergency kit. The hosts share their off-the-cuff takes at the beginning of each episode and banter about them for the rest of the time. The 30-minute episode length feels just about right.
Fast Forward With Dan Costa (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
PCMag editor-in-chief Dan Costa goes one-on-one with the world's most influential entrepreneurs, CEOs, experts, and analysts to discuss how technology will impact society, culture, and business as we accelerate into the future. This isn't about the daily news cycle: It's about previewing the future that awaits us all!
Marketplace Tech with Molly Wood (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
This bite-sized podcast clocks in at usually less than 10 minutes an episode. Despite their length, these high-quality episodes still tackle topical tech issues in detail. For example, a recent episode tackled unhealthy air, which compromises the lungs and immune system, and steps that states are taking for better ventilation.
Rocket (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
Rocket highlights the voices of Brianna Wu, Christina Warren, and Simone de Rochefort as they discuss tech, comics, movies, games, and books. The show had its first bonus episode in more than five years recently, covering the highly publicized legal battle between Epic and Apple, which the show follows.
Techmeme Ride Home (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts)
An authoritative 15-minute podcast covering the most salient news of the day according to Techmeme. This isn’t a dry retelling of headlines though; there’s substance, with quotes from credible news sources and evaluations of the news itself. We especially enjoyed Brian McCullough talk about abysmal 5G download speeds, technical details and all.
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About Ben Moore
Ben Moore is an Analyst for PCMag's software team covering video streaming services, security software, GNU/Linux, and the occasional PC game. He has previously written for Laptop Mag, Neowin.net, and Tom's Guide. Ben holds a degree in New Media and Digital Design from Fordham University at Lincoln Center, where he served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Observer, the student-run newspaper.
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About Sherin Shibu
Sherin Shibu is a junior at Columbia University majoring in English Literature. She took a nontraditional path to junior year, taking two gap years to work as a fellow at Business Insider and GovLoop, among others. She's written about everything from cybersecurity and virtual reality to business strategy and leadership; she's a versatile writer with a track record of success. At PCMag, she hopes to cover the news with accuracy and style, growing as a writer as she works as a News Fellow.
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