With my own podcast officially launching next week, I wanted to share the long list of podcasts I subscribe to. These are the podcasts that keep me company all day long, inspire me, teach me things I never thought to ask questions about, and give me a constant stream of sentences starting with “I heard on a podcast the other day” to use in conversation.
Many of you reading this might also be podcast enthusiasts like me. And someday even you might want to start one for yourself. But guys don’t ponder too much over how to start a podcast or will it be good and all those demotivating thoughts. Once you start, you will be able to do it, no matter what.
Modern Love
Essays about love in every form, read by famous people. This podcast spans the spectrum of the kinds of love we experience, hear of, dream of or are happy we don’t have to deal with.
How to Be a Girl
Produced by a woman who calls herself Marlo Mack, about her six year old, transgender daughter. It’s an interesting look at what it really means to be a girl – and who decides if you get to be one. Moving, beautiful, insightful and really well produced.
Guys We F****d
The anti slut-shaming podcast. Two girlfriends speak candidly about all things sex: their own sex lives, sex toys which are high on the list to try, experiences and sexual preferences, and spreading the valid point that women should be able to have sex with whoever they want. The hosts are funny and sometimes extreme, but always very open about a subject I think many women almost never get to speak about. Some of the examples they give make you wonder if fucking machines may be less emotionally exhausting though.
Surprisingly Awesome
A podcast about things that seem boring but are actually surprisingly awesome.
Women Of The Hour
Lena Dunham on friendship, bodies and everything else you wish Lena Dunham would talk to you about.
Radio Rookies
A podcast produced by New York teenagers.
#girlboss radio
Hosted by the original #girlboss, Sophia Amaruso. She talks to power women from a variety of fields. I particularly love her intro with her best friend Liz Carrie.
Planet Money
A podcast about the economy. Sounds boring, but wait till they tell you about the story behind why the price of Coca-Cola stayed the same for 70 years. One of my top 5 podcasts.
Those Conspiracy Guys
If you know anything about me, you’ll know that I am obsessed with conspiracy theories. This podcast really delves deep into every major conspiracy you’ve heard of. It’s like being in a conversation with a couple of kindred, Irish spirits. I particularly love their extra-long episodes, which can be four hours long.
StoryCorps
A collection of stories about everyday people interviewing each other.
StartUp Podcast
One of my top 5. An incredibly well-produced show about what it’s really like to start up a tech business in America. They cover almost everything about starting a business in the corporate world, from idea generation to scaling up, securing financing, accounting for saas companies (which can be tougher than you think!), and also share some really interesting stories along the way.
Mystery Show
Another one of my top 5. Starlee Kine attempts to solve mysteries that not even the internet can solve. The very first episode got me hooked and I can’t wait for season 2. If you’ve never heard about this show before, lucky you – you’ve got 6 excellent episodes ahead of you!
Here’s The Thing with Alec Baldwin
Alec Baldwin – one of the best actors in the world, gets to ask celebrities questions that only another celebrity could ask. Also his dreamy voice.
The Heart
Beautifully produced. A show about matters of the heart. Stories about love and sex, diversity and gender.
Note to Self
A podcast about technology. How to make it work for you in a time when it seems like it’s going to drown you.
The Mortified Podcast
Hilarious. Diary entries from the childhood of the reader. Embarrassing, funny, insightful and weirdly addictive.
The Moth
A podcast featuring stories told a live storytelling events, featuring true stories from around the world.
Reply All
A show about the internet. Another one of my top 5.
Radiolab
Stories about the most interesting subject matter. Science and and culture and the way people think and work. The best editing. The best hosts. One of the best podcasts on the internet.
Upvoted by Reddit
A podcast about the most popular stories on Reddit. SO interesting!
Criminal
A show about crime. Weird stories and crazy stories and ver interesting stories.
Invisibilia
A show about the things we don’t see. The things people believe and think and feel.
The State We’re In
They haven’t released anything in ages, but there’s a library of great episodes for you to get stuck into. An episode that has always stuck with me is Ep 2: Peter von Uhm. It really gave me a new insight into war as a way to experience freedom.
Ronna & Beverly
A hilarious show about two middle-aged Jewish New Yorkers who dish out advice, opinions and often cringe-worthy one-liners. They really make me laugh.
Woman’s Hour
The BBC’s daily show about everything relating to modern women, from birth control to the gender pay-gap. There’s a lot to learn from this show.
Death, Sex & Money
A show about the three things humans think about the most.
Serial
If you haven’t heard about this podcast, you have a world of obsessive listening pleasure ahead of you. Season one looks at the case of a murdered teenager and her ex-boyfriend, convicted of the crime in the 90’s.
TED Radio Hour
A collection of stories from the TED stage. Everything from science to technology. It’s always interesting.
Strangers
A beautifully produced show about the human condition.
Love + Radio
The show that I find most inspirational in terms of production. My favourite episode is one called Chior Boy. Pure excellence.
This American Life
The original and best. More than 3 million people download it every week, and that’s because it is phenomenal. It features stories about a variety of people from all walks of life, and will give you an insight into a world or society or culture you never even thought to want to know about.
I subscribe to these on iTunes.
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