Podcasts have reinvigorated traditional radio, reviving old formats and spawning many creative views on how to tell stories in innovative ways. They're quick and easy to download or stream, and you can combine multiple episodes or spread them out over multiple weeks. Whether you're on the bus to work or walking around the house, podcasts are the ideal audio accompaniment. They don't require your unwavering attention, cover just about anything you can think of, and are usually completely free. If the idea wins you over, the problem you face is choosing the podcasts that are really worth your time, but we're here to help. As certified podcast addicts, we've listened to hours and hours of podcasts, and these are our picks for the best podcasts right now.
Tech podcasts
Answer everyone
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The internet is weirdly wonderful at times, and Reply All has a knack for diving down interesting rabbit holes and uncovering the comic absurdity at the heart of modern technology. Although it is apparently a technology show, it is very accessible and the hosts always take the time to explain what they are talking about. They are also kind and quick to make fun of themselves. The best episodes see them investigating strange online scams and they do a great job of balancing technical information with a compelling story that features an interesting cast of real characters. If you're listening to only one episode, make it the case of the missed hit. This is the most satisfying internet weirdness story you'll hear in 2020.
Abandonment
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(Image credit: ABC Audio) Depending on your point of view, this story of what went wrong at medtech startup Theranos could fall into the crime section. The company has generated quite a buzz based on its game-changing blood testing technology, which was supposed to allow people to take blood tests with a simple finger prick, instead of requiring a larger sample taken with a needle. Theranos was widely hailed as a conquering unicorn and reached a valuation of €9 billion before the truth was revealed and CEO Elizabeth Holmes suffered a dramatic fall from grace.
Noise Cancellation
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If you want to hear an honest chat about the latest smartphones and general events in the world of technology, then this should be on your street. Join the editors of LaComparacion, Laptop Mag and Tom's Guide, as well as special guests for engaging explanations of everything from Apple to VR. Hey, we're not an objective source in this case, but it's a good listen, okay?
Podcasts about society, culture and history.
The last days of August
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When adult film star August Ames was found dead in a park in 2017, it was quickly determined that the 23-year-old had committed suicide. In the days after her death, a possible reason emerged as it was revealed that she had been bullied online. Jon Ronson, author of So You'' 'd Publicly Shamed, investigates the rumors surrounding her death and tries to piece together what really happened. He handles himself sensitively, and the podcast has something important to say about social media and how we use it.
99% invisible
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This long-standing podcast started on public radio and is apparently all about design - how everything from cars to keyboards to video games is made. But host Roman Mars likes to reveal dark details and processes, which are always tied to fascinating and unlikely stories. Unsurprisingly, given the topic, this podcast is meticulous and carefully edited into short, bite-sized pieces of just a few minutes.
You must remember
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Must Remember This is a beautiful and tragic narrative podcast that delves into the secret history, forgotten mysteries, and lesser-known figures of early Hollywood. Former film critic Karina Longworth devotes an incredible amount of research to each episode, which in the past has covered widely unknown stories about the likes of Charles Manson, Theda Bara, Frances Farmer, and Ronald Reagan. Most recently, she covered the story of the controversial Disney song of the south. A must-see for those interested in movie nostalgia and discovering hidden gems you wouldn't normally read about in a Hollywood history book.
You died for me
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History can be dry and boring, but host Greg Jenner injects a healthy dose of humor here and invites engaging panels of guests to discuss famous people and periods in history. He invites commentary from a mix of pundit historians and comedians, all buoyed by Jenner's upbeat style. Covering topics like The Witches' Craze, Blackbeard the Pirate, and Warrior Queen Boudica, this podcast is informative and fun, and great for the whole family.
Guardian long audio plays
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If you've ever read The Guardian's Long Read articles, you know you have to spend a lot of time sitting down with them to really digest them. Fortunately, The Guardian records some of them too, so you can listen to them wherever you are and explore even deeper stories. The stories covered in The Guardian readings cover topics ranging from the history of Indian restaurants in the UK to political issues around the world. You can subscribe to extremely diverse topics by subscribing and we encourage you to check it out to see if anything interests you.
The allusionist
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Do you ever find yourself contemplating complex ideas as if it were possible to resurrect languages that have completely disappeared? This is just one of the topics covered by The Allusionist, but this show also delves into the intricacies of the English language that you never imagined. Designed to be little explosions of knowledge about how we write and speak, The Allusionist is a must-listener for anyone with even a passing interest in how languages have evolved and continue to change at a rapid pace.
Movie review by Kermode and Mayo
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If you're a movie buff, you should check out the Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo podcast. You may have heard of Wittertainment, and these are basically two guys who love movies going through the week's releases and chatting with each other. During lockdown, the couple focused on the latest streaming releases. The podcast brings together many massive celebrities, in-depth film knowledge and one of the UK's top film critics to make one of the best podcasts on the latest releases.
Hip hop saved my life
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Even if you're not a big hip hop guy, he's a great listener. British comedian Romesh Ranganathan discusses all things rap with several special guests reminiscing about when they first heard their favorite hip hop songs and how they relate to their lives. Ranganathan may be known for his attitude, but he's also quite the talk show host, managing to uncover some brilliant stories from his guests, from Frankie Boyle to DJ Yoda. His own rap ideas are great too, though the less we talk about his lack of love for De La Soul, the better.
Things you should know
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Things You Should Know is perhaps the most self-explanatory title for a podcast. The show features Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant discussing topics and trying to get to the heart of the information you need to know about them. The episodes covered topics as broad as Satanism, heroin, narcolepsy, stuttering, and even ketchup. Essentially, this is the perfect show to listen to if you're looking for new dinner material.
Swim like a fish
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What do Toy Story 2, The Large Hadron Collider, and the estimated cost of the Death Star in Star Wars have in common? It's simple, they've all been discussed in No Such Thing as a Fish. Every week the spirits behind the BBC's long-running entertainment panel series QI sit around microphones to share some very strange facts and trust us, this is the best podcast if you're looking for some very specific insights.
Traditions
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You can get an ultra-scary yet totally captivating dose of the award-winning Lore podcast every other week. Each episode uncovers a dark new story from our past as they "gather around the campfire and share the genre's scariest stories." A mix of strange creatures, tragic events, unsolved mysteries, and unusual locations makes listening super addictive, making it almost impossible to catch a break. And with a tagline like "sometimes the truth is scarier than fiction," you know you're winning.
This american life
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One of the most famous podcasts in the world, This American Life could not be missing from our list of the best podcasts of today. Each week the show finds a theme and tells a collection of unique stories on the same topic. Some weeks, you'll find it's a news story, and other times, it's more of a comedic routine. Over 2.5 million people regularly download and listen to This American Life, so make sure you're one of them to find out if this is the show for you.
S-Town
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Even a few years after its release, you've probably heard of S-Town, and that's because it has logged over 10 million downloads in the first four days of its release. It features investigative journalism from the super-smart minds of the people behind This American Life and Serial, so it's well worth your time. It revolves around a murder investigation, and we're not going to share more as it could easily be considered a spoiler. It's a fascinating story that takes turns you'll never see coming and adds to the fascinating profile of an unforgettable person.
Call your girlfriend
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The structure of this podcast is not to ramble or interview; instead, they're the two best friends who discuss everything, feminism, "free boobin," and friendship with politics, periods, and pop culture. Hosted by two extremely smart and hilarious women, digital strategist Aminatou Sow and journalist Ann Friedman, the weekly podcast also answers listeners' issues and offers an alternate episode of Phone-a-Friend featuring numerous in-depth interviews with some of your most interesting best friends.
Comedy podcasts
As a step?
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Each of us, at some point, saw a movie so bad, so completely crazy and weird, that we asked the question that gives this podcast its title. From Burlesque to Space Jam, Jaws 4: The Revenge, and Timecop, there have been a lot of really horrible movies over the years. The humorous hosts give you a synopsis full of disbelief and comical commentary. Many episodes have celebrity guests and there is not always a consensus on all movies, which makes listening so much fun.
WTF with Marc Maron
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Formerly known primarily as an actor, Marc Maron hosts one of the biggest and best podcasts in the world if you like in-depth interviews with big stars, he even had Barack Obama on the show when he was president. Emotionally raw monologues, in-depth questions, and an apparent willingness to broach any topic take many Maron interviews to another level, and some big stars like Donald Glover and Sacha Baron Cohen have shared anecdotes that I don't hear anywhere else. There are always funny moments, but this show can also be deeply moving at times.
Adam Buxton Podcast
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Beloved British comedian Adam Buxton became the king of comedy podcasts when, many years ago, he performed with his friend Joe Cornish on the British radio station BBC Radio 6 Music. Fast-forward to today, and Buxton has started a new interview-focused podcast, which he posts roughly every two weeks. Each episode sees Buxton having deep conversations, also known as "walking talks", with Louis Theroux, Richard Ayoade, and Jonny Greenwood. In recent years, Buxton has expanded his tenure to address a broader range of cultural voices, and the themes are insightful and humorous. They feel much more real and comparable than the other interviews he'll hear, and Buxton himself shares much more, rather than simply asking his guests questions.
My father wrote a porno
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Just imagine that you found out that your father had written actual porn. Your father. A porno *Chills*. This is exactly what happened to Jamie Morton. But, instead of ignoring it, bottling it up, or getting pretty disgusted and crying like most of us probably would, he decided to read it with the help of Radio 1's Alice Levine and James Cooper. And that's how my father wrote a porno was born. Carter reads a new chapter every week, which makes listening really fun. Four series are already available.
True crime podcasts
Offender
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Beautifully done, with an empathetic approach, Criminal is a series of short episodes that focus on some kind of crime, that's all they have in common. Sometimes the host, Phoebe Judge, will interview the attacker, sometimes the victim, and sometimes an expert, historian, or even a descendant, but she always gives them space to tell her story in all its bizarre glory. Kidnappers, notorious criminals, murderers, and other captivating tales in this strangely relaxing podcast.
Does anyone know something
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Now in its fifth season, this true crime podcast sees host David Ridgen investigating a different case for each series. It begins with the unsolved disappearance of a five-year-old boy in 1972, as Ridgen tries to uncover a long, cold lead and understand what happened by questioning the boy's family and anyone else he can. Identify who might know something useful. This is the antithesis of the sensationalized approach to true crime, because it takes time to deal sensitively with the victim's family and their memories of the missing person. It's well documented and well put together, but often very sad.
crimetown
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Plunging into the troubled world of how organized crime and political corruption affected Providence, Rhode Island in the late '90s and early '00s, Crimetown jumped right in and never gave up. The production here is inventive, mixing different voices of the city with clips from real news archives and exciting music to reveal the extent of crime's control over the city. Some of the interviews are impressive, hearing from criminals and men who have tried to thwart them. The skill with which complex events are unraveled makes this listen compelling. The second season, which takes place in Detroit, is just as good.
Sports and health podcasts
Sports wars
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Everyone likes a good rivalry in sport; excites people and makes face-to-face meetings essential. Host Dan Rubenstein unzips the stories behind some famous dramas in this podcast, revealing what these grudges are based on in meticulous, meticulous, and immersive detail with a mix of real clips and sometimes comic performances. Federer vs. Nadal, Tyson vs. Holyfield, and Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock are among the epic rivalries covered here.
The cycling podcast
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If you're interested (even from a distance) in cycling, you'll love The Cycling Podcast. Produced by renowned journalists Richard Moore, Lionel Birnie and Daniel Friebe, the show focuses on the world of professional cycling, detailing the weekly sports talking points and the stories behind them. Featuring expert analysis and interviews with the biggest names in cycling, his vast knowledge and love of the sport is contagious. And while they take the sport seriously and aren't afraid of cycling's more controversial topics, their pitch about the food and culture of the region they're visiting during a Grand Tour adds a touch of ambience and color perfectly integrated into the presentation team. laid back (but far from amateurish). It's easy to see why this is easily one of the best podcasts for anyone interested in cycling. For the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España, daily half-hour podcasts immerse you in the history of a three-week Grand Tour. Not to mention the Women's Cycling Podcast, a monthly podcast dedicated to women's cycling.
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A light and genuinely passionate podcast celebrating the game. Marcus, Pete, Jim and Luke have drawn a large audience, doing live shows and offering an ad-free version and a series of bonus shows if you're willing to pay for Acast, but the weekly classic and other (apparently) stakes are concentrate, the program remains available for free and deserves a listen.
Marathon talk
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Have you decided that now is the time to start running? Marathon Talk may be the podcast that will convince you to get up and run. It is number one running in the UK and is heard around the world by people trying to get motivated to start running for the first time, as well as running experts. There are hundreds of hours of Marathon Talk programs, so if you plan to start running a lot, you'll have plenty of gear to get you motivated and going.
The best game
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Join Jamie Carragher as he interviews a guest about his favorite soccer game. From former professionals like Neville Southall and Michael Owen to actor Martin Compston or comedian Paddy McGuinness. Every soccer fan remembers their favorite game, but Carragher asks relevant questions and draws on his own career to extract the details and make the story more interesting.
Against the rules
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Hosted by Michael Lewis, author of Moneyball and The Big Short, this podcast is an incisive and intelligent look at the decline of equity in modern society, using highly maligned umpires and referees as an example. The first episode looks at sports umpires, but the sports connection is mostly a general metaphor as the series continues and explores institutions like the New York Stock Exchange. It is well done and full of sharp and well viewed criticisms.
Fiction, games and entertainment podcasts.
Talking simpsons
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(Image credit: Talking Simpsons / Nina Matsumoto) Going through each episode of The Simpsons in chronological order, Talking Simpsons takes a detailed look at the making of the world's biggest animated series (well, it was in the '90s anyway). ). Each podcast goes through a scene-by-scene episode, with special guests along for the ride, sometimes from the world of animation. If you're a millennial, The Simpsons was probably everything to you in the '90s, and it's a great listen if you're considering rewatching on Disney Plus. As of this writing, animators Bob Mackey and Henry Gilbert have finished revisiting Season 1 to mark its birthday, and are moving through the series' nether years to Season 11.
Welcome to Night Vale
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Welcome to Night Vale is very different from anything on this list. Night Vale is a fictional city and each episode tells the story of the place through news and advertisements. He is generally shared by the series' main character Cecil Gershwin Palmer, but sometimes the minor characters seem to share more in Night Vale. For this one, we recommend that you start from the very beginning, but keep in mind that there are many episodes of Welcome to Night Vale, so it will surely save you a lot of time.
The adventure zone
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The Adventure Zone has a basic concept: Three brothers have convinced their father to launch a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, and you can listen to what happens along the way. TAZ is a wonderful introduction to the complex world of D&D, but even if you're not a fan of tabletop RPGs, the story and characters are sure to draw you in and encourage you to shop around.
retronauts
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(Image credit: Retronauts) Many gaming podcasts are hard work. Some offer impenetrable hours of jokes, while others talk about games with a level of pretense that can be too much. However, Retronauts is the best gaming podcast because it's informative, entertaining, and only related to older games. This vintage podcast is hosted by former 1Up writers Jeremy Parrish and Bob Mackey, with a number of specialists roped in to discuss a different game, series or console each week. It leans a bit towards Nintendo, reflecting the console's dominance in the US in the '80s and '90s, but the podcast will surely have covered something you've already enjoyed during its long run. There is a Patreon if you want to access more episodes.