Whether you’re on the green taking in the pleasant weather or people-watching from a desk, there’s nothing like the sound of folks jabbering away on a podcast that makes the day fly by or your study session go faster.
10) The Heart
A narrative podcast by the award winning Kaitlin Prest—creator of CBC’s “The Shadows,”—”The Heart” examines themes of sexuality, identity, love, loss and all that makes us human. Featuring guests from all walks of life and their unique contributions you are never sure what part of the soul the Heart will stimulate. A passage that sticks out for it’s realness is when contributor Kamala Puligandla said in reference to a date, “It went well to a point and then it felt like a job interview and the job was to be her very successful girlfriend which I failed…” This podcast is great if you’re into intimate chats about the point of life and like decent background music.
9) The Read
This podcast featuring youtuber Kid Fury and former writer Crissle West covers everything from pop culture, current events to their outsized personal lives. There’s a clear bent towards black culture to the degree that it feels like reverse code switching with both hosts making ‘if you know you know’ style references. The podcast covers a variety of topics before culminating with a section called “The Read” where the hosts take turns reading and dissecting recent headlines.It’s worth a listen and a laugh.
8) Sex with Emily
Do You like sex? Specifically with women named Emily? In all seriousness Sex with Emily is a forward thinking podcast covering sex and relationships hosted by sexual therapist and published author Emily Morse. Topics range from the queer spectrum, relationship dynamics, sexual strategies and gender dynamics. She pulls guests from all walks in life, famously Nico Torterolla, actor on show younger who discussed his essay on bisexuality and made some entertainly risque comments regarding cunnilingus while chatting with the host.
7) Tifo Football
Not under the umbrella of the The Athletic UK, the “Tifo Football” podcast have been producing informative and entertaining soccer content for years. Hosted by Joe Devine and featuring Seb Stafford-Bloor and JJ Bullard, this team of veteran soccer journalists and analysts dissect Europe’s most exciting games with wit and an astute understanding of the game. They often manage to get guests like coaches and other journalists to provide expert info on tactic or transfer dealings. For soccer fans there’s few podcasts better than the “Tifo Football” podcast and fewer that pack as much into an hour and change.
6) The Daily
A news podcast run by the New York Times and featuring host John Barbaro, “The Daily” guides listeners through the news events of that day sometimes, but not always coinciding with headline topics of that day. Aside from Barbaro’s trademark staggered introductions and signature vocal cues while listening to other guests, this podcast is refreshingly straightforward. He simply walks the audience into and out of stories that are important like the election fraud hoaxes during the 2020 election or the death of George Floyd. The end result is listeners leave the episode up to date on the day’s most important issues. In one car ride, you might know more about an issue than someone reading the paper and one could argue that’s the point of a modern podcast.
5) The H3 H3 Podcast
This comedic podcast hosted by husband and wife team Ethan and Hila Klein is both bizarre and comforting. Originally begun as a side project for the couple’s skits, the podcast blossomed into a self aware commentary on YouTube culture and current events. They’ve had guests on in the past such as Shane Dawson or even Jordan Peterson. Each interview or segment seems like a livestream that’s been stumbled into at the last moment, and in a good way.
4) The Rewatcheables
A member of the Ringer Podcast network “The Rewatcheables” dissects previously released movies going back decades and explains why they should be rewatched (or seen in the first place). It features Bill Simmons, blogger Chris Ryan and the odd guest. Quentin Tarantino, for example, appeared on a show discussing Christpopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk.” Right up the alley of cinephiles, “The Rewatchebles” is an example of a podcast that inspires, primarily to do nothing but stay in and watch movies, but even so has a real impact.
3) The Joe Rogan Podcast
“The Joe Rogan Podcast” usually styled as JRE has recently moved to Spotify after years on Youtube, not that it mattered. This insanely popular podcast hardly needs help with viewership. For three hours, former host of Fear Factor and comedian Joe Rogan interviews guests from a wide range of disciples and backgrounds and rather than necessarily ask questions he holds free flowing conversations that last hours. Anyone from a lawmaker to musician to comedian to biologist is liable to appear; he meets each with the same enthusiasm. It falls into the category of ‘turn on and let it happen’ podcasts and is worth a listen.
2) Lore
“The Lore” podcast, conducted by Aaron Mahnke, is a real life horror themed podcast where stories are told, that, at face value aren’t very shocking or interesting until you realize they’re real. The current running through this podcast is the belief that the real life and the supernatural are not so divorced. Habitually eerie this podcast is great to listen to after dark if you have the bravery. Even without the bravery, Mahnke’s metronome-like voice is great for getting to sleep.
1) Fresh Air
NPR’s long-running radio show also available as a podcast is the definition of evergreen. Terry Gross and the team of Peabody award winners create a program covering contemporary arts and cultural issues that is both intimate and didactic. Nothing appears to be off limits because her voice makes the world feel at home.