The Best Podcasts: What You Should be Listening to Now

People are listening to podcasts. 

One-third of Americans between the ages of 25-54 currently listen to podcasts monthly and this number is expected to continue rising this year due to their convenience and intimacy.

No matter your location, you can download and listen to a podcast at any time — information and entertainment wherever you want it at the touch of a button. In fact, 52% of people listen while driving, 46% while traveling, and 40% while running, walking, or biking.

But there are thousands of podcasts available, so what podcasts should you listen to? And if you’re already a listener, are there any other shows you should consider tuning in to? It can be hard to find a podcast that really piques your interest, so we put together a list of suggestions to help:

 

Business

There are hundreds of business and management related podcasts that will help you stay on top of the latest industry trends, lead in the most effective way possible, and keep your fellow employees excited about coming to work.

Planet Money

It’s like sitting down with a friend who tells you everything you need to know about the economy …. and you actually enjoy yourself.

The Growth Show

Since this is an original podcast by HubSpot, I asked the show’s producer — Matthew Brown — to describe it: “The show features interviews with industry leaders about what it’s really like to grow a business, a movement, an idea, or a team.”

How I Built This

Guy Raz discusses the story behind some of the top companies in the world and the entrepreneurs, businessmen and women, risk-takers, and pioneers who made them so successful.

Business Wars 

Ever heard the saying “business is war?” It certainly appears to be that way for some of the biggest competitors in the world, such as Google, Apple, and Samsung. 

Host David Brown takes listeners through the ways these battles shape businesses, what they produce, and how consumers are impacted.

HBR Women at Work

This podcast — hosted by three women — sheds light on the issue that so many females face in the workplace: gender discrimination. 

Some of the topics discussed include unequal pay, differing workplace standards between men and women, and advice for women on how to communicate with male colleagues in a professional setting. Hosts and guests share real experiences about coping with various issues as a female leader, coworker, and employee.

WorkLife with Adam Grant

Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist, helps listeners uncover the keys to success and happiness in the workplace through descriptions of some of the most unique and impactful businesses. Grant provides listeners with advice that encourages them to view their work in a new light.

Startup

Have you ever wondered what it’s really like to start a business? Gimlet’s StartUp podcast will take you through the ups and downs, challenges and rewards of starting your own company, all while analyzing real stories and examples.

Masters of Scale

How do certain companies grow quickly and substantially? Host Reid Hoffman interviews some of the top CEOs today — such as Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg, and Eric Schmidt — on how their companies made it big.

Side Hustle School

Is there a product you’ve been thinking about creating?? Or a passion project that will help you enter the career you actually want?

Side Hustle School gives entrepreneurs who have jobs — that they want to keep for the time being — advice on how to build a business on the side. The host interviews guests who successfully created their own side hustle to inspire listeners to make the leap.

For more on which business podcasts you should listen to, check out this blog.

Comedy & Entertainment

These humorous and engaging podcasts will make you laugh and smile wherever you are listening.

The Joe Rogan Experience 

This podcast features comedian Joe Rogan hosting long-form conversation with his friends and special guests, such as MMA fighters, comedians, actors, authors, artists, and other entertainers.

They discuss their personal lives, funny stories, and really anything that comes up naturally in conversation or that Rogan has on his mind. The show is entertaining and exciting for listeners of all backgrounds.

Wait, Wait … Don’t Tell Me! 

Are you up to speed on current events?

This podcast quizzes you on your news knowledge. With questions and statements that are both real and fake, it’s your job to determine what’s correct and what’s fake.

Heavyweight

Do you remember a time in your life when you felt as though something should have ended differently? 

Heavyweight’s host, Jonathan Goldstein, tells stories about normal people who can pinpoint a specific decision or an event in life that they believe ended poorly. Goldstein then helps these people confront their issues, come to terms with the situation, and move on.

2 Dope Queens

Hosts Phoebe Robinson and Jessica Williams are best friends — and they’re funny. They host a live comedy show in Brooklyn and talk about real issues, share humorous stories, and discuss their personal lives, as well as the lives of their fellow comedian guests. 

Side note: We have good news for you 2 Dope Queens fans — Robinson and Williams will be speaking at HubSpot’s INBOUND event in Boston this September!

Hold On 

True stories about comedians lives, work experiences, and friendships are all covered in Eugene Mirman’s podcast Hold On. Mirman doesn’t let anything slide — the funny, embarrassing, and personal details are always uncovered.

The Dollop

Are you a history buff? If so, you may love The Dollop.

The entertaining, comedian-hosted podcast takes important moments in history and examines them in detail.

WTF with Marc Maron

Maron interviews other comedians, celebrities, and public figures about specific situations in their personal lives and their work. Maron is one of the best interviewers out there, and he always makes learning something new about his guests fun.

Comedy Bang Bang

Scott Aukerman chats with celebrities and some of the funniest comedians around in this weekly podcast. Guests answer fun interview questions, play games, and engage in comedic banter. Aukerman’s open door policy always allows for entertaining and eccentric guests to join the show.

You Made It Weird

Everyone has that thing that makes them a little weird — a talent, interest, obsession, or hobby that they may keep secret from others. Host Pete Holmes invites other comedians and celebrities on his show to uncover their weirdness.

How Did This Get Made?

Do you ever find yourself loving a movie even though you realize it’s actually a bad film? The three hosts of this podcast will watch these movies with some of their comedian friends and report back on how they felt about the flick.

Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People 

Host Chris Gethard opens the phone line once a week and picks up for one anonymous caller. That person can talk for an hour about anything – embarrassing stories, self-promotion, family problems, serious personal issues, or a funny incident.

The best part: Gethard can’t hang up the phone first.

R U Talkin’ R.E.M. RE:ME? 

Any R.E.M. fans out there? How about Parks and Recreation fans? Adam Scott (of Parks and Rec) and co-host Scott Aukerman discuss the impact that the band R.E.M has had in the music industry through album and song analysis.

Educational

Looking to learn something new? Need some interesting trivia questions? Stump your family and friends with fun and important facts that you’ll learn from these educational podcasts.

Stuff You Should Know 

This award winning podcast is published on the How Stuff Works site and covers a wide variety of topics – pop culture, historical information, crime, technological advancements, and more.  

The SYSK hosts are humorous, keeping this education podcast light and entertaining.

TED Talks Daily

 

This is the podcast version of the popular TED Talks, which are viewed by millions of people around the world and cover every topic — from science to creativity to psychology.

99% Invisible 

Whether or not we realize it, design is everywhere. This podcast brings forward the design and architecture that surround us all and explores the power behind their method, process, and form.

This American Life 

This journalistic podcast stems from the This American Life weekly public radio program and features nonfiction reviews of essays, memoirs, historical content, and current events.

The show has won several of the top broadcasting awards and 2.5 million people download the podcast every week.

Lexicon Valley

Lexicon Valley is about words, vocabulary, and language — as you may have guessed based on its name. Hosted by a linguist, topics covered include current and dead languages, syntax, meanings, and pet peeves.

Reply All

Reply All is produced by Gimlet and explores the vast world of the internet. The podcast features stories, facts, and studies that explain how we interact with the internet, and how the internet shapes so much of our lives today.

Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History 

Carlin — podcast host, journalist, and broadcaster — examines major historical events with his unique and often unorthodox way of thinking..

Every Little Thing

This Gimlet-produced podcast will answer your most interesting, specific, and random questions such as, “do dogs have belly buttons?” and “how old is Winnie the Pooh?” Listen to ELT to get some of the best trivia questions to ask at your next family dinner.

Revolutionist History 

Malcolm Gladwell explores events, people, ideas, and more from the past to try and gauge whether or not people got it right the first time around. He takes listeners through moments in their pasts that may have been ignored or forgotten and highlights the decisions that were made around them.

Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness 

This podcast has one simple goal: review any topic that host Jonathan Van Ness is curious about in detail. All fields and subjects are up for discussion in the weekly show.

Invisibilia 

Invisibilia is Latin for “invisible things.”

The podcast reviews the invisible things, or unseeable forces, that drive human behavior and decisions. It gives listeners insight into how their brains work and why they feel tempted to act in certain ways or make specific decisions.

Kids

If you’re looking for some entertainment while you drive your kids to school in the mornings or if you’re heading out on a family vacation sometime soon, these educational podcasts may be of interest — and you might just learn something too!

Brain’s On! Science Podcast for Kids

Both children and adults will love this science podcast fit for those with curious, wandering minds. Every week a new science-related question is asked and both kid scientists and adult radio hosts work their way through answers and conclusions together.

Storynory 

Classic fairy tales, short stories, poems, myths, and more are read by Storynory’s narrators every week. These audio stories are great when traveling with children or for some simple, educational entertainment around the house.

Wow in the World

Stories about some of the world’s most exciting places, people, events, and buildings are discussed in this fun podcast for inquisitive children. The two hosts make audio learning fun.

Dream Big

This family friendly podcast teaches children the importance of following their dreams and finding their passions at every point in their lives. 

Eva Karpman — the 7-year-old host — along with her mother, Olga, interview some of the world’s best performers about what motivates them to stick with what they love and become successful.

What If World

Children and their parents are encouraged to use their imaginations to come up with the wackiest and most exciting questions for the hosts of What If World to discuss on their show. These can be unrealistic and fun questions such as, “What if there was never-ending recess?”

News and Politics

In a society where the news cycle runs 24/7, it is easy to miss important stories and breaking information. These podcasts will help you stay on top of the ongoing news cycle so you never fall behind on the latest breaking broadcast or political story.

The Daily by The New York Times

The New York Times produces this 20-minute current events and news podcast five days a week. The shows are ready by 6 a.m. Monday through Friday so listeners are able to catch the biggest stories prior to or during their morning commutes.

Pod Save America 

Four of President Obama’s former aides discuss a wide range of political topics with journalists, comedians, and influencers about the current situation in Washington D.C.

BBC Global News Podcast

BBC is one of the most trusted news sources in the world. Their Global News Podcast provides listeners with coverage of the top current events around the globe.

Today, Explained

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by current events? Or that you’re not getting important the news-related information you want throughout the day?

This podcast is produced every evening for listeners to enjoy after a day of work and catch up on the news they may have missed or misunderstood.

Embedded

Embedded host Kelly McEvers takes specific news stories and dives into them one at a time. She goes into great detail about one recent event per show so listeners can get all of the facts they need.

Rough Translation

Have you ever wondered how news stories are translated throughout the world? How is a story, conversation, or event being talked about in another country?

Rough Translation will walk listeners through these changes and renditions.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

David Axelrod is the founder of the University of Chicago Institute of Politics and his podcast is produced by CNN. He interviews important members of the political world and gets the details on newsworthy events.

Culture

Places, people, and jobs you know little to nothing about explained — these podcasts will make you smile, laugh, and cry.

Ear Hustle

Have you ever wondered what it’s like living in prison?

Ear Hustle is created and produced by people actually living within the prison system. They share information about their lives, mistakes, and other personal stories to give listeners an accurate view into the American prison system and the humans who are living behind bars.

Song Exploder

It’s no secret that every song has a meaning — that’s why people create and listen to music.

Song Exploder interviews musicians and has them explain one of their songs in detail. The artists give listeners background information on why they created their song, what went into the production, why certain decisions were made, and more.

Here’s the Thing with Alec Baldwin

Actor, producer, and comedian Alec Baldwin takes listeners into the private lives of some of the most famous celebrities. His interviews take place in the celebrities’ homes, studios, offices, and dressing rooms to give listeners a new point of view on their favorite famous figures.

Radiolab

 

Culture, science, and music all come together in Radiolab — broad topics related to one or all of these fields are investigated in detail through stories, sounds, and interviews.

Weird Work 

Another awesome podcast — if we do say so ourselves — produced by HubSpot. Not everyone sits at a desk from 9-5, five days a week. This show highlights some of the weirdest jobs people have, how they got started in the field, and what it’s like to have an unconventional career.

Keep It!

Keep It host Ira Madison III discusses the importance of the intersection of politics and pop culture in today’s society. Madison invites journalists, politicians, celebrities, activists and more onto his show, which airs every Wednesday.

True Crime

Do you like thrillers and scary movies? Spooky stories — both fiction and non-fiction? The following true crime podcasts will give you the chill you’re itching for.

In the Dark

Have you ever heard the name Curtis Flowers? 

Over the course of 21-years he has been tried six times for the same crime — the murders of four people in Mississippi — and has been found innocent every time. Reporter Madeleine Baran investigates the case and examines the reasons behind Flowers’ innocence.

Serial 

This podcast — which is part of the This American Life production — uncovers the truth behind one real crime story every season. The host of the podcast — Sarah Koenig — learns the details of the crime in real time, so listeners are able to follow along as the case unfolds.

My Favorite Murder 

The two female hosts of this podcast have been fans of horror stories and true crime for as long as they can remember. During the show, they share their favorite thrillers along with stories of horror and crime from their friends, family, and fans of the podcast.

Death in Ice Valley 

As part of the BBC World Service, Death in Ice Valley brings listeners a crime that has been unsolved for nearly 50 years.

An unidentified woman’s body was found in Norway — but who was this woman? Why has no one come forward with information about her life or disappearance? How has no one ever reported her missing?

Lore

This award-winning, bi-weekly podcast reviews non-fiction scary stories and thrillers that are perfect tales to share around the campfire or during the Halloween season. Superstitions, crime, unknown creatures, and haunted places are all talked about on this podcast.

Crimetown

Organized crime has changed the way certain cities in America have grown and developed. Crimetown, another popular podcast produced by Gimlet, reviews the ways organized crime has left a mark on different cities throughout the U.S. A new city is discussed every season.

Missing & Murdered: Finding Cleo

Cleo — of the Cree tribe in Canada — was taken from her family by child welfare as a young girl. She was relocated, and adopted in the United States in the 1970s. 

But Cleo then went missing and was found dead. Host Connie Walker tries to uncover the truth behind Cleo’s disappearance.

Criminal 

Criminal has been in production since 2014. With a new story every episode, the show tells listeners about people who have committed a crime, have been the victim of a crime, or are affiliated with a crime in some way.

Personal & Health

Whether you need help relaxing, motivation to stay active and healthy, or inspiration to find your next career move or hobby, there is a podcast to help you reach your goal.

The Art of Manliness

This podcast — which is targeted at men — was created to promote kindness, strength, love, and understanding in boys and men of all ages. 

The show reviews studies on manliness and parenting, philosophy, biology, and more to explore ways that all men can become better men.

Sleep With Me: The Podcast That Puts You To Sleep 

High strung or wound up? Thinking about a million things when you are trying to sleep? 

This podcast will help you get the rest your body wants and needs. Listeners hop in bed, close their eyes, and listen to a story that gets progressively more boring with time so they can drift off and get to sleep faster.

Savage Lovecast

Advice columnist Dan Savage answers fans questions about sex and politics. Listeners can also call in and ask Savage a question that he will answer on his show, so it’s about real people and real “love” problems..

Good Life Project

Good Life Project will inspire you to live your best life, find what you’re passionate about, stay productive, and learn to be fully-engaged. The conversations between the podcast’s hosts and guests are relatable, touching, and honest.

Hidden Brain 

Whether or not we realize it, brain patterns drive the way each of us think, react, and behave every day. 

Hidden Brain — produced by NPR — takes listeners through a multitude of reasons why they behave in certain ways. This podcast will help you better understand yourself and the people you interact with.

Technology

Learn about the newest developments and innovations happening every day in tech and media with these podcasts.

Recode Decode

Host Kara Swisher — a well-respected technology journalist — teaches listeners about the biggest names, developments, and innovations in tech and media. She interviews industry leaders about their experiences, plans, and achievements.

Crazy / Genius

This podcast — produced by The Atlantic — poses questions, possible conclusions, and ideas regarding the culture and innovation happening in the tech world today.

Online dating, blockchain, Facebook, space, and smartphones — are human interactions with technology actually sustainable? Listen to find out.

Note to Self

The relationship between humans and technology these days is a complicated one. We rely on technology in so much of what we do — but when is it too much?

Note to Self looks into this situation and asks questions about the way technology fits in our lives today, and how that relationship may change in the future.

a16z 

Experts in tech, business, media, and news discuss trends, developments, and cultural changes within their industries. This podcast — which is produced by a venture capital firm in Silicon Valley — includes interviews with some of the most prominent figures in the tech world.

Gadget Lab

This podcast covers the latest tech information about social networks, entertainment, mobile, services, and more.

The Vergecast 

The Vergecast provides listeners with an overview of what’s new and changing in the tech industry with a rundown of the week’s latest stories, developments, successes, and failures.

Marketing

The way companies market their products and services has changed dramatically in recent years — consumers have all of the resources they need to make an informed purchase at their fingertips.

The following podcasts will help you reach your target audience and keep up with the latest marketing trends.

Skill Up

Google’s algorithm is constantly changing, and the search landscape is becoming more and more competitive. This podcast gives up-to-date advice on SEO and content strategy — from voice search to featured snippets to international SEO.

Skill Up is a modern guide to getting your content to rank and driving more traffic to your website.

Call to Action

Online marketing successes are explained in this podcast so listeners can take the lessons and apply them to their own businesses.

Interviews with campaign managers and digital marketing professionals provide people with tactical advice on how they can improve their marketing campaigns and overall online presence.

Copyblogger FM

Content marketing, copywriting, digital marketing, and lead and conversion optimization are only some of the topics discussed in this weekly podcast. Experts chat with host Sonia Simone and analyze the changes within the marketing industry.

Social Media Marketing Podcast: Helps Your Business Thrive with Social Media

Companies know social media marketing is important these days, but not everyone knows how to do it well.

This podcast teaches listeners how to go about social media marketing in a smart and effective way with applicable advice, tactics, ideas, and methods to successfully reach their target audience.

#FlipMyFunnelPodcast

This daily podcast includes interviews with some of the top leaders in the marketing and sales industries on ways to help B2B professionals stay on top of the latest trends and reach their goals.

The shows also give professionals advice on how to stay aligned with their fellow employees and customers to achieve success.

Conclusion

Stay entertained, learn something new, keep your brain sharp, and remain informed with podcasts. In a world where everything seems to be getting faster – and where more is expected from people in less time – it’s easy to fall behind on the book you are reading or miss a section in the morning broadcast.

Podcasts move with you and create a great solution for those of you looking to stay informed while on the go – or even those of you who would rather sit back, close your eyes, and listen to a story in bed rather than read a novel, watch TV, or listen to music.

Podcasts continue to grow in popularity every year so why not give one a try? Search any topic on a platform such as iTunes or Spotify, download a show to your device, and start listening.