From true crime to sex, music to, yes, the office, there’s something for everyone in the world of podcasts in 2019. Like previous years, this list is in no particular order. But with all of these options, it feels almost impossible to know where to start. And with new podcasts coming out every week, there’s no way in hell you’ll ever listen to more than a drop in.
It's been more than a year since the second season of groundbreaking true-crime podcast Serial debuted, and as yet there's been no word on a third. But now, the creative team behind Serial, including Ira Glass and Sarah Koenig, has a new podcast in the works, which will follow another real-life murder mystery in rural Alabama.
S-Town will be hosted by longtime This American Life producer Brian Reed, and has been in development since before Serial launched, according to a news release. The show was created when a man from small-town Alabama reached out to the This American Life team, asking them to investigate the son of a wealthy local family who had allegedly been 'bragging that he got away with murder'. Shortly after Reed agreed to investigate, the synopsis for the show teases, 'someone else ended up dead, and another story began to unfold–about a nasty feud, a hunt for hidden treasure and the mysteries of one man's life.'
The podcast will be the first to launch under the team's new production banner, Serial Productions, with two more new podcasts also in development. The best news of all? All the episodes of S-Town will be released simultaneously, Netflix-style, in March for your binge-listening pleasure.
Also notable for podcast nerds is the presence of Mystery Show's Starlee Kine, who will co-produce alongside Glass and Koenig. Kine was let go from Gimlet Media last fall, much to the consternation of Mystery Show's many devoted fans.
'We're harnessing the incredible reporting and editing talent of This American Life and Serial and throwing it toward the creation of new shows,' Julie Snyder, who co-created Serial with Koenig and is an executive producer on S-Town, said in a news release. 'Brian and I began working on the S-Town story three years ago, before we'd even launched Serial, and immediately I knew it was special. I remember thinking, 'If this thing with Serial works – telling one big story over several chapters – then I definitely want to try it with Brian's story next.'
'This story takes so many unexpected turns,' added Glass. 'Every episode is a new surprise. And the story has this feeling and mood that's different from anything else we've done. I don't think people have heard a show like this.'
Podcasts have exploded into our culture and are an excellent way to entertain oneself while commuting, traveling, or working out. We looked at the latest crop of podcasts that premiered in late 2018, as well as those with quality seasons or episodes from 2019, covering a range of topics from sports to politics to pop culture to news to identity to everyday life. Here are our favorite podcasts of the year, in no particular order.
All of these podcasts are available on multiple platforms, including iOS and Android devices as well as in a web browser, except for How to Be a Girl, which is available only on iTunes or in-browser.
The Daily
What We Like
New episode every weekday.
A few ways to listen.
Sort by oldest or newest episodes.
What We Don't Like
Doesn't highlight the most popular episodes.
Several website ads.
Hosted by journalist Michael Barbaro, The Daily covers one story each weekday in about 20 minutes. Guests include journalists like Maggie Haberman and Glenn Thrush as well as story subjects. Notable episodes include a 'fake news' story that transformed the small town of Twin Falls, Idaho, and a deep dive into the Bill O'Reilly sexual harassment scandal.
Code Switch
What We Like
Queue up several episodes at once.
Includes transcripts.
Download any episode as MP3.
What We Don't Like
No sorting or filtering options.
Text posts are mixed in the list of podcasts.
Code Switch explores race and ethnicity and how it all weaves into different parts of our lives from places of worship to the business of selling marijuana legally to the terrible events that happened in Charlottesville, VA in the summer of 2017. Hosted by five journalists of color, Code Switch dissects the complicated news and events happening all over the country and illuminates the lives and voices of those that we don't always hear as loudly as others. An episode from February 17, 2018, explores why positive stereotypes aren't necessarily a good thing.
Pod Save America
What We Like
Includes video version.
Listen on any device.
Consistent episodes every few days.
Downloadable episodes.
What We Don't Like
Unable to sort or filter the episodes.
Produced by the cleverly named Crooked Media, Pod Save America is the brainchild of former staffers of President Obama's White House. This mission of the podcast is to discuss politics 'the way actual people talk,' amidst nonstop cable news coverage, Twitter, and the rash of fake news that's all over the Internet. While the hosts lean leftward, they're not afraid to talk about where Democrats went wrong in 2016. Get their take on the NFL 'take the knee' controversy in the 'Stick to Sports' episode, and their thoughts about the NRA, Robert Mueller's investigation, and more in weekly discussions.
2 Dope Queens
What We Like
Useful playback controls.
Save episodes offline.
Works from computers and mobile devices.
What We Don't Like
Irregular schedule.
Can't browse by the most popular episodes.
Hosted by writer and actress Phoebe Robinson and former Daily Show correspondent Jessica Williams, 2 Dope Queens is a live show, podcast, and HBO limited series, featuring their favorite comedians and candid discussions about sex, hair, race, and life in New York City. From bikini lines to the many faces of Nicolas Cage, season 3 will make you laugh out loud. This podcast has two spinoffs: Sooo Many White Guys and Late Night Whenever.
The Read
What We Like
Engage with others in the comments.
Weekly episodes.
Easy listening with the queue.
What We Don't Like
Few places to listen.
User account required to download episodes.
New York City transplants Kid Fury and Crissle chat about hip-hop, politics, and pop culture while bonding over adapting to life in the city that never sleeps. Their biting commentary on The Read is highly entertaining with targets including reality show stars and Oprah, but never Beyoncé. Tune into the Wakanda Forever episode to get their insights about Marvel's Black Panther.
Terrible, Thanks for Asking
What We Like
All episode are under an hour.
New episode alerts over email.
Download or listen online.
What We Don't Like
No sorting/filtering abilities.
Can't search for an old episode.
Have you ever wanted to tell the truth when someone asks 'how are you?' Unless you truly are doing 'fine,' this question usually leads to an empty exchange. This podcast features guests who open up about their pain and loss. Host and author Nora McInerny describes herself as a 'notable widow.' In one episode of Terrible, Thanks for Asking, Nora, suffering from insomnia, goes to Twitter to poll listeners about what keeps them up at night. Newer episodes include one about sibling support systems and another about an uncertain pregnancy.
Reply All
What We Like
Listen from a wide variety of podcasting platforms.
Access episodes from 2014.
Follow along with the included transcript.
What We Don't Like
Inconsistent releases.
Can't search through or filter the episodes.
If you're obsessed with Internet culture and find yourself getting lost in Reddit forums and social media threads, Reply All will feed your need. The creators mine the web for personal stories, such as a man who wants to turn his family's struggle with cancer into a video game, and dig deep into mundane-sounding topics, such as domain names, that are anything but dull. In early 2017, news broke that Robert Downey Jr. would star in a movie based on episode #86, Man of the People. A recent piece features a writer who's hunting for the Bitcoin she bought several years ago.
How to Be a Girl
What We Like
Most episodes are less than 30 minutes.
Animations are available for a few episodes.
What We Don't Like
Only works from the website or iTunes.
Infrequently updated.
Hosted by a Seattle-based single mother and her eight-year-old transgender daughter, How to Be a Girl is about a family that is just trying to figure it all out. The podcast started when Marlo (not her real name) began recording their conversations and her daughter's quips. Marlo uses the podcast in part to educate people about transgender kids and to protect families from intrusive (if well-meaning) questions and comments. Subscribe to How to Be a Girl on iTunes or add it to your RSS feed; we recommend starting from the beginning.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
What We Like
Listen on a few different websites/apps.
Download episodes.
More than one new episode a week.
What We Don't Like
Most episodes are well over an hour.
Can't sort by popularity or date.
Several ads are displayed on the site.
Bill Simmons is a sports columnist, founder, and CEO of The Ringer, a blog and podcast network, and the former host of HBO's Any Given Wednesday. His self-named podcast covers sports and pop culture, and where it converges, such as the Rocky movies. It features interviews with celebrities, athletes, and journalists, and often delves into that hard to avoid topic: politics. A recent episode features comedian Larry Wilmore talking about the L.A. Lakers among other things.
How Did This Get Made?
What We Like
Updates once a week.
Download any of the 200+ episodes.
What We Don't Like
Available on few podcasting platforms.
No search or sort function.
There's something magical about movies that are so, so terrible, but so much fun to watch. We've all asked the question posed by this podcast's title 'How Did This Get Made?' The podcasters screen and tear apart the movies that are so bad they're good (think would-be horror flick Lake Placid) both in-studio and occasionally live. Learn more about The Garbage Pail Kids movie (we previously didn't know of its existence) in a live episode featuring Jon Lovett from Pod Save America. In a February episode, the hosts of 2 Dope Queens, come to talk about Freejack, a 1992 science fiction movie.
Homecoming
What We Like
Very simple, undistracting website design.
It's easy to listen to the whole podcast.
What We Don't Like
New Serial Podcast Release Date
Available through few apps.
Only 12 episodes.
Zero playback options (unless you listen through iTunes).
We typically associate podcasts with stories, like Serial, or conversations, like Marc Maron's WTF podcast, but Homecoming harkens back to old radio stories, with its fictional thriller starring actors Catherine Keener, Oscar Isaac, David Schwimmer, Amy Sedaris, and David Cross. The experience of listening to the podcast is less about the plot than it is about enjoying the performances, chemistry, and character development. You can binge all 12 episodes, and once you've finished, be sure to check out the Amazon Original Series, starring Julia Roberts.
The Hilarious World of Depression
What We Like
Listen from several apps/websites.
Most episodes are under an hour.
Download any episode.
What We Don't Like
Hasn't been updated since 2018.
Unable to filter or sort the podcast episodes.
Supported in part by the Make It OK campaign, the Hilarious World of Depression talks to comedians who suffer from the disease with the goal of removing the stigma of mental illness. It also serves to help people who have depression know that they are not alone. In addition to interviews, the podcast offers support, including how to get help when you need it and coping skills to get you through each day. Dip your toe in with the August 2017 episode 'How to Get Help' or with the January 2018 episode where Rachel Bloom of the TV show 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,' talks about that character, her history with depression, and being inspired by Rebecca Black, singer of the infamous song 'Friday.'
First Day Back
What We Like
Quick episodes; under 30 minutes.
Brand new episode delivered every week.
Cross-platform support via a few different apps.
What We Don't Like
Can't search, sort, or filter episodes.
First Day Back tells the stories of people finding themselves after a life-changing event. Season 3 premiered in 2019 and followed the story of Jason Weems, a Baltimore comedian whose life changed when he experienced an asthma attack shortly after going on stage.
New Season Of Serial Podcast
Gilmore Guys
New Serial Like Podcast
What We Like
Comment with other listeners.
Updates frequently with new episodes.
What We Don't Like
Not all listening platforms have access to all episodes.
Must stream online; can't download for free.
If you love watching TV, reading recaps, and dissecting episodes online, Gilmore Guys will be a treat. One host is a diehard Gilmore Girls fan, while the other is new to the show; together they analyze every episode of the show including the recent Netflix installments. Whether you watched the show in real time or just started streaming, this podcast will bring you all the intel that Stars Hollow and its zany characters have to offer. Episodes in 2018 delve into the Netflix show 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,' another creation of Amy Sherman-Palladino.
Ctrl Alt Delete
What We Like
A few new episodes each week.
Search for podcast episodes.
What We Don't Like
Available from iTunes only.
Can't easily locate older podcasts.
London-based Emma Gannon talks to a vast array of guests–actors, writers, and other creatives–about how social media and the web infiltrate their lives and careers. Named after her first book, which has the tagline 'How I Grew Up Online,' the Ctrl Alt Delete podcast benefits from Emma's high energy and enthusiasm as she gets guests to share their best stories and advice. Check out the February 2018 episode with Greta Gerwig, writer, and director of the Oscar-nominated film 'Lady Bird.'
Crimetown
What We Like
Read show notes for all episodes.
A written transcript is available.
New episode every seven days.
What We Don't Like
Works only from the website or Spotify.
Can't download episodes for offline use.
If you loved the first season of Serial and were disappointed that the second season didn't have the same level of suspense, Crimetown could be just the podcast for you. In fact, one of the hosts produced and co-wrote the series 'The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst.' Crimetown takes place in Providence and covers the crime and corruption that goes all the way up to the mayor. Season two of Crimetown was first released in late 2018.
S-Town
What We Like
Unique book-like presentation, including transcripts.
Several ways to listen.
Episode are around an hour long.
What We Don't Like
Includes few episodes.
Playback controls are hard to use.
What starts as the exploration of the dark side of a small town in Alabama at the request of a listener turns into a look into one man's life and how it affected so many others. (It also continues to reveal more disturbing details about the town including the blatant racism that the podcast's subject John D. had warned the host about from the start.) The real title of S-Town is NSFW, but you can probably guess what the 'S' means. This podcast was a one-off, but the team behind it also produces Serial and This American Life, so we can expect to see more engaging podcasts down the road.
Modern Love
What We Like
Adnan Syed
30-minute, weekly episodes.
Download the audio clips to your computer.
Stream from a variety of apps.
What We Don't Like
No way to sort the episodes or filter by criteria.
Is There A New Serial Podcast
The Modern Love column from the New York Times explores all sorts of love–romantic, family, heartbreak, friendship, and more. The podcast, which is produced by NPR, brings these personal essays to life with readings by famous people from Peter Gallagher to Cynthia Nixon to John Cho. Hosts Meghna Chakrabarti (WBUR) and Modern Love editor Daniel Jones sometimes even get updates from the essay writers.
NFL Talking Heads
If your love of football extends off the field into fantasy leagues, the NFL Talking Heads Fantasy Football Podcast will help you up your game. Hosts Jeff Carrier and Seth Lull offer up the tips and information you need to win, including statistics, draft strategies, and their unfiltered opinions.
New Podcast Serial Producers
Food 4 Thot
New Serial Podcast 2019
Food 4 Thot is not actually about food; it's about life. While drinking rosé, the four hosts discuss sex, race, identity and other juicy topics in a format they describe as 'like NPR, but on poppers.' The hosts, who are all writers, wanted a place where they could discuss Beyoncé, gay bars, literature, and their adventures in publishing. The podcast released nine episodes in the first season, and season two is on deck. Listen to the trailer to get a taste of what to expect.