Podcasts have become a new source of entertainment for people everywhere. Whether we are in the car commuting to work, on the plane going on a trip or at home cooking something, podcasts have become the much-needed companion for our busy lives.
Just like Netflix has a documentary for nearly anything you can think of, today you can find podcast shows on almost any subject. Be it true crime, comedy, history, food or lifestyle; celebrities, academics and media people have started their own audio show for those savvy for debates, but with little time on their hands.
After endless hours of research, we put together this list of the shows we believe you shouldn’t miss. And they are all available on Apple Podcast, so you can go give them a try right away.
The Joe Rogan Experience
If you’ve never heard of Joe Rogan, then stop anything you are doing right now and go look him up. Rogan is an American comedian, actor, commentator and television host and his podcast was officially launched in December 2009. Now, 11 years later, The Joe Rogan Experience has become one of the most popular podcasts in the world, receiving millions of views each episode.
Rogan has had a variety of guests on his show, from politicians to comedians, musicians, media personalities, scientists and other influential figures, covering a range of topics. Even though his podcast will be moving to Spotify soon, you can still catch the episodes on Apple Podcasts until September.
Gastropod
If you are into food and cuisine, then Gastropod is the perfect podcast for you. Gastropod is not your typical cooking show, as it explores mostly the history and science behind popular foods. From why chicken tikka masala became a regular British dish, to how the bagel became such a hip brunch option, this podcast gets your culinary curiosities satisfied.
Co-hosts Nicola Twilley and Cynthia Graber gather every two weeks to discuss the history and science behind the stuff that ends up filling our plates and bowls every day. Pour yourself a glass of wine, order something good to eat and prepare for 50 minutes of interviews and discussions with chefs and food experts from all over the globe.
The Last Archive
If you like reading The New Yorker, then you will love listening to The Last Archive. The show revolves around history and epistemology and is hosted by Jill Lepore, Harvard historian and New Yorker contributor.
Each episode is 45-minutes long and is developed in the style of a 1930 radio drama show. It has everything from strange sounds and dramatic music, so don’t think you’ll be hearing your typical intro music for podcasts anywhere here.
The show uses historical record, including court case transcripts and official reports, in an attempt to tell the real story behind cultural and social events that made history, including cold cases. The show’s ultimate goal? To find out “who killed the truth”.
1619
Launched in 2019, 400 years after the first slave ship landed on American shores, this podcast is the New York Times’ attempt at exploring the legacy of slavery in the U.S. The podcast in part of their 1619 Project and is hosted by Nikole Hannah-Jones.
The podcast uses archival audio, essay observations and narratives to discover valuable insights about various aspects of American culture. One of the episodes, for example, features Pulitzer-winning critic Wesley Morris, who talks about the joys and history of yacht rock and other genres that have roots in black American music.
Bear Brook
The Bear Brook murders took America by shock between 1985 and 2000 when four skeletonized bodies were discovered in the Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown, New Hampshire. A hidden gem for true-crime documentary enthusiasts, Bear Brook follows reporter Jason Moon, who takes listeners throughout the U.S. in an attempt to find the serial killer.
The victims were ultimately identified through a popular genealogy site, making people question what they are actually consenting to when sharing DNA information onto public databases. An intriguing and mysterious podcast that is bound to hook you form the very first episode.
Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People
People around us live interesting lives, but we rarely get the chance to hear those stories. If you are keen on meeting new people and hearing their unique life stories, then this is the perfect podcast for you.
Chris Gethard, comedian, does these 1-hour episodes where he talks on the phone with anonymous individuals and encourages them to share their stories. Without stepping on their boundaries, Gethard gives a real lesson of empathy in each episode when he encourages his “guests” to share as much as they can about their life stories. These stories vary from the most common and trivial experiences to some serious conversations about topics such as faith, sexuality and death. Probably one of the most powerful episodes is the one in which a mass-shooting survivor calls to share her story.
Forever35
A podcast for all the ladies out there, Forever35 approaches themes such as skincare, make-up, serums and other wellness practices. Hosts Kate Spencer and Doree Shafrif are instantly relatable when they emphasize on the fact that they are in no way experts of the wellness and beauty industry, but merely two girl-friends interested in general wellness practices.
Covering subjects such as meal prepping, organizing your calendar, and yoga, the two hosts go on to argue that women need to take care of themselves both physically and mentally, no matter how they choose to do so.
How did this get made?
Ever saw a movie and wondered who the heck thought making this was a good idea? Well, comedy actors June Diane Raphael, Jason Manzoukas and Paul Sheer asked themselves the same thing and went on to create How did this get made?, a podcast that reviews movies which are…just not that good.
Nearly all episodes also feature another celebrity guest, who are made to watch those movies and then discuss it with the hosts. From Underworld to Little Italy, the podcast sparks conversations about the hilarious and often ridiculous things that went into making those movies.
