I fucking love podcasts. Everyday I get to learn something, feel something, and be entertained - Just with a pair of headphones and my phone. I consider myself a bit of Podcast junkie, consuming at least 2 or 3 episodes of my favorites everyday, and thus I figured I would share a few of my absolute favorites for you to check out. In no particular order... here we go.
#1
Caliphate by The New York Times
From the team behind New York Time's The Daily (another favorite of mine) comes this absolutely gripping podcast hosted by Rukmini Callimachi. A reporter you may have been introduced to as the expert Reply All contacted for their ISIS episode. Caliphate is only three chapters in but the access and storytelling thus far has been incredible. It's a very eye opening look into the foundations of ISIS and why they are gaining such popularity, even recruiting seemingly "normal" individuals for their cause. It's definitely heavy and at times graphic, thankfully there's only one episode per week because it requires quite a bit of reflection after each listen. Add this to your weekly rotation though and you will not be disappointed. I think it's especially important to know all you can about this subject matter as more and more people make misinformed commentary that makes matters even worse.
#2
Somebody Somewhere by Rainstream Media
I'm trying not to put too many true crime podcasts on here but this one can't be missed. Somebody Somewhere investigates the 2001 murder of Assistant United States Attorney, Tom Wales. I had no prior knowledge of this case before diving in, but was I ever hooked from the start. The podcast is produced and hosted by two former CNN producers so the reporting and production is top notch. Season 1 just finished so I won't spoil anything but this is one you have to binge. There's military politics, noire style espionage, and odd ball characters that make everything about this case riveting and a genuine mystery.
#3
The H3 Podcast by Ethan and Hile Klein
If you're not familiar with H3H3 productions then firstly you need to check out their videos on YouTube. Ethan and Hile are experts at dissecting almost everything that is wrong with trending memes and topics. They also provide genuinely smart commentary on the current state of social media, all packaged up in hilariously edited videos. Their podcast is no different except they have a wide range of interesting guests. From Bob Saget to Post Malone, their off the cuff and casual conversations are informative, funny, and enlightening. It's also a great behind the scenes for how a lot of top YouTubers think and create. I especially enjoyed the MKBHD episode for that.
#4
How Did This Get Made? from Earwolf
If you're a fan of all things movies like me you will especially enjoy this one a lot. Hosted by the always hilarious Jason Mantzoukas, Paul Scheer, and June Diane Raphael (along with a plethora of guest appearances from all over the celebrity map) the trio dive into some of the worst greatest movies of all time to try and understand "How Did This Get Made?" - One of my favorite episodes is for Fast and Furious 8 which has Adam Scott in the studio as well. Their commentary is hilarious and if you're someone the loves a great bad movie, this one will reaffirm why.
p.s. Have you ever seen Geostorm? Go watch it. Right now.
#5
Song Exploder by Hrishikesh Hirway
I almost didn't include this one as I consider it a "staple" podcast, meaning it's one that has been around since approx. when Serial blew up the medium as a whole, but I still find people that have no idea it exists. Song Exploder interviews some of the greatest musical artists and dives in piece by piece into some of their most popular songs. They play through original demos, isolate instruments, tell stories about where the song came from, and how it was made. It's a great one to put on during a quick commute or while at the gym. It's informative and easy to listen to, which is why I had to include it. Just in case you haven't added it to your list yet.
Photo by Lukas Blazek via Unsplash
There you have it. My 5 podcasts I think you should be listening to. I'd love to hear some reccos from you guys with some of your favs - I'm constantly looking for new podcasts to check out, so leave a comment with a link to one of your current listens, and let me know if you've heard of any of the ones I listed above.
I also co-host my own podcast called Exploit with Gabi Pirraglia. We talk about life, the internet, and content creation. Check it out!
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Cheers!
pt. //