Podcast Recommendations

I am a proud and unabashed lover of podcasts. It began as a way to fill my daily commute on the train in Atlanta, and now, I’m hooked. Since I started listening regularly 4 years ago, the most common sentence out of my mouth is, “I was listening to a podcast the other day and…” The beautiful thing about podcasts? There’s something for everyone. From The Bachelor to Bill Nye, if you love it, there’s probably a podcast about it. I don’t love every podcast ever (I’m so sorry, I just can’t get into The Moth) but the ones I love, I reeeeeally love. Below are my podcasts recommendations. This list updates regularly so be sure to check back in for new recs!

Business/Finance Podcast Recommendations

Bad with Money – hosted by former Buzzfeed content creator and successful YouTuber Gaby Dunn, this podcast explores everything from budgeting, to the stock market, to wage disparities, all from the perspective of someone who’s, well, bad with money.
Foundering – each season of this podcast from Bloomberg chronicles the meteoric rise (and often excruciating fall) of a particular company. Season 1 focuses on the mess that was WeWork.
How I Built This – a classic NPR podcast where the incomparable Guy Raz of the TED Radio Hour interviews various company founders. Each episode is unique and inspiring.
Without Fail – How I Built This – with a twist. Ira Glass protege and founder of Gimlet Media Alex Blumberg interviews successful leaders and entrepreneurs about their biggest failure.
WorkLife – industrial psychologist Adam Grant discusses the future of work (and work/life balance) in a relatively short, weekly show.

General Interest/Pop Culture Podcast Recommendations

Celebrity Memoir Book Club – this is the celebrity gossip podcast you’ve been waiting for your whole life. Hilariously hosted by 2 acerbic comedians, as the tag line states, they read the books so you don’t have to (and my God am I glad I didn’t have to spend my brain cells reading Tyler Cameron’s memoir).
Every Outfit on Sex and the City – a snarky Instagram account come alive! 2 fabulous former fashion editors discuss weekly pop culture moments and recap …And Just Like That.
Love to See It with Claire and Emma – a weekly Bachelor recap podcast that always has its eyes on the ways the show intersects with feminism, racism, fatphobia, and other societal issues. Also just a solid recap.
- Honorable mention Bachelor podcasts (yes, I listen to a lot) – Game of Roses, The Betchelor, and She’s All Bach
Maintenance Phase – if you’ve ever struggled with dieting or your weight, Maintenance Phase is a must-listen. Each week they pick a specific dieting-adjacent topic (such as Halo Top ice cream or Fen-Phen) and do a deep dive into the history and/or science behind them.
The Popcast – riotous hosts Jamie Golden and Knox McCoy breakdown a different pop culture topic each week. Sometimes it’s a deep dive into a particular movie or TV pilot, sometimes it’s just general stuff from the past week, but it’s always a good time.
The Dream – host Jane Marie is a born skeptic, and she puts those power to work in this podcast. Season 1 investigates the MLM industry, season 2 the wellness industry, and I’m on pins and needles for season 3.
Where Should We Begin – this couple’s therapy podcast is kind of like sanctioned eavesdropping. Deeply personal, you’ll learn a lot about relationships as you listen to others work through theirs.

Miniseries Podcast Recommendations

Direct Appeal – hosted by the same women as Women and Crime, this show covers the complicated case of the conviction of Melissa Maguire.
Dirty John – by now a dramatized show on Bravo, this is a classic story of a con man who goes too far.
Dr. Death – doctors are often described as playing God, and some go too far. There are 3 amazing seasons with plans for more (thank goodness). However, annoyingly, you do have to look up “doctor death season 1,” “doctor death season 2,” etc.
Fallen Angel – every millennial knows the rite of passage that was shopping at Victoria’s Secret. But their sharp decline has been the subject of much speculation – including this amazing podcast.
The Shrink Next Door – the boundaries between therapist/patient and friend/friend can often be murky, but what about a therapist who takes over a successful patient’s home in the Hamptons for decades? That’s the bizarre story in this podcast from the New York Times.
The Turning – a deep look into the organization around Mother Theresa – the Missionaries of Charity. The way this organization corrupted kindness and open hearts in order to bleed people dry is shocking. It’s cult-adjacent.
What About Pam – every true crime fan knows Keith Morrison, and he is in peak shape hosting this podcast about a woman’s murder that was not as it seemed.

News & Politics Podcast Recommendations

Amicus – probably the nerdiest podcast on a list of nerdy podcasts; host Dahlia Lithwick invites a different legal expert on each week to discuss the events in the news through the perspective of the law. Heavy on the law, light on the name-dropping and jargon.
Lovett or Leave It – this weekly political podcast by Jon Lovett is full of bad jokes, amazing guests, hilarious segments, and just the right amount of challenge to open your mind and get a good sense of the political news of the week.
Pantsuit Politics – if you listen to no other podcast, please listen to this. Two women on different ends of the political spectrum (on liberal, one more conservative) discuss the political news of the week with a specific goal in mind: grace and nuance. It leaves me in tears every week.
Rabbit Hole – this mini-series from the New York Times is compulsively listenable (likely by design). It explores how Internet rabbit holes happen, and how we get sucked into them.
What A Day – the absolute best daily news show. Each episode discusses 1-2 large topics in depth then goes through other major headlines. When the regular news makes you feel like everything is dust and nothing matters, the WAD Squad will keep you informed without making you feel horrible every day.

Science & History Podcast Recommendations

Ologies – a top notch study-of-everything show. This show packs a mighty punch into relatively short episodes, but doesn’t make you feel knocked out.
The Dollop – Dave Anthony reads a bananas story from history. Gareth Reynolds reacts to it in real time. Unmissable. Especially the episode about Uber.
Powerful Trouble – this is my very own podcast about the relationship of magic and witches to history and you can look it up right here.
This Podcast Will Kill You – who knew talking about cholera could be so fun? Two epidemiologists discuss famous diseases in each episode, with a quarantini and lots of science in between (probably the second-nerdiest podcast on this list).
You’re Wrong About – part true crime, part culture study, all history, this show discusses what we got wrong about history (and what actually happened). Children of the 80s and 90s especially will love their deep dives into topics like Vanessa Williams’s career and Princess Diana.

True Crime Podcast Recommendations

Criminal – Phoebe Judge’s soothing voice sets the perfect backdrop for a show all about crime. From the black market for Venus fly traps to wrongful convictions, this show packs a lot of heat in its 40 minute episodes.
Gangster Capitalism – this series takes a deep dive every season into a suspicious area of public consciousness. It’s deliciously scandalous material written, produced, and delivered in a totally unbiased and fair way.
Generation Why – a creepy theme song sets off these in-depth, heavily researched discussions by hosts Aaron and Justin. From famous murders to conspiracy theories, each episode gives an incredible deep dive into each case.
Let’s Go to Court – two women discuss court cases of all types, with Brandi’s booming laugh and the type of banter only lifelong friends can have providing the perfect amount of levity.
Wine and Crime – another case of best friends making a podcast, the tag line is, “where two friends chug wine, chat true crime, and unleash their worst Minnesota accents.” The ultimate example of listening to a podcast and feeling like you’re hanging out with your friends.
Women and Crime – two criminology professors provide concise looks at cases involving women – as perpetrators or victims. Heavy on the crime theory, light on confusion.
Zealot – Australian comedian Jo Thornley invites an unwitting friend onto her podcast each week to discuss a different cult. The dives are deep, the accents are thick, the cheese plates are immaculate.

Comment with your favorites to see if they are added to the list. I’m always looking for new shows!