Podcasts. You’ve heard of them, saw your favorite Youtuber’s create one, and saw them being advertised. But what are podcasts and why should we listen? As busy college student’s we may not have time to read or listen to a whole audio book or watch tv on our screens while we are walking between classes.
Podcasts are an alternative to music. They vary in genre from crime to comedy and anything in between. As a fairly new medium that is up and coming, podcasts have no guidelines and restrictions. Podcasts can tell stories that may not necessarily be heard in the mainstream media. Anyone can make one and listen to them. You just need the internet and some ears to listen. Common ways to listen to podcasts are on the Apple Podcast app, Spotify, Stitcher and NPR. Podcast’s are a great way to get your mind off of something while feeling like your not on a screen. It can be relaxing, exhilarating and fun way to get information and a story. The best part is, most of them you can listen to for free!
Here are some of Podcast’s you should be listening to.
Serial by This American life
This is one of the first podcast’s that brought this medium to the forefront. It was immensely popular. Even if you don’t like investigative journalism, you have to give it a listen. Each season follows one story and as each episode is released the story unravels.
Still Processing by The New York Times
This podcast is for all pop culture lovers. These two hosts feed of each other’s energy and makes you feel like you’re part of the conversation. They talk about deeper issues than the gossip in pop culture. Instead, they focus on social issues through a critical lens. For example, one episode deconstructs the apology Kevin Heart made after making homophobic comments earlier in his career. This episode then talks about #sorrynotsorry culture and the value of an apology. This podcasts makes you take a step back and reevaluate a situation you might have made a rash opinion on.
Invisibilia by NPR
This podcast weaves science and human behavior and how that shapes our culture, beliefs and assumptions about what we know. Each episode tackles a different topic. One episode focused on categories and how we as humans feel the need to put things into categories as a way to sort and organize our life and values. This podcast ranges from 45 minutes to an hour. If you like analyzing, questioning and rethinking everything you know this is the podcast for you. Just wait to have your mind blown!
Armchair Expert by Dax Shepard
Yes, that Dax Shepard, the actor, comedian and husband goals to Kristen Bell has a podcast. If you like in depth interviews and documentary style videos this podcast is for you. Each episode Shepard interviews celebrities, comedians and doctors. Similar to the Howard Stern Show, he mixes his comedic style with his personable interview style.
S-Town by Serial and This American Life
This podcast is another one in the crime genre but I promise it is more than that. The show started as a letter sent in by John B, a listener, about a murder in his small conservative white town in Alabama that turned out to be a story about much more than that. The host finds out a surprise that takes the whole podcast down another road. Tackling southern American culture, mental illness and much more this podcast is a must listen even if you are not a crime junkie. This podcast set the record as having 10 million downloads in the first four days.
After reading this article I hope you will think about tapping on a podcast instead of music. Podcasts’ can take you to another place and time, teach you life lessons or give you a different perspective. As this new from of media is becoming popular you should hop on the trend, you never know what you might find.