I listened to my first podcast about 8 months ago– solely because my dad had sent me the link to one and kept pressing me to listen to it. I kept telling him, “sure, I’ll listen soon,” but kept forgetting since it wasn’t exactly a priority of mine to listen to people talk for over an hour. Eventually, I got around to listening and as you can probably guess, I was happily surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
In the past year or so, podcasts have become immensely popular among people of all ages. If you asked me two years ago (or even maybe just one year ago) to listen to a podcast, I probably would’ve responded with a short and sweet, “no thanks.” But recently, I’ve come to love podcasts and I find myself turning to listen to them often, particularly when I just want to take a break and relax. There’s something calming about listening to someone (or multiple people) speak for an extended period of time without worrying about having to respond– almost like a one-sided, low effort conversation with someone you’d probably never get to have an actual real-life conversation with.
I’m no expert in podcasts, but I can say very confidently that everyone should give them a chance at least once– or maybe even twice if you happen to start off on a bad note. Set any assumptions you may have about podcasts aside for just an hour and give it a try. You never know, you may just enjoy it more than you think. And if you don’t know where to start, don’t worry, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite podcasts from a variety of genres, so I’m sure there’ll be at least one on the list that’ll catch your eye.
For the hopeful entrepreneurs:
NPR’s How I Built This with Guy Raz
This is the first podcast I ever listened to and it’s a great first podcast if you’ve never listened to any before. Host Guy Raz meets with a vast variety of entrepreneurs who have built themselves and their businesses from the ground up. This podcast is a must for anyone who wants to start their own business someday and it helps put into perspective how even the most successful entrepreneurs had humble beginnings. There are so many diverse episodes of How I Built This, but my favorite episodes that I’ve listened to include the episode with Logic & Chris Zarou, in which the rapper and his manager discuss how they got into the music industry as broke college students, and the episode with Rent the Runway’s Jenn Hyman, who talks about how she saw a new market opportunity and partnered with famous designers to offer designer dress rentals to those who only needed a dress for a night or two.
For the random knowledge/ fact enthusiasts:
This podcast tackles a diverse set of topics, ranging from how marijuana works to how dyslexia works. I’ve only listened to a couple of episodes so far, but all have been very interesting and I definitely learned a lot about topics that I would have never thought twice about before. The episodes come in all different time lengths, so even if you want a quick podcast to start and finish on your walk to class or work, I’m sure you can find a short 15 minute episode to fulfill your needs. This podcast is particularly great when you just want to learn something new, no matter how random or out there it may be. I love learning about things that are not common knowledge and I find myself constantly excited to share what I’ve learned with others.
For the comedic talk show lovers:
If you were born anytime in the 1990’s or early 2000’s, I’m sure I don’t need to tell you about Josh Peck– but for any of you who have never heard his name, Josh Peck is an actor famously known for his role as Josh in the Nickelodeon comedy Drake and Josh. As an adult, he continues to act, but I particularly have been drawn towards his podcast more than any other I’ve mentioned. He invites guests– friends or acquaintances that he has met throughout his life as an actor in Hollywood– and basically just talks to them about their lives. Some guests are actors, some comedians, some writers, etc. Most of his guests I had never even heard of but I instantly became interested in each person’s story and journey of how they got where they are today. Peck does an amazing job of creating a natural conversation and asks thought provoking questions to better understand his guest’s perspective on life. While the podcast does become very deep or even dark at times, Peck incorporates his comedic personality into every episode with ease to make every conversation comfortable and lighthearted. All of the episodes are my favorites but if I had to choose one that stood out to me, it would be the one with Rosie Perez, an actress I did not know of previously, but hearing her talk about her life really resonated with me.
For the mindful, inspiration-seeking individuals:
Jay Shetty is a well-known inspirational speaker who left this dayjob to spend several years living in solitude as a monk. He now spends his time sharing his knowledge and wisdom with the world through a variety of mediums. During his podcast, he explores topics like mental health and following your passion and emphasizes the importance of making intentional, conscious decisions to better yourself as an individual physically, mentally, emotionally. Shetty commonly talks about how necessary it is to live a meaningful life in which you feel fulfilled and secure with yourself and your impact on the world.
And a few more I highly recommend (just as good as the ones highlighted earlier, but without the long summaries):
NPR’s Hidden Brain – great for anyone interested in psychology and human tendencies
Serial – one of the most well-known podcasts out there (rightfully so); journalist and host Sarah Koenig spends each season investigating a single complex nonfiction story to better understand the details of each controversial case
Couples Therapy with Candice and Casey – a funny and relatable take on relationship drama
TED Talks Daily – basically just mini TED talks that are perfect if you love hearing learning about a wide range of subjects in a story-like form
Girlboss Radio with Sophia Amoruso – this one is very similar to NPR’s How I built this, but solely focuses on female entrepreneurs
The Daily – this podcast is provided by The New York Times and is the best way to get quickly informed on current news stories
**All podcasts are linked to their respective websites (if applicable), but all are also available on Apple Podcasts.