Before I ever actually listened to one, I thought that podcasts were basically just a mirror of any news that you may hear on the radio or see on TV. It would just be some guy speaking with a monotone about the latest developments in politics, right? Why would I bother listening to that when I could get all the information I wanted much faster, with just a few clicks and keystrokes?
I couldn’t have been more wrong. As I eventually discovered, after various recommendations by friends for which I am very grateful, podcasts can be so much more than just news or politics. Not only are there series available for practically every conceivable topic, from economics to sports to even something as obscure as a podcast that discusses the variations of burgers constructed on the TV show “Bob’s Burgers” (yes, that is an actual podcast that you can actually listen to), but on top of that podcasts can be extremely insightful, interesting, or just downright hilarious.
For the prospective podcast listener, I’ve listed some of my personal favorites below. The next time you feel even slightly bored with your music playlist, give some of them a listen! Even if none really catch your eye (or I suppose I should say ear, in this case), you can still check out podcast catalogs like podbay.fm to look for something more suited to your taste. There are so many great podcasts out there that I truly believe that everyone can find something that they will love. And for those of you who already listen to podcasts and have your own favorites, maybe you’ll find something you like below that you can add to your subscriptions!
1. Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History
This is my favorite podcast of all time, hands-down. Writer and narrator Dan Carlin delves into history from a “storyteller” perspective, by breaking down the past in such a way that makes history just as interesting to listen to as any audiobook of your favorite novel. Carlin sets the stage for all of his stories extremely well, and by the time he is really starting to explain the narrative and the events that happen, you don’t realize that two hours have already gone by. In my opinion, the real beauty of this show is that there is no need for Carlin to “dumb down” or exaggerate history to make it more interesting or easier to understand, but over the course of listening to him, you will actually realize that history really isn’t super complicated in the first place. Motives lead to actions which lead to consequences, and Carlin presents these events in a way that is super entertaining. I’d highly recommend the WWI episode arc “Blueprint for Armageddon” as a great place to start with this podcast.
2. Freakonomics Radio
A podcast about economics, presented in such a way that you don’t have to be an expert in economics to greatly enjoy it. A spinoff of the 2009 book Freakonomics, the show essentially combines pop culture and economics while assessing various social issues. Listening to this podcast, you’ll hear “Why Uber Is an Economist’s Dream” that shows the benefits of Uber way beyond simple ride-sharing, or even “How to Win Games and Beat People” which draws on the opinions of experts to find the secret to winning any game. So don’t be discouraged by the title! You would actually be very surprised at 
how frequently concepts of economics will appear in issues that you would not think have anything to do with economics, as the podcast itself also argues with its tagline of “Exploring the Hidden Side of Everything.” This podcast will definitely change the way you think about certain issues, and you’ll have a lot of fun listening in the process.
3. 99% Invisible
“Ninety-nine percent of who you are is invisible and untouchable.”
With its name drawn from the above quote, 99% Invisible is a fantastically creative and informative podcast about design, architecture, and dozens of other topics in-between. Have you ever wondered why those long inflatable men are at every used car dealership or why revolving doors came into existence? Would you like to know? This podcast exa
mines the effects that designs can have on your life without you even knowing it, and it does this through great analysis as well as fun little stories from both history and today. It’s really actually quite difficult to explain, just because of how many different topics it covers, so the only thing I can do is highly recommend you try it out! “Used to Be a Pizza Hut,” is a great episode to start with.
4. Bill Burr’s Monday Morning Podcast
Straight-up fun. If you’ve ever watched Bill Burr do stand-up from one of his Netflix specials, you might know of his cynical take on comedy and utter disregard for political 
correctness, which turns out to be absolutely hilarious. His podcast is essentially the same thing, with Bill speaking off-the-cuff and without any reservations about various issues and his thoughts on them. He also frequently invites celebrities and other comedians onto the podcasts for interviews as well. Overall, if you’re looking for something that is easier to listen to and might require less attention, but can still be fiercely entertaining, I would say this podcast is a great choice. (However, I would say that it may not be for everyone, as some people may not be super comfortable listening to Bill as he really doesn’t have much of a “filter.” However, if you are unfazed by that type of thing you probably will enjoy his podcast.)
5. Planet Money
I’m not going to lie, you might find this podcast to be a bit more technical than others, in discussing concepts and ideas that your average Joe might not be super aware of. However, that does not make it any less interesting if you’re willing to give it a listen. Launched after the financial crisis of 2008, the podcast looks into economics concepts, but unlike Freakonomics Radio, whe
n I say that this podcast looks into economics, I really mean economics. In fact, this podcast is even used at some universities as a supplement for micro and macro economics courses. But hopefully that isn’t too discouraging, as it is still great to get into if you start from the first episode and really follow the overall narrative that the podcast establishes. If you want to learn more about economic systems and the way that money really works, I’d highly recommend this show.
Remember! You can always find more podcasts to suit your interests, either through iTunes, Google Play Music, or catalogs like podbay.fm.
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