I ventured into the world of podcasts last year and was simply amazed by all of it. With such a diverse medium, there’s a little something for everybody. With this in mind, I’ve tried to pick a wide(ish) variety of genres, so hopefully there’ll be something you enjoy in here. Happy listening!  

1. Anthropocene Reviewed  

Hosted by the author John Green, (yes the guy who wrote The Fault in Our Stars, Looking for Alaska, etc.), the Anthropocene Reviewed, in John’s own words, “reviews different facets of the human-centered planet on a five-star scale”. John reviews everything from Hawaiian pizza to cholera to the Taco Bell breakfast menu, reflecting on how wonderful (or not) these things are. I would say this podcast is John Green at his finest: his thoughtful, beautiful writing along with his wonderful voice talking about the most mundane things in the most awe-inspiring way. A truly unique podcast which John Green fans are sure to love.  

2. Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History  

I’ll be honest, I used to find history a remarkably boring subject. The keyword there is “used to”. Dan Carlin’s excellent narration and clear passion were more than enough to sway me. Carlin enjoys delving into what he calls “the extremes of human experience” and by god does he take you with him. Each episode is easily 3 hours long with some going past 6. Moreover, each episode is usually part of a multi-episode series around a particular topic, so you can be assured you will be diving quite deep into WWI or the Persian Empire or the Nuclear Age or whatever has caught Carlin’s fancy. But delving into incredible detail is the real charm of this podcast. Even if you find history sleep inducing, I would strongly recommend giving this one a try. You may be surprised by how captivating it is.  

3. The Memory Palace  

There are so many little tidbits of history that are easy to forget. Like how a determined widower became the first to bring a live panda to the US or how at one point there were Indian cobras slithering in Springfield, Missouri. Nate DiMeo gives these little stories a home, carving a little corner for each one with his voice. And I must say, each corner is sculpted beautifully to give life to its story. The characters are introduced in just the right way; the context is set in just the right manner; the details are given at just the right times. There is an art to telling non-fictional stories and Nate has truly mastered it. Every story is a pleasure to listen to and think about.  

4. Welcome to Night Vale  

Some of the most fun podcasts are those that are fictional and one of the most fun fictional podcasts is Welcome to Night Vale. To put simply, Welcome to Nightvale is a radio show hosted by Cecil Palmer, a radio broadcaster from the fictional town of Night Vale, sharing with us the strange occurrences in his town. Any listener is no doubt screaming right now that I have completely misrepresented the show, but hopefully they will also agree that this is a show that is very hard to describe. Perhaps a fairer portrayal comes by sharing the very first line of the very first episode: “A friendly desert community where the sun is hot, the moon is beautiful, and mysterious lights pass overhead while we all pretend to sleep.” 

5. Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend  

Conan O’Brien is clearly one of best late night talk show hosts (yes, I am prepared to fight you on this) and where he shines even brighter is in podcast form. Joined by his wonderful assistant, Sona Movsesian, and his producer, Matt Gourley, Conan embarks on a quest to make friends with the people he’s interviewed over the years. Conan’s quick wit and dry humour have never shined brighter and free from the restrictions of TV, his eccentricities are truly brought forward. Easily one of the most entertaining shows out there (to be honest, even the ad reads are fun).