Have you ever wondered what your favorite MakeUseOf authors listen to when they want to learn something new, hear a good story, or simply be entertained? I recently invited the team to discuss their favorite podcasts, and we have rounded up the best so you can check them out for yourselves.
A podcast is a digital audio program that you can download from the Internet. It’s radio for the digital world. No more waiting until it comes on the air, and no missing it because your schedule changed. While podcasts have been around for many years now, it’s a format that is continuing to grow, and find new audiences all the time.
The MakeUseOf team named over 50 podcasts we listen to regularly. There were six standout podcasts that caught the attention of more than one of us, and 14 more gems still being produced in 2015 that members of our staff wanted to highlight.
We begin with the Top Six…
Produced by: Roman Mars, in partnership with Radiotopia by PRX.
Recommended by: Justin Pot, Tina Sieber, and myself (Jessica Coccimiglio).
“99% Invisible is a must-listen radio show about design.” – Justin Pot
What makes it unique: Have you ever wondered what makes a great flag, how the hashtag (or “octothorpe“) came to be, or when the first designed object came to be? Roman Mars, the 99% Invisible team, and their guests, explore all these questions through the lens of design. For a subject most people think of as purely visual, it’s an audio experience well worth a listen.
Produced by: NPR
Recommended by: Justin Pot, James Bruce, and myself.
“Planet Money makes economics interesting, which isn’t easy.” – Justin Pot
What makes it unique: Planet Money is the place to go for entertaining explanations of economics and money issues. Hosts Adam Davidson, David Kestenbaum, and their guests help you understand the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, what happens when employee salaries aren’t secret, why we can’t bet on elections, and so much more.
Produced by: Stephen Dubner, in partnership with WNYC
Recommended by: James Bruce, Tina Sieber, and myself.
What makes it unique: Freakonomics, the radio show based off of the bestseller of the same name, looks at the hidden side of everything. Host Steven Dubner (and guest Steve Levitt, his co-author) explores everything from how to win a Nobel Prize, to why belts became more popular than suspenders despite being less functional, to better ways to fight terrorism. The show will pique your curiosity and cover stories from all kinds of angles you would have never thought of.
Produced by: NPR
Recommended by: Justin Pot and James Bruce.
“Invisibilia is so so so so good why isn’t it back yet oh man I want more get in my ear holes” – Justin Pot
What makes it unique: Invisibilia (Latin for “all the invisible things”) explores the intangible forces that affect the way humans behave. From what life would be like without fear, to how to become Batman, to the power of categories, Hosts Lulu Miller and Alix Spiegel use both narrative storytelling and scientific research to unravel the mysteries of the human mind.
Produced by: WBEZ Chicago Public Media
Recommended by: Justin Pot and James Bruce.
“Despite not being American and in fact usually hating everything American (it’s a British thing), I find a lot of the stories in TAL just fascinating. It also explains to me why America is so messed up sometimes.” – James Bruce
What makes it unique: The hosts of This American Life podcast weekly about current events in America. It’s in-depth journalism and fantastic storytelling. In each episode they dig into a new topic to help us understand everything from a Jeep dealership’s fight to sell 129 Cars in one month, to what happens when children from a poor public school visit those at a wealthy private school just Three Miles away, to how life changes for two 43-year-old daughters when they learn that they were Switched at Birth.
Produced by: Tim Ferriss
Recommended by: Mark O’Neill and Rob Nightingale.
“The Tim Ferriss show is an absolute must, if you are determined to improve the quality of your life, or if you like offbeat topics.” – Mark O’Neill
What makes it unique: On The Tim Ferriss Show, the eponymous Tim Ferriss (best-selling author of The 4-Hour Workweek) has been deconstructing how world-class performers (in everything from investing, to sports, to art) achieve their goals. Episodes like “Thomas Edison’s Formula for Greatness“, “‘The Iceman’, Wim Hof“, and “A Chess Prodigy on Mastering Martial Arts, Chess, and Life” will give you practical insights and strategies to apply in your own life and become a high-achiever.
The list continues on with podcasts chosen by one member of the MakeUseOf team. The following pods may not be as universally loved as those above, but they still come highly recommended.
Produced by: The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation)
Recommended by: Christian Cawley
Who should listen: Anyone who likes interviews, funny banter, and British accents.
“BBC DJs Radcliffe & Maconie have a weekly podcast that condenses their daily show of interviews and chat into a single dose.” -Christian Cawley
Produced by: WNYC
Recommended by: Justin Pot
Who should listen: People who want to learn how media gets made, and the issues in it.
“On the Media is the best review of what’s happening in the media and one the web” – Justin Pot
Produced by: Jerod Morris and Demian Farnworth, with Copyblogger
Recommended by: Saikat Basu
Who should listen: Writers, marketers, and web content producers who want to hone their craft.
“This is aligned to my interests as an editor and writer. Copyblogger is one of the best sites on the subject and the podcast is excellently produced.” -Saikat Basu
Produced by: The BBC
Recommended by: Daniel Price
Who should listen: Curious people who like to laugh.
“Quality comedy meets deep science done by Prof Brian Cox (famed UK TV scientist/physicist/astronomer) et al.” -Daniel Price
Produced by: Kinda Funny
Recommended by: Dave Parrack
Who should listen: Gamers, geeks, and fans of pop culture.
The Game Over Greggy Show is a podcast by four guys who used to work for IGN, and who now run the Kinda Funny network thanks to Patreon supporters. I like its simplicity, with each of the four bringing a topic to the table and discussing it for 20-30 minutes. They also have guests sitting in with them regularly, all of whom are geeky in some way. -Dave Parrack
Produced by: Sarah Koenig and Julie Snyder in partnership with WBEZ Chicago and This American Life
Recommended by: James Bruce
Who should listen: Lovers of crime drama, law and order, and long-form serial storytelling.
“I’m not normally a crime drama fan, but Serial was just such a great exercise in storytelling – the mixed media format of interviews, phone calls with Adnan, field work of actual visiting the crime scene, casework analysis – just made for a really compelling listen. I was fitter than I had ever been while Serial was on, because each new episode I would deliberately extend my walk until it had finished.” -James Bruce
Produced by: Sarah Koenig & WBEZ Chicago
Recommended by: Tina Sieber
Who should listen: Those who can’t shake wanderlust.
In Married with Luggage Warren and Betsy Talbot talk about how they manage to travel the world, live remotely, and keep their relationship happy. Whether you’re longing to be a digital nomad, work independently, or are stuck in your relationship, this podcast is a great resource and inspiration. -Tina Sieber
Produced by: NPR
Recommended by: Tina Sieber
Who should listen: Fans of TED talks, and anyone else who loves big ideas.
TED Talks are awesome and what NPR’s Guy Raz does with his TED Radio Hour is brilliant. He connects the dots, interviewing different speakers from groundbreaking TED talks on related topics and bringing it all together into an hour long radio documentary. -Tina Sieber
Produced by: Art Bell
Recommended by: Ryan Dube
Who should listen: Mystery-loving science nerds.
While I don’t normally get my tech fix via podcasts, I do focus on podcasts to satisfy my interests in the weird and unusual scientific mysteries in our world today. Art Bell is a long standing celebrity in the area of strangeness, and since I’m usually up around midnight anyway, I often tune into his life podcast to catch one of the quirky/interesting interviews. They aren’t all grounded enough in reality to suit my tastes all the time, but occasionally there’s an interview that really gets me thinking during those quiet, late night hours. Such deep thoughts are a writer’s best friend – they ward off writer’s block. -Ryan Dube
Produced by: Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage
Recommended by: Harry Guinness
Who should listen: Fans of Mythbusters.
Untitled: The Adam Savage Project is one of the best shows around. Adam himself is super interesting and has a really unique take on a lot of things. Will and Norm, his co-hosts and Tested founders, aren’t just window dressing and actually add to the show too. -Harry Guinness
Produced by: Virginia Foundation for the Humanities
Recommended by: Bertel King Junior
Who should listen: Anyone who wants a better understanding of American history.
BackStory is produced locally in Virginia. In each episode, the American History Guys trace a topic through the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries in a way that sticks with me long after the podcast comes to an end. Since the subject matter often deals with timely issues, this is a great way to get an informed perspective on current news as well. -Bertel King Junior
Produced by: W. Kamau Bell and Kevin Avery
Recommended by: Bertel King Junior
Who should listen: Movie-lovers, Denzel Washington fans (and non-fans who need to be shown the light).
Denzel Washington is the greatest actor of all time period. W. Kamau Bell and Kevin Avery know how to bring this fact home in a way that keeps me laughing throughout every episode. -Bertel King Junior
Produced by: Rhonda Patrick, Ph.D.
Recommended by: Kannon Yamada
Who should listen: Anyone who wants to understand the science and technology driving health and fitness studies forward.
We tend to think of technology as existing independent of health and fitness. The quantified-self movement integrates the two, combining the bleeding edge field of genetics with the age-old study of diet and exercise. Found My Fitness is one of the first podcasts to combine all three elements. -Kannon Yamada
Produced by: The Partially Examined Life
Recommended by: Rob Nightingale
Who should listen: Humans who like to philosophize.
I only recently came across “The Partially Examined Life” podcast, which is a recorded, philosophical debate centered on a philosophical idea or text. In a sense, it reminds me about being back studying Philosophy at university, but also raises some important points about life and society in general, and delves into these ideas usually much deeper than you would find elsewhere on the web. -Rob Nightingale
Are you eager to listen in to these pods, but not sure how? Check out our guides to podcast apps and managers for iOS, Android, Windows, and Linux. Don’t forget that some podcasts are actually videos you can watch on YouTube, Twitch, or with the right podcatcher!
Obviously we’re fans around here of NPR, the BBC, and WBEZ Chicago, and they are masterful storytellers. That said, one of the best things about joining the club of podcast-listeners is that once you start listening, you’ll find it much easier to discover new podcasts you’ll like.
Podcast hosts occasionally recommend new ones at the end of their show, or on their websites. That said, if you’re a long-time listener and are looking for something fresh, you can rely on apps and tools to find fresh podcasts.
We have several more round-ups of podcasts to share, including a collection of 10 podcasts for book lovers, eight podcasts about the world of finance, six for novelists, screenwriters, and storytellers, seven to boost your productivity, a few podcasts to take your biohacking up a notch, and 10 podcasts for gamers, too.
Now, it’s your turn, as we would love to learn about your favorite podcasts. Which great pods did we miss off our list? Make your case in the comments below!
Image Credits:wearing headphones at computer by bikeriderlondon via Shutterstock
