11 greatest podcasts to take heed to proper now: March 2024

It is turn out to be a drained joke that everybody has a podcast, however that simply means extra audio content material for us to strive.

Certain, the sheer quantity of podcasts accessible could make it arduous to seek out one thing good. I take heed to plenty of podcasts, so I do know the wrestle. Podcasts are one of many methods I exploit to remain awake whereas making an attempt to get my toddler to sleep at night time, and I prefer to take heed to podcasts whereas cleansing, driving — doing absolutely anything the place background noise is helpful. I’ve began to expire of podcasts to take heed to due to how usually I’ve my AirPods in my ears. This simply causes me to continually seek for the most effective podcasts to stream on Spotify and elsewhere.

Since I am already doing the work on a weekly (if not each day) foundation, here’s a roundup of what I’ve discovered to be the most effective podcasts of 2024 up to now. I’ll preserve this listing up to date month-to-month with my high picks. I’ve additionally sourced enter from Pocket-lint’s editorial staff to find out the most effective and hottest podcasts proper now.

1 Hooked on Freddie

The unbelievable story of a person and his dolphin

Hooked On Freddie tells the story of Alan Cooper, an activist devoted to liberating captive dolphins. In the future in 1987, a wild bottlenose dolphin appeared within the harbor of the English city of Amble. The city turns into obsessive about the creature, making it a neighborhood celeb and naming it Freddie. Finally, Freddie latches on to Alan Cooper, and their relationship has the individuals of Amble asking uncommon questions.

2 Plain English

Complicated subjects damaged down in plain English

Derek Thompson brings on specialists to debate the most important questions going through our world in the present day. Plain English usually does self-contained episodes that revolve round a single topic. Lately, although, the present featured a three-part sequence on the rise of Ozempic-like weight-loss medicine, and one other on the troubling pattern of wars breaking out all through the world. Each three-part sequence are a few of my favourite podcasts I’ve listened to in 2024 up to now, as a result of they pack a ton of expert-level info into quick consumable bites.

3 My Excellent Console

Company choose 5 video games to create their good console

This comparatively new podcast options a variety of friends, together with actors, journalists, comedians, and heavyweights within the online game trade. They construct their “good console” by choosing 5 of their favourite video video games. The perfect episodes function in-depth dialogue about how video video games have an effect on us all, whereas remembering some traditional video games. It is also enjoyable to seek out out individuals you may not count on, like Ronan Farrow, are enormous players.

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4 Morbid

A lightweight-hearted tackle true crime tales

Morbid focuses on all issues spooky, with episodes detailing horrifying true crime tales or historic occasions that get slightly darkish. It is hosted by Alaina Urquhart, an post-mortem technician, and Ash Kelley, an astrology-obsessed hairstylist. The pair preserve issues enjoyable regardless of the topic.

5 The Retrievals

A horrifying true story

Susan Burton narrates the story of dozens of ladies who went to the fertility clinic at Yale hoping to turn out to be moms, however as an alternative, we’re abused by a nurse who stole pain-relieving medicine. The true query the podcast asks, although, is: why did the physician not consider the ladies who had been telling him they had been in excruciating ache?

6 New Heights

The Kelce brothers discuss life, soccer, and Taylor Swift

New Heights is hosted by the Kelce brothers, two future NFL Corridor of Famers. The pair dive deep into their lives as NFL gamers whereas together with friends from their lives. The podcast has exploded in recognition because it merges the Kelce brothers’ background data of the NFL with their very own down-to-Earth comedy. Additionally, it would not harm that Travis began courting Taylor Swift. Possibly she’ll be part of the pod some day.

7 Dan Carlin’s Hardcore Historical past

The perfect historical past podcast

Hardcore Historical past dives deep into all eras of human historical past, discovering attention-grabbing methods to attach our fashionable views to among the most attention-grabbing occasions of the previous. The episodes are lengthy, although, with most of them spanning greater than 4 hours, however that is why there is a pause button. Hardcore Historical past will usually dive deep into subjects over the course of a number of episodes.

Our favourite episodes of Hardcore Historical past embody Ghosts of the Ostfront, which covers the japanese entrance of World Warfare II, and The Celtic Holocaust, which discusses Julius Caesar’s closing expedition in Gaul earlier than returning to Rome to turn out to be Emperor. The sequence actually comes into form with the Punic Nightmares sequence, that are episodes 21 to 23. We might suggest you begin your listening there.

8 The Massive Image

Shining a light-weight on the silver display screen

Hosts Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins deal with every thing Hollywood in The Massive Image. The sequence options a great deal of interviews with the highest stars, critics, and creators in Hollywood. Additionally they deal with all the most important new releases in theaters with episodes you can revisit everytime you catch the movie they talk about. The perfect episodes is perhaps the Film Drafts. Sean, Amanda and a visitor will choose a 12 months after which draft their favourite movies from that 12 months to see who can assemble the most effective crop of flicks.

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9 Shutdown Fullcast

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For a present that begins every episode saying that you simply’re listening to the web’s solely faculty soccer podcast, the Shutdown Fullcast spends as a lot, if no more, time speaking about popular culture, historical past, and faith as they do talk about sports activities. That is largely as a result of the present has lived on for over 10 years regardless of the hosts all being let go from SB Nation, which initially hosted the podcast. We suggest you begin with the catastrophe episodes, which element listener-submitted tales of occasions issues went horribly unsuitable for them. You possibly can try a playlist of simply the catastrophe episodes here.

10 Not One other D&D Podcast

One other D&D podcast (it is simply actually good)

Not One other D&D Pod options 4 buddies enjoying Dungeons and Dragons. The sequence has been round since 2018 and has completed a number of Dungeons and Dragons campaigns within the years since its debut. Meaning an enormous catalog of evergreen episodes you may take heed to at your personal tempo.

11 Gardener’s Query Time

A BBC query and reply present

This audio-version of a BBC present is an effective way to develop your personal inexperienced thumb. It includes a solid of rotating specialists answering questions from actual life gardeners. New episodes are launched weekly, making listening to every episode a great way to pressure your self exterior and into your backyard for a minimum of 40 minutes every week.

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FAQ

Q: Which podcasts did not make the reduce however are nonetheless nice?

Apart from the listing above, this is some extra of our favourite Podcasts damaged out into genres:

Make sure to try the Uncover hubs on the main podcast streaming companies, like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. They will often have new reveals you is perhaps occupied with primarily based on the podcasts you already take heed to.

Q: What’s the most effective app for listening to podcasts?

I’ve switched between Spotify, Apple, and Google Podcasts for my podcast listening. I do not love any of them, however I principally use Spotify now. I’ve been testing Overcast too, due to its supposedly higher sound high quality.

Q: Are you able to speed-up lengthy podcasts?

Podcasts which can be over an hour lengthy could be arduous to suit into one sitting. Each podcast app has an choice to hurry up the playback of podcasts. Should you change the pace as much as 1.2 or 1.5 occasions the common pace of the recording, you may end longer pods like Hardcore Historical past in a fraction of the time.

Q: Do you must pay to take heed to podcasts?

Most podcasts are free. Some podcasts do provide subscription companies that give subscribers entry to unique content material by means of companies like Patreon. You too can subscribe so as to add free variations of podcasts by means of a lot of the podcast streaming companies.