20 Must-Listen Binge-Worthy Podcasts
It's hard to imagine a world in which you don't have enough podcasts to listen to, but it happens to the best of us. And how many times are you supposed to repeatedly listen to Kylie Minogue while you clean your bathroom?
Okay, fine — the limit does not exist. But variety is the spice of life, and sometimes it feels good to switch things up. What better way to get started than with our list of the most interesting podcasts out there?
The hottest binge-worthy podcasts
If you need new podcasts to listen to, prepare for an embarrassment of riches. Here are 20 podcasts that will fight for the top spot on your Spotify Wrapped next year.
1. Las Culturistas
The easiest first pick of our lives: Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang host the iconic pod Las Culturistas, where both bring their trademark wit and silliness to your ears as they chat about everything pop culture. We're confident you'll become a loyal Reader after just one play.
2. Ologies with Alie Ward
Chow down on some high-brow content with Alie Ward as she interviews professionals in fields that end with -ology. With an essentially endless stream of topics, you'll always have something riveting to listen to — provided there's a Greek suffix for it.
3. Dying for Sex
This podcast is all about sex and relationships, revolving around Molly, who shook up her entire life after an earth-shattering terminal breast cancer diagnosis. Molly has since tragically passed, but her sexcapades live on as an emotional layer cake of self-discovery. This deeply interesting podcast is just as raunchy as it is poignant.
4. Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness
It's cute, it's gorge, it's fierce, but most of all — it's hunty. Getting Curious features the constantly curious Queer Eye sensation Jonathan Van Ness asking experts some of the world's biggest questions, like, “Why are we so rude to bees?” It's the best podcast series for anyone who likes good vibes and high-quality conversation.
5. The Read
Another pop culture podcast you'll want in your rotation, The Read features two queer Black hosts, Kid Fury and Crissle West. If you're a wet, soggy mop just itching to soak up the hottest tea, you better believe these two are here to spill it. But it's not pointless banter: They're giving a platform to shade that has some meat to it.
6. Modern Love
Modern Love is a New York Times podcast that interviews ordinary people about love and relationships. Be warned: You might want to let a bottle of your favorite red breathe before you turn this one on. It's all about the big, beautiful, and often heartbreaking feelings.
7. Scam Goddess
Laci Mosley hosts this laugh-out-loud podcast highlighting grifters, frauds, and criminal masterminds. She goes to great lengths to uncover some of history's most egregious scams in a tongue-in-cheek way that still manages to feel like a true crime podcast — just with a bit more levity.
8. Thirst Aid Kit
Podcasting partners Nichole Perkins and Bim Adewunmi have insatiable appetites for uncovering why we lust the way we do. They talk about what it means to thirst through eye-opening conversations (and saucy fanfic) addressing their celebrity crushes.
9. Small Doses with Amanda Seales
Amanda Seales has a raw talent for giving her listeners whiplash with how quickly she'll pull you from stone-cold truth to wisecracks that'll have you laughing out loud on your commute. The way she boils down everything in the world — from relationships to politics to media — is approachable and undeniable.
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10. SmartLess
SmartLess is a “who’s who” of comedy greats getting together to do what they do best: make people laugh. Hosts Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett conduct interviews with pop-culture juggernauts and get them to share stories you won’t want to miss.
11. Unlocking Us with Brene Brown
Brene Brown has an unmatched capability for teaching people the power of vulnerability. Now, she's bringing it to your favorite podcast platform with Unlocking Us. If you need a daily dose of inspo, you'll find it here every time.
12. Sex with Emily
We love Sex with Emily. And the podcast is good, too! This advice show is the brainchild of sexpert Dr. Emily Morse, who’s never afraid to get her hands and other appendages dirty when it comes to taboo subjects. The frankness in her cadence as she talks about sex is refreshing, and you might just learn something.
13. Maintenance Phase
Maintenance Phase is a fascinating podcast that sees two journalists combat fatphobia as they comb through health and wellness scams from the past and present. You'll learn about everything from apple cider vinegar to the food pyramid — and why neither of those things is what you thought it was. It might be a podcast about diets, but you're always gonna leave it feeling satisfied.
14. Accused
If you're searching for a spooky true crime podcast that will have your teeth chattering like a Saturday morning cartoon, Accused is for you. Each season is an eight-part deep-dive on a cold case with so many twists you'll wonder if it was ghost-written by M. Night Shyamalan.
15. You're Wrong About
Host Sarah Marshall uses her podcast to dismantle your memory palace, brick by brick. The host’s enthralling flow draws you in as Marshall explains how major media events might not be exactly how we remember them.
16. Everything Is Alive
This unscripted talk show heralds some unsung everyday heroes: inanimate objects. It's highly entertaining, completely unique, and helps you see the items you use through an entirely new lens.
17. The Daily
Not necessarily binge-able content, but The Daily from The New York Times is one of the best news podcasts out there. Stay updated with the latest stories and hear from the journalists who reported them. Look how worldly you are!
18. We Can Do Hard Things
Author Glennon Doyle's podcast about life and its many obstacles features masterful conversations with fascinating people. Every topic feels relevant, and you'll leave every episode with a new perspective. Tune in whenever you need a reminder that you've got this, because you absolutely do!
19. Limetown
If you’re a fan of surreal and immersive fiction podcasts à la Welcome to Nightvale, then Limetown should top your to-listen list. This mystery drama will scratch the itch for anyone who misses The X-Files. It was even good enough to briefly get a TV adaptation starring Stanley Tucci.
20. Serial
Did somebody order more murder? This is one of the most binge-worthy true crime podcasts ever and the perfect pick if you like unsolved mysteries. It isn’t quite as lighthearted as Karen Kilgariff's My Favorite Murder, but it’s guaranteed to suck you in.
Your commute is forever changed
You’re sure to become obsessed with at least a few of the best binge-worthy podcasts on this list. Dust off your headphones and make room in your schedule for those cleaning projects you've been putting off; your Britney mix can wait for the weekend.
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