Podcasts are essentially the “grown-up” equivalent of a parent telling you a bedtime story (Although, there are podcasts for that, too). There’s quite literally a podcast for everything. Serial killers, cooking, politics, comedy, Dungeons & Dragonsー what more would you want to hear people talk about? Regardless of your interests, these are some podcasts that you may want to give a listen to.
- This American Life What would a podcast recommendation list be without mentioning “This American Life”? Above all else, “This American Life” is the quintessential podcast. Created by Ira Glass in 1995, this podcast has over 600 hour-long episodes of people sharing stories about their lives. This may not at first seem enticing to you, but when you listen to this podcast, you’re hearing the experiences and insights of hundreds of people
- Story Matters with Curt Mega This podcast is hosted by actor/writer/director/creator Curt Mega, who, in the simplest sense, talks about storytelling. He discusses many aspects of creativity (film, television, writing, theatre, music, etc.) as well as the struggles that often come with choosing to pursue creative careers. Mega doesn’t hide behind a facade that working in a creative field is always fun and exciting, and instead talks about the ups and downs of his career. He also often has guests (Riker Lynch, Tessa Netting, Titus Makin, Joey Richter, etc.) come onto the podcast to discuss their own experiences in their creative fields and various platforms. This podcast is very refreshing in its honesty about “show biz” and its emphasis on the importance of creativity.
- Sleep With Me (The Podcast That Puts You to Sleep) We’ve all been there: it’s 3 o’clock in the morning and you’re laying in bed, still wide awake. “Sleep With Me” could be a solution to your insomniac needs. Host Drew Ackerman, also known as “Scooter” in the podcast, tells stories in a very slow, relaxed tone to help you finally fall asleep. Ackerman’s entire goal is to be so boring that you fall asleep as he’s talking to you. Maybe you’re tired of waiting hours for sleep to finally come, or maybe you just don’t like interesting things. Either way, give this podcast a listen.
- Invisibilia The word invisibilia is Latin for “invisible things.” This podcast, hosted by Lulu Miller, Hanna Rosin, and Alix Spiegel, covers all sorts of invisible things that cause us to behave and think the way we do. “Invisibilia” is a combination of psychological education and clever storytelling, making the topics feel more personal while you’re also still learning. The podcast has covered a wide range of topics, such as fears, personality, technology, and emotions.
If none of the podcasts listed above sparked your interest, there’s certainly at least one podcast out there that will make you want to stare at the wall for six hours while you listen to strangers talk about things. Do a little searching until you find what works for you.
