Must-listen Podcasts (2018 ed.)
#Every year or two, I used to publish a list of podcasts that I was currently enjoying. I axed those posts when I moved my blog earlier this year, since they were pretty out of date. However, it is time to resurrect them with a new version. For some of the shows below, I’ve simply copied out what I wrote about them previously, but there are some new entries in the list as well. My tastes tend to be cyclical, so some shows come and go. Those below comprise a mix of ones which have stood the test of time for me, or are currently at the top of my must-listen priority list. I hope you can find something you’ll enjoy as well among these gems.
- The Accidental Tech Podcast Is a Technology Discussion Show Hosted by the Incomparable Marco Arment, John Siracusa, and Another Guy. (Just Kidding, We All Know Who You Are Now, Casey Liss).
- Upgrade is another Apple-centric podcast hosted by Jason Snell and Mike Hurley. It’s also a great listen.
- Automators digs deep into automation on various platforms, including macOS and iOS. It’s just too good! Even experienced users will learn a thing or two from this show, but its also a great place to start if you’re just becoming interested in automation.
- The History Chicks is simply the best history podcast out there—at least as far as I’m concerned, and I listen to quite a few of them. Each episode focuses on a different woman from any part of history, giving tons of context, background, and tidbits that will keep you coming back for more. I find history podcasts to be kind of addictive in the first place, and this is the best of that genre.
- Everything Is Alive is an interview-style show with one tremendous difference: all of the guests are inanimate objects. Seriously, it’s great. Go listen to it. Right now.
- 99 Percent Invisible explores the world of design, whether that’s architecture, clothing, musical instruments, coins, or anything else under the sun. It is fascinating.
- GrammarGirl provides tips and tricks for writing, not always restricted to just grammar. Mignon Fogarty has been doing this successfully since the early days of podcasting, and is there any wonder why? This show is a fantastic resource that she manages to keep both informative and entertaining.
- NPR Ask Me Another is a trivia game show for geeks by geeks, featuring the music of the talented Jonathan Coulton.
- Welcome to Night Vale is very, very hard to describe. Essentially, it is an ongoing story and audio drama set in the fictional desert community of Night Vale. The show’s hero is a host on the local radio station, and each episode largely takes place during his broadcasts. The show is both hilarious and creepy. Many have described it in a variety of ways, but I like to say that it seems like what might’ve been the brain child of Stephen King and the Onion. In fact, there’ve been a few Stephen King reference throughout the series thus far. It’s brilliant!