Luckily, podcasts and audio geekiness go hand in hand of course – and so there’s a plethora of brilliant shows out there about sound. Here are five podcasts that will make you listen to the world differently.

Reasonably Sound

Reasonably Sound is a show that’s unapologetic about getting into the nitty gritty of all things sound. It’s presented by Mike Rugnetta, a writer, sound designer and audio engineer. Each episode zeroes in on a very specific theme – the one I listened to most recently is called ‘The Braaam’, and traces the history and science behind a very specific sound that seems to feature in every action movie trailer.

Mike delves deep into the detail, all the while peppering each episode with casual, tongue-in-cheek humour and weird and wonderful sound effects. He’s got a nice, approachable style – like a friend who’s excitedly sharing their favourite subject with you. Listen here >>

The Sound Detectives

Ostensibly a kids’ show, The Sound Detectives follows Detective Hunch and his new sidekick Audie the Ear – literally an ear – as they track down sounds that have mysteriously gone missing. LeVar Burton is involved too, playing the founder of the new Museum Of Sound. The podcast takes you along on the detectives’ hunt for missing sounds – like the barking of dogs, or the banging of fireworks.

What I love about The Sound Detectives is that it caters to kids and adults alike. There’s clearly an educational element – the first episode features Beth Taylor, Yellowstone Youth Education Program Manager, playing herself, celebrating the return of a mud pot sound and teaching us about her National Park in the process. As well as clever cameos like this, there’s an interactive side to it, too – kids (and maybe adults) get the opportunity to ‘guess the mystery sound’ at the end of each episode.

But also, it’s genuinely funny – whatever your age. The humour is very dry and I feel like Vinny Thomas (Hunch) and Jess McKenna (Audie) are riffing and improv’ing together quite a lot. The result is really nice – you follow the pair into some quirky conversations that you don’t really want to end. It’s not the type of humour I’d expect in a children’s show – offbeat in a really charming way. Listen here >>

99% Invisible

99% Invisible covers all sorts. They’re a podcast about ‘all the thought that goes into the things we don’t think about’ – mostly, all things design and architecture. While the whole podcast isn’t about sound, the specific episode ‘The Sound Of Sports’ has to be included in this article.

This episode really took me aback with how much it taught me about how sound is used in sports programming. Among other things, the episode covers the imaginative ways microphones are used to capture sounds in live play, the way pre-recorded samples can be used when the ‘real’ sounds aren’t available, and even how sounds are used in video games like FIFA, and how that in turn then inspires the audio production for live sports games.

‘The Sound Of Sports’ is a wonderfully thorough episode. In one hour the team delves into an eclectic mix of sports, sounds and production techniques. They get a great range of guests, and these guests’ passion for such a niche subject shines through in a brilliant way. Listen here >>

Twenty Thousand Hertz

Another podcast that offers listeners an unprecedented level of access is Twenty Thousand Hertz, a show that reveals the stories behind the world’s most recognisable and interesting sounds. They’ve explored everything from Minecraft to our ‘inner voices’.

The episode I listened to most recently was called ‘TikTok’s Boom-Bling’, and it featured interviews with the production team behind TikTok’s sonic branding – that small noise that ends every one of their videos.

This was a fascinating listen because of how open the team was. They play a selection of old demos for the TikTok sound, and even share a story about a small mistake that was deliberately left in the finished product. That small mistake made a huge difference – and the fact that the Twenty Thousand Hertz team understands that, shows that they truly get sound. Listen here >>

Song Exploder

Whilst more specifically about music than sound as a whole, this one has a lot for the audio-nerd to appreciate. Produced and edited by host and creator Hrishikesh Hirway, Song Exploder describes itself as a show where ‘musicians take apart their songs, and piece by piece, tell the story of how they were made’. It’s this ‘piece by piece’ element that places Song Exploder on my list today.

Each episode sees a producer or artist unpack the creation of a song, to a really granular level of detail. Their stories are accentuated by different solo instrument stems, or old song demos; (which, if you’re a music geek like me, are wonderful things to hear). It gets you thinking about all the different sounds that go together to make a song. I want to mention the back catalogue, too. A hugely varied list of artists is featured: from Hans Zimmer, to alt-J, to KT Tunstall. Listen here >>

The post 5 podcasts to teach you about sound appeared first on POD BIBLE.

We’re a very podcast-savvy nation now. More than 70% of the UK population are familiar with podcasts, and fewer people are asking “what’s a podcast?” these days. But it can still be hard to know where to start, and easy to be overwhelmed by how many podcasts there are out there.

But don’t worry – Pod Bible is here to help you narrow it down. In fact, that’s what we’ve been about for half a decade now. Our introduction to some of the best podcasts for beginners has been pulled from our magazine archive. These are some of the biggest podcasts around and we’ve laid out who the hosts are, how many episodes there are and why we think you might like these shows if you’ve never listened to a podcast before. Plus, the hosts share their own elevator pitch.

We’re updating this list all the time, so if you’re still dipping your toe in, why not bookmark this page as a cheat-sheet? It could help you sound like the biggest podcast fan in the UK!

1. The Adam Buxton Podcast (Issue #001)

Host: Adam Buxton
Category: General Interviews
Number of episodes: Nearly 200
Listen if you like: Adam Buxton! and other celebrities

The host says: “Three of my favourites, which I’ve listened back to and felt really happy with were Romesh Ranganathan (EP.61) Tash Demetriou (EP. 32 & EP.82) and Tim Key (EP.77). Yes, I know that’s four.”

We say: Where better to start than with the Pod Bible-award-winning, listener favourite, Adam Buxton. His show is a simple format well-executed. His chats with comedians, writers and musicians often only briefly touch on their work, but The Adam Buxton Podcast has been the gold standard of interview podcasts for a little while now. Although technically our first cover-star, Adam only actually made it onto the cover last year. Listen here >>

2. Off Menu (Issue #015)

Host: James Acast and Ed Gamble
Category: Comedy, Arts
Number of episodes: More than 150
Listen if you: enjoy eating food, and watching comedy panel shows

The host says: “Ed Gamble and I invite a guest into the dream restaurant and ask them their favourite ever starter, main course, side dish, drink and dessert. Also, I am a genie.”

We say: Off Menu once nearly crashed our website because the article was so popular. But when Ed Gamble and James Acaster started the show in 2018, they expected to make no more than 10 episodes. Three years and nearly 200 episodes later they’ve heard about some truly delicious menus and some wonderfully bizarre requests. A highlight was the 100th episode, where we finally got to hear the hosts’ own dream menus. Listen here >> 

3. The Guilty Feminist (Issue #013)

Host: Deborah Francis-White
Category: Society & Culture, Comedy
Number of episodes: Over 300
Listen if you: have ever felt like you should be better at feminism…

The host says: “The Guilty Feminist is a podcast about our noble goals as 21st century feminists and our hypocrisies and insecurities, which undermine those goals.”

We say: The Guilty Feminist has grown into a podcasting juggernaut, producing engaging episodes week in, week out while building a loyal live audience. Whilst some podcasts have made the jump to the stage from recording in bedrooms, TGF was always a stage-show, giving it a different energy (and sound) to some shows. Episodes start with a reassuring “I’m a feminist but…” segment that always gets the crowd cheering. Listen here >> 

4. Films To Be Buried With (Issue #023)

Host: Brett Goldstein
Category: Film
Number of episodes: More than 200
Listen if you like: Ted Lasso, the guy who plays Hercules in Marvel…

The host says: “A guest comes on, I tell them they’ve died, then we discuss their life through the films that meant the most to them. What film scared them the most, made them cry the most etc. At the end they pick the film to go in their coffin and take to heaven. Life, death, movies.”

We say: He might be an Emmy-winning actor, writer and comedian. And sure, he is now literally a demi-god in the Marvel franchise. But he will always be a podcaster to us. Considering how busy he is, we’ve been worried he would put his passion project on hold. But not Brett – he hardly takes a week off of this show! Listen here >>

5. The Receipts (Issue #010)

Host: Audrey & Tolly T
Category: Comedy
Number of episodes: More than 150
Listen if you: want to hear real conversations

The hosts say: “The show is made up of our lived experiences and no topic is off limits.”

We say: A bit like jumping into a group chat, The Receipts grew a cult following due to their open and unfiltered approach, where no subject was off limits. This was the type of show that is all about the hosts – alas one third of The Receipts, Milena, left in autumn 2023 – but their relationship with listeners was a massive part of the show too – and the ‘Your Receipts’ feature still gives their community a part to play.

6. Kermode & Mayo’s Take (Issue #022)

Hosts: Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo
Category: Film and TV
Number of episodes: < 50
Listen if you: read Rolling Stone or Empire magazines

The hosts say: “…we are still just chatting about films, life, getting distracted by avocados and elementary physics etc. But delivering a number of pods a week has obviously modernised what we do, breaking it down into more digestible chunks. So hopefully the heritage listeners feel well served, and the new listeners feel fabulously welcome.”

We say: Kermode & Mayo’s Take is technically a new show, but it is also an evolution from the pairs’ Film Review that ran on BBC Radio 5 live. Kermode gets excited about films, Mayo drily undercuts him and there’s a lot of chatter about stuff that has nothing to do with anything. Listen here >>

7. Sh**ged, Married, Annoyed (Issue #004)

Hosts: Chris and Rosie Ramsey
Category: Comedy
Number of episodes: More than 150
Listen if you: like to eavesdrop on couple’s private lives

The hosts say: “[we get] to be funny together as a couple, on our own terms. We can literally say anything we want, and if we are happy to put it out, then out it goes! We record it in our kitchen in our own time and often have to stop recording because someone in the street is mowing their lawn or the fridge is humming. It’s so low rent, but it’s getting a lot of love, so we’re doing something right.”

We say: Chris and Rosie were fun separately, but getting them together on microphone is a real treat for fans. Since we spoke to the couple in August 2019, they’ve gone on to do a live tour and write a book based on this podcast, so we certainly agree that they are doing something right! Listen here >> 

8. No Such Thing As A Fish (Issue #018)

Hosts: James Harkin, Anna Ptaszynski, Andrew Murray and Dan Schreiber
Category: Comedy, History, Science
Number of episodes: More than 450
Listen if you: want to be the type of person who knows the answers on QI

The hosts say: “The first elevator shaft was built four years before the elevator was invented. If that intrigues you, then you’ll like our show. (You’ll like it even more if the mere mention of the word ‘shaft’ made you giggle).”

We say: This award-winning podcast from the QI offices is quite interesting in and of itself. It’s an example of how podcasts can cross genres, giving us some facts and figures, as well as some silliness too. Listen here >>

9. Soundtracking (Issue #003)

Host: Edith Bowman
Category: Music, Film
Number of episodes: More than 300
Listen if you: think the soundtracks are the best part of the film

The host says: “The episode we recorded with Jon Favreau was our first ever and I am forever in his debt for being so enthusiastic and willing to jump on board with us. And then our very first episode with Ben Wheatley, he’s such a great supporter of the podcast, we appreciate his love so much. He’s been on three times now!”

We say: With an outstanding broadcasting career behind her, Edith Bowman knows a thing or two about creating engaging audio. In Soundtracking, she has conversations with film directors, actors, producers and composers to shine a spotlight on how music is used in film. We’re surprised there aren’t more radio shows dedicated to movie soundtracks, because the stories that come from the creators on this show are fascinating. Listen here >>

10. Stephen Fry’s 7 Deadly Sins (Issue #009)

Host: Stephen Fry
Category: Society & Culture
Number of episodes: 9
Listen if you: want an in-depth exploration of the human heart

The host says: “I think it offers a different way of looking at the problems of the world without recourse to the usual blandishments of echo chamber politics and culture on the one hand or endless reiterations of neoBuddhist mindfulness on the other. With all due respect to both brands of podcast.”

We say: Best known for his acting and presenting (as well as being a bonafide National Treasure) Stephen Fry released his first ‘Podgram’ way back in 2008! 7 Deadly Sins was only a short-run series, but the combination of music, Stephen’s wonderful narration and the deep research on each of the sins make this a great starting point for new podcast listeners. Listen here >>

11. The Kurupt FM Podkast (Issue #012)

Host: Beats, Chabuddy G, Grindah, Steves
Category: Comedy
Number of episodes: 13
Listen if you like: Mockumentaries, strong language and dangerously high level lyrical content.

The hosts say: “First of all I would never pitch anything in an elevator. We’re way above that now. I’d probably get the Best Podcast award that we won out of my bag and just hold it out in front of me and then when the other people in the lift ask “why have you got that award?” I’d explain; We do an award winning podcast called The Kurupt FM Podkast where we talk about different topics and help you to understand them. The best way to describe it is probably it’s like injecting pure knowledge directly into your brain using headphones.”

We say: Audible may be best known for audio books, but it was natural for them to step into podcasts with Audible Originals. This mocumentary follows on from the BBC TV show People Just Do Nothing. After the world’s biggest pirate radio station, Kurupt FM, shut down, the team rose from the ashes as a podcast – this podcast. Only available on Audible >>

12. Table Manners (Issue #011)

Host: Jessie and Lennie Ware
Category: Comedy, Arts (food)
Number of episodes: Over 200
Listen if you: want to hear the real version of ‘the dream dinner party’

The hosts say: “Our podcast elevator pitch is a mother and daughter duo invite a guest round to their house for a ‘friday night dinner’. Friday night dinner was always a big thing in our house. I’d have friends over for dinner and mum would cook, but she couldn’t resist joining in the conversations we’d have and the podcast basically became a continuation of that. We’ve been lucky to have some really amazing and fascinating guests round to mums for dinner – it’s great fun – a great meal and a chat!”

We say: Jessie Ware is perhaps still most famous as a singer, but Lennie Ware is certainly most famous for this podcast. A great example of authentic conversations caught on microphone. Get the table ready, pick your favourite guest and join in. Listen here >> 

13. Hip Hop Saved My Life (Issue #006)

Host: Romesh Ranganathan and RuMaj
Category: Music
Number of episodes: 135
Listen if you like: Hip hop or Romesh Ranganathan or RuMaj.

The hosts say: “we had Afrika Baby Bam from the Jungle Brothers on the podcast [that] was when I first realised that this thing that started off as a hobby had somehow enabled me to be in the same room as legends who had shaped my life, and people who I admire so much.”

We say: Romesh Ranganathan may be one of the busiest men in show business, but that didn’t stop him from starting a podcast about one of his biggest passions in life – hip hop. Romesh of course brings his comedy credentials into this show, but the music and artists are the focus here. Listen here >> 

14. Drunk Women Solving Crime (Issue #008)

Host: Hannah George, Catie Wilkins and Taylor Glenn
Category: True Crime, Comedy
Number of episodes: More than 200
Listen if you: fancy yourself as a Sherlock Holmes – booze and all

The hosts say: “Drunk Women is the most fun I’ve ever had at work. Only a podcast could allow for this kind of format, and we are in charge of our content completely. That’s what’s exhilarating about podcasts vs other mediums.”

We say: Our favourite slightly-sozzled super-sleuths, each episode of Drunk Women Solving Crime tackles true crime in a slightly different way. Rather than gruesome, the crimes chosen are personal, petty and – sometimes – pointless. It makes for a far more relaxed atmosphere, and the drunkenness fits perfectly. Listen here >> 

15. Say Your Mind (Issue #017)

Host: Kelechi Okafour
Category: Society & Culture, Current Affairs
Number of episodes: More than 250
Listen if you: Want a rallying call from Kelechi Okafour

The host says: “Say Your Mind is the current affairs podcast that you might not want to listen to on loudspeaker at work, but you definitely want to listen to regardless. The podcast expertly combines tarot, current affairs and pop culture into one expletive filled fun time and is delivered to you from the perspective of a Nigerian-British Baby Girl. I am the Baby Girl FYI.”

We say: As the media is starting to realise, actress, director and public speaker Kelechi Okafor is one of the most powerful and important voices around at the moment. Kelechi Okafor wears many hats and as her podcast has grown she has built herself the perfect platform to show each one off in all its glory – though its 280th and final episode went out in late January 2024. Say Your Mind will be missed. Listen here >>

16. Happy Place (Issue #007)

Host: Fearne Cotton
Category: Society & Culture
Number of episodes: Nearly 200
Listen if you like: Insights to celebrities’ lives

The host says: “Often we think of people in the public eye, revered characters or academics as above us but when they let loose and allow us to delve beneath the surface we can all experience a deeper level of connection.”

We say: Broadcaster and positivity pioneer Fearne Cotton transitioned brilliantly from the regimented format of TV and radio to the flexibility of podcasting. These aren’t interviews, but rather a conversation that’s relaxed and really gives us a sense of the real people behind some of the most famous names in showbiz. Listen here >>

17. My Dad Wrote A Porno (Issue #014)

Hosts: Jamie Morton, James Cooper and Alice Levine
Category: Comedy
Number of episodes: 168
Listen if you: Like rude, crude and incredibly lewd shows!

The hosts say: “Do you like porn? Do you like laughing? Then you’ll love My Dad Wrote A Porno.”

We say: One of the most recommended podcasts, My Dad Wrote a Porno have been downloaded more than 430m downloads globally since its launch in 2015, as well as selling out two world tours of the live show. Celebrity guests have included Hamilton’s Lin Manuel Miranda and Dame Emma Thompson. MDWAP has now sadly ended, so if you’re overwhelmed with the weekly aspect of some podcasts, this will give you a chance to catch-up. Listen here >>

18. Wrighty’s House (Issue #019)

Hosts: Ian Wright
Category: Sport
Number of episodes: 100 +
Listen if you like: Football punditry with the social commentary

The host says: “Wrighty’s House is a safe place where a group of friends come together and talk about football in a very inclusive and positive way. It’s my yard! It’s the place where the WhatsApp group comes to life.”

We say: This podcast allows listeners access to a national legend without the filter of traditional broadcasting. It’s no exaggeration to say that having Wrighty as a Pod Bile coverstar was a highlight. His infectious enthusiasm and unapologetic honesty make this a must listen, but the way he elevates and learns from each of his co-hosts is also a joy to behold. A Pod Bible favourite. Listen here >>

19. The Blindboy Podcast (Issue #017)

Host: Blindboy
Category: Comedy, Solo
Number of episodes: More than 260
Listen if you: want to hear a real-life Krapp’s Last Tape every single week

The host says: “My podcasts are monologue essays on whatever topic I’m genuinely passionate about at that moment. I’d consider them to be pieces of writing, because I approach a podcast like I would a piece of writing. I try to bring the structure, prose and storytelling of fiction, to subject matter that is factual.”

We say: Who is Blindboy? A storyteller? A poet? A journalist? A historian? A musician? If you listen to the Blindboy podcast, you’ll find out that he’s all of the above and more… Listen here >> 

20. RedHanded (Issue #021)

Hosts: Hannah Maguire & Suruthi Bala
Category: True crime
Number of episodes: Nearly 350
Listen if you: want a good example of a True Crime podcast

The hosts say: “RedHanded is the ultimate true crime podcast for people who want more than crime. We aim to cover all sorts of cases, the obvious ones like Chris Watts and Casey Anthony to ones that other true crime podcasts don’t – like the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khasgohhi and the evolution of the satanic panic into modern day QAnon. RedHanded is for people who want all the facts, along with thoughtful analysis, but delivered like they are just down the pub with their mates.”

We say: What started as a passion project between friends quickly became one of the most successful true crime podcasts around. The show hits differently than popular US-counterparts – Hannah and Suruthi cover crimes from both sides of the Atalantic, and they can give UK-listeners context that American shows might assume people know. Listen here >>

21. Football Ramble (Issue #005)

Hosts: Marcus Speller, Jules Breach, Luke Aaron Moore, Andy Brassell, Pete Donaldson, Vithushan Ehantharajah, Jim Campbell, Kate Mason, Dotun Adebayo
Category: Sport
Number of episodes: 1729 and counting!
Listen if you: Love football (or know someone who does and want to impress them)

The hosts say: “Taking a show that a number of years ago only used to release one knockabout podcast a fortnight and getting it to a stage where it puts out six vastly different types of show every week was and is a huge undertaking. It’s been a real team effort and we’re very proud of it.”

We say: Football Ramble has changed quite a bit since it started in 2007, but one thing that’s been a mainstay is the level of entertainment. The Ramble gang consistently tackle each aspect of the game with a nuanced and thoughtful approach, whilst not losing the best level of silliness. It’s also worth checking out the offshoot podcast, Upfront. Listen here >> 

22. WTF with Marc Maron (issue #024)

Host: Marc Maron, obviously
Category: Interviews, Arts
Number of episodes: More than 1500. Yep – one thousand five hundred and sixteen, and no sign of slowing down.
Listen if you: What to hear an OG podcaster, and why every interview podcast that follows owes Maron a pint.

The host says: “The secret of being a good podcaster? Being interested and listening and having a good producer.”

We say: Probably the podcast which deserves the title of ‘podcast which made podcasts podcasts’ more than any other podcast. Maron’s laidback style and feel for the flow of a conversation is balanced by his deeply engaged and well prepped questioning convinced a general public who had yet to see the point of this weird radio-but-not-radio thing of its benefits. Namely: you can go deep and long with conversations in a way that live production just won’t allow. Normally you’d say Maron walked so Adam Buxton and the like could run, but Maron was sprinting pretty much out of the gate. Listen here >>

23. RHLSTP with Richard Herring (Issue #002)

Hosts: Richard Herring
Category: Comedy
Number of episodes: If including bonuses and re-runs, over 550
Listen if you: Like stand-up comedy, and especially if you miss live shows

The host says: “[listen to] the episode of Collings and Herrin where I called Andrew’s mum “a fucking idiot” as it was a real moment of surprise and risk, which opened up a whole new door as to what was possible in this medium. Could have ended it all there and then, but luckily we held on for a few more years!”

We say: The Guardian calls him “The Podfather” and Richard has a huge amount of podcast credits, but the RHLSTP is the one to start with. We remember when this was called ‘Richard Herring’s Leicester Square Theatre Podcast’ but at some point in the last 400 episodes the venue changed and the name was shortened. Check out the back-catalogue for episodes with Stephen Fry, Eddie Izzard, Dawn French, David Mitchell, Katherine Ryan and Brian Blessed and many more. Listen here >> 

24. Feel Better, Live More (issue #026)

Host: Dr Rangan Chatterjee
Category: Health
Number of episodes: More than 350
Listen if you like: Simple, straight-talking advice to make every day healthier.

The host says: “My podcast is about empowering every single listener to be the architect of their own health and happiness. Health is so much more than just our food choices and our exercise habits. It is about our relationships, our mindset, the way we approach conflict and the way we manage stress. The key message behind my show is that all of us can feel better than we currently do, and that it is not as hard as you might think.”

We say: The conflicting messages we get all the time about what we should and shouldn’t be doing with our bodies can be deeply confusing, but Rangan Chatterjee’s clear, waffle-free interviews with experts and holistic approach makes it all feel a lot more achievable. Listen here >>

25. Off Air with Jane and Fi (issue #025)

Hosts: Jane Garvey and Fi Glover.
Category: Arts, Comedy
Number of episodes: 135 and counting
Listen if you: Like BBC Radio Four, The Times or unencumbered chat between women…

The host says: “Women of a certain age have their sentences finished by other women of a certain age,” says Jane. Fi adds: “And sometimes it’s funny.”

We say: More than sometimes, Fi. Some broadcasters have the ability to make you feel like you’re listening to a friend you’ve known for a very long time; it’s even more rare to find a duo who both have that, and can make you feel like you’re a part of their gang. Jane and Fi are one of those duos. Whether they’re interviewing novelists or arguing over what makes the perfect hot cross bun, they’re always excellent company. Listen here >>

26. Wolf & Owl (Issue #020)

Hosts: Tom Davis (The Wolf) and Romesh Ranganathan (The Owl)
Category: Comedy
Number of episodes: Over 100
Listen if you: want an entertaining waste of time

The hosts say: “Two buddies chatting nonsense for an hour each week, join us, you might just learn something about the World and maybe, about yourself.”

We say: Romesh is the only podcaster who’s made it onto our cover more than once! Two men having a chat is hardly a new trend in the world of podcasting, but when the men involved share humour, vulnerability and an undying love for each other then you’re probably on to a winner. Listen here >> 

27. Pod Save The UK  (Issue #027)

Hosts: Nish Kumar and Coco Khan
Category: Politics/Comedy
Number of episodes: 25
Listen if you: Need a fun way of knowing what’s going on in the UK

The hosts say: “A progressive politics podcast from an outsider’s perspective, where the listener isn’t talked down to and instead lifted up and encouraged to engage in politics – all through the prism of hope and humour.”

We say: A podcast probably can’t save the UK, but it can certainly save you some time by explaining what’s actually going on in UK politics. With only a small back-catalogue, episodes that are timely, and hosts you likely know from elsewhere, this is a great podcast to start with if you get overwhelmed by the always-on nature of some podcasts. Listen here >>

28. Closet Confessions (Issue #028)

Hosts: Candice Brathwaite and Coco Sarel
Category: Comedy
Number of episodes: Over 70
Listen if you: Want TikTok levels of truth in a longer form

The hosts say: “Closet Confessions is recorded in an actual working closet (so we’re surrounded by a lot of pretty shoes). Myself and Sarel kick off with a confession each, then we take a pop culture moment and expand on it like a spider diagram. And the last segment, we call the Closet Cousins, we go to a listener’s confession, chop it up, and try to help. It’s sisterhood and community based. It’s extremely funny. Someone said ‘spiritual’.”

We say: Candice and Sarel have managed to build a community of listeners that span generations, but who are all in on their inside jokes. The podcast feels like a safe space for everyone who shares their own confessions. If you value sisterhood – or want an insight to it – this podcast is for you!  Listen here >>

29. Dish (Issue #028)

Hosts: Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett
Category: Food and Drink
Number of Episodes: 70
Listen if you: Are a foodie who wants dinner chats about the food

The hosts say: “Dish is a podcast about food and entertaining, I do it with Nick Grimshaw, obviously, who’s just incredible. We interview guests as if they’re coming to our house for dinner and it’s literally set up like that, you know. People come and they have a great dinner!”

We say: A simple yet nourishing recipe for one of the best new podcasts of recent years. We caught up with Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett to discuss their appetising show, dish…

Listen here >>

30. Cuddle Club (Issue #030)

Host: Lou Sanders
Category: Comedy
Number of episodes: More than 140
Listen if you: Short celeb conversations that feel like a hug

The host says: “Woman asks nosy questions to comedians and strangers. No, it’s really a way into relationships. I’m fascinated by what makes people who they are. Was your mum an asshole? Do you have commitment issues? And what gives you a drive? It’s that kind of thing, but funnier.”

We say: A podcast about cuddling? Sign us up! But there’s a lot more to it than that…

Want more podcast recommendations? Check out the back catalogue of Pod Bible magazine, or search our website for more reviews, interviews and podcast recommendations. 

The post 30 of the BEST podcasts for beginners appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Whilst you could get them some equipment – microphones or headphones – but you always run the risk of getting the wrong one. So my suggestion is to follow the lovely Icelandic tradition, and give them a podcast-related book. There are loads of books based on podcasts or by podcasters, and the best thing is – they are super simple to wrap too!

So if you’re after books based on podcasts, here are eleven of the best.

Sh**ged. Married. Annoyed.
by Chris & Rosie Ramsey

The husband and wife have been chatting about almost everything on their chart-topping podcast for nearly five years now, and they’ve committed their conversations to paper too. Sh**ged. Married. Annoyed by Chris & Rosie Ramsey goes through “the ups and downs and ins and outs of love, sex and relationships”. Author Daisy May Cooper said she “Laughed ’til I cried reading this. An absolute triumph!”. Find out more >>

The Rest Is History: The Official Book from the Makers of the Hit Podcast
By Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook

Released earlier this year, The Rest Is History is a great addition to the podcast from historians Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook. It gives you a whistle-stop tour through the past by answering questions such as ‘did the Trojan War actually happen?’ and ‘how did a hair appointment almost blow Churchill’s cover?’. This is also a great present for history fans! Find out more >>

Diary of a CEO
by Steven Barlett

Steven Barlett’s podcast is consistently one of the most popular podcasts in the UK, so when he released his companion book earlier this year it was big news. The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business, Marketing and Life is partly based on interviews from his show, and promises to teach the reader principles ‘rooted in psychology and behavioral science’ that can apply to any industry. Find out more >>

What’s That Lady Doing?
by Lou Sanders

The host of Cuddle Club is a regular face on television and a regular voice on podcasts, but this step into literature is a new medium for her. And it’s worth saying that What’s That Lady Doing? shows a new side of Lou in an incredibly sincere memoir. As one review said “A memoir with this much rape and alcoholism in it has absolutely no business being so funny. But it is fucking hilarious.” Find out more >>

From Gay to Ze
By Lotte Jeffs and Stu Oakley

Lotte Jeffs and Stu Oakley broke new audio-ground with their first podcast, Some Families, which talked about the logistics of LGBTQ+ parenting. Their book The Queer Parent: Everything You Need to Know From Gay to Ze breaks literary ground as the first LGBTQ+ parenting book to ever be published by a major author. As the writers said to us earlier this year “Isn’t that insane?”. Find out more >>

It’s A Continent
by Chinny Ukata and Astrid Madimba

Chinny Ukata and Astrid Madimba educate and entertain listeners about the history of Africa with their podcast It’s A Continent. The book follows in its footsteps, appreciating the identity of each nation and exploring key historical moments that have shaped the continent, in an easily digestible, satirical (and shady) format. I was super excited to see the mention of Pod Bible in the bio at the start because we featured the podcast as a great women’s history podcast way back in 2021! Find out more >>

Adnan’s Story: The Search for Truth and Justice After Serial
By Rabia Chaudry

Serial is often credited with starting the first podcast boom – it has won every major award for broadcasting, including the first-ever Peabody awarded to a podcast. The epitome of the true crime genre, it is steeped in its own controversy. Rabia Chaudry’s book delves into the case on a much wider level, offers new content and evidence, and questions aspects that were only touched on – or not even reported – in the podcast. Find out more >>

How To Fail
By Elizabeth Day

Another hugely popular podcast, there are twelve whole seasons of How To Fail to catch up on. Elizabeth Day has spoken to hundreds of people about their failures and what it taught them. The book shines the light more on the author and is described as ‘part memoir, part manifesto’. This is a great one to give someone so they can start their new year on a positive – or learn to embrace the negative. Find out more >>

Welcome to Night Vale
by Joseph Fink & Jeffrey Cranor

Whilst the Welcome To Night Vale podcast is in the style of a radio show, the book is a more traditional narrative. There are three book tie-ins to the series, and in this first, nineteen-year-old pawn shop owner Jackie Fierro is determined to uncover the mystery of “King City”. Other books in the series are It Devours! and The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives In Your Home. Find out more >>

Women vs Hollywood: The Fall and Rise of Women in Film
By Helen O’Hara

Empire magazine’s ‘geek queen’, Helen O’Hara, explores women’s roles – both in front of and behind the camera – since the birth of Hollywood, how those roles are reflected within wider society and what we can do to level the playing field. The podcast and book were released as a joint venture and therefore feed into each other really well.  This book ticks the boxes for anyone who likes cinema, podcasts or books. Find out more >>

The Breakup Monologues: The Unexpected Joy of Heartbreak
By Rosie Wilby

One of our regular writers, Rosie has done the full circle from writing her book, to making her podcast, and back to writing books. The Breakup Monologues is the book that came out of her podcast of the same name, and Rosie explore the psychology of love and heartbreak by drawing on her own and others’ experiences. You can read more about the journey in our interview with her. Find out more >>

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Congratulations on your 1000th episode! How are you celebrating?

Ha – the curse of the daily podcast means our celebrations involve recording, publishing and planning – the juggernaut never stops! We may allow ourselves a reflective hour or so – unless there’s breaking news – in which case, back to the grindstone!

More than 3 years of daily episodes – have you ever missed a day?

Aside from Bank Holidays no – and we make up for those by doing some special bonus episodes. That’s the thing with news annoyingly, it’s never ending!

What are you most proud of?

I think to be a small independent publisher in news is extremely tough – so I’m really proud we’ve taken on the giants and often beaten them! Our size means we are far more nimble and can make decisions a lot faster than our peers – which really helps. They have the budget and the teams, we have agility and personality.

Does the 7 minute limit make it easier or harder to do a daily show?

At first it made it incredibly difficult. How could we possibly fit all the news in (Especially as we launched on the day Boris came out of hospital after Covid). But as we found our feet, it’s become a real feat of engineering – we are probably the most efficient sub-editors on earth! Not an ounce of flab is allowed in our episodes – there’s no time!

Tell us about the survey -where did that idea come from?

I live on social media and therefore constantly feel I’m trapped in a bubble of my own making. Hopefully this survey will give us at the Smart 7 a real sense of where our listener’s heads are at, what they’re concerned about and what their hopes are for the future of the nation. Not only will this help us make the podcast better – the results will definitely be of interest to everyone.

Listen and subscribe to The Smart 7 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

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Even as she moves away from the medium, this is why Emma Gannon loves podcast and podcasting.

PB: WHY DO YOU LOVE PODCASTS?

EG: I love the fact that it’s such a democratic medium — anyone can make and upload one as it’s a low barrier to entry and pretty easy to make! I’ve always loved audio and the way that as a listener you have to use your imagination, and that you can go on long walks with some company in your ears. I also love podcasting in general for female broadcasters who can get their views across without being interrupted

WHAT WAS THE FIRST PODCAST YOU EVER LISTENED TO?

Probably the Ricky Gervais podcast because it’s a million years old. But the first one I remember properly listening to was Elizabeth Gilbert’s Magic Lessons and it was the podcast that inspired me to start my own.

WHICH PODCASTER MAKES YOU LAUGH THE MOST?

Probably my friend Stevie Martin who hosts the Nobody Panic podcast. She cracks me up, and now that I can’t see her in person during this time, at least I get to laugh along to her podcast. I listen to it when I’m solo travelling — it’s a really comforting, warm and funny podcast.

WHICH PODCAST HAS EDUCATED YOU THE MOST??

I would say Ester Perel’s podcast Where Should We Begin? – the first podcast that recorded real therapy sessions between couples. She is incredible and everything she says is eye opening. You’re basically getting free therapy.

CAN YOU RECOMMEND A PODCAST OUR READERS MAY NOT HAVE HEARD OF?

I love the podcast Forever35 with two LA hosts Kate and Doree— a podcast all about selfcare, switchoff time and beauty treatments. I listen in the bath with a glass of wine – bliss! On Ctrl Alt Delete, Emma Gannon chats to guests about careers and their relationship with the internet. It has the same name as Emma’s book published by Ebury Penguin Random House and has had nearly 5 million downloads since launch. It has been recommended by The Times, ELLE, Marie Claire, Red Magazine and many more.

You can catch up on Ctrl Alt Delete on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

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With casting for a brand new Bond still in its early stages, a top-to-bottom reboot on the cards and nothing much happening in the near future, it’s a good time to dig into the back catalogue of the man who makes functional alcoholism with a side-order of post-traumatic stress disorder look exotic and saucy.

The Bond pod-verse is one which skews pretty severely male – and particularly toward formats where two blokes talk to each other about one film for ages – but there are other, more interesting and provocative takes out there too.

Here are some of the best James Bond podcasts out there.

The James Bond A to Z Podcast

The sprawling, interconnected, frequently quite strange history of Bond from his roots in Ian Fleming’s novels to the films, games and comics is a bit of a mess. It needs organising. Journalists Tom Butler and Tom Wheatley and comedian Brendan Duffy start at the top of the alphabet and work their way through, from Aston Martin and Ken Adam to Cubby Broccoli, Blofeld and onward. Telling a definitive history of James Bond is a daunting task – its fandom is very sensitive to people getting Bond wrong (copyright A Partridge) – but the three hosts draw on a really deep well of knowledge to give the people responsible for Bond their dues. Listen now on your podcast player >>

Smersh Pod

What started as host John Rain and friends rewatching all the Bond films and ripping them to pieces together – though always from a place of great love and respect – has mushroomed into an all-purpose cinematic snark-athon taking in any films even tangentially related to Bond actors. That means you get classic Pierce Brosnan joints like Mamma Mia! and The Lawnmower Man, Connery’s The Hunt for Red October and The Rock, and the Timothy Dalton-Mae West comedy musical Sextette. Very daft, very sweary and very funny. Listen now on your podcast player >>

No Time To Die: The Official James Bond Podcast

Now mothballed of course, there are nevertheless a lot of useful tidbits about the making of Daniel Craig’s final Bond film here, and as is usually the case with in-house promo pods, the access is second to none. Everyone involved in the film pops up here, from Craig himself to director Cary Joji Fukunaga, Rami Malek and the rest of the gang, and it goes well beyond just gassing up the last film and instead picks apart what makes a Bond film a Bond film. That means deep dives on the music, the locations and the way that the fictional spy has been moulded by the real world. Listen now on your podcast player >>

The Great James Bond Car Robbery

Though he’s adept at getting hold of all sorts of stolen bits and pieces on behalf of HM Government, Bond has never been part of a heist crew. And fair enough: he usually leaves a trail of destruction behind him. But a real-life heist sprung in a Florida aircraft hangar in 1997 was easily as strange and inexplicable as that gondola hovercraft Roger Moore drove through Venice in Moonraker. An Aston Martin DB5 used in Goldfinger and Thunderball and estimated to be worth £18.5 million is missing, but specialist sleuths are on the case. Elizabeth Hurley narrates. Listen now on your podcast player >>

James Bond & Friends

From the people behind the fansite MI6 HQ, this is a holistic, 360-degree expert’s eye view on pretty much every iteration of Bond, from the films to novels and video games to cartoon spin-off series James Bond Jr. Yep, it’s another let’s-watch-the-movies-in-order kind of a pod, but you know why people keep doing that? Because it works. And this load of Bond fans really do know their stuff. Alongside MI6 HQ’s James Page is a coalition of Bond aficionados who’ve read every ‘for your eyes only’ secret dossier out there, while regular guests include Dr Lisa Funnell, an academic whose research focuses on Bond and gender. Listen now on your podcast player >>

Kill James Bond

If you’re less pie-eyed about Bond and his penchant for murder, following his horn and the more yikes-y quips of yesteryear, this one might be more your thing. Abi, Alice and Devon (who produces the very good comedy/economics/current affairs/whatever pod Trashfuture) have watched all the Bond films and go in on them with both feet. Their assessment of Bond’s flat as seen in Spectre (“He has one crate of Gamer Fuel he’s using as a chair”) is worth the admission alone, and they’ve expanded out into anything even vaguely spy-adjacent since. The good news is you don’t need to have seen Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London to enjoy their work. Listen now on your podcast player >>

Desert Island Discs

It’s a mark of how venerable Desert Island Discs is that it was already two decades old by the time Ian Fleming washed up to pick his tunes with Roy Plomley in 1963. (As well as Rosemary Clooney and Edith Piaf, he picked the appropriately noirish Harry Lime Theme from The Third Man.) Roger Moore dropped in in 1981, while latterday M Dame Judi Dench reflected on her time sending Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig to almost certain death in 2015, and iconic set designer Ken Adam has been set adrift. Bond composer John Barry has done it too, as have a raft of Bond theme song acts: Macca, Lulu, Sir Tom Jones, Adele and Dame Shirley Bassey all feature.

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Even if they don’t quite fit the criteria for my favourite shows, there’s a variety of hip hop related podcast that are most definitely worth a mention. They are either very new, or don’t exactly fit the Hip Hop podcast criteria, but they are doing great work and deserve celebrating!

Wax Poetics

Hosts: Andria Lislie and Matt Rogers

This is an artistic and creative podcast, that chucks in samples and cuts up the hosts talking. If you’re new to Wax Poetics, they are one of the most trusted sources of written media surrounding hip hop. Their vast knowledge and deep love of music has led to them being ambassadors of the scene. After a long absence from the scene, the team ran a successful crowdfunding campaign to relaunch the magazine in physical and digital form, seeing them enter the world of podcasts. Just like with the sequels, there’s a benefit to knowing the world of WP, but it’s a great journey. This pod is available on their website and Mixcloud. A brand new podcast for early 2021, it’s well worth keeping this on your radar. Listen now >>

Questlove Supreme

Hosts: Questlove, Phonte, Boss Bill, Laiya, Suga Steve, Unpaid Bill

This is a different kind of podcast, bridging the gap between interviews and group chat shows, think Drink Champs meets Letterman!
There’s an organic feel to this show which draws you in. It’s not just about the guest, it’s about Quest and his team, which is a stellar like up in itself. It’s an old one, but suggestion as to where to start would be the Q-Tip episode, as I it gives you a sense of what the show is all about. Listen now >>

Who We Be talks

Hosts: Henrie Kwushue and Harry Pinero (formerly DJ Semtex)

Recently revamped, Who We Be is a strong brand within the podcast community. As an official Spotify podcast, it has a defined structure and flow. On a personal level, I preferred DJ Semtex as a host, as he was much more embedded within the scene, and had personal relationships with the artists, which led to some profound interviews. A stand out episode being his interview with Common which led to the Chi Town MC talking incredibly openly and honestly with him due to their longstanding affiliation. The new format sees Henrie, a former Reprezent DJ and Harry, a Stormzy affiliated host join a variety of guests from the emerging UK rap scene. The podcast is filmed and available on a wide variety of platforms. Listen now >>

Big Rap Cookbook

Hosts: Fatty & Booda French

This is a passion led podcast, fusing hip hop and food. The duo created a book of the same name that explores some of Hip Hop’s most respected artists in the scene. They find connections between the artists and their culinary interests and dig deep to find out how food has inspired their music. The limited edition books had a huge buzz around them which prompted the beginnings of the podcast. It’s a simple yet unusual concept and works really well with some great guests. Standouts include Last Skeptik, Masta Ace and Juga-naut. Listen now >>

Sneakernomics

Hosts: DJ Ace & Nicholas Smith

BBC Sounds offer possibly the most in depth sneaker history podcast to date. This pod series mixes truth with imagined history, with voice actors recreating pivotal moments in sneaker history. With Smith’s encyclopedic knowledge of the history of trainers, alongside Ace’s passion and context. Listen now >>

Shotgun The Aux

Hosts: Aidan, Tom and Jake

Through interviews and classic album reviews, the podcast stemmed from a Bournemouth, UK based clothing label. The team have developed a strong online following, and really focus on UK hip hop. It’s a good listen, with some hosts who are passionate about exploring their scene. Stand out guests include Chester P, Mac Lloyd, Genesis Elijah and a vast range of UK hip hop luminaries. Listen now >>

Legacy podcasts

The following podcasts either no longer run or are no longer running in their original form, but they’re hugely influential to the world of hip hop podcasts so they need to be in the mix here.

Microphone Check

Hosts: Ali Shaheed Mohammed and Frankie Kelly

With the last episode launched in 2019, this is now a legacy podcast, but the guest list is stellar! Starting as an NPR show, it’s hosted by the legendary Ali Shaheed Mohammed of A Tribe Called Quest alongside Frankie Kelly. The hosts are both deep within the hip hop scene, and often their guests are friends, previous collaborators or similar, allowing for in depth conversations that span complex and at points challenging topics. The hosts aren’t scared to ask challenging questions, and the production on the show is flawless. Some of their guests are very rarely interviewed, which added to the mystique of Microphone Check. Guests include Mac Miller, Raphael Saadiq, Talib Kweli and a real mixture of other hip hop / music luminaries. Listen now >>

The Combat Jack show

Hosts: Reggie Osse

One of the original Hip Hop show, hosted by the former editor of The Source Magazine. Reggie (aka Combat Jack) was the go to for all things hip hop, with a near on encyclopedic knowledge of the scene. His show was in depth, well produced, and highly respected. The show also had a TV version on Complex. Reggie’s death in 2017 rocked the hip hop world, and many current shows still cite the Combat Jack Show as an influence. Listen now >>

NB: Reggie was the host of the Gimlet produced Mogul, a series base podcast that dug deep into hip hop. Each season focuses on a particular time in the genre and the wider impact on the creative communities.

The Cipher

Host: Shawn Setaro

Shawn is a great host and also a talented podcast producer, If his name is attached to a project it’s well worth checking out. Ending in 2019, the podcast had over 200 episodes, all interview focused, with true Hip Hop royalty. Having been immersed in the scene for a long time, Shawn knows his stuff, and really delves into the guest’s motivations and history. Listen now >>

Juan EP

Hosts: Peter Rosenberg and cipha sounds

Seen by many as the original hip hop podcast, these guys have created a die hard audience, including live shows.  Listen now >>

Book Of Rhymes

Host: Donwill

Donwill is a member of Tanya Morgan (who are great by the way!), and is also an aspiring comedian. This natural and laid back podcast has a range of guests with a common theme of exploration and self development through rhyme. Listen now >>

Let The Record Show

Hosts: Mike Pizzo and Warren Peace

The last episode of this pod was October 2020, so the hope is that it’s coming back Post-Covid. The format for this show is great, and visually stimulating alongside the sonics. The hosts sit around a turntable with their guest, having found vinyl version, often rare copies, of their guests favourite and most influential music. They then proceed to play the track in the background whilst their guest talks through the record and why they like it, often finding ways to link back to their own musical journey and collaborations. The format works well, and there’s interesting mix of guests, not just focusing on hip hop, more focusing on great music irrespective of genres. Listen now >>

Vice beats started making podcasts about hip hop in 2009, a show called Basement Sessions, and since then has hosted a number of radio shows, been a journalist in various forms, and hosted the Wordplay Podcast. His most recent venture is a podcast called Diggin’ The Crates alongside Dutch blog The Find.

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The alternative name for their show – Wittertainment – has yet to trouble the OED. But the duo have been part of the podcasting furniture for so long it’s easy to forget exactly how important they’ve been to making podcasts feel like something important and useful.

That first episode was downloaded 42 times. Since then, the duo have been reliably among the most-downloaded podcast hosts of them all in the UK, and returned to the top of the podcasting charts with their shiny new Sony show Kermode and Mayo’s Take. With plush new digs, a big neon sign and crisp HD clips ready for YouTube, it feels like right at home in the podcast landscape in 2022.

But so much remains the same from the BBC days: running jokes which nobody can quite remember the origins of, rants against unworthy films from Kermode, perceptive interviewing and occasional sly digs from Mayo, and a bulging mailbag of thoughtful, enlightened views about films old and new from the listeners.

Here’s a primer to get you going.

Kermode and Mayo’s Take: Tom Hiddleston

The first edition of the new show began just as their first show on 5 Live did in 2001 following their first shows together on Radio 1: with Kermode jabbing a finger and picking up as if nothing had happened with, “And another thing…” New features abound, but the good natured bickering and the revelatory correspondence abides. First guest Tom Hiddleston, on to chat about The Essex Serpent, began with a gushing tribute to the show and its hosts. The old smoothie. Listen now on Apple Podcasts >>

Kermode and Mayo’s Take: Tom Hanks

For some years now, the Wittertainment lodestar has been Tom Hanks, America’s dad and all-round voice of sanity and goodness. His most recent chat with with Mayo saw him on typically ebullient form, talking up the tacky appeal of his Colonel Tom Parker in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic and reassuring us – in acknowledgement of one of many longstanding Wittertainment catchphrases – that everything will, in fact, be alright in the end. Listen now on Apple Podcasts >>

Kermode and Mayo’s Film Review: Chadwick Boseman

Given how simple he makes it sound, it’s easy to forget quite how adept an interviewer Mayo is, and how adroitly he can draw stories and opinions out of pretty much any guest. (A truculent Charlie Kaufman was a notable exception.) Best of all was an extraordinarily thoughtful response from Chadwick Boseman to Martin Scorsese’s dismissal of Marvel’s cinematic credentials. Far from being lightweight, Boseman said, Black Panther tapped into anxieties among black Americans. “We felt that angst, we felt that danger from cinema when we watched it,” he said. “And maybe Scorsese didn’t get that when he watched it. That’s generational. That’s cultural. I’m secure in what we did.” Listen now on Apple Podcasts >>

Kermode and Mayo’s Film Review: Sex and the City 2

A Kermodian rant against a film which has failed dismally is one of nature’s great events, and catching one live on the BBC show felt like seeing the Northern Lights or watching a blue whale breach from the sea in front of a perfect sunset. Kermode’s 2010 review of the SATC sequel is perhaps the definitive, Platonic form. “You’re not gonna get a rant about this,” Kermode says at the outset. Seven minutes later, he’s singing The Internationale and has declared its central characters “imperialist American pig-dogs of the highest order”. Beautiful stuff. Listen now on Apple Podcasts >>

To learn more about Mayo and Kermode, their love of podcasts, and their new show, read our interview in Issue 22 of the Pod Bible Magazine now!

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It’s fair to say that all musical tastes, no matter how far reaching, can be served through podcasts and that includes the arena of Hip Hop. BUT…. let’s be clear here, there’s a big difference in approaches to the music covered within Hip Hop podcasts. If you’re looking for a show to accompany your particular passion for the genre, this extensive (yet far from exhaustive) list offers an insight to some better known – and some more hidden gems – within the realm of Hip Hop podcasts.

Hip Hop Saved My Life

Hosts: Romesh Ranganathan & Rumaj

This is a long running and well known podcast, in which Romesh has used his comedic clout to connect the podcast to Comic Relief (alongside the Horn Section), and secured some stellar guests including internationally renowned names like Chuck D, DJ Shadow, DJ Premier and so many more, alongside some of the UK’s hip hop royalty. The thing that makes this show brilliant, and somewhat unsurprisingly, is the comedic element. The hosts have a seriously in depth knowledge of the genre and scene, and use the platform to speak to comedians, producers, radio presenters, DJs, MCs and simply fans. It’s an easy listen, and they are natural interviewers with great charisma. Don’t rely on this pod to be weekly, as part of the allure is that new batches of episodes arrives whenever the duo are ready, but trust me, they’re well worth the wait! Be sure to check out Romesh’s radio show – For The Love Of Hip Hop on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds Listen now >>

Breaking Atoms

Hosts: Chris Mitchell (Kinetik) & Sumit

This is a highly respected pod by two hosts who make a living from the creation of podcasts, so with that knowledge alone you know the audio is going to be on point! Sumit and Chris are long standing and respected members of the UK hip hop scene, and coming from two different standpoints as an MC alongside a PR / journalist, the show’s stance is to pay respect where due and dig deep into the history and grounding of their guests. Typically lasting about an hour, it’s all talk, with well researched questions, and guests often wanting to continue the conversation. The hosts are enthusiastic, professional, and charming, and with guests including Pete Rock, Statik Selektah and Marco Polo alongside some interviews from Sumit’s crates with Nas, Lupe Fiasco and more, the pod really started taking shape mid last year when the format was really locked down and the duo’s guest list really started to fly. Their Jay-z series – Brooklyn’s Finest: The Making Of Reasonable Doubt flew up the worldwide podcast charts, and sees the duo working at stellar levels of production, matching that of Spotify’s own music documentaries. Listen now >>

DadBodRapPod

Hosts: Dem One, David Ma, Nate LeBlanc

These guys are great. There’s something very wholesome about this pod. The San Jose based hosts are so positive alongside having a deep knowledge of hip hop. With the team including journalist David Ma, the guests are often asked incisive and well crafted questions. This pod is great for connecting dots in the scene, and often finding interviews with artists who you may not have heard of, but on investigation finding that they are firmly rooted within the scene and connected in many ways. With a solid format, and the show always starting with the hosts catching up, this show serves as a celebration of the scene, and it’s easy to get sucked into the conservations. Listen now >>

Crate 808

Host: Kambi Thandi

Possibly one of the most passionate podcasts around, the intros include a very well researched and constructed rhyme all about the guest in question. Kambi Thandi has been developing Crate 808 for a number of years, and has really found his stride. This is a 90s centric show, with a mixture of formats including interviews, guest panels, mailbag sessions. video and audio features and more alongside exclusive Patreon content breaking down classic hip hop albums. Kambi has some great guests, and has a natural and inquisitive nature, which sees guests like Pharoah Monch returning regularly. Well worth a listen. Listen now >>

Take It Personal

Hosts: DJ 360, Jason Gloss, Aaron Wade, Kevlar and Roger The Announcer

This podcast makes a bold statement that they are the best hip hop show, which of course is very divisive. They definitely have the trapping of being one the best out there. Their guests are always of an incredibly high standard, and they have managed to talk to some of Hip Hop’s royalty who very rarely give interviews, including the legendary Black Thought. The Philaflava crew’s gem is DJ 360, who offers up incredibly well researched and constructed mixes, featuring a wide range of cultural references. They are long and always great to listen to. One sticking point is that the team are dead set on the golden era (as described by the hosts) to the point of saying that they don’t like new hip hop, although they do occasionally play newer music. Some of the best episodes to check out to get you started include: Black Thought, the MF Doom tributes, DJ Premier and Jeru The Damaja. Listen now >>

Can’t Knock The Shuffle

Host: Sean Kantrowitz

This is a great concept show with an experienced host who really knows his stuff. Sean Kantrowitz uses playlists to randomly select what songs the guests will talk about, leading to a deep dive into songs, albums and memories. The format is simple and perfect, plus Sean has some of hip hop’s more elusive artists, including the incredible Bahamadia and Masta Ace. Listen now >>

The Midnight Miracle

Hosts: Dave Chapelle, Talib Kweli and Yassin Bey

Recorded during 2020 at Dave Chapelle’s Summer Camp in Ohio, this podcast is different, special and offer reflection and insight in an entirely different way to quite frankly any other podcast out there. The production levels are as expected, beautifully and meticulously constructed, with a deep knowledge and love of music. The hosts talk about life lessons, their journeys and their joint love and respect for a variety of musicians. Yassin talks in depth about his journey into hip hop, including meeting Talib Kweli, Amy WInehouse and more. It’s a thought provoking show, and is available on vinyl, which is becoming a new line for podcasts to expand reach. The talks are open, honest and at times the conversations are hard to hear, but this is up there with one of the finest podcasts around, and a definite to add to your playlist. Listen now >>

Bedroom Beethovens

Host: Cello

The hook of Cello’s show is that he explores the 10,000 hours it’s taken artists to get to where they are today. His style is almost investigative, frequently using Nerdwar as a reference point and having at least one question for guests which digs deep into their early career. The guests he chooses are very much producer’s producers. It’s a great list of artists who will be known and respected by hip hop fans who dig deeper into the scene, alongside producers who steer more towards soul, and a smattering of vocalists for good measure! It’s a well produced and constructed podcast, which also has a great website to document the development of the show. Listen now >>

Drink Champs

Hosts: N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN

Basically, two heavyweights within Hip Hop get their guests drunk and talk about Hip Hop, and it’s all filmed and turned into a podcast, oh, and it’s amazing! This show has become the go-to for Hip Hop heads wanting to find out about some of their favourite artists. EFN has a great interview style, twinned with N.O.R.E. passion and direct questioning, it makes for an enjoyable, in depth and at times hilarious deep dive into Rap culture. Listen now >>

NB: DJ EFN also hosts another great podcast called the Father Hoods Podcast alongside KGB and Manny Digital, which is well worth a listen! (there’s only so many podcasts that can be written about in depth here!)

Carhartt – Relevant Parties

Host: Chal Ravens

Launched in 2020, this podcast serves as a deep dive into the motivations and stories of the most influential indie record labels around. With the likes of Jazzy Sport, Stones Throw, Exit and Ninja Tune to name but a few. They are quite traditional interviews, but the stories and the fact that each episode is over an hour in length means you really get to find out all about the labels and the people behind them, Chal engaging the guests along the way with the relaxed demeanour. Listen now >>

Not added….and why!

There’s a few others that haven’t been added here but are worth mentioning:

The Breaks – A radio show rather than a dedicated podcast (but well worth a listen!) (Hosts: Confucius and Fresh) Listen now >>
Bodega Boys – More comedy focused than music, yet a good and bizarre listen. Listen now >>
Broken Record – Not a hip hop podcast! But has some great musical insights. Listen now >>

—

And that’s that! There’s still more podcasts out there, and by no means are we saying that they are any less good BUT these podcasts above are the ones that are often referenced in lists and on a personal level, having listened to all of the above regularly, they are well worth listening to. If you’re still hungry for more, be sure to check out the latest season of Diggin’ The Crates on all streaming platforms, with guests including Romesh Ranganathan, J-Live, Marley Marl, Blu, Exile and many more.

Happy listening!

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Vice beats started making podcasts about hip hop in 2009, a show called Basement Sessions, and since then has hosted a number of radio shows, been a journalist in various forms, and hosted the Wordplay Podcast. His most recent venture is a podcast called Diggin’ The Crates alongside Dutch blog The Find.

The post 10 of the best hip hop podcasts on the planet (possibly!) appeared first on POD BIBLE.

PB: ED! JAMES! TELL US ABOUT YOUR SHOW! WHAT’S YOUR PODCAST ELEVATOR PITCH?

Ed Gamble: It’s a food podcast where we ask a special guest their dream menu and also James is a genie. It mainly ends up being a poo poo wee wee podcast, though. I probably wouldn’t say that bit in the elevator, though.

James Acaster: Ed Gamble and I invite a guest into the dream restaurant and ask them their favourite ever starter, main course, side dish, drink and dessert. Also, I am a genie.

WHY PODCASTING? WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE FORMAT THAT APPEALS TO YOU?

Ed: It’s complete creative control. There’s no notes on what we should be doing and what we shouldn’t, and that definitely appeals. Quite frankly, if we pitched Off Menu as a TV or radio show for a big corporation before it was a podcast then it would’ve got nowhere. All the weird bits would’ve been smoothed over. Podcasts are often characterised by weird running jokes and odd format points that you don’t necessarily get on any other platform. The sort of thing that podcast audiences appreciate – looseness, more natural content – is something I feel much more comfortable with than the more stringent requirements of other mediums. Basically, we can waffle on and people like it.

James: It’s the best format for having a chat and we can release whatever we want each week. Also, Benito does all the hard work for us and that is very appealing.

James Acaster. Photo by Paul Gilbey

HOW DID YOU FIND PODCASTING DURING THE PANDEMIC?

Ed: It pretty much became my career and my social life. We were recording a lot before lockdown and I was worried about how doing episodes over Zoom would affect the rhythm of it. But I think it’s worked pretty well! And chats with James and The Great Benito have often been the highlight of my week. Not sure they’d say the same, but they are my emotional crutch and I’ve come to terms with that.

James: Easiest thing in my whole entire life and I bless Jesus every day for it.

WHAT‘S THE SECRET TO BEING A GOOD PODCAST HOST?

Ed: It’s so different to hosting TV or radio I think. It’s OK to be a bit rough ’round the edges and waffle a little bit – people actually like that. I think it’s a more personal experience for the listener – the best hosts make you feel like you’re in the room with them. That’s the joy of someone like Adam Buxton, he’s so relaxed and fun that you start to think of him as one of your friends that you go out for walks with. Maybe that’s just me. I’m lonely.

James: Pretend to be a genie and always have a good anecdote up your sleeve about Diet Coke.

WHICH INGREDIENTS MAKE A GREAT PODCAST GUEST?

Ed: Just being open and fun and willing to go off topic with the host. All our guests have been wonderful, of course, but the best ones have done some prep – but not so much that they’re rigid. When I’m a guest on podcasts I tend to have listened to at least one in advance, but I don’t think that’s necessary. I just like to know the tone of something so I can drop in without too much fuss. I’m sure James would say something different – he doesn’t even listen to ours.

James: Someone who thinks I am really cool and always agrees with me.

Ed Gamble. Photo by Paul Gilbey

IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO BEFORE YOU STARTED OUT AND GIVE YOURSELF ONE PIECE OF ADVICE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Ed: About podcasts? Fire the Great Benito for being a little nerd and for chasing me relentlessly about getting these questions answered by a deadline. Other than that, I’d just go back and make sure I had all the most successful podcasts. Get my dad to write a porno earlier than the other one. Marry Rosie Ramsey. Be really tall and play for England. Be Louis Theroux…? Non podcast advice: buy Bitcoin, start doing weights when I was 18 and practise kissing on fruit before graduating to girls.

James: Steal Peter Crouch’s equipment and throw it in a well.

WHAT’S BEEN YOUR WORST PODCAST MOMENT SO FAR?

Ed: Most of our episodes have been the absolute dream. The rare awkward interview is painful at the time but worth it when it comes out because it gets people talking. I’d love to tell you about an episode where I pooped myself during the record, but I can’t because I’ve done that in every episode since the start. It’s sort of a good luck ritual now.

James: Getting bullied by a mean American man.

WHICH EPISODE OR EPISODES OF YOUR PODCAST MEAN THE MOST TO YOU?

Ed: We got to interview Corey Taylor from Slipknot which was a huge moment for me. I’ve loved that band since I was 13. He was utterly delightful and a very easy interview. That’s one of the episodes that turned into mainly toilet chat and I loved every second of it. The first episode with Scroobius Pip was a great way to start – we knew we had something straight away and it gave us a boost of confidence to carry on in the same vein. There’s so many episodes that I’ve loved. I’m always a fan of the episodes where the guest nails the food description: Sindhu Vee, Andi Oliver and Marcus Samuelsson are particularly good for that. Claudia Winkleman is another highlight, and the episode with Sue Perkins contains a story that blew my mind.

James: The episode where we finally kicked someone out of the dream restaurant means a great deal to me because it reminded me that we are in control of our podcast at all times no matter what.

WHICH PODCASTS OR PODCAST HOSTS DO YOU TAKE INSPIRATION FROM?

Ed: James Acaster

James: Ed Gamble and James Acaster on Off Menu.

FINALLY, WHAT ARE YOUR CURRENT FAVOURITE PODCASTS?

Ed: Dear Joan & Jericha, Dead Eyes, Small Town Dicks, Films To Be Buried With, Pappy’s Flatshare Slamdown, Nobody Panic, Rabbit Hole, Elis James and John Robins, Early Work.

James: There are too many good ones to choose from, oh mama! Find out more about the podcast including links to the restaurants mentioned by all guests at offmenupodcast.co.uk.

Photo: Paul Gilbey

If you love Off Menu be sure to check out our video celebrating the launch of issue 15, listen to Ed and James on Episode 12 of the Pod Bible Podcast and read this best-of Off Menu list from superfan and meme supremo @nocontxtoffmenu…

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The format is simple. Each week a topic from culture, science, history or religion – the evolution of teeth, the Chinese philosophy of Daoism, Thucydides – is explained by three academics, wrangled by Bragg. No idea is too big, and no pocket of time too small.

At the centre of it all is Bragg, cutting through any over-ornate explanations with an ever so slightly terse tone and chivvying his charges along towards clarity and specificity. His tight handle on the tempo of proceedings is part of what makes In Our Time work so fluently.

With nearly 1000 episodes of Radio 4’s flagship intellectual roundtable broadcast since its debut in 1998 – a half-hour discussion of war in the 20th century – there’s a lot to rifle through. You could, in all honesty, pick one out at random and find yourself feeling immeasurably enlightened 45 minutes later. But here are three to get you going.

Zero

This is one of those In Our Time episodes which makes you stare into space for a couple of seconds in slack-jawed incomprehension even before you’ve started listening. Obviously, when you think about it, the idea of a graphical representation of nothing had to be invented at some point. But as with the best In Our Time episodes, this is probably the first time you’ve spent much time thinking about it. We go back to Ancient Egypt and Greece to hear about how the idea of nothingness was tussled over before Islamic mathematicians popularised the zero. Listen now >>

The Evolution of Teeth

Another one from the ‘wow, never even considered that’ stable, it turns out that half a billion years ago we were all just armoured fish, scuttling around in the seas and rivers, sucking up bits of food in our jawless, toothless mouths. Then at some point the scales started shifting around, and we could get to nibbling something more substantial. There are clues to the past in the fossil record of sharks, and sharks also point to a possible future where humans might manage to replace their own teeth. Madness. Listen now >>

The Gin Craze

Back in the late 17th century, as William of Orange took up the English throne, the country got a taste for a novel new Dutch import. A slightly mysterious new spirit flavoured with juniper became a national passion which curdled into a full-blown public health crisis, and was considered such a threat to the social fabric of the nation that Parliament legislated five times to bring its sale and consumption under control. The wild details about what life was like in a perma-sozzled England are great. Listen now >>

You can listen to In Our Time on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast players. Already a fan? Tell us your favourite episode over on Twitter!

The post Where to start with… In Our Time appeared first on POD BIBLE.

For the few that may not be aware, tell us about your show! What’s your elevator pitch?

James Cooper: In 2015, Jamie’s dad wrote a series of extremely graphic, poorly erotic novels out of the blue called Belinda Blinked under the nom-de-porn, Rocky Flintstone. Jamie read them to us and we all found them so brilliantly bonkers that they needed to be shared far and wide. It’s proved so popular, we’re about to open the sixth book in Rocky’s magnum opus. In each episode, Jamie reads a chapter of his father’s smut and myself and Alice critique / tear it to shreds – affectionately, of course. The elevator pitch would be: Do you like porn? Do you like laughing? Then you’ll love My Dad Wrote A Porno.

Why podcasting? What is it about the format that interested you personally?

Jamie Morton: The minute I read my dad’s dodgy porn, Belinda Blinked with James and Alice we knew we wanted to do something with it, the question was what. The material as too salacious for a web series and too risky for a broadcaster. But a podcast seemed the perfect fit. Much like how the 50 Shades phenomenon benefited from the anonymity of ebooks, we figured people could ‘enjoy’ Belinda’s adventures in the privacy of their own headphones. There is a unique quality to podcasting that creates an incredibly intimate bond between host and audience. Our aim was always to make the listener feel like the fourth friend around the table with us and I think podcasts are the only medium that can truly achieve that.

What’s the secret to good chemistry between multiple podcast hosts?

Alice Levine: I’d love to say we had some big secret but we’ve been friends for nearly 20 years and that shared history is very hard to imitate. There is a certain shorthand that comes with that. We know when someone is teetering on the edge of corpsing just what to say to make them lose it. We know how to build on a joke with each other rather than step on each other’s toes. A big part of the dynamic with the three of us is an understanding that there’s no competition, we all just want it to be the best it can be and we are working as a team to get there – so who lands a punchline is really not a concern.

Which podcasts or hosts have you taken inspiration from?

James Cooper: A comparison that we get occasionally is The Ricky Gervais Show podcast – they find joy in the absurdity of Karl Pilkington and we find joy in the absurdity of Rocky Flintstone’s erotica. But we’ve found the success of the show has come from just being true to ourselves, really.

We’re very excited about the new series*, what can we expect?

Jamie Morton: We left Belinda and co on quite the cliff hanger last series so I feel we can expect some pretty dramatic twists and revelations in book 6. What’s been incredible about the ‘Belinda Blinked’ journey is how Dad has evolved in his writing. What started as a pretty basic ‘story’ about boring business deals has developed into a rather compelling spy novel. I mean, it’s as slight as an episode of Loose Women but he has a way of creating a really gripping read with brilliant characters. Will Belinda escape from the clutches of her evil pots and pans competitor Herr Bisch? Will the blueprints of the Tri-Oxy-Brillo range ever be recovered safely? What does the three B’s tattoo on her thigh mean? I can’t believe I care, but I am honestly counting down the days until we find out!

How have you found working on the podcast during a pandemic?

Alice Levine: We’ve spent A LOT of time having frustrating bad wifi chats on zoom like everyone else! But we did make the most of it by hosting a night in with us at the beginning of all of this which was really fun. We decided that a big part of the energy and atmosphere of our show is the three of us being in the same room. Luckily it works that our season is starting in the middle of 2021, so hopefully we won’t be too disrupted.

Which episodes of the show mean the most to you?

James Cooper: Some of the guests on our ‘Footnotes’ episodes – Dame Emma Thompson, Lin-Manuel Miranda – have been pretty special. They’re people we’ve always admired so when they want to come on our stupid little show, it’s so exciting. I also love any episode where the three of us just can’t hold it together from laughing – the first Christmas special we did is a prime example of that. But if you’re a newbie, you really have to start at series 1 episode 1 – it’s how it all began and sets up the rest of the show.

If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring podcaster, what would it be?

Jamie Morton: My top tip for anyone starting a podcast is to really embrace the edit. In my opinion, editing is the most important part of the creative process. You need to have objectivity and be prepared to kill your darlings for the greater good of the show. Concise, tight podcasts are what audiences expect and deserve. Remember, if you’re asking strangers to invest 40 minutes of their day to you, you owe them the best 40 minutes you can produce.

Finally, what podcasts are you enjoying at the moment?

Jamie Morton: How It Happened by AXIOS – An in-depth look at how Trump dealt with his election loss, from the night the polls closed to the insurrection at the Capitol. Amazingly sourced, for the first time you get a glimpse of events from the Oval Office’s perspective and it’s truly damning and utterly shocking.

James Cooper: I really enjoy occasionally dipping into Beautiful Anonymous with Chris Gethard – the host calls an anonymous person and has an hour long conversation with them about whatever they want to talk about. It’s got some fascinating stories and perspectives – really worth a listen.

Alice Devine: Nice White Parents – A five-part series about building a better public school system, and what gets in the way. Made by the team behind smash hit Serial. Such a compelling listen and a masterclass is story telling.

*Series 6 My Dad Wrote A Porno started in May 2021! The World Tour continues in 2022 – full details available at mydadwroteaporno.com.

You can listen to My Dad Wrote A Porno on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other podcast apps. 

The post THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO… My Dad Wrote a Porno appeared first on POD BIBLE.

And yet, food podcasting is massive. There’s a banquet table stuffed with food podcasts waiting for you out there. Table Manners kicked down the kitchen door; Off Menu burst through it, and surfed the wave of food podcasts which followed to become one of the biggest podcasts in the UK.

It’s food’s universality and specificity which makes it such a handy and bottomless topic to build a podcast around. You probably eat three times a day, maybe have some snacks. So, hopefully, do most other people.

But the infinite number of ways of eating, and what’s eaten, and why, make it one of the easiest ways to talk about big, complicated things like identity, class, childhood, family, and different cultures around the country and around the world. Bon appetit.

Off Menu

Well, obviously. Ed Gamble and James Acaster’s dream restaurant has welcomed the likes of Bob Mortimer, Louis Theroux and Claudia ‘I’ve never drunk water in my life’ Winkleman over the last three years, as well as half the stand-ups who Gamble and Acaster have bumped into on the circuit. Guests build a dream menu – poppadoms or bread, then starter, main, dessert, side and drink, not in that order – and bicker about it for an hour. A juggernaut. Listen >>

Table Manners

Again: well, obviously. It’s less about the celeb interviews, and more about the homely vibe which Lennie and Jessie Ware evoke from their kitchen, with each chat at the dinner table soundtracked click-clacking of cutlery on plates and scraping chairs. The interviews aren’t bad though. Paul McCartney’s been chatting pretty much non-stop for 60 years now, and thanks to Table Manners we’ve only just found out that he does eye yoga. Listen >>

Lecker

The name means ‘delicious’ in German, and there’s an appropriately international bent to Lecker. The stories and interviews come in different forms – sometimes it’s an essay-style consideration of the lockdown sourdough boom, other times an in-the-field bit of reportage on the World Bonnag Championships on the Isle of Man, and occasionally interviews with chefs and writers about the food culture they know best. Listen >>

Home Cooking

Samin Nosrat’s Salt Fat Acid Heat is more than just a gigantic cookbook and endearingly goofy Netflix travelogue doc. It’s a kindly, beckoning hand through hundreds of different cooking techniques and essential recipes. Nosrat kept that vibe when she teamed up with Song Exploder’s Hrishikesh Hirway for this pandemic lockdown project which gives callers ideas of what to make. Apologies if those vibes are simply too cursed for you to contemplate absorbing, but this is a great place to pick up an upbeat jolt of kitchen inspiration. Listen >>

Dinner For One

New Yorker Sutanya Dacres had the archetypal fairytale romance with a French dude, fell in love, got married and moved to Paris. Unfortunately it ended in separation. This lo-fi podcast from her tiny Parisian kitchen is about both food and how she’s moved through heartbreak while getting her head around living in a foreign country. It’s a soothing, meditative listen, and Dacres is a great companion. Listen >>

Have you enjoyed the podcasts on this list? Check out the newest version of this list ‘6 more of the best foodie podcasts‘!

The post 5 of the best food podcasts appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Formerly the internet’s favourite podcast about the internet, Reply All is at the start of a bit of a rebuild.

From its first episode in 2014 up until February 2021, hosts PJ Vogt and Alex Goldman chased leads into the very strangest and most unexpectedly fascinating corners of modern life. They called back cold callers and made friends with them. They tried to help a man track down a song he thought he heard at a party years ago. They unravelled tweets to their befuddled producer.

Then came their exposé on Bon Appetit’s Test Kitchen. Just as Reply All tried to lay out exactly how Bon Appetit had been a toxic, unsafe environment to work in for people of colour, contributors and staff pointed out something not dissimilar was happening at Reply All. Vogt and producer Sruthi Pinnamaneni left under a cloud.

In June it returned from its short hiatus with the Londoner Emmanuel Dzotsi alongside Goldman, who’s contributed some of Reply All’s best stories over the last couple of years – see episode 167, ‘America’s Hottest Talkline’, about a weird recording promoting an intimate chatline which kept turning up on American government phonelines for years. It’s brilliant, and the future of Reply All looks bright.

Episode 114: Apocalypse Soon

It remains to be seen whether the Yes Yes No segment will return in Reply All 2.0, but even if it doesn’t there’s an enormous amount of fun lurking in the back catalogue. Each time, Vogt and Goldman explain a tweet to Gimlet Media co-founder Alex Blumberg, who is terminally confused by Twitter comedy.

They’re often extremely densely packed with stuff you need to have been living fairly intensely online to get, and never more so than a tweet which packaged several notable Twitter fights from 2019 into a new verse to ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’. Along the way, we learn about the beefs between people who wash their legs in the shower and those who don’t, the Aperol wars, and a grown man who blocked his wife on Twitter.

It’s hilarious, and also maddeningly catchy. Quite how Billy Joel restrains himself from singing, “Uber strike, Wiccan life, gamer blocked his elf wife,” in concert is a marvel.

Episode 158: The Case of the Missing Hit

This one has a case for being both the most Reply All episode of Reply All, as well as the very best Reply All episode of them all. The ingredients are all there: someone kind of remembers some fragment of culture, and needs help finding out what it actually was; Goldman and Vogt go way, way, way beyond what any sensible podcast would reasonably do in pursuit of a story.

It started when Californian filmmaker Tyler Gillett sang a song he remembered to his wife. It was kind of like Barenaked Ladies, a little bit like U2, something from the nineties. But after hours and hours down blind alleys on the internet, he can’t find it. Is he going mad? Has he somehow written his own earworm? Reply All tries to get to the bottom of it, going as far as to get Gillett to reconstruct the song with musicians in the studio.

With twist after twist and a great pay-off, it was an instant favourite. “We say in the story that the song and the desire to find it are contagious,” Vogt reflected last year. “I think that just turned out to be a little truer than we thought.”

Episode 166: Country of Liars

The QAnon phenomenon spurred a lot of podcasts. It’s an amazing story: a fringe gag on the 4Chan imageboard where someone pretended to be a member of the secret service turns into a community of credulous believers, which turns into a mini-industry of gurus and vibe artists interpreting gibberish a thousand ways, which turns into thousands of people storming the Capitol building and five dead.

Reply All’s QAnon story, though, might be the one which actually got under the skin of it. Cutting through all the noise and sensation which came after, Vogt goes right back to the very beginning of the QAnon story, to 2Chan, 4Chan and 8Chan. Frederick Brennan founded 8Chan as an ultra-free-speech alternative to 4Chan, but lost control of his site as its posters became more and more unhinged. Brennan, though, was able to see the nuts and bolts of the site, and has a good idea who the original Q was.

As fun as Reply All regularly is, this is a reminder that it also has some really, really solid journalism at its heart.

Listen to Reply All on SPOTIFY, ACAST, and all other podcast apps.

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