My Personal Podcast Recommendations
(Photo Source: Apple Podcast App)
May 5, 2020
Currently, everyone is in an extremely weird situation. Lives and daily routines have changed dramatically. Even what I am personally interested in writing about has changed considerably. Usually, my name is seen alongside articles about feminism or global politics, but considering how dramatic life is for everyone right now, it seems like a good time to write about something that I hope can bring others joy.
The one routine that I have been able to keep consistent is which day of the week I listen to what podcast, as the creators I follow have been incredible with staying on their normal schedule despite everything.
I have nine recommendations, and I will do a short summary of each as well as if it’s a podcast that several of my friends also listen to. Warning: these all lean towards my demographic of a nerdy Democrat. Also, these are not in the order of which I liked most, but I did group the ones that are similar together as much as I could.
If you want to recommend podcasts in the comments, feel free to do so! I know that my recommendations might not fit what you are looking for, but hopefully someone down there can help you find the right fit.
I will start with the two larger groups of podcasts that are created by the same people.
The most accessible podcast on this list in My Brother, My Brother & Me. It’s a comedy podcast done by the McElroy brothers, where they answer the strangest questions that Yahoo has to offer, along with having certain surprise segments, such as “Play Along at Home” and “Haunted Doll Watch.” You don’t have to start listening from the beginning to enjoy it at all, it is just a light-hearted podcast that I often laugh out loud at. Everyone that I have ever made listen to it once still listens to it now, and loves it as much, if not often more than I do.
If you listen to and enjoy My Brother My Brother & Me, you may like other podcasts by the McElroys, such as The Adventure Zone (a Dungeons and Dragons storytelling podcast) and Sawbones (a comedy podcast about historical medical mishaps), among others.
This is an interesting one. It is a radio show from the town of Night Vale, which as far as I can tell is a town in the American Midwest. The host, Cecil, is never described. The town is strange; it seems that one can never leave once one gets there, but no one recognizes this as unusual. There is a segment called “the weather” where they just play strange indie music. There are elements of fantasy and traces of pagan mythology. It is mysterious and often funny. I know several other people who have listened to and also enjoy this podcast’s eccentricity and complex lore.
This is a horror podcast where a British man reads aloud and records archived testimonies from the public about monsters, demons, and other creepy fantastical things. I am personally not far into the storyline, but thus far I have gathered that he works at an institution that monitors these kinds of magic, and that his job is to go through the archives and make them more easily accessible. It has incredible world building, and I would recommend it if you like being unsettled.
This is about the scandals of old Hollywood. It isn’t usually creepy or too salacious, it’s just an interesting history lesson. The creator says “the podcast (is) dedicated to exploring the secret and/or forgotten histories of Hollywood’s first century.” If you enjoy history, or are interested in the fashions or music of the past, I would recommend this podcast. It’s calming to listen to, and you can out-smart your parents with facts, like “Frank Sinatra once made a 40 minute album called ‘The Future’ that had songs about love, death, and visiting outer space.”
This podcast is definitely not for everyone. It is by the artist Ambivalently Yours, whose real name is unknown. She makes a lot of art that revolves round feminist topics, as well as being involved in other social justice issues. You can see her art on the Pentucket Profile as the cover photos on most, if not all, of our feminist articles. Her podcast has many guests on it who talk about their anxieties, answer listener questions, and, of course, discuss politics and social justice.
Here is another political one. It is by Vox and is heavily democratic. If you are a Democrat, it can be extremely funny, and it always has interviews with credited experts, which can help to reduce how biased it feels. If you do listen to it, it’s smart to remember that it is not the be-all end-all news source, and you should probably look for a way to even out the information you’re getting. I have found though that a news podcast that gets uploaded every weekday is a great way to keep in touch with the world.
Dear Hank & John is an advice podcast by the Green brothers, who are the co-founders of all of the Crash Course YouTube videos that many high school students are aware of. If you have ever seen a Vlogbrothers video in days of YouTube past, before they became more serious, this is similar. Their advice is admittedly dubious, which they declare often. It’s heart-felt and funny, and answers both serious questions about exestentialism and dumb questions about secret fiddle-playing abilities.
This is a solo podcast by John Green called The Anthropocene Reviewed, where he “reviews facets of the human-centered planet on a five-star scale.” It is dry and funny at times, but largely it is thoughtful and interesting to listen to. He talks about two topics each episode, and takes a deep dive into each of them. He discusses the history of whatever it is, and how it has affected human life. Past topics include the song Auld Lang Syne, the Notes app, hot dog eating contests, and the Taco Bell breakfast menu.
SciShow Tangents is a game show on a podcast created by Hank Green where he sits down with his employees who are science educators, and they talk about a specific topic and try to prove who knows the most, without going on a tangent. Personally, I have never been able to keep track of the score, but I love learning the weirdest possible facts that seemingly mundane topics have to offer. It is often raucous and the speakers are often a bit tipsy, but it is nonetheless educational.
Hopefully those who read this can find the same solace in these podcasts as I do, whether their media preference is for it to be political, educational, humorous, or downright weird. I’ve found that integrating them into your weekly routine can be a good way to look forward to chores such as walking the dog or folding laundry. In a time such as this, a weekly upload can also provide some semblance of structure.
P.S. Stay safe and wash your hands.