Rebecca Hendin / BuzzFeed
We asked the BuzzFeed Community and BuzzFeed staff to tell us about the best podcasts they have been getting into in 2016 so far. Here are some of their great suggestions.
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1. Guys We Fucked — Comedy duo Corinne Fisher and Krystyna Hutchinson ostensibly have this anti slut-shaming podcast to talk about sex, but in practice, they use it to talk about all kinds of topics through their candid, brash, funny relationship. Each episode, they call up a guy they’ve had sex with at some point to interview him, but the thing that really catches your ear is their support of one another and the big laughs in between.
Suggested by delmaks
2. Elis James and John Robins — This British podcast, based on a Radio X Saturday show, is rated for its personalities and witty retorts. Our reader recommendation said: “Ellis is a laid-back, football-loving, down-to-earth Welshman and John is an uptight, Queen-obsessed, slightly insane Englishman. Both of them are very funny men and they have a great chemistry.”
Suggested by Jake Graham, Facebook3. Black Girls Talking — You want to be woke. Society needs you to be woke. Do yourself and literally the entire world a favor and listen to Alesia, Aurelia, Fatima, and Ramou talk through their lives and share their stories so you can live your own life better. From pop culture happenings to the latest in aromatherapy recommendations, this is the kind of conversation you want to overhear — even if it means you’ll have FOMO that you’re not best friends with them in real life.
Suggested by kristikat3
4. How Did This Get Made? — Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas, and June Diane Raphael discuss one thing that unites the entire of humanity: our love for absolutely dreadful films. A reader told us: “If you love bad movies you’ll love this podcast.”
Suggested by unal2
5. Bitch Sesh — This podcast dissects episodes of Real Housewives of Beverley Hills in immense detail, and the jokes and analysis by Casey Wilson and Danielle Schneider are A+. A reader told us: “They also notice a lot of the same things I do as they are watching Real Housewives so I feel like they are perceptive.”
Suggested by scifib
Science and Culture
6. Myths and Legends — Jason Weiser’s smooth voice tells you stories that have shaped various cultures from across the world. We were told that “it has great stories and so it’s so interesting! Awesome job.”
Suggested by samanthac46e4a8482
7. Lore — There are many scary stories out there that unsettle us and Aaron Mahnke tries to work out what’s behind these urban legends. A reader said: “It is literally so so good — kind of like a creepy history lesson.”
Suggested by francesloyve
8. Here’s the Thing… — Alec Baldwin’s WNYC show dives deep into conversation with well-known names from entertainment and culture in New York, and it feels so personal it’s like you’re eavesdropping on a private conversation. A reader said: “It feels a genuine honour to be listening in to great conversations.”
Suggested by benjaminw479fe407b
9. Flash Forward — The world is a weird place and getting weirder, which means that it’s always an adventure to listen to host Rose Eveleth as she brings listeners to a future they may or may not have imagined just yet. The best thing about this show is that there are real scientists and experts weighing in on the bizarre futures that may be to come — for example, if the entire world went face-blind.
Suggested by by Julia Furlan, BuzzFeed
Rebecca Hendin / BuzzFeed
History
10. You Must Remember This — This well-researched podcast by Karina Longworth examines the forgotten history of Hollywood. A recommendation read, “If you have ANY interest in movies and even the SLIGHTEST interest in Hollywood (which I didn’t previously) you must must must listen to this incredible podcast.”
Suggested by scifib
11. The Memory Palace — Nate DiMeo presents these little nuggets of modern history every month. We were told: “The episodes are only a few minutes but so well presented and wonderfully detailed considering. Emotions are beautifully captured and the stories are so much more interesting than your average history topics.”
Suggested by Cinder
12. The History Chicks — Presented by Beckett Graham and Susan Vollenweider, this show looks at women throughout history and boasts that “any resemblance to a boring old history lesson is purely coincidental.” We were told that this podcast is “like having two friends over for coffee and geeking out about what books you have read recently.”
Suggested by by Chloe Thorpe, Facebook
Drama and Comedy
13. Smartest Man in the World — Hosted by Greg Proops, from Whose Line Is It Anyway?, this show is more than just stand-up — it is a hoot of intellectual, witty observations. We were told: “He talks everything from ’70s funk music to kittens to old cinema, societal unrest to historical baseball tales to druggy escapades, all spliced with a healthy amount of Jeremy Irons impressions and unsubtle tips about feminism being the ~way forward~.”
Suggested by Rebecca Hendin, BuzzFeed
14. My Dad Wrote a Porno — Host Jamie Morton’s 60-year-old dad wrote a pornographic novel, so in each episode of this podcast Morton reads out horrific chapter in front of co-hosts Alice Levine and James Cooper, who have no idea about what is to come. The crude writing and reactions are hilarious.
Suggested by jasminer4b2846a11
15. The Black Tapes — This well-produced serialized docudrama, by Pacific Northwest Stories, is about a journalist investigating paranormal stories. If you liked the week-by-week mystery of Serial but also have a love of being creeped out, this is the show to go to. Plus, it’s a great experiment in the podcasting boom that the show is essentially fiction cosplaying as truth.
Suggested by Rose Hastings, Facebook
16. The Truth — This American podcast, fronted by Jonathan Mitchell, has been running for two years and has received rave reviews for its storytelling. We were told: “The sound effects are awesome, and the plays are really atmospheric. Each play is about 15 minutes, just enough time to sink into it, but not so long as to drag.”
Suggested by Ailbhe Malone, BuzzFeed
Life and Advice
17. Modern Love — The column in the New York Times has been turned into a radio show full of stories about the emotion that builds us and devastates us: love. A reader told us: “You’ll encounter voices like Judd Apatow and Sarah Paulson reading columns in dramatic fashion — it’s not to be missed.”
Suggested by Jon-Michael Poff, Facebook
18. The Awkward Human Survival Guide — This is totally different than Modern Love. Adam Dachis and others go through reader questions, no matter how crude or awkward.
Suggested by danielplight
19. Anna Faris Is Unqualified — Have a relationship problem and want some celebrities to work it all out for you? Well, this is fortunate. Anna Faris and a celebrity friend such as Judah Friedlander and Alison Janney address personal problems each episode. Ellie told us: “It feels like you’re just having a chat with your way-more-successful famous friends. IT’S GREAT.”
Suggested by Ellie Bate, BuzzFeed
20. Tough Girls Podcast — Sarah Williams interviews women from all walks of life, from athletes to motivational speakers, to inspire you to reach your goals. We were told: “It’s great for any girl wanting to beast it out at the gym! Best motivation ever! Makes you want to properly get out and DO ANYTHING.”
Suggested by Chloe MacCombe, Facebook
21. Call Your Girlfriend — Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman, two best friends, present a podcast on literally everything. It’s basically a magazine, discussing a new topic every few minutes. Yuri told us: “Ann and Amina are so refreshing and hilarious, I love them.”
Suggested by Yuri Xu, Facebook
And a podcast about podcasts
22. Sampler — If you’re reading this list, it’s because you want more podcasts in your life. That essentially means that Sampler is the perfect podcast for you, because it’s about other podcasts, and lets you know all kinds of new shows you haven’t heard of just yet.
Suggested by by Julia Furlan, BuzzFeed
Rebecca Hendin / BuzzFeed
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22 Podcasts You Really Need To Subscribe To In 2016