It's 2020, and if you aren't a podcast person yet... then this list will definitely give you reason to be. Sure, listening to your go-to Spotify playlists and bops is great. But sometimes you need to switch things up on your daily commute, and discover a totally different auditory experience.
This roster is a good mix of hilarious shows hosted by comedians, essential informative pods to keep up with the times and get woke, entertaining IRL stories about love and life, and more. So listen up, and get hooked!
Some of the podcasts on this list are returning favorites that we just know are going to be extra great in 2020. As for the new ones that have yet to premiere, well, these are our best guesses for now. But yeah, when someone tells you Jameela Jamil and Lele Pons are stepping up to the mic (not together, alas), you’ve got to tell the world about it.
Once Upon a Time... In the Valley subscribe here
Ever heard about the Traci Lords Scandal? Aka one of the biggest scandals in the porn industry? Well if this is your first time hearing of it, welcome, because you've come to the right place. Lili Anolik, a contributing writer at Vanity Fair and Ashley West have started Once Upon a Time... In the Valley together to discuss the mistreatment of Traci Lords back in the 1980's and who exactly is to blame for it. The media, the adult film world, or herself? It's a thriller you won't want to miss.
The Daily subscribe here
Australian wildfires, the 2020 American Presidential race, COVID-19... With everything that's going on around the world, it's hard to keep up. The Daily keeps you caught up with basically everything you need to know for the day. Everyone loves an informed queen.
Today, Explained subscribe here
If you already know the latest headlines, but don't reaaaaally understand, let Today, Explained break everything down for you. All of the latest issues are complex, so it's great to have someone help make everything simpler and easier for your tired AF brain to absorb.
Decoder Ring subscribe here
IDK about you, but learning more about random pop culture phenomena — like the origins of hit song "Baby Shark," gender reveal parties, and the Chuck E. Cheese pizza war — is a lot of fun. Decoder Ring dives deep to answer the questions you didn't even think to ask.
Hysteria Subscribe here
You can tune in to the Obama bros at Pod Save America for detailed discussions of the 2020 election. Much of the time, we prefer to get the perspective of their sister pod, where host Erin Ryan and her guests discuss politics and wider issues as they relate to women’s lives. In other words, this is where you can hear political advisors and comedians talk Roe v. Wade in the same hour as they praise Bachelor in Paradise.
Ologies with Alie Ward subscribe here
If you've always been curious about different fields—anywhere from astrology (a.k.a. horoscopes) to scatology (the study of poop)—Ologies is the perf pod for you. Host Alie Ward interviews an expert in a specific field per episode, and she asks every possible question you could possibly have about the topic.
Comments by Celebs subscribe here
This is the podcast for all celeb-obsessed, low-key (or high-key) stalker-y fans out there. Join the creators of famous Instagram account Comments by Celebs and obsess about all the major moments in Hollywood — online and offline. I recommend listening to their five-part mini-series on Jordyngate.
Why Won't You Date Me? Subscribe here
Here's one for the single girls! Comedian Nicole Byer, from Netflix's Nailed It!, explores the question of why she's single in an extremely relatable way. She talks about sex, love, dating with a guest who has their own insights and stories to contribute, and they definitely don't hold back.
Home Cooking Subscribe here
Thanks to the pandemic, a lot of us have been forced to cook more at home. But sometimes, our grocery stockpile isn't in its best shape. Salt Fat Acid Heat author, chef, and Netflix star Samin Nosrat teams up with Song Exploder's Hrishikesh Hirway for this podcast that'll tell you just what you can do with that random can of beans, and whatever else you have lying around in your kitchen cabinets.
Rabbit Hole Subscribe here
We've all found ourselves falling into Internet rabbit holes on YouTube, the Instagram explore page, Facebook timelines, and other random nooks and crannies of the World Wide Web. The New York Times's tech columnist Kevin Roose wants to look at where all these rabbit holes are leading us to culturally, and what the Internet is doing to us as a society.
The Happiness Lab Subscribe here
A lot of life is about chasing what makes us happy. But while we think we know what that is, Dr. Laurie Santos proves us all wrong. In The Happiness Lab, she takes us through scientific research and incredible stories about the search for happiness. The podcast is based on Dr. Santos's psychology course about happiness, which is the most popular class in Yale's 300-year history.
Code Switch Subscribe here
Now more than ever, it's important that we all learn about topics and issues concerning race. Code Switch is hosted by a group of journalists of color that fearlessly tackle the subject, and how it affects pop culture, politics, history, and all other aspects of our lives.
Keep It! Subscribe here
Movies, music, and celebrity news are things we absolutely live for. Keep It! talks about the latest trending pop culture topics, but also brings in special guests—comedians, actors, politicians, and even astrologers—to talk about the hottest issues and how they intersect with politics and society. Billy Porter and Issa Rae are just some of the big names who've been on the show.
Drive: Stories of Entrepreneurship Subscribe here
This podcast is a BTS look into the fashion and beauty companies people worship — from Reformation and Rent the Runway to Allbirds and Warby Parker. It's not just for aspiring entrepreneurs, but anyone who wants to be inspired.
Blood Ties Subscribe here
A bold prediction: Murder podcasts are so last decade. Sexual assault and harassment are au currant. This fictional drama stars Gillian Jacobs and Josh Gad as a sister and brother whose parents’ private jet has just gone down somewhere in the Caribbean. In the aftermath, they learn that their heroic heart surgeon father was harboring some dark secrets that could destroy his legacy and the family fortune. Episodes from the addictive first season began dropping in December.
The Dream, Season 2 Subscribe here
Jane Marie and Dan Gallucci brought us inside the world of multi-level marketing businesses in a way that showed us just how insidious these pyramid schemes are without forgetting to show compassion for the people (mostly women) who believe in them. For this new season, which premiered in December, they’re doing the same for the wellness industry. Uh-oh, are we going to have to ditch our vitamins, crystals and essential oils soon?
Hear to Slay Subscribe here
It’s kind of not fair that in addition to being extremely talented writers, Roxane Gay and Tressie McMillan Cottom also happen to have the most gorgeous voices and they’re very good at interviewing people on the most complex and sensitive matters. Their guests in season 1 of this Luminary podcast included everyone from former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams to comedian Michelle Buteau, and we are counting on them to enlighten us throughout 2020.
Dear Young Rocker Subscribe here
Musician and writer Chelsea Ursin created and narrates this podcast memoir about being an insecure, anxious teenager who finds herself through music. It sounds very My So-Called Life but if Angela had a cool talent. She created the pod more than a year ago, but it’s finally premiering via iHeart Radio in early 2020.
Tremendous Upside Subscribe here
Speaking of very talented people who face inner turmoil, that’s the theme of this new podcast hosted by former WNBA star Chamique Holdsclaw. She has very publicly discussed her struggles with depression and hopes her conversations with other athletes, like World Cup champion Briana Scurry and retired NBA star Metta World Peace, can remove the stigma of mental health issues for the people who look up to them. We can start listening in on those talks on January 13.
I Weigh Subscribe here
Watching Jameela Jamil troll diet-tea-hawking celebrities in interviews and on Twitter is delicious fun, but we always knew she had much more to say on the matter. As she has with her “I Weigh” social media campaign, the actress-host and her guests (comedians, actors, writers, and performers) will be focusing on the idea that we are worth more than our body mass.
Kissing Booth—Elle’s Diary
We’ve been waiting way too long for the sequel to The Kissing Booth, one of the most adorable Netflix movies of all times (I will not present an argument). But maybe when we listen to this podcast prequel, also starring Joey King, Jacob Elordi, and Joel Courtney, our pain will ebb just a little.
The Heart Subscribe here
This short-form nonfiction podcast covers topics like consent, the queer house music scene in Seattle, gender expression, and other subjects loosely related to intimacy, sex, and the heart. But that description doesn’t do justice to its excellent production value and empathetic tone (like, This American Life–level storytelling talent). It’s been on hiatus since 2018, but will be back in early 2020.
Untitled Lele Pons Podcast Sneak peek here
The gorgeous goofball singer and Youtube/Instagram star Lele Pons is going to bring her voice to a new medium. What we know so far is that she will talk pop culture and “deep social issues,” share personal stories, and give advice—all with her signature humor.
Jordan Peele and Monkeypaw Productions Untitled Podcast
We have zero info on this other than that it’s going to be a fictional podcast from the Get Out/Us writer-director. We’re already scared.
The Michelle Obama Podcast
In 2019, Spotify announced that Barack and Michelle Obama's company, Higher Ground Productions, had signed a major deal with them to produce multiple podcasts. The first one, called The Michelle Obama Podcast, drops on July 29. Mark your calendars.
The Kinswomen Subscribe here
Friends Hannah Pechter and Yseult Polfliet engage in super hard conversations about the gap between white women and women of color, topics that people usually shy away from. Because of their tight-knit bond, these two are really honest about allyship and what it means to have each other's back—for real.
