As 2019 comes to a close, I thought it fitting to post my most listened to podcasts of the year. Most, if not all, have helped me through a very challenging year, something to distract my mind when it tended to get away from me. I haven't done much travelling this year, so I have mainly opted to wind down with them in bed, something to relax with for an hour or so before going to sleep.
I switched over to an Android phone towards the end of the last year, so I've rotated through a few different apps for listening, but settled on Spotify. If you have any recommendations or tips for me, please let me know in the comments!
I switched over to an Android phone towards the end of the last year, so I've rotated through a few different apps for listening, but settled on Spotify. If you have any recommendations or tips for me, please let me know in the comments!
1. Criminal
Phoebe Judge has the most incredible voice that can make the most horrific crime seem almost like she's telling the story of a fairytale. It's a true crime podcast, but doesn't focus on serial killers, missing person cases or gruesome murders. Instead, Criminal focuses on the reality of crime, quoting "stories of people who've done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle."
If you like real life stories that you haven't heard anywhere else, that have a true crime twist, you'll love Criminal. There's a cool piece of artwork to go alongside each episode by Julienne Alexander too. You will usually find 2 to 3 episodes uploaded per month so it's a nice regular schedule. I've been listening to this podcast for a good 2 years now and I don't plan on stopping soon.
Favourite Episodes: #127 The Reverend, #108 The Numbers, #110 Baby Snatcher
Station: Radiotopia from PRX
Jason Weiser hosts a podcast dedicated to his retelling of well, myths and legends. Folklore from around the world comes alive as Jason tells a mix of tales, 'some are incredibly popular stories with surprising origins, others are stories that might be new to you, but are definitely worth a listen.' And I agree, some stories I thought I knew, but turns out the original folklore behind them was very different, others I had never heard of, but have now become some of my absolute favourites. I also love the music from the episodes (Broke For Free), just the little jingles, they're so calming and fit the episodes really well. My favourite collections he works through are the Greek myths, these are the original reason I downloaded the podcast, but I stayed for everything else. Jason uploads weekly, which I love, and the artwork for each episode tends to vary, I don't think it's the same artist. I've been going with this podcast for a good year now and I am not bored in the slightest.
Favourite Episodes: 68A and 68B Morgan Le Fey, Greek Myths: The Violence Of Our Ancestors
Station: Independent
This a recent entry for me, I only started this podcast a couple of months ago. I was searching through Reddit's r/podcasts sub and found a few recommendations for this one. I gave it a go and was hooked instantly. Swindled is a collection of stories about white collar crime, con men (and women) and people/corporations acting downright dirty. It's seriously addictive and at the minute I have to admit I'm binging the back catalogue still, so I haven't listened to the most recent episodes. The host is anonymous, preferring to use the title 'a concerned citizen' instead. Their voice is quite low and monotone, something I really like in a podcast narrator. There's very little personal input on these stories, which again I appreciate, the facts are laid out for you and nothing is given away ahead of time. If you like true crime but again, aren't too fussed about murders and missing people, this one might be for you. The episode artwork features a generic 'man' image whose outfits will change depending on the story. You will usually be getting 1 episode per month, sometimes 2. I do wish that there was a more frequent upload schedule, but I could hardly call that a criticism.
Favourite Episodes: S01E12 The Televangelist, S02E09 The Psychic
Station: Independent
And now time for something completely different. This podcast is again something I found during the last part of this year, but have successfully binged and it's reached my favourites. Darknet Diaries does what it says on the tin. It's a collection of stories that dwell on the dark side of the internet, not necessarily the dark web, but it does include stories from hackers, penetration testers and those on both ends of cybercrime. The host Jack Rhysider is really easy to get along with, but you often are hearing from the people involved directly. If you're not too together with your coding skills then don't worry, everything is explained in laymans terms and makes for a really interesting fly on the wall feeling into a world not many of us would normally ever venture into. With Darknet Diaries, you'll usually get 2 episodes per month, again I wish for more uploads but that's purely because I'm totally into it.
Favourite Episodes: #45 and 46 Xbox Underground, #40 No Parking, #6 The Beirut Bank Job
Station: Independent
A firm favourite of mine, SYSK will probably always be my go to podcast if there's nothing new from any of my others. It updates so regularly that it's often hard to keep up with new episodes. It's been going since 2008 and hosts Josh and Chuck have covered everything from How Grass Works to The World's Biggest Heists. If you love learning new things and have always wondered HOW exactly something works, this is the podcast for you! The duo have a great level of banter that never seems to detract from the subject at hand. I've been a listener for about 4 years now and I think if i've lasted this long, I'll keep going.
Favourite Episodes: Cleopatra: Ms Understood, How Swearing Works, How Foreign Accent Syndrome Works.
Station: iHeart Radio/How Stuff Works
6. Reply All
A self declared 'podcast about the internet,' Reply All is hosted by PJ Vogt and Alex Goldman, two fun and excitable guys who explore all aspects of the internet and the culture it has created. Some of my favourite episodes tend to be where someone calls in with a question or a problem and they go off to explore the answer, think 'I got scammed online, who did it?' Sometimes this has resulted in them getting into quite a bit of trouble too. It's very lighthearted and what makes it even sweeter are some of the guests sound like the only thing they know how to do with a computer is to turn it on. Reply All often will revisit past episodes if there has been an update on a case or some interesting information too, which I really like. I need closure ok?
Favourite Episodes: #17 The Time Traveller and The Hitman, #44 Shine On You Crazy Goldman, #102/103 Long Distance Part I and II
Station: Gimlet
Notable Mentions
Stuff They Don't Want You To Know
iHeart Radio
Conspiracy podcast covering everything from what is going on in Hong Kong right now, to Antivaxxers.
Casefile
Independent
True crime. Murders, attempted murders, missing person cases and more.
Athletico Mince
Bob Mortimer and Andy Dawson
What originally started as a football podcast, now features skits from characters created by Bob and Andy. Very, very marginally football related but hilariously funny.
99% Invisible
Roman Mars for Radiotopia from PRX
Design is everywhere, and host Roman Mars tells you all about it if you can stay awake long enough, his voice is velvet.
