On the hunt for your next favorite podcast? Something to fulfill your appetite for all things newsworthy or something inspiring?
We’ve picked out the best podcasts to listen to in 2021, whether that’s on headphones during your commute or on speakers when you finally kick back at the end of the day.
Read on for podcast recommendations to cheer you up, get you curious, ensure you understand all the most important global goings-on and have some interesting conversation starters for your next dinner party.
Daily essentials
The Daily by The New York Times
For more of the New York Times’ hard-hitting journalism and the lowdown on the day’s most significant events, check out The Daily—one of the Internet’s most popular podcasts. Host Michael Barbaro chats with fellow NYT journalists about one specific story, giving you all the facts in a concise and commuter-friendly 20 minutes.
Best for: Reliable and riveting coverage of the day’s most important stories.
| Frequency: | weekdays |
| Duration: | 20 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
News Briefing by The Financial Times
News Briefing by the Financial Times is one of the best podcasts for global news and essential events in the business world. Each episode is succinct and the podcast ranges in scope from the effects of Brexit to big tech regulation.
Best for: The biggest global business stories in short and sweet segments.
| Frequency: | weekdays |
| Duration: | 10 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
What’s News by The Wall Street Journal
What’s News is released twice daily with a morning episode that covers general business news and an afternoon episode that includes reflections from WSJ journalists. Listen for timely and informative insights on business, markets, and the economy and their interplay with politics. One of the best Spotify podcasts.
Best for: Regular and discerning summaries of business news.
| Frequency: | twice daily |
| Duration: | 10 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
The Briefing by Monocle 24
The Briefing is the perfect listen if you want more comprehensive coverage of the most important stories of the moment. Each episode is long enough for more detailed discussions, leaving you with a sense of really having learned something.
Best for: A deeper dive into daily events.
| Frequency: | weekdays |
| Duration: | 30 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
Global News by BBC
From media giant, the BBC comes Global News, one of the best podcasts to listen to. Daily coverage of the most important events on the world stage with a wide-ranging scope that includes arts and music as well as politics and business with a commitment to reporting on news from under-represented countries.
Best for: Diverse and dependable reporting on global stories.
| Frequency: | twice daily on weekdays, once a day at weekends |
| Duration: | 30 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
Best culture podcasts
Hodinkee Radio
Hodinkee is a leading resource for all things horological but Hodinkee Radio is not just about watches. You’ll also get insights into the people both wearing and making watches and discussions on everything from auction scandals to the parallels between watchmaking and cooking.
Best for: Horological obsessives looking for the latest on watches.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 50 minutes to > 1 hour |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
Culture Gabfest
One of the top podcasts on Spotify, Culture Gabfest is hosted by critics Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner, and covers both high and low culture with thoughtful discussions of everything from the latest Saturday Night Live to the future of streaming.
Best for: Insightful chit-chat about cultural occurrences.
| Frequency: | most weekdays |
| Duration: | 40 minutes to 1 hour |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. |
This American Life
This American Life is the ultimate podcast for compelling tales of real people and their lives. One of the most popular podcasts out there, it promises to put a unique spin on traditional journalism, making the abstract feel personal and the distant feel close-to-home.
Best for: Miscellaneous stories that make all other news seem boring.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 1 hour |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
Bookclub
This BBC-produced podcast features acclaimed authors talking about their most famous novels. Guests include Max Porter, Rebecca Solnit, and poet Simon Armitage. For a more intimate understanding of some of the world’s best-loved books, Bookclub is essential listening for any bookworm.
Best for: Virtual membership to the world’s best book club.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 30 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
Saturday Review
For sharp and clever coverage of all things culture, check out the Saturday Review. Host Tom Sutcliffe and guests discuss the week’s main cultural events, from the latest cinema releases to current art exhibitions. Essential commentary on the world’s biggest cultural happenings, plus any hidden gems you might have missed.
Best for: Stealing their opinions and passing them off as your own.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 50 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. |
Best tech podcasts
Get Wired by Wired
Get to grips with the most significant events in science and tech with the Get Wired Podcast. The focus is on how technology is transforming every aspect of our lives and there are discussions on everything from automation to TikTok. Definitely one of the best tech podcasts on Spotify.
Best for: Navigating a path through our rapidly digitizing world.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 30 minutes |
| Listen on: | Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
Recode Media by Vox
The interactions between media, entertainment, and technology are the subject of Recode Media by Vox, with episodes on the latest media buyouts, subscription platforms, and the ins and outs of YouTube. Guests include everyone from business big dogs to comedians.
Best for: Sharp and critical coverage of all things media.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 20 minutes to > 1 hour |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify. |
WVFRM by MKBHD
Hosted by Marques Brownlee, the man behind MKBHD (the supremely popular YouTube channel for tech reviews), tech podcast WVFRM is all about the latest gadgets, electric cars, and other exciting new electronic products.
Best for: Tech heads looking for their electronic-news fix.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 1 to > 1 hour |
| Listen on: | Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and Stitcher. |
AWS by Amazon Web Services
Are you a developer? IT professional? Someone who has to deal with cloud platforms on a regular basis? Then the AWS podcast is for you. It covers the latest news and trends in storage, security, infrastructure, and more.
Best for: IT professionals looking to stay up to speed with the particulars of the cloud.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 30 – 45 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
The Social Media Marketing Podcast by The Social Media Examiner
Want to get more likes on Instagram? More views on LinkedIn? More shares on Facebook? Brought to you by the Social Media Examiner, the Social Media Marketing Podcast is all about making social media work for your business. Consider this podcast your new business guru.
Best for: Staying up to snuff on all things social.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 45 minutes |
| Listen on: | Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. |
Best podcasts for news & politics
Today, Explained by Vox
Today, Explained is a concise, precise, and to-the-point explanation of the biggest stories of each day. In a world of 24-hour news cycles where we are constantly being bombarded by headlines, this podcast helps you to cut through the fluff and make sense of world affairs.
Best for: Compelling daily explainers for the most current of current events.
| Frequency: | weekdays |
| Duration: | 20 minutes |
| Listen on: | Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Stitcher. |
Post Reports by The Washington Post
Post Reports is your daily dose of expert insights and clear-sighted analysis. From reports into the criminal justice system to discussions of the mental health impact of distance learning, Post Reports answers the questions you didn’t even realize you were asking.
Best for: Leaving you equipped with all the necessary information to understand the world.
| Frequency: | weekdays |
| Duration: | 30 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
Editor’s Picks by The Economist
Don’t have time to read an Economist article from start to finish? Why not listen to three of their best articles read aloud as you go about your day? Editor’s Picks offers expertly articulated essays on a diverse range of issues, from the future of 5G to the way viruses shape the world.
Best for: Audio versions of top articles for when time’s too tight to read.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 20 to 30 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
Best business podcasts
The Entrepreneurs by Monocle
The Entrepreneurs is Monocle 24’s weekly podcast and centers on the most inspirational stories from global business with a specific focus on the people, companies, and ideas that are advancing the business agenda. The Entrepreneurs is the perfect listen for enterprising minds looking for added incentive to pursue their dreams.
Best for: The closest thing to having a business coach sitting on your shoulder.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 5 to 30 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
Behind The Money by The Financial Times
If you want to know what’s going on inside the world’s biggest corporations, this podcast is a must-listen. Covering everything from dramatic business take-overs to intrigue and scheming at the highest level, Behind the Money takes you behind the curtain of big business and also showcases the FT’s investigative journalism at its best.
Best for: Delving into big business to uncover what lies behind the scenes.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 20 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
Money Talks by The Economist
Here to help you get your head around the markets, economy, and world of business is Money Talks, a podcast by The Economist. With episodes on everything from American government bonds to asset management, Money Talks offers the most reliable financial handbook in audio form.
Best for: The most important financial facts from journalists you know you can trust.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 25 to 30 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
The Business of Fashion Podcast
The Business of Fashion has a devoted following of listeners who consider it the ultimate resource for understanding the issues and events affecting the fashion industry. Required listening for any creative.
Best for: Invaluable information on the inner workings of the fashion industry.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 30 to 50 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
Fashion No Filter
Who isn’t intrigued by what goes on behind the scenes in the fashion business? Who hasn’t wondered what life is like backstage after a catwalk show? Here to dish the dirt on this most fascinating of industries is Fashion No Filter, hosted by fashion journalists Camille Charriere and Monica Ainley.
Best for: A highly absorbing glance under the glossy surface of fashion.
| Frequency: | sporadic releases |
| Duration: | 1 hour to > 1 hour |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and acast. |
SPI Podcast by Pat Flynn
The Smart Passive Income Podcast—hosted by Pat Flynn of the popular blog of the same name—is one of the best podcasts to listen to for any entrepreneur. Pat walks you through his tricks and tips for generating a passive income stream by building an online business and also interviews other industry experts.
Best for: An accessible guide to launching an online business.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 40 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
The Unofficial Shopify Podcast by Kurt Elster
Discover how to make millions from Shopify by learning the top tips from the world’s most successful Shopify entrepreneurs. As the name suggests, the Unofficial Shopify Podcast is not actually endorsed or sponsored by Shopify, but it remains a trustworthy resource for anyone looking to create a thriving e-commerce business.
Best for: Online store owners wanting to take their business to new heights.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 40 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
Shopify Masters
Shopify Masters is the official Shopify podcast and the best way to discover how successful entrepreneurs make it to the top. Featuring interviews with the brains behind thriving online businesses and chats with veteran entrepreneurs who share their advice so you can learn the ropes more easily.
Best for: Learning straight from the pros how to run a perfect online business.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 50 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
The Globalist by Monocle
With The Globalist, you get to enjoy peerless reporting from globally-minded magazine Monocle on a daily basis—whether that’s an unpacking of Brexit or a discussion on the future of Nato.
Best for: Dream listening for any business and politics nerd.
| Frequency: | daily |
| Duration: | 60 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
Junction Live by Commission Junction
Learn everything you need to know about affiliate marketing with Junction Live, hosted by CJ Affiliate’s VP of Marketing, Nicole Ron. Full of important perspectives on content creation and online publishing, it’s one of the best podcasts to listen to if you’re thinking of getting into affiliate marketing.
Best for: Affiliate marketing’s thought-leaders lay out all the necessary facts.
| Frequency: | sporadic releases |
| Duration: | 30 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts and Spotify. |
Empire Flippers Podcast
Want to dip your feet into the lucrative world of online entrepreneurship? The Empire Flippers podcast will teach you exactly how to buy and sell websites and invest in online assets, as well as sharing stories about the highs, lows, successes, and failures that accompany business dealings online.
Best for: Digital entrepreneurs eager to invest seriously in online business.
| Frequency: | bi-monthly |
| Duration: | 30 minutes to > 1 hour |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
Best lifestyle & luxury fashion podcasts
Blamo!
This podcast is all about the people and personalities that shape and influence the thrilling world of high fashion. Whether they’re designers, actors, or journalists, Blamo!’s Jeremy Kirkland wants to speak with them about their journey and their perspective on the future of this most fascinating of industries.
Best for: Fashion fanatics looking to dive deep into the world of couture.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 1 hour |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
The Gucci Podcast by Gucci
Gucci is one of the most popular luxury brands in the world. To learn more about this enigmatic Italian fashion house, then definitely have a listen to The Gucci Podcast. Each episode features interviews with the latest people to collaborate with the brand.
Best for: High-fashion fans seeking the scoop on this famous couture house.
| Frequency: | bi-monthly |
| Duration: | 40 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts and Spotify. |
Dior Talks by Dior
In Dior Talks, artists, collaborators, and other friends of the high-end fashion house discuss their inspiration, the subjects that fascinate them, their work, and their challenges. The most recent series, Dior Lady Art, follows ten artists tasked with transforming the iconic Lady Dior handbag.
Best for: Fascinating conversations about creativity from a world-famous luxury brand.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 30 to 50 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
Pieces of Me: My Life in Seven Garments by NET-A-PORTER
Net-A-Porter has produced one of the most unique fashion podcasts with Pieces of Me: My Life in Seven Garments, whereby female celebrities walk listeners through the outfits they wore at the most defining moments of their lives. An easy yet enlightening listening.
Best for: Revealing how clothes are symbols in the story of our life.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 30 minutes |
| Listen on: | Spotify and Apple Podcasts. |
3.55 by Chanel
In the 3.55 podcast, luxury fashion brand Chanel records intimate conversations in unique locations, from Gabrielle Chanel’s apartment to backstage at runway shows. Get to know a particular personality from the world of fashion and art and learn more about what defines creativity.
Best for: An audio adventure into the heart of aesthetics.
| Frequency: | monthly |
| Duration: | 10 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts and Spotify. |
Chloé Radio by Chloé
Chloé’s brand of femininity is daring and free-spirited and Chloé Radio features women who embody this definition of what it means to be female with guests such as Clémence Poésy and Houda Benyamina voicing their opinions on life and the world.
Best for: Laidback but insightful chit-chat from an iconic French fashion house.
| Frequency: | sporadic releases |
| Duration: | 15 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. |
The Faubourg of Dreams by Hermès
Taking its name from the original Hermès store on Rue de Faubourg Saint-Honoré, The Faubourg of Dreams reveals what an epicenter of creativity the shop really is. Episodes include interviews with Pierre-Alexis Dumas, artistic director, and Antoine Platteau, the man behind the store’s alluring window displays.
Best for: Being transported behind the scenes of a legendary Parisian fashion store.
| Frequency: | sporadic releases |
| Duration: | 15 minutes to 2 hours |
| Listen on: | Soundcloud. |
Miu Miu Musings by Miu Miu
Each episode of the highly original Miu Miu Musings is a recording of a lunch debate, as organized by the fashion house and focusing on diverse subjects such as photography or authenticity. Featuring inspiring guest speakers including designer Bella Freud.
Best for: Compelling conversations in the unique form of a debate.
| Frequency: | irregular |
| Duration: | 40 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts. |
Bottega Residency by Bottega Veneta
Who wouldn’t want to listen to a podcast nicknamed ‘the theatre of joyous distraction’? We could all do with a bit more joy and positivity in our lives and the Bottega Residency brings us exactly that with a virtual residency program of art, entertainment, music, and other uplifting content.
Best for: Blissful fashion-themed distraction from life’s mundanities.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | n/a |
| Listen on: | Spotify |
Cartier Confidential by Cartier
This podcast series by legendary luxury jewelry brand Cartier is God’s gift to jewelry lovers and bling buffs. Exploring the people, visions, and talents that have gone into making Cartier what it is today, the Cartier Confidential is the ultimate listen for anyone seeking the story behind the sparkle.
Best for: Behind-the-scenes secrets of a jewelry giant.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 30 to 40 minutes |
| Listen on: | Spotify and Apple Podcasts. |
InCharge with DVF
InCharge with DVF is all about fashion, female empowerment, and leadership. Diane von Furstenberg lets us listen in on intimate and eye-opening conversations with the likes of Kris Jenner and Priyanka Chopra Jonas as we discover what it takes to survive and succeed as a woman in today’s world.
Best for: Wise words from powerful women about what it takes to make it to the top.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 35 minutes |
| Listen on: | Spotify |
Best beauty podcasts
Foxy Browns
Bringing a much-needed alternative perspective to the world of beauty, Foxy Browns features writers Priyanka Mattoo and Camilla Blackett discussing cosmetics from the point of view of women of color, deconstructing Western beauty standards while simultaneously sharing top tips on how to become the most gorgeous version of you.
Best for: A refreshingly diverse angle on all things beauty.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 50 minutes to > 1 hour |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. |
The Naked Beauty Podcast
For unfiltered and honest conversation about beauty trends, tips, and products, check out Brooke DeVard Ozaydinli’s Naked Beauty podcast. It goes beyond run-of-the-mill beauty reviews and tutorials to dive deep into what beauty really means, offering a personal, inspiring, and reassuring perspective on this often controversial topic.
Best for: An eloquent and exhilarating take on what beauty is all about.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 40 minutes to 1 hour |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. |
The goop Podcast
With Gwenyth Paltrow and goop’s Chief Content Officer Elise Leohnen at the helm, the goop Podcast busts open taboos, tackles difficult subjects, and seeks out new and unconventional paradigms. It’s enlightening, enquiring, and a super engaging listen, covering everything from indigenous justice to what makes a good marriage.
Best for: Truly illuminating conversations that will make you see the world differently.
| Frequency: | every Tuesday and Thursday |
| Duration: | 40 minutes to 1 hour |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. |
Fat Mascara
The perfect listen when you’re doing your daily chores, Fat Mascara is the fun, relatable, and super juicy beauty podcast you’ve been waiting for, full of candid anecdotes about the hosts’ escapades in the beauty industry plus must-try miracle products, whether you’re looking for a new eyeshadow palette or new make-up brush.
Best for: A high-energy and high-spirited caper through the world of beauty.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 30 minutes to 1 hour |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
Breaking Beauty
Sometimes a beauty product comes along that changes everything. Breaking Beauty is about those products and the people behind them. Telling the stories of the world’s best-selling beauty products straight from the mouths of the founders themselves, this podcast is a must-download for any committed beauty junkie.
Best for: Inside intelligence on beauty’s most successful products.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 40 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. |
Full Coverage
Hosted by professional makeup artist Harriet Hadfield along with self-professed unprofessional beauty lover Lindsey Kelk, Full Coverage perfectly marries expert opinion with relatable and accessible advice. It’s relaxed, frank, and the perfect feel-good listen.
Best for: Honest conversations about skincare, haircare, and anything else cosmetic.
| Frequency: | monthly |
| Duration: | 40 minutes to > 1 hour |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. |
Best self-improvement and well-being podcasts
Jocko Podcast
Stuck in a rut? Hosted by former Navy SEAL Jocko Willink, Jocko Podcast is about discipline and leadership and will give you the boost you need to take back control of your life. Tune in for encouragement, motivation, and just enough humor to keep it light.
Best for: The pep talk you didn’t know you needed.
| Frequency: | sporadic |
| Duration: | 35 minutes to > 3 hours |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
The Happiness Lab
In The Happiness Lab podcast, Yale professor Dr Laurie Santos walks listeners through the latest scientific research into what really makes us happy. Clue: it’s not more money or more Instagram likes. Get ready for a happier you in no time.
Best for: Empowering and educational content on life’s most important topic.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 30 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations
From the world’s favorite talk-show host comes one of the top podcasts out there. SuperSoul Conversations is more than just great listening. It’s life-changing. Pertinent and personal conversations with thought-leaders and spiritual superstars and an invitation to greater connection, meaning, happiness, and health.
Best for: Warm and wise conversations about life’s biggest questions.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 30 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
NPR Life Kit
NPR makes some of the world’s top podcasts and Life Kit is a selection of tools designed to help you get it together, whether you need help with coping with something as momentous as grief or simply some advice on how to put together a rocking playlist.
Best for: Smart and heartwarming insights into how to be a better human.
| Frequency: | three times a week |
| Duration: | 20 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
Where Should We Begin? Esther Perel
In Where Should We Begin? queen of relationships Esther Perel gives us the unrivaled opportunity to eavesdrop on real-life couple’s counseling sessions. An enlightening peek behind the curtain into other people’s homes.
Best for: Compulsory listening for anyone wanting a thriving and healthy relationship.
| Frequency: | weekly |
| Duration: | 45 minutes |
| Listen on: | Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. |
Frequently asked questions about podcasts
The best podcasts to listen to include The Daily by The New York Times, Get Wired by Wired and The Entrepreneurs by Monocle. For more listening inspiration, check out our list of the best podcasts of 2021.
The number 1 podcast is currently The Daily by The New York Times, a news podcast where top journalists discuss the most important stories of the day. Also ranking highly among listeners are This American Life and Today, Explained by Vox.
The most downloaded podcast is Serial, an investigative journalism series and one of the most popular podcasts of all time. Other podcasts with a large number of downloads include This American Life and The Daily.
Great podcasts to listen to include Culture Gabfest for cultural debate. If you’re interested in self-help and self-improvement, definitely listen to The Happiness Lab or Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations. Dior Talks is great for fans of all things fashion.
