Podcast Hit Parade
Walking down most any street in New York City, it seems as if half of the people are plugged into an iPhone or Smartphone. If New Yorkers are not having a conversation with a friend or colleague, chances are they are either listening to the news, their favorite playlist, an audible book, or a podcast. No doubt, it’s similar where you live as well. After all, we Americans do like to put our ears to good use, especially the younger generation.
Podcasts have been around for a long time and even predate the internet. According to Ben of Brandastic, a digital marketing agency, they go back to the 1980s. At that time, they were a form of “audio blogging” where anyone could share their thoughts with others. The problem, however, was in the distribution. It took several decades more for podcasts to really take off. Thanks to Apple in 2003, consumers came to know these audio-only segments via the iTune platform. Apple CEO Steve Jobs referred to podcasts as “TiVo for radio.”
The beauty of a podcasts is—unlike traditional radio shows with a predetermined airtime—they can be downloaded, then listened to whenever and wherever you want. Furthermore, the podcast format is perfect for our busy lives as it allows the listener to multi-task. Commuting to and from work, exercising at the gym, or doing chores around the house, podcasts are a mere set of ear buds away.
These bite-size audios—usually under an hour—cover a whole range of topics: news, politics, food and wine, music, religion, spirituality, and more. You name the subject, there’s a podcast that covers it. Plus, they are free. Apple Podcast, Spotify, and Google are the most popular streaming platforms to carry all this entertainment to us.
Podcasts’ popularity is exploding. Ben also tells us that over half of the US population has listened to a podcast and a quarter of Americans do so on a weekly basis. Not surprisingly, half of the audience is comprised of 24 to 44-year-olds. To illustrate the diversity of choice, Ben further tells us that there are 700,000 active podcasts for our auditory pleasure.
The first time I became aware of podcasts was back in 2014 when everyone in my office was chatting enthusiastically about the newly released “Serial.” If you missed it when it first came out, this was a hit podcast series produced by NPR. At the time, it had broken all records with 5 million downloads. “Serial” was —and is, as you can download it anytime with your Podcast app or by asking Alexa to play it! —a true crime narrative with episodes released on a weekly basis. After three successful seasons, “Serial” was acquired by The New York Times. The same writers recently introduced a new series now streaming called “Nice White Family” which explores public school controversies in a riveting manner.
The three most important podcast producers today are iHeartRadio, NPR and Spotify with a combined audience of over 22 million listeners a month. Furthermore, podcasts have also become a lucrative business. Last year alone brought in a half billion dollars in revenue. See why The New York Times purchased “Serial?” The appeal of this forum for advertisers is its ability to reach niche consumer markets made up of highly engaged listeners with a low drop off rate, ideal for brand building.
Over the past few years, this audio entertainment medium has further expanded with the advent of private individuals hosting their own shows. Turns out podcasts are relatively easy to produce. So, why not? Who doesn’t like the sound of their own voice? While these homey, DIY podcasts are basically expense-free to make, this is not the case for the big networks who incur heavy expenses to crank out their more sophisticated programming. This includes salaries for podcast hosts, producers, writers, and technical directors as well as their expensive equipment.
Many of my friends—primarily those under the age of 55—are wild about podcasts. Others have yet to discover their entertainment and educational value. To encourage the “uninitiated,” I decided to curate a selection of interesting podcasts to help lure them in. As I am still a podcast neophyte, some of my more media-savvy pals came to my rescue. I asked them what they were listening to these days. They replied enthusiastically with a rich selection of podcasts covering a range of different topics.
A special thank-you “shout out” to former “Cornerstoners,” Beth Cotenoff, Chandni Patel, and Casey Galasso, as well as wine educator, Sayle Milne, who helped form this “Hit parade” of their top 20 favorite podcasts. As these are all women of high intelligence, good taste, and varied interests, I was confident their picks would have merit.
The list is divided by categories. If you are new to podcasts, pick a topic, then sort through the suggestions to find one which appeals most to you. Give it a try after you’ve downloaded the Podcast app. Sayle even suggested some of her favorite episodes if you really want to drill down on a given topic. After some heavy-duty binge listening, I can confirm the exercise will be worthwhile.
Here we go…….
NEWS AND POLITICS
“NY1 Crosstown”- Pat Kiernan, New York City’s popular news anchor, pulls back the curtain on the biggest stories around the five boroughs reported by Spectrum News NY1. Working with the newsroom’s fellow journalists, Kiernan showcases what matters most to local New Yorkers plus anyone who is a New Yorker at heart.
“CNN Fact vs Fiction”- Host Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks with different experts on the latest developments in the Coronavirus pandemic. This is an easy-to-understand, science-based explanation of how to protect yourself and your family.
“NPR Up First”- This show discusses the top three news topics which according to the hosts, Rachel Martin and David Greene, “You need to know to start your day” all wrapped up in a mere ten minutes.
“The Daily”-Host Michael Barbaro interviews experts who share their insight on timely and compelling issues. Some examples of several segments I listened to included California’s female prison fire fighters and the US Postal Service debacle. Produced by The New York Times.
SOCIETY AND CULTURE
“NPR Pop Culture Happy Hour”- Produced five days a week, this is an informal, freewheeling conversation about the latest music, films, television shows, books, and nostalgia.
“NPR Fresh Air”- This Peabody Award-winning, weekday magazine format show, is one of Public Radio's most popular programs also offered as a podcast. Longtime host, Terry Gross, chats with prominent figures in the world of art, politics, and popular culture. Known for her seemingly low-key approach, Gross captivates her audience with fearlessly probing questions.
“This America Life”- Like “Fresh Air,” this show is both available on radio and as a podcast. It is wildly popular with a combined audience of over 5 million listeners. Host Ira Glass has won almost every award possible thanks to a fresh and innovative way of capturing contemporary culture through original monologues, essays, memoires, and mini-dramas.
“NPR All Songs Considered”- Co-hosts Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton explore and play the week’s best new music discoveries. Both emerging and seasoned artists, as well as other music experts, join the conversation.
“Aria Code”- This podcast is hosted by Grammy Award-winning (and opera-trained) folk singer Rhiannon Giddens. Her show reveals the backstories of some of the most famous operas in history. Diverse guests, including conductors, opera stars and musicologists, join Giddens in a fun, free-flowing, contemporary discussion which will delight even non-opera fans. Produced by WQXR in conjunction with The Metropolitan Opera.
“Radio Cherry Bombe”- Hosted by Kerry Diamond, co-founder and editorial director of the hit indie magazine, Cherry Bombe, the podcast provides in-depth interviews with leading female chefs, cookbook authors, caterers, and pastry chefs. This podcast is all about women and food.
“Dolly Parton's America” - Even if you are not a country music fan, this is a must. Hosted by Jad Abumrad, this nine-part, non-fiction series is based on the career of Dolly Parto, a singular figure of contradictions. Starting with her early life, Abumrad interviews Dolly who talks frankly about how she became America’s most prolific songwriter, as well as respected musician, astute businesswoman and generous philanthropist. Honest, funny, and endearing, no can leave this series without falling in love with Dolly. Produced at WNYC Studio.
“The Michelle Obama podcast” - If you liked her book, this is for you. The former First Lady chats with family, friends, and colleagues about relationships and how they form who you eventually become in life. Michelle’s relaxed and informative conversations cover human issues such as friendship and working moms along with topical subjects such as politics and racism .
“NPR The Moth” - Story telling at its best, each episode invites listeners to discover true stories featuring a range of human and social experiences. The weekly series is based on narratives told live at Moth performances staged across America. One of my favorite episodes was recounted by my friend and wine guru, Anthony Giglio. Give it a listen and be prepared to laugh and cry: "Listen Here, Fancy Pants!"
“Armchair Expert” - This podcast is hosted by actor, director, and writer Dax Shepard and Emmy-nominated Monica Padman. Their mission is to showcase “the messiness of being human.” Sayle recommends the interview with Bill Gates on August 20th, 2020 (Episode 237); a segment on the mind, hypnosis and the power of suggestion with Tom Silver (Episode 191); and the show about ageing and genetics with biologist David Sinclair (Episode 226).
“Good For You” - Hosted by former comedian Whitney Cummings, this podcast includes conversations with fellow comics, celebrities and experts as well as people she affectionately calls “weirdos.” According to Sayle, Episode 43 with Andrew Yang was fascinating.
BUSINESS
“NPR How I Built This” - Hosted by Guy Raz, this podcast uncovers the backstories of some of the best companies in the world. From innovators, to entrepreneurs, to idealists, Raz peels away the layers of hard work and luck involved in their success.
“Business Casual” - This podcast from Morning Brew, a popular business newsletter, is hosted by Kinsey Grant who sits down with some of the biggest names in business. Recent episodes worth checking out include interviews with: Shark Tank and real estate legend Barbara Corcoran; billionaire hedge fund manager Ray; and marketing guru, Gary Vaynerchuk.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
“I Love Wellness” - This podcast, hosted by Lo Bosworth, is all about empowering women’s bodies and minds. It features a modern, holistic, self-care approach to health and fitness. Bosworth’s informal conversations with guests are open, fresh and frank.
“Better Together”- Former TV host and journalist, Maira Menounos interviews top experts, including influential celebrities and “game-changers” who share their secrets for better health, emotional wellness and improved relationships. One of Sayle’s favorite segment was Episode #94 with Dr. Joe Dispenze who “with his mind alone, healed himself from a tragic accident where he broke his back in six places. This is all about the mind/body connection. Fascinating!”
“The Goop” - Despite its unfortunate name, this podcast, produced by actress and health guru (self-appointed?) Gwyneth Paltrow and her company’s Chief Content Officer Elise Loehnen, includes as they describe it “conversations with leading thinkers, culture changers and industry disruptors.” This could include, for example, doctors, spiritual healers as well as creative-thinking business CEOs.
Let’s face it, learning how to listen to a podcast is a generational thing. For Baby-Boomers like me who grew up with radio, the transition is quite easy. We tend to just sit back, relax, and let our imaginations fly. Ironically, my trainer, Jennifer Spina—who is much younger than I— told me it took her a while to get used to podcasts. “It was weird just sitting there on the couch listening to someone speak and not be able to see them,” she explained.
On the other hand, the idea of multi-tasking when you should be giving your total attention to the host and guests, is an anathema for people my age. Well sort of. To be honest, I do enjoy listening to “Dolly Parton’s America” while doing my PT knee exercises. However, I also tend to concentrate more on Dolly’s revealing stories than keeping accurate track of my exercises. And, as research has shown that multi-tasking reduces productivity, if I were forced to make a choice between the two activities, Dolly’s podcast is going to win hands down!