Despite the ever-growing popularity of podcasts, they have never been my personal media of choice.
The main reasoning was because of how intimidating the selection of shows was — most of the time, I felt overwhelmed by the infinite choices. I had no idea where to start, and when I found possible places, my focus waned away quickly.
The possibilities were endless.
As daunting as it was, I was determined to catch a ride on the podcast wave. After spending hours searching through shows, I couldn't stop.
I found podcasts speaking to all walks of life, proving there truly is a podcast for everyone. Here are some recommendations for those of you out there faced the same dilemma I had.
For the music enthusiast: 'Song vs Song'
Podcasts catering to music lovers are plentiful — "Dissect", a podcast produced by Spotify, and "Song Exploder", produced by Hrishikesh Hirway, are two podcasts that have long been in the limelight.
While the central focuses of these examples — dissecting lyrics and sonic choices — are interesting to any music fanatic, "Song vs. Song" hosted by Todd (in the Shadows) Nathanson and Alina Morgan brings a more unique concept to the podcast music scene.
Rather than focusing on a single artist, the show pits two sonically similar and equally loved songs against each other, breaking them down and creating controversial outcomes on which song triumphs over the other.
For those who want to escape reality: 'Welcome To Night Vale'
Already loved by many, "Welcome To Night Vale" is a podcast created by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor, narrated by their fictional character, Cecil Gershwin Palmer (voiced by Cecil Baldwin). While many podcasts speak about real-world events and occurrences, this one flexes its imagination and creativity muscles with obscure and wild storylines.
The show itself is set up as a radio show for Night Vale, a fictional desert town in which nothing seems normal. Different arcs run throughout the episodes, with recurring characters and off-the-wall situations.
The various segments, such as "Horoscopes," "A Word From Our Sponsors" and "Traffic" are quirky and humorous, captivating intrigue from listeners. A highlight from the show can be found in the weather segment, when the podcast features a new song in every episode.
For the true crime enthusiasts: 'Small Town Murder'
True crime has quickly become a staple genre within the podcast community. With our innate human tendencies to be fascinated by the unknown, just as much as we fear it, true crime podcasts scratch the niche itch, and "Small Town Murder" is no exception.
While shows like "Serial" have paved the way for the true crime podcast genre, the comedian hosts James Pietragallo and Jimmie Whisman of "Small Town Murder" elevate the category by putting humorous spins on the absurdity of the crimes committed in towns with populations under 300,000.
For those who want to stay one step ahead of the news: 'Citations Needed'
There are countless podcasts about the daily news: "The Daily", "The New Yorker Radio Hour", the list goes on. However, these news podcasts can be politically slanted — that's where "Citations Needed" takes center stage.
Hosts Nima Shirazi and Adam Johnson dive into biases and uncover how U.S. media perpetuates narrow views to distort the general public's perceptions. Picking apart one element of news coverage after another, "Citations Needed" aims at fostering a society more aware of the power the media can hold, and how no one is safe from misinformation.
