This week marked another invented “National Day”, in this case National Walking Day. We’ve been doing a lot of walking in our neighborhoods and communities since the pandemic changed the ways we live and work. It made me think about my favorite way to pass the time while walking…listening to podcasts! Podcasts have become very popular in the past several years, and you can find a podcast in nearly every genre!
As I am always on the hunt for a new and interesting podcast, and there are so many out there, I asked my colleagues at Summit what podcasts they are listening to. Here are our recommendations on how to kill some time with a podcast. I’ve broken them down by genre, but this is in no way the only genres that are out there!
News and Tech Tips:
Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me!
Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! is an hour-long weekly news radio panel show produced by WBEZ and NPR. On the program, panelists and contestants are quizzed in humorous ways about that week’s news.
The Future of Everything
The Wall Street Journal tells you what comes next with this in-depth look at how science and technology are revolutionizing the way we live, work and play.
The Takeout
Politics, policy and a side of pop culture: Major Garrett serves up a balanced diet of serious discussion, humor and food…for thought.
Unstuff America
Andrew Mellen gives tips and tricks on decluttering your home and your mind.
The School of Greatness
The School of Greatness shares inspiring interviews from the most successful people on the planet—world-renowned leaders in business, entertainment, sports, science, health, and literature—to inspire YOU to unlock your inner greatness and live your best life.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
Jay, a certified life coach, has fascinating conversations with the most insightful people in the world and shares those conversations with his listeners.
This Week in Tech
TWiT features round-table discussions and debates surrounding current technology news and reviews, with a particular focus on consumer electronics and the Internet.
Invisibilia
From NPR, unseeable forces control human behavior and shape our ideas, beliefs, and assumptions. Invisibilia—Latin for invisible things—fuses narrative storytelling with science that will make you see your own life differently.
True Crime:
Monster: DC Sniper
Monster: DC Sniper reinvestigates the beltway sniper attacks. This true crime podcast places the listener in Montgomery County, Maryland on October 2nd, 2002 when an unidentified sniper began randomly killing people going about their daily lives. Anyone who lived in the region can remember this event! It is interesting to hear it detailed in this podcast.
Criminal
Criminal is a podcast about crime. “Stories of people who’ve done wrong, been wronged, and/or gotten caught somewhere in the middle.” Criminal tells a different story in each episode across a wide range of topics.
Accused
Accused is a true crime investigative journalism podcast created by Cincinnati Enquirer reporters. As of 2020, three seasons have been published, each of which analyzes a different suspicious unsolved death case.
Murder Book
Michael Connelly, author and creator of Bosch, the TV series on Amazon Prime, tells the real life cases of LA detectives who inspire his show in an interview format.
Death in Ice Valley
BBC produced Death in Ice Valley, a podcast series that is more of an immersive listening experience, involving thousands of followers in a live investigation, actively trying to solve a 48-year-old real-life mystery.
WTOP American Nightmare Series
WTOP’s American Nightmare Series is a podcast covering true crime stories in the Washington D.C. region.
Historical
The Way I Heard it
Mike Rowe tells true stories about a real person, place, or thing from pop culture to politics.
What We Saw- Apollo 11
In this four-part series by Bill Whittle, transport back in time and understand what Apollo 11 felt like to the millions of Americans who lived through it.
Music and Food
The Splendid Table
The Splendid Table is a James Beard award winning podcast with conversations at the intersection of food, people and culture – covering everything from the global appeal of sesame to the impact of Instagram on everyday eating.
Gastropod
On this podcast, the hosts interview experts, visit labs, fields, and archaeological digs, and discover new ways to think about and understand the world through food.
Inside the Groove- Madonna’s Music
A podcast that dissects Madonna’s most famous songs, discussing how they were written and recorded, often referring to demos and outtakes
Tiny Desk Concerts
NPR brings Tiny Desk Concerts, a podcast version of their popular video series. Artists from Adele to Taylor Swift to Sting, and many lesser-known artists go behind a tiny desk and give a concert, oftentimes acoustic.
So next time you are lacing up your walking shoes, go to any podcast app and check out one of our recommended podcasts!
