What Should You Stream Next? Podcasts, and Here are Our Favorites

Editor’s note: Written in partnership with Spotify

Now that we’re spending most days at home, it has given us more time to pursue leisure activities. We can stream our favorite movies or the shows on our to-watch list, listen to the latest bops, and catch up on our books. Here’s a tip from us: add “listen to podcasts” on your list of things to do today. They’re an awesome way to pass the time because they’re always informative or entertaining.

What are podcasts, anyway? They’re like a talk show, except it’s purely audio. Each podcast has a topic that they explore in every episode. One might be about true crime, while another will focus on pop culture. Some might be fictional and be like a series. Because of the variety of podcasts available, both locally and internationally, there’s a title suited for everyone.

We recommend listening to podcasts on Spotify. It’s free and easy to download, and gives you access to tons of interesting titles. And because it’s an audio experience, we can listen to it wherever we are at home. If you’re using Spotify on mobile, Spotify Connect lets you link it on other devices with Spotify on the same wi-fi network. This way, we can listen to it while working, cleaning, or cooking. Here’s also a feature we love: you can download episodes at home and listen to them on your grocery run and not eat up mobile data!

Here are our recommended titles to get you started:

To entertain you

1. True crime

My Favorite Murder combines true crime and comedy. It sounds like an unlikely pairing but hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark say that they use comedy as a form of therapy to deal with heavy topics (don’t worry, they don’t make fun of the crime or victims). Karen and Georgia each tell a true crime story per episode and sometimes, they share their live shows around the world. Each week, they also read Hometown Murders submitted by fans, called Murderinos. Apart from the hosts’ entertaining banter, they advocate mental health and push listeners to practice self-care.

2. Supernatural stories

The Philippines is rich with scary stories and it’s a topic that Mimai Cabugnason and Grace Marcellana explore in Wag Kang Lilingon. They talk about haunted houses, school ghost stories, and local supernatural beliefs. They even have how-tos, like how to stay alive should you find yourself trapped in a horror movie or how to summon spirits (that’s right). Like My Favorite Murder, they have built a community called ka-stiff necks who submit their own scary stories.

3. Fiction

In Welcome to Night Vale, every conspiracy is true. This podcast is in the format of the official radio station of the fictional town of Night Vale. Here, paranormal and supernatural events are reported as if it’s the most normal thing in the world. Take for example the Faceless Old Woman, who ran for town mayor. Or the dog park, where dogs and people are not allowed in it because a menacing and unearthly voice instructs listeners to bring toddlers there. The show also has multi-episode story arcs, like the Blood Space War, which happened somewhere and somewhen in time and space.

4. Non-fiction

There are plenty of podcasts that share true and extraordinary stories. Modern Love is the audio version of the hit New York Times column, where anyone can submit a story about love, loss, and redemption. In “A Heart of Gold,” Caroline attempts to find a man who can love her and her tortoise, Minnie. She writes, “It’s easy to love the beautiful, the normal, but what about the gifts of loving the strange, the uncommon, the odd?” The podcast is often narrated by celebrities, including Kate Winslet, Uma Thurman, Jake Gyllenhaal, and more.

Meanwhile, The Moth covers stories about any topic. The Moth started as theme-based storytelling events in 1997 until it branched out into a podcast and a Peabody Award-winning radio show. The stories vary. There’s one about a hitchhiker who is picked up by an infamous driver, while another discusses how she became phone pals with a legendary rock star. The stories are insightful, funny, and inspiring.

To educate you

1. Random information

Podcasts are also a rich source of information and if you want go to down a rabbit hole, check out Radiolab and TED Talks Daily. Radiolab takes on an investigative approach as they deep dive into specific topics: In “Body Count,” they attempt to add context to the number of people in the world. In “Unnatural Selection,” they try to understand the science of genetic intelligence, which helps couples select the best embryo to form the smartest baby. This curiosity has given Radiolab two Peabody Awards.

Similarly, TED Talks Daily covers a wide variety of subjects. It’s the audio version of the famed TED Talks, where experts talk about scientific, cultural, political, and academic issues. There’s an episode that explains why we procrastinate, while another tries to see if we can edit memories. There’s a lot to learn here and they make great conversation starters.

2. Coaching

If you want to improve yourself or your relationship, try The Coaching Happiness Podcast! Kathi Raneses is a certified life coach, and her podcast is a free version of her sessions where she teaches her clients how to be happy. Her episodes including breaking down the five love languages, how to love the imperfect things about our partner, and how to get our of our comfort zone. Listening to this podcast is a feel-good experience that will make you believe everything will be all right.

3. ASMR and meditation

Podcasts are meant to keep you glued to the action, but Sleeping Pill with Inka is the opposite. Inka Magnaye’s goal is to make you fall asleep. If you remember the voiceover artist who went viral for an airline’s inflight announcement, she used her soothing voice to start a podcast. Sleeping Pill is exactly what it sounds like: it’s an ASMR and meditation podcast that will help you cast your worries away and help you go to slumberland. It’s fairly new so expect new episodes every week!

To listen to podcasts, simply open Spotify and tap on Podcasts. You can search for the titles above but if you feel like exploring, you can go on Search then tap Podcasts. You can then choose from any of the categories, like Comedy, Lifestyle & Health, or Music.