Celebrity Book Club with Chelsea Devantez

I personally love celebrity memoirs, and Chelsea's show does a great job of covering a wide variety of celebrity memoirs with nuance and humor. I am always blown away by what interests her or catches her eye in the book. She's a truly great host for a show that was literally made for all my interests! She also gets great guests to talk about the books with, so every episode is a delight.

- Anna Hossnieh, Managing Executive Producer at iHeartPodcasts

Recommended episode: Tori Spelling’s Memoir sTORI Telling (with June Diane Raphael)

FeMANism

Of all the wonderful things I’ve listened to this year, I had the most fun listening to FeMANism. It’s a comedy podcast where Sam Martin and Jamie Hoggart play characters of two clueless bros (trying to be feminists) who give us their own, completely misdirected version of feminism, by leaning heavily into stereotypes, spreading inaccuracies about women and their bodies, making swift, unvalidated judgments, and both interrupting and misinterpreting their female guests. It's hilarious and an almost painfully accurate take on that guy who thinks he's lifting women up and loves himself for it. The dialogue is sharp-witted and deeply humorous — Sam and Jamie are the perfect duo to pull off this nifty trick. When I first listened, I actually thought it was hosted by two men — Sam and Jamie have slowed down their audio so they truly sound like those terrible guys at the bar telling you how they can’t possibly be sexist because they love women so much. You know the type.

- Lauren Passell, Founder, Tink Media

Recommended episode: Episode 1

In The Scenes Behind Plain Sight

Why hasn't anyone thought of doing this before? With the popularity of TV re-watch shows, why hasn't anyone come up with a parody? In the Scenes Behind Plain Sight does just that, with two hosts (using made-up names —even their picture on the show's tile art is stock imagery), playing actors who starred in a mildly successful TV show 20 years ago called "Behind Plain Sight" (I'll save you the IMDB search…it is completely made up), filling each episode of their podcast dissecting and sharing memories of an episode that...never existed. The podcast is gloriously bad, by design, and just keeps entertaining you with goofs on Hollywood, podcasting, and dying dreams of faded glory. The whole thing is just brilliant.

- Eric Nuzum, Co-founder, Magnificent Noise

Recommended episode: Pilot: Part 1

Natch Beaut

I barely manage to wash my face most days, so I rarely listen to beauty podcasts. However, I AM down for the miracle of life. Shreya Sharma recommended these episodes on Inside Podcasting a while back, so I gave them a listen, and wow, what a journey! Jackie Michelle Johnson offers a charming and candid reflection on her first (and only?) pregnancy and childbirth. The two-parter is a meditation on how to have a child with agency in this day and age, fraught with some of the big quandaries of modern womanhood, including nods to climate change. I'm so happy Jackie J took listeners along for the ride — I was laughing and crying...it was a beautiful mess.

- Courtney Kocak, Creator & Curator of the Podcast Bestie newsletter

Recommended episode: Being Pregnant with Jackie J, Giving Birth with Jackie J

Normal Gossip

This is my favorite podcast discovery of the year. It's like having happy hour with your funniest friends and sharing some hot gossip about a friend of a friend, totally consequence-free! Each episode anonymizes listener submissions, so you don't have to worry about somehow hearing something from your own circle! The episode about queer kickball is my favorite so far; the relationship dynamics and queer culture are lovingly and correctly described, the guest provides excellent context and humorous interjections, and the whole episode is an utter joy to listen to. Bonus: the episode ends on a happy note!

- Shelley Carr

Recommended episode: You can't fight with Heiress Tongue with Matt Bellassai

Sounds Like a Cult

This podcast has become one of my favorites throughout 2022. Each episode brings so much variety in concepts, topics, and also emotions. That's why I love it so much, some episodes are deep and serious while others are lighthearted and hilarious. I never know what I'll be getting when I hit play.

- Fatima Zaidi, CoHost & Quill

Recommended episode: The Cult of Kitchen Culture

Where The Stars Fell

Where the Stars Fell is an exceptionally-written urban fantasy, meshed with Catholic imagery and the kind of unique take on religious horrors you'd find in the likes of “American Gods” and “Good Omens.” It's not only refreshingly unique, but funny, violent, and exceptionally well-written.

- Podcake

Recommended episode: Episode One: The Olive Branch

Fawx & Stallion

Fawx and Stallion follows the less well-known and slightly less brilliant residents of 224B Baker Street, London, and their quest to prove themselves as detective equals to their famous neighbor, Sherlock Holmes. This show is not only proof that you can tell funny, joyfully queer stories in historical fiction, but a rallying cry for more of them. A razor-sharp Victorian farce with a solid mystery, genre-perfect sound design, and a found family of characters it barely takes a second to fall in love with.

- Newton Schottelkotte, Head of Caldera Studios

Recommended episode: The Case of The Best Case Scenario

Midnight Burger

The sci-fi audio drama is well-researched, wholesome, and hilarious. Just like the space-time traversing diner it's based on, the podcast is sure to find you in your time of need. I carry the words "…and if time and tide roil you too harshly or diurnal courses leave you with no safe havens, just remember we're out there somewhere." I'm not crying.

- Shreya Sharma, Inside Podcasting

Recommended episode: Chapter 1: The Transdimensional Haboob

Modes of Thought in Anterran Literature

This is a science fiction podcast that follows the format of a college lecture — in this case, one about a 60,000-year-old recently re-discovered civilization that may or may not be Atlantis. As a sci-fi/fantasy fan across all mediums, I've thoroughly enjoyed listening to this show because it's trying something different format-wise and succeeding. While it's a bit of a slow burn, it drops in a good amount of intrigue in each episode. Plus, the production and dialogue are both incredibly well done, so it really feel like you're listening to a bizarre college class led by an eccentric professor.

- Camila Victoriano, Co-Founder, Sonoro

Recommended episode: Course Overview

SINKHOLE

Kale has put together a very weird show about a very weird thing. And they did it in a way that works quite well. And we can all use a little more weirdness in our lives, right?

- Evo Terra, Curator at TheEnd.fyi

Recommended episode: The Three Rules of Data Restoration

Small Victories

Small Victories is a new fiction podcast to 2022 I can't stop thinking about. Marisol is a charismatic, immediately loveable protagonist with an active inner voice and rampant self-destructive tendencies. The audience follows along, starting at her 20th day sober, and the season that follows is like a mechanical bull ride to stay sober, waiting to see what could throw her off. For a podcast that is largely about addiction, it's so tastefully funny and deeply human; creator Jade Madison Scott really did her research about addiction and recovery and is intent to constantly remind the audience that addicts are real human beings in a world that is prone to dehumanizing them.

- Wil Williams, CEO of Hug House Productions

Recommended episode: A Good Place To Start

The Goblet Wire

The Goblet Wire is a show I feel like I've always been waiting for; the type of art that can only exist as an audio drama. I love how the language of The Goblet Wire flows, the vivid visuals it builds in my brain, and the alluring sound design that lends a layer of texture on top. It's about connection and stories, capturing the ephemeral nature of life, yet creating something that sticks around long after the episodes end. The definition of an audio experience!

- Tal Minear

Recommended episode: Ocular Metamorphosis

The Hidden People

I love that this podcast is a mixture of genres: mystery, horror, and even a bit of comedy. It's beautifully produced with a musical score and great sound design and writing. The mystery is intriguing — there are tons of twists — and the pacing is perfect for audio.

- Tonia Ransom

Recommended episode: Something Happened

Who Killed Avril Lavigne?

Who knew pop-punk was such a vital format? Who knew it was such a perfect genre for soundtracking a story of time travel, alien invasion, and being dunked into a porta-potty? Ben Lapidus and the creators of SF musical Gay Future return with a podcast that will have you singing teenage rebel anthems like "B*tch Mom" long after the credits fade. Hilarious, silly, gross, pop-punk fun.

- Martin Austwick

Recommended episode: Episode 1: Stuck In The Past

All The Wiser

I loved this episode in particular because it is a narrative/perspective we so rarely hear; in fact, we are almost urged to not even consider this perspective: the voice of a parent of a school shooter/mass murderer. We are culturally not "allowed," almost, to give them any compassion or empathy — because they raised these murderers, after all. I found Kimi's questions (the host) to be so empathetic and deep, and the guest Sue Klebold (mother of Columbine shooter Dylan) to be really profound. I learned so much from this episode and could feel myself and my beliefs shifting, sometimes uncomfortably, as a result of what I heard.

- Miriam Tinberg

Recommended episode: Her beloved son was the Columbine shooter

Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay

Rachel and Van present a witty, relevant, and thought-provoking pod-chat with the perfect amount of information and humor. I enjoy the balance of politics and pop culture. There's never a dull moment on the Higher Learning podcast.

- Faybeo'n Mickens

Recommended episode: Letitia Wright on ‘The Silent Twins’ and ‘Wakanda Forever,' Plus Shipping Migrants for Political Points

¿Quién Are We?

¿Quién Are We? is an exploration of what makes us who we are. It's sort of like a love letter to the Latinx community. Through stories like Brandon's, in which he tries to answer questions about his own roots and connect to his culture through food, the show does an incredible job of illustrating the complexities of identity. I love this series because it feels like home, and allows me to feel connected to my own culture and community.

- Manuela Bedoya

Recommended episode: The Green Chile Recipe

Say Their Name

Say Their Name released two episodes in 2022 on the killing of Miriam Carey, which were among the most memorable episodes of the year for me. In 2013, D.C. Capitol Police shot Miriam Carey while she was in her car with her baby in the backseat. Miriam’s sister, Val, is the primary interviewee throughout these episodes, offering a unique perspective both as Miriam’s close sister and as a retired NYPD sergeant. As a listener, you can tell that the Say Their Name production team develops an environment of respect and trust with the family members, creating candid and powerful interviews. Even if you know Miriam Carey’s name, you likely haven’t heard her story told in this way. You should.

- Joshua Rae, APM Studios

Recommended episode: Miriam Carey - Part 1

in-betweenish

As a child who grew up in many different places and cultures, this podcast has been a personal treat for me to find this year. I love sound artist Axel Kacoutié's work, and this episode deepened my appreciation. The host, Beatriz, is an excellent interviewer who creates space for her interviewees to share thoughtful stories and reflections about what makes them who they are. This episode made me more comfortable with not knowing who I am and being many things at once.

- Aakshi Sinha, Tink Media

Recommended episode: it is not with bones and skin, it’s all with feeling — with Axel [Part I]

You, Me, Empathy

Nōn Wels conducts nuanced and emotionally moving interviews. Oftentimes, the topics he’s unpacking around mental health are difficult for people to discuss freely. However, Nōn carefully guides each conversation with empathy and curiosity, creating a safe space for his guests to share. This leads to dynamic conversations that are unfiltered, fascinating, and educational.

- Jacqueline Westfall, Managing Director at Lemonada Media

Recommended episode: Child Psychiatry and Trauma-Informed Care with Dr. Anjani Amladi

Abortion: The Body Politic with Katie Couric

I chose this podcast because of the power of the hook it has, and the care it took to try and give as much of the full story as possible. The power of the name and the producing companies is here and giving the mic to people who needed it to be in front of them, while being spectacularly produced. In a year that was hard for this topic, this podcast gave me hope.

- Keelin, Mentally? A Magpie

Recommended episode: Abortion: The Body Politic, Part 1

Banned

This episode dropped after we learned that Roe would potentially be overturned, but before it actually happened in June. There was a heightened sense of awareness surrounding the situation but I don't think the average person knew too much about the Pink House at the center of it all. When I lived in Jackson, Mississippi, I lived walking distance from the house. I passed it regularly. I still have good friends who live nearby. I recommend the entire series.

- Arielle Nissenblatt, Founder of EarBuds Podcast Collective, Head of Community & Content at SquadCast.fm

Recommended episode: 1. A Mississippi Law

Burn Wild

Burn Wild! This eight-episode series brings a rich, layered, and surprisingly personal investigation into the story of two of America's most wanted environmental activist-fugitives: Joseph Mahmoud Dibee and Josephine Sunshine Overaker. Co-producers Leah Sotille and Georgia Catt elegantly chronicle the rise and fall of the Earth Liberation Front and bring its ambitions and relevance right up to present-day eco-activism, by talking with many people close to the story, including Dibee himself. Leah and Georgia ask big, chunky philosophical questions throughout about personal responsibility and stewardship, and let you ponder and grapple with your own answers. Textured sound design and original theme music immerse you right in the heart of the story emotionally without overpowering. Bonus: Burn Wild's a great audio complement to Richard Powers' epic novel "Overstory."

- Julie Shapiro, Executive Creative Director, Novel

Recommended episode: Ep 7: When the Fed met the Radical. Again

Nobody Should Believe Me

My friend Andrea Dunlop has been working on her incredibly personal podcast, Nobody Should Believe Me, for years. I can’t say enough wonderful things about this fascinating dive into Munchausen by proxy from the intimate vantage point of family members, survivors, and experts who've dedicated their careers to protecting children. This podcast could easily devolve into a bizarre exploitative Ryan Murphy-esque horror story. But Andrea isn’t just a reporter on Munchausen. Her own family was torn apart when her sister was investigated for Munchausen by proxy. She doesn’t just share parts of her own story. She also delves into the story of Hope Ybarra, a Munchausen by proxy perpetrator who spent a decade in prison. Dunlop speaks to those most familiar with the case, from the reporter who broke the story, to the detective who investigated it, to the family who lived through it, and, finally, to Hope herself.

- Jo Piazza, iHeart Media podcast host, creator, and executive producer

Recommended episode: Sisters

Take Back The Fight

There are a lot of ways I want to see change in our world but sometimes social responsibility feels so overwhelming. Where can we possibly start? This episode of Take Back the Fight was a game-changer for me. Nora Loreto takes a ground-level look at what it actually takes to organize a social movement – what and who is involved – plus the roadblocks that come with getting “organized.” She also takes a fascinating look at how social movements have changed in the digital age.

- Kattie Laur

Recommended episode: Social Movement Organizing

28ish Days Later

This whole series is of vital importance to both humans with uteruses and those without, and I think should be compulsory listening in every school. It reminds people of the power of menstruation, the difficulties it can bring, and the opportunities it can offer those of us who experience it. It's beautifully produced and brilliantly told, and I'd love to recommend every episode. But this one in particular features the powerful and inspiring Kenny Ethan Jones, the first transgender man to front a period product campaign, and it's a fantastic listen.

- Naomi Mellor, Founder, The Skylark Collective and International Women's Podcast Awards

Recommended episode: Day Nineteen: Kenny

99% Invisible

99% Invisible is at its best when offering a deep dive into a well-known topic with little-known history. This episode on the history of Jamaican sound systems covers politics, trade, hustle culture, technology, and of course, music, all in one brilliant little package.

- Melissa Locker, Pod People newsletter

Recommended episode: Wickedest Sound

Breathing Wind

Breathing Wind is a delicate exploration of loss and grief. The pacing, introspective moments, and careful storytelling are like a big hug.

- Stephanie Fuccio

Buffy

The thing about making podcasts for a living is that I listen to a lot of shows and have a strong 'don't-fall-in-love' filter. Buffy walked straight past it. Host Falen Johnson, like Buffy Sainte Marie, brings you into this story word by elegantly-written word. It is superbly sound-designed and brilliantly paced. Craft aside, Buffy's voice and story, and the issues around Canada and America's treatment — erasure — of indigenous communities are powerful. This one has a long emotional tail, and it stayed with me for a long while after I was done listening.

- Golda Arthur

Recommended episode: Ep 1: Javex, USA

Finding Raffi

I, like many kids, grew up with the songs of Raffi, and to this day, I can still sing from memory at least a half dozen of his tunes. Host Chris Garcia didn't grow up with Raffi's music, but his wife did, and as the two of them became first-time parents, Chris found himself captivated by these timeless tunes that speak so directly to children while enthralling adults as well. This ten-part series covered the personal and professional life of a beloved children's musician, featured TONS of music (because hey, did you know Raffi owns the rights to all of his songs?), and constant reminders of Raffi's philosophy of child honoring — the simple yet radical idea that children are whole people, and by thinking of them as such, we'll build a better world for all of us. This series will tickle your heart and tap your toes, and don't look at me if you have “Baby Beluga” or “Banana Phone” stuck in your head for the rest of the week.

- Ma'ayan Plaut

Recommended episode: The More We Get Together

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs

Hickey not only reviews the sonic mechanics of a successful song in pop culture, but discusses in detail how this music has been shaped by Black artists and culture; how women have been a major force in popular music, and how popular music broadcasts key messages about racial equality, social justice, economic fairness, and tolerance. For example, a simple, commercial hit like “Last Train To Clarksville” by The Monkees is actually a touching anti-war song.

- Frank Racioppi

Recommended episode: Good Vibrations: The Beach Boys

Kuper Island

When I started listening to Kuper Island back in May, I knew it was going to be one of my top podcasts of 2022. It had the advantage of coming from CBC Podcasts, as I’m already a fan of so many of their productions, but this one really hits hard with its reporting from award-winning CBC journalist Duncan McCue. This eight-part series follows the stories of four students who attended the Kuper Island Residential School and dives into the unsolved deaths, abuse, and lies that continue to haunt the community and survivors of the school to this day. It’s not an easy listen, but every time I think about the podcast that really stuck with me this year I keep coming back to Kuper Island, so I'd be remiss if I didn't include it here.

- Anne Baird, CFOO, Hug House Productions

Recommended episode: A School They Called Alcatraz

Las Raras

This podcast from a mostly Chile-based team explores stories of history, migration, bodily autonomy, and freedom. It’s built by a group of incredible journalists and storytellers, always with attention towards context, sensitivity and the different experiences that shape a single “story.” This is the most recent episode, one of many that explore Chile in the midst of a revolutionary political period. I also *highly* recommend diving into their archive!

- Anna Oakes, Hark Audio, freelance audio producer

Recommended episode: El país que soñamos

More Than A Feeling

Ah, Feelings. You can't be a human and not feel them. This podcast is all about those feelings you and I feel on a daily basis. I immediately loved the episode on acceptance because who doesn't want a place and people that make you feel all good inside? But if you want audio about fear, rage, or jealousy, just scroll down their catalog.

- Paul Kondo, Podcast Gumbo

Recommended episode: Acceptance: You're Okay, I'm Okay

Ologies

I’m always interested in media that helps to frame our relationship with people, power, and the material world in new ways. Ologies manages to approach this in equal parts with thoughtfulness, humor, and wonder. In particular, I was drawn to the episode on critical ecology that looks at how power dynamics between humans are replicated in ecology.

- Stephen Satterfield, Founder, Whetstone Media

Recommended episode: Critical Ecology (SOCIAL SYSTEMS + ENVIRONMENT) with Dr. Suzanne Pierre

Rubirosa

Both as a man and as someone whose work focuses on men, it continues to shock me how much masculine identity is still defined by the James Bond mythology. When actor and writer Christopher Rivas discovered the name Porfirio Rubirosa — a Dominican diplomat rumored to be the inspiration for the Bond character — it threw his life into a tailspin of sorts. Rivas' investigation of Rubirosa's life eventually led to a 10-part series about the life of this, for some, man of mystery and an examination of our host's own sense of cultural identity. Rubirosa approaches themes and stories involving colorism, dissecting masculine mythology, the complications and confusions that stem from a diasporic upbringing in incredibly nuanced and surprising ways using elements of what I love from this format — dope tape, colorful family admissions, and introspective writing, all guided by an incredibly warm, gentle, and trustworthy voice. Note: to listen to Rubirosa, search for Brown Enough, the new name for the feed. Christopher Riva has extended some of the themes from Rubirosa to a weekly interview show about being brown in America.

- Mark Pagán, Host/Creator - Other Men Need Help

Recommended episode: Episode 4: What's in My Blood

Sorry About The Kid

CBC Podcast's Sorry About the Kid pulls you in from the moment episode one drops. Host Alex McKinnon opens up to share decades of his deeply personal grief and unravels the events that led up to his brother's death in 1990. I personally took to this show because it retells the events that took place in my hometown, Montreal. Every detail, every soundbite, every signpost was familiar. The grief and the journey felt that much closer because of it.

- Stephen, Podcast Delivery

Recommended episode: Chapter 1: Where's Paul

Tales of the Town

"The Town" (AKA the Bay Area) is a place I've always been fascinated by. Not just the region, but the people that come out of it. There is a certain energy and confidence that people from The Town possess, and this podcast is a deep dive into what makes this area and its people so unique. Particularly within The Town's Black community. The storytelling and sound design of this podcast make me forget that I'm getting a history lesson. I feel a connection as if I was there during these conversations!

- Chris Colbert, CEO/Founder of DCP Entertainment

Recommended episode: The Great Migrations

The Allusionist

My year-end barometer for favorite podcast episodes is how much I still think about them weeks or months after first listening. An episode I thought about maybe more than any other is the episode about Asperger’s syndrome from The Allusionist. This term is no longer utilized by the current psychiatric manual for diagnosis (DSM-V), and with good reason. Hans Asperger was a Nazi sympathizer and in general, a bad man. Helen Zaltzman walks us through the history and complexities of the subject with her signature empathy and wit. This is an episode I think everyone should hear.

- Erik Jones, Creator of Hurt Your Brain

Recommended episode: Asperger

The Blindboy Podcast

The Blindboy Podcast usually alternates through a mix of interviews, mental health discussions, and blistering hot takes — though I think "hot take" undersells exactly what Blindboy does in these episodes. For instance, “Custard Creams & the CIA” brings together cookies, Victorian fern hunters, and CIA torture techniques like Blindboy is constructing some sort of unbeatable social-history-meets-pop-culture Zord. The hours of research are evident in every minute of the episode, as well as the true joy of listening to someone doing what they absolutely love. Add in some steadfast support of indie podcasts and creators, and I can't think of anything I'd rather listen to.

- Caitlin Van Horn, Simplecast

Recommended episode: Custard Creams & the CIA

The Loudest Girl in the World

To hit record on one of the biggest moments in your life takes courage and so much honesty. Lauren Ober might say she’s clumsily navigating her way through her autism diagnosis but I think what she’s doing is one of the most beautiful things I’ve heard in a long time. The Loudest Girl in the World is a personal documentary-style podcast that lets us learn what it’s like to realize why you are the way you are and how to make sense of that in a world that doesn’t quite get it yet. Not only is it an emotionally difficult experience to go through, but it’s also so brave to share behind the scenes. By listening, we can all learn how to be more understanding of ourselves and each other.

- Devin Andrade, Tink Media

Recommended episode: Talking: A Love Story

The Plot Thickens

I love the idea of an audio biography and The Plot Thickens season three on Lucille Ball set the gold standard in my mind. The use of interviews and archival footage is excellent and the idea of hearing someone's life story unfold week by week had me hooked from the first episode. I'm looking forward to season four on Pam Grier!

- Jenna Spinelle, Host/Producer, Democracy Works and When the People Decide

Recommended episode: Jamestown

Welcome to Provincetown

This is such a nuanced exploration of gay culture, but also so much more. It's the purest form of audio documentary — the type of work I hope to make. Going to the place, following the people, coming to conclusions about what's going on there and what it means about the time we are living in.

- Haley Paskalides, freelance audio producer and editor

Recommended episode: Your Happy Place

Keep It!

Justice for Keep It!!! I feel like this show doesn't get the love it deserves, and it is my one and only MUST-LISTEN every week. Yes, it's partially just how entrenched in their inside jokes I am at this point (and also the fact that I'm the exact same age as the hosts and therefore have all the same cultural references— geriatric millennials, this one's for you!) But Louis & Ira are — imho — the funniest duo in the game by FAR. So freaking smart, so incredibly well-versed in everything pop culture, and often have insider knowledge. And I will put their next-level banter up against ANYONE. This is the only podcast that makes me (actually) LOL on the reg.

- Rachael King, CEO, Pod People

Recommended episode: “The Wilde Bunch” w. Jenifer Lewis

The Europeans

When I listen to The Europeans, I get a sense of the news from the perspective of those who live there. The hosts Katy and Dominic interview people at the heart of an issue. It's more than news. It's an immersion into the culture. It was created to "smash the idea that Europe was something dry and wonkish," and they do that by talking to people that traditional news outlets may overlook. Worth listening: their ongoing series: This is What A Generation Sounds Like.

- Marina Hanna, Pacific Content

Recommended episode: The joys of the early internet

Today, Explained

This is actually a recommendation for two episodes: first, the February 24 episode of Vox's Today, Explained (titled "A Phone Call From Ukraine"), which is arguably one of the best podcast episodes the show has released to date. This episode had everything: hard news shared in such a humanizing way, and just a bit of humor to keep the heartbreak at bay. But the second episode recommendation ("The Making of The Phone Call Explained," recorded live at the annual On Air Festival) is just as important of a listen as it details how that particular episode came to be, reminding us of the power of podcasting in finding answers and making connections. If anything, these two episodes combined show that Vox is ahead of the podcast news curve, and rightfully so.

- Joni Deutsch, Vice President of Podcast Marketing & Audience Development at The Podglomerate

Recommended episode: A Phone Call From Ukraine

99 Years

Unlike "traditional" narrative podcasts, journalist, storyteller, and musician Samuel James' 99 Years relies on his voice alone to tell the story of how Maine became the whitest state in the union. James weaves color, texture, and critique into this riveting exploration of his home state's history from "a Black perspective." Spare production creates the space to receive the depth of James' research and reporting, as his smooth bass voice delivers sharp quips, dry wit, and justified jabs at Maine's painful racist history — and its political and social implications today. All the while, your soul is (somehow??) soothed by the delicate dance of blues guitar riffs and poetic refrains that will stay with you long after you put your earbuds down. Long live hyperlocal, community-serving, universally valuable content!

- CC Paschal

Recommended episode: 99 Years: Episode 1

Lizzy Cooperman’s In Your Hands

On Lizzy Cooperman’s In Your Hands, comedian Lizzy Cooperman is doing something no podcaster has ever done before: she’s created a choose-HER-own-adventure podcast, where every week, she gives listeners two options for things she should do with her own life (get a piercing, get a job at Victoria's Secret, text all the guys in her phone and ask them to assemble a cabinet for her) and lets them decide what she’ll do via Instagram’s polling option. And then she does it. But that’s not all. She interviews experts in the fields of her wild activities (a professional organizer, an Uber driver, a mall consultant) and her extremely funny friends (like John Early and Jamie Loftus) to let them weigh in. But in the end, it’s all up to you. I love this podcast because I love people who do weird things, and Lizzy is one of my favorite funny people. She's a poet and has a way with words that makes the conversations she has and the observations she makes exceptionally hilarious.

- Lauren Passell, Founder, Tink Media

Recommended episode: MALL BITCH / VOICE WITCH with John Early & Gordon Landenberger

Shameless Acquisition Target

This podcast is incredibly unique: both in its topic and style. Host Laura Mayer has a lot of first-hand experience with the podcast boom, but she missed out on a few chances to get rich. Her podcast explores what it really takes to find success in podcasting and beyond.

- Kate Evans, CBC's Podcast Playlist

Recommended episode: Turning Chicken S&it into Chicken Seed

Soundworlds

I love absolutely everything about this episode. I close my eyes and am right there as four trans people leave their house. There's great world play, sound design, and music....it takes me into a new world with immersive sound. Other episodes are equally delectable.

- Gayathri Vaidyanathan

Recommended episode: Are you ready, B*tch?

Tea Time with Twaambo

This podcast by Zambian podcast creative producer Twaambo Kapilikisha is a must-listen. You have brief bites of time with Twaambo, filled with self-reflection, with helpful prompts and more. Her voice powerfully guides you through each short episode, and gifts you time to be, rather than to do. In a world full of noise, she reminds us to be still, stop, and reconnect. Start with this episode and explore all of them.

- Josephine Karianjahi, Africa Podfest

Recommended episode: What About Your Reserve Tank?

Words and Roses

Words and Roses is a new talk podcast about stationery that I'm obsessed with. The two co-hosts get in the weeds about all things journaling, pens, set-ups, planning, memory keeping, creativity, and more. I'm a massive stationery lover and the joy I get from listening to two people talk about stationery helps me feel connected to my stuff and brings me joy. I also dig that they have a weekly journal prompt! This type of podcast is representative of a podcast that serves a hobby community. The podcast is a way for the hosts to express themselves about something that they love and, in turn, further the connections and friendships that a particular community is building. It is not "podcasty" — and it's not meant to be. These are the shows that support many of us on the daily to keep on living our lives and connecting with other humans. The podcast is a vehicle to another end which is to enjoy our stationery.

- Elsie Escobar, Director of Community and Content at Libsyn, She Podcasts Co-founder

Recommended episode: Meet Our Journals - Episode 1

Bone Valley

If you haven't listened to Bone Valley, you haven't listened to the best podcast released in 2022, and one of the best podcasts of all time. This isn't just a story about Leo Schofield, a man wrongfully imprisoned for the murder of his wife, it's also a deep dive into truths you have no idea you'll be exploring when you press play on episode one. Hosted by Pulitzer Prize winner Gilbert King and featuring his essential researcher, Kelsey Decker, the series first explores the wrongs of Schofield's conviction, and then accomplishes journalistic feats I guarantee you've never heard before (spoiler alert: one of them is SOLVING AN ACTUAL MURDER). Along the way, King questions the confines of journalism itself, and in doing so, makes you realize that the wrongful conviction/true crime podcasts that came before his, even the great ones, could perhaps have gone a whole lot further if they'd said, "fuck it," as he chooses to do at the most critical moments of his and Decker's reporting.

- Rebecca Lavoie, Critic/Host of "Crime Writers On..." and head of podcasting at New Hampshire Public Radio

Recommended episode: God Help Us

Muriel’s Murders

This year I've really embraced "comfort podcasts," after so many years of trying to keep up with it all: long interview podcasts with preeminent journalists or celebrities, daily news, experimental stuff, moving narrative nonfiction, important limited series from an up-and-coming production house. I still love them all, but I'm learning how to go with what brings me joy, an attempt to (barely) manage the overwhelm the same way I'm constantly attempting to with movies, TV, and books. Muriel's Murders brings me joy. These three episodes about the “Happy Valley” set, a group of British hedonists who colonized Wanjohi Valley in Kenya, represent some of the best traits of the show, and I think they are a great introductory listen. Muriel, who loves true crime, tries to find stories that will blow her husband, Nick's, mind, who thinks true crime is morbid and exploitative. The stories are often historical, relatively unknown, not overly sensationalized, and full of both drama and empathy. They are long and full of hilarious banter between the couple. I hope you enjoy!

- Dana Gerber-Margie, Co-founder of Bello Collective

Recommended episode: Happy Valley (Part 1-3)

This year’s Audio Delicacies list would not be possible without The Bello Collective as our inspiration, our wonderful contributors for their listening skills, the audio creators who kept our ears full throughout the year, and the Tink team for putting all of this together. Thank you to everyone who made it all happen!