Podcasts I Think You'll Love

Amazing podcast recommendations (with no murders 👀)

Photo by Richard Ludwig on Unsplash

I used to be a complete podcast fiend. I would listen all day, every day, and was constantly on the look out for new blood with which to fill my subscription feed. I’ve fallen a little bit off the wagon recently. It’s partly that I’ve been pulled more towards music this year, and partly that the podcasts and genres that used to interest me have lost their shine a little. True crime used to be my obsession and I would listen to upwards of 35 hours of horrible stories and terrifying tales a week. Probably not great for my anxiety…

I wanted to share the podcasts that I have stuck with (even in this fallow period) and ones I’ve already finished but will recommend forever.

I’ve split my recommendations into vague genres, so you can find things that appeal, and for each podcast I’ve shared the episodes I think you’d like, or ones that sum up the podcast so you can decide if you like its vibe. Each Podcast name is a link to more information.

---

Health, Science, and Wellbeing Podcasts:

• Appearance Matters – Body positivity, skin positivity, body image, self-confidence… all of the topics that fascinate me are included in this podcast from The Centre for Appearance Research.

  • START HERE: Social Media and Body Image; Acne & Body Image; Measuring the Influence of Social Media on Body Image.

• The Digital Human – A wonderful BBC Sounds podcast that explores the digital world in all its forms.

  • START HERE: Snake Oil; Flawless.

• This Podcast Will Kill You – Two graduate students studying disease ecology, they take us through a different disease in each episode and break things down. It gets a little dense in some places, but overall it’s very accessible. Just don’t listen while you’re eating…

  • START HERE: Vaccines (part 1&2); The Plague (part 1 & 2); HIV/AIDS: Apathy Will Kill You.

• In Bad Taste - This is hosted by nutritionist Pixie Turner and cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Nikki Stamp, and in each episode they analyse and discuss different health documentaries. Fascinating.

  • START HERE: (Un)well 01: Not So Essential Oils

• The Body Protest - Described as a podcast ‘hoping to uncover the hidden journey of the relationship you have with yourself’. Hosted by Nadia Craddock, Body Image Researcher at the CAR, and Honey Ross, plus sized writer and activist

  • START HERE: Dermatologists Get Pimples Too with Dr Anjali Mahto; Measuring the Influence of Social Media on Body Image.

---

Storytelling Podcasts:

• Heavyweight - I love this podcast so much. The host tells a different guest’s story each week, each person describes a ‘heavy weight’ they’ve been carrying: a misunderstanding from years ago, a mystery never solved, a missed opportunity, a question unanswered… it’s funny, heart-breaking, baffling, infuriating, and warm.

  • START HERE: Jesse, Buzz, or Rob

• Normal Gossip - You know that feeling when you hear some gossip about someone you don’t know and it’s absolutely fascinating? It’s not groundbreaking or newsworthy but you’re suddenly invested? That’s this podcast. Random real stories from real people with all the detail and twists and turns that every good bit of gossip needs.

  • START HERE: Steampunk-Ass Murder Mystery; Leave ‘Em A Little Bit Broke, A Little Bit Mad

• You Must Remember This - If you are fascinated by old school Hollywood then this podcast is for you: in-depth stories about the glamorous stars of the day.

  • START HERE: The whole ‘Dead Blondes’ series (Barbara Payton in particular); Judy Garland.

• Films To Be Buried With - Brett Goldstein is such a wonderful, warm interviewer and his guests are really well chosen. I’m not a film buff, but listening to people’s life stories through the films that shaped them is fascinating.

  • START HERE: Mark Kermode; Camille Ucan

• This Is Love - Amazing love stories, beautifully told.

  • START HERE: Message In A Bottle

• Griefcast - Cariad Lloyd somehow manages to take a podcast about death and make it funny, thought-provoking, and kind. She talks to comedians about their losses which sounds like it could be incredibly depressing and jarring, but is actually really interesting. She covers many different relationships and reactions, covering the often-complicated experience of death and dying.

  • START HERE: Robert Popper; Jayde Adams; Nikesh Shukla.

---

Educational Podcasts:

• You’re Wrong About - Famous stories and why they’ve been misunderstood, misrepresented, or are simply wrong.

  • START HERE: ‘Kitty Genovese and Bystander Apathy’; ‘The McDonald’s Hot Coffee Case’

• If Books Could Kill - A podcast that reviews health- and self-help-related books and analyses and debunks their claims.

  • START HERE: ‘The Game’

• Maintenance Phase - This podcasts debunks myths and common talking points related to health, wellness, and weight. It’s probably obvious from that description but here’s a trigger warning for a lot of content about body size and diets.

  • START HERE: ‘Glorifying Obesity And Other Myths About Fat People’; ‘Celery Juice’

• American Hysteria - In a similar vein to ‘You’re Wrong About’, this podcast covers stories of hysteria: “moral panics, urban legends, hoaxes, crazes, fringe beliefs, and national misunderstandings.”

  • START HERE: The Satanic Panic (2 parter)

---

True Crime (With No Murder) Podcasts:

• Criminal - This podcast is pretty much perfect. I could listen to Phoebe Judge’s voice all flipping day, the research is wonderful, and the stories are varied and fascinating.

  • START HERE: Money Tree; A Bump In The Night; Vanish.

• Scamanda - An influencer, a scam, and the people who uncovered it.

  • START HERE: At the beginnning.

• Twin Flames - You may have heard of the concept of ‘twin flames’: the idea that every person has one true soulmate. This podcast follows the story of two YouTubers who guaranteed their followers that they could help them find (and win over) their twin flame, no matter the cost…

  • START HERE: At the beginning.

---

I hope you’ve found something here to pique your interest, I’d love to hear your podcast recommendations in the comments. I have a lot of home DIY to do this month, so it’d be good to get my teeth into a new podcast!

If you enjoyed this post, liking it helps with visibility (and, if you’re feeling generous, a like + a comment is even better!)

Catch up with previous posts:

"Intentionally Uninteresting"

#13: Missing Out

Dunning-Kruger? I barely know 'er!