Whether it's Youtube videos, blog posts or articles, I'm always on the lookout for something new and inspiring to become obsessed with. Podcasts are no different. Over the last year I've listened to these on the commute, before I go to sleep, as I do housework and as I walk to the gym. Now, they're my go-to for my daily walk.
I thought I'd share my all-time favourite podcasts in case you're looking for a fabulous new listen. There's an eclectic mix of educational, entertaining, spiritual and just plain fascinating.
The High Low
The High Low provides my weekly injection of culture, pop culture, news, intellectual happenings and general silliness. I happily stumbled upon it after reading the brilliant 'Everything I Know About Love' by Dolly Alderton and
The High Low balances a light-hearted take on current affairs with a multi-faceted examination of every angle, interpretation and consequence. I'm a critical thinker, and the style of this podcast is the very definition of 'Yes, but...' that is right up my street. Their manner of speaking about the world is so refreshingly self aware and socially aware.
It's also hilarious.
Far from fitting neatly into prescribed boxes, they discuss the latest Gemma Collins meme then a piece in the New Yorker in the next sentence. I find this very liberating as I think most of us are interested (whether we like to admit it or not) in 'high' and 'low' culture. I won't miss an episode of TOWIE but I'm also really into Victorian Literature. I find philosophical chats really stimulating, but I will be the first to start a discussion about this year's Love Island contestants. It's very unusual to find a medium that combines the two.
It's a unique combination which makes for great entertainment and provides a certain smugness of being totally up to date with pop culture. The recommendations they give on everything from TV shows to watch to books to read are brilliant. I'm pretty much guaranteed to enjoy anything they mention. The hour long episodes (sometimes longer) are a treat for people like me who tend to devour content as soon as it's published.
Thick & Thin
If you like The High Low podcast, you'll like Thick & Thin.
Katy Bellotte, a 24 year old creator, chats about the ups and downs of her life in New York. She has been on Youtube for years but her podcast is where it's at. I listened to her full back catalogue in a week, following her journey from a fresh college grad navigating her first corporate job at L'Oreal to making the leap to going freelance as a graphic designer.
Covering everything from hustle culture and self-doubt to ghosting and empowerment, Thick & Thin is like the chats you have with your friends. Katy will sometimes incorporate a history lesson on an inspiring historical figure into her topic. I usually prefer when she just talks about her life (she's a passionate storyteller) but her most recent podcast about Lord Byron being the original fuckboy was brilliant.
It's very Carrie Bradshaw. Very open and honest. Very relatable as a girl in my early twenties.
Dolly Parton's America
Dolly Parton's America was probably my biggest podcast surprise of the year. It seemed like such a cookie, niche topic that just wouldn't appeal to me at all. However, after Dolly Alderton spoke so highly of it on The High Low I gave it a chance. Within 10 minutes I was hooked. I've never been a Dolly Parton fan (besides my obligatory love of 9 to 5) but wow. This podcast is fascinating. The 10 episodes chart Dolly's career, the roots of country music, Southern culture and what it says about wider American culture over the last 50 years (and beyond). The podcast started as an investigation into why Dolly Parton's music seems to unite such a broad demographic of people in such divided times and how she has maintained an apolitical position throughout her career.
Unlike the usual podcast format with a couple of people sitting in a room recording, it's a collage comprising interviews with Dolly, college professors and students, fans; songs and performances; and an on the go adventure with the host and producer as they explore Dollywood.
What I can only compare this podcast to is the very best aspects of university. Imagine having all your most interesting lectures, readings and breakthroughs condensed into hour bursts. You get to bypass all the research, snooze-fests and pointless readings and just get to the really good stuff. It's thrilling and exciting. That's some feat for a podcast.
It's also really interesting how the host, Jad Abumrad tries to get Dolly to subscribe to social, political and cultural affiliations throughout the series and she continually resists. For example, in episode one she says she isn't a feminist, yet everything they discuss would suggest she is. In response to being pushed for criticism of President Trump, she said 'I think we should pray for the President'. I found her stance remarkable, particularly when considered against our own label-obsessed generation. We're all expected to have a set of beliefs and expound them at any given opportunity. Pick a side and stick to it. But what seems even more difficult than preaching your beliefs is making peace with, or attempting to understand, someone who has the exact opposite beliefs. I think this is true intelligence. It's is a long way off for me and many other people, but is something I aspire to and something Dolly seems to have nailed.
No description I could give would do this podcast justice. You simply need to listen to the first episode and see for yourself how brilliant it is.
The Week Unwrapped
The Week Unwrapped is a news show with a twist. Every week a member of the panel shares a story which has been under-reported but will impact all our lives. The range of topics is vast. In the last few weeks alone they've covered Virtual Protests, RuPaul and fracking, radiation, swearing and cyborg insects. The show's host, Olly Mann, again encourages that critical thinking I'm oh-so fond of and frequently plays devil's advocate in order to tease out further implications of each news story and highlight why they really do matter to us all.
I think the show's popularity stemmed from people wanting to hear news unrelated to Brexit, but is now more important than ever. While understandably and rightly our mainstream news outlets are dominated by coronavirus headlines, it helps me remember there are other things happening around the world which may not be noticed now but are changing things quietly.
It's very educational and well worth a listen.
Oprah and Eckhart Tolle: A New Earth
Eckhart Tolle, author of 'The Power of Now', sits down with Oprah in this 10-part series as a kind of book club, discussing his latest work 'A New Earth'. For those of you who haven't encountered him before, Eckhart Tolle teaches that to truly find inner peace, you need to stop thinking about the past and projecting the future and simply be in this moment.
This podcast is a really accessible inlet to Tolle's work. Oprah acts as our voice, asking the tough questions his work presents, and listeners phone in making everything being discussed a lot more grounded. For example one listener asked, 'How can I be present and at peace if my boss is a pain in the ass?!'.
It is very spiritual and deep, but if you're interested in mindfulness or trying to tame a tendency to overthink, this podcast provides some great strategies.
Bonus: The TED Interview 'Elizabeth Gilbert says it's OK to feel overwhelmed. Here's what to do next'
We all need a little boost at this time so I've thrown in a special bonus recommendation. I've only just started listening to The TED Interview but this one published last week with Elizabeth Gilbert was brilliant. She is so wise, so reassuring and so soulful. I loved her book 'Eat, Pray, Love' and it seems in the years since she has become an even more inspiring and wonderful human being. Everyone should listen to this episode. It provides light and hope in these dark times.
There we have it - my top podcast recommendations. Let me know in the comments your favourite podcasts so I can give them a listen.
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