People Listen to Podcasts for Many Reasons

For some women, they may be looking for a dose of girl power or religious inspiration. Some need a pep talk from another woman, an intelligent discourse, or some entertainment.

Podcasts are quite convenient to listen to. Whether you’re cooking, cleaning the house, taking a shower, or working, you can tune in to a podcast and multitask. Podcasts are also entertaining too, so you won’t get bored. They’re often a perfect companion while you commute to work or travel someplace else.

Now the challenge is which podcast should you listen to? There’s a lot to choose from and it can be overwhelming.

  1. Dear Sugars

Dear Sugars is a podcast that features Cheryl and Steve Almond, the two writers who were behind the advice column, Dear Sugar on The Rumpus. They get all questions from their audience. Then, they provide answers with empathy, acceptance, and intelligence. Each week, they release a new episode featuring those questions.

What’s more, Cheryl and Steve bring experts to the show to help them provide valuable answers to the questions. If you aren’t listening to them yet, it’s about time to start! This podcast is full of humor and heart, and you may find the advice you never knew you needed all along.

  1. Invisibilia

NPR’s Yowei Shaw and Kia Miakka Natisse debuted as Invisibilia’s new hosts in April 2021. This podcast explores everything invisible: ideas, beliefs, emotions, and assumptions. They look at the unseeable forces that shape and influence human behavior and challenge the powers of the status quo. They use innovative storytelling to encourage the audience to look at the world with new perspectives.

Invisibilia was the first podcast created by women that hit the top charts. It launched in 2015, with Alix Spiegel and Lulu Miller as the original hosts.

  1. This American Life

This American Life has been on air since 1995, so it’s kind of the OG of podcasts. Each week, this podcast features different stories under one theme. The episodes are also aired on over 500 radio stations across the United States. About 3 million people download them as a podcast.

This American Life does the entertaining kind of journalism. Their stories revolve around people and are told in a funny and interesting way. Some of them feature big feelings and unexpected twists that can make you cry.

They’ve done over 700 episodes, so it might be overwhelming to choose where to start. Luckily, they have this list of recommended episodes to get you started.

  1. Death, Sex and Money

There are things you can’t talk about in conversations because you want or need to be polite. In this podcast, you can forget about that and listen to some real talk with host Anna Sale. She dives deep into the topics that you can’t bring up even with your best friend but you need to talk about more.

This podcast features stories from celebrities you most likely know to regular people whom you can relate to even more. Anna Sale brings in guests to the show for entertaining, honest, and fun discussions of this stuff we don’t usually talk about. They’re also informative, so you’ll gain new perspectives about the tough subjects.

If you want to start listening, they have a Starter Kit you can check out.

  1. Love and Radio

Nick van der Kolk hosts Love and Radio. But contrary to its name, this podcast isn’t all about love. It talks about pretty much anything under the sun and uses powerful storytelling.

If you’re unsure where to start, we recommend The Living Room. Love and Radio recommends you pick The Wisdom of Jay Thunderbolt or Fix if you’re new to the show.

  1. Stuff Mom Never Told You

There are so many things about being a woman that we can talk about. In this podcast, hosts Anney Reese and Samantha McVey get down “to the business of being women from every imaginable angle.” It delves deep into an array of topics. From baby bumps to pinup girls to transgender representation on TV, they got you covered.

Anney and Samantha continue on with the research-based discussions about feminism. They talk about gender influences, issues that are often overlooked, and everything between. That sounds like serious topics, but don’t worry, this podcast is engaging and fun to listen to. Listen to new episodes every Wednesday and Friday!

  1. StarTalk

It’s fun and engaging to talk about anything under the sun. But in this podcast, let’s zoom out and discuss anything under the universe. Science plays a role in everybody’s life. A renowned expert on space Neil deGrasse Tyson talks about how science, pop culture, and comedy can intersect.

The show covers a wide variety of topics. That includes space travel, extra-terrestrial life, and the Big Bang. It also talks about the future of the Earth and breaking news from the universe. Each week, comedian co-hosts, celebrities, and special guests join Tyson.

Startalk also tackles the science behind the most iconic sports in our history. It unlocks the physics, tech, biology, data science, and economics hidden in that sport. Startalk launched a second spin-off named StarTalk Playing with Science, which focuses on the connection between science and sport.

  1. The Lively Show

Do you feel demotivated about life? Do you wake up just to “hustle and grind” to be successful? This podcast, created and hosted by Jess Lively, will guide you to a deeper and effective approach to life. It’s uplifting, inspiring, and helpful to spice up your every day.

Jess Lively has interviewed thought leaders like Elizabeth Gilbert, Gary Vaynerchuk, and Brené Brown. You can find those from episodes #1 to #200. She has explored many topics, such as the Law of Attraction, quantum, and neurology spectrum. If you’re looking for that, go straight to episode #214. One of Jess’s specialties is guiding people to find their inner voice work and consciousness. If you need her help with that, you can listen starting in episode #305.

  1. By The Book

This podcast is dedicated to all the bookworms out there. New York-based comedienne Jolenta Greenberg hosts the show with her friend Kristen Meinzer.

By The Book aims to test which self-help books are beneficial to the readers. The hosts figure this out by living by the rules of each book, down to the letter in each episode. The podcast is branded as a “half reality show, half self-help podcast, and one wild social experiment.”

NPR considered it as the best new podcast of 2017. The New York Times selected it as their Podcast Club Pick in the Fall, and Bust Magazine hailed it as one of its Top Ten Bets for Winter of the same year.

  1. Terrible, Thanks For Asking

This podcast has never been this relevant in a time where people get to elude the question “How Are You?” so everyone can just continue about their day. This program touches on subjects most people too uncomfortable to disclose.

Although it’s inevitable for the program to have a sad atmosphere, sometimes it’s also funny. Oftentimes it’s both. Host Nora McInerny describes Terrible, Thanks for Asking “a personal crusade against toxic positivity.” It disputes the recent culture of trying to be positive even when it’s valid to be negative at times.

Nora McInerny aims to make her guests be real people with emotions to be transparent about how they really are. She asks real people and occasionally the celebrity Rebecca Black, about how they really are. And that is how the magic starts.

Here’s the additional 5 Best Podcast for Women

  1. Radio Cherry Bombe

Here’s one for the creative minds and for people who want to add bright colors to their day. Grab a snack and satisfy your sweet tooth as you listen to this podcast that features discussions with other creatives in the world of food and beverages.

Cherry Bombe, founder and editorial director of the Food Magazine, Kerry Diamond, talks to chefs, bakers, pastry chefs, stylists, writers, and cookbook authors each week. It’s informative yet creative, plus it’s a female-led podcast.

  1. Maintenance Phase

This podcast goes to healthy-living enthusiasts. Two geniuses writer Aubrey Gordon of She’s behind Your Fat Friend and Michael Hobbes of the podcast You’re Wrong About collaborate to debunk the myths and lies behind health and wellness. From popular diets to weight-loss tips from your health-conscious mom, they got you covered.

This light, informative, and entertaining program will help you decode the meaning of the health myths and fallacies in our culture. You might learn here the guilt-free snacks you can enjoy next time.

  1. Next Question with Katie Couric

For sure you have so many questions in life that you want to be answered and the Emmy Award-winning journalist Katie Couric feels the same. In this podcast, Katie attempts to find the best answer by asking for help from different personalities in the news, politics, and pop culture industry.

What’s more impressive is that Katie stays on the trend of this pandemic year. For this season, she aims to get the most insightful answers to help her listeners adjust to a post-COVID world. She talks about the trauma and the struggles yet counterbalances them with levity and joy in overcoming those.

She recently sat down with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to talk about the COVID vaccine, the potential for post-pandemic life, and the spread of disinformation and policing in America.

Curious Katie launches new episodes every Thursday.

  1. Decoder Ring

Are you fond of collecting “Did you know” facts? If you thirst for cultural commentary, this podcast from Slate hosted by Willa Paskin is for you. In every episode, Willa expands on a nagging doubt, cultural myths, objects, or even habits. Then she examines its origin and background to identify why it matters to our culture and its importance today.

The next time you get together with your friends, you’ll have a handful of random facts to share.

  1. Lady Don’t Take No

Lady Don’t Take No is created by one of the founders of the Black Lives Matter movement, Alicia Garza. She created the program to serve people who prefer to hear political commentary paired with beauty tips. This podcast proves the marriage of beauty and justice, and Alicia does it so wonderfully. She gets her inspiration from how Bay Area does things and touches on the importance of Fenty Beauty.

It’s good for newbies who like to delve into how racial justice work. It also makes community organizing feel exciting instead of intimidating.

Every Friday, Lady Don’t Take No delivers Garza’s latest take on hot issues, including how Fenty Beauty saves lives and how to manage prejudice when at the airport.

Wrapping Up

There’s a sea of choices you can choose from in finding a new podcast these days. From your favorite mystery, such as true crime, to relating to your personal struggle as a woman who needs empowerment, the world of podcasts gratifies almost any subject that you need.

Whether you are maximizing your free time or hustling while listening, join the ride of different emotions from funny, suspense, disturbing, inspiring, and life-changing discussions by listening to a half-hour episode. You go, girl! There’s a world of knowledge to discover!

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