InkHouse’s Favorite Podcasts of 2019

Podcasts have gained massive popularity in the past few years. According to research, more than 50% of the United States population has listened to at least one podcast and nearly one out of three people listen to at least one podcast every month, compared to last year which was only one in four people. The spike in podcast listeners is thanks to the medium’s unique format, which perfectly fits into the busyness of our lives. In a world where people are constantly on the go, podcasts have become a favorite amongst multitaskers. Whether you have an hour-long commute or only 15 minutes to spare, podcasts are the perfect way to fit some new knowledge or entertainment into your day. And with over 30 million episodes to choose from there’s a podcast out there on almost every topic imaginable.

In honor of National Listening Day, we’ve pulled together a list of Inkhouse employees’ favorite podcasts.

News:

• The Daily by The New York Times. Hosted by Times’ political journalist Michael Barbaro, this short podcast airs every weekday explaining the latest breaking news story. Each episode is enriched with original recordings and interviews with persons related to the story.
• The Journal by The Wall Street Journal and Gimlet Media. Described as a podcast about money, business, and power, co-hosts Kate Linebaugh and Ryan Knutson explain the latest news stories through the lens of business. 
• Pod Save America by Crooked Media. Airing twice a week, the Monday episodes are hosted by former Barack Obama staffers Jon Favreau, Tommy Vietor, and Jon Lovett, while Thursdays are led by Favreau and Dan Pfeiffer. Tune in to hear the break down on the week’s news in politics, and especially how it relates to the Democratic Party. 

Storytelling: 

• The Moth Podcast by The Moth, a non-profit group dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. Every Tuesday a new episode airs curated from the Moth’s live events where real people tell their own stories about life and all its emotions.  
• Serial by the creators of This American Life. Hosted by Sarah Koenig, this acclaimed podcast explores shades of grey in human behavior and nuances of the criminal justice system through real stories. Season One reexamined a 1998 murder in Baltimore, Season Two the story of Bowe Bergdahl who walked off his base in Afghanistan, and Season Three takes on mulitple stories at a Cleveland Courthouse.

Crime: 

• My Favorite Murder by comedians Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Through each episode’s comedic discussion of a murder or crime, it’s perfect for anyone who is obsessed with true crime themselves. 
• Crime Junkie by host Ashely Flowers. Every Monday an episode airs that takes a closer look at infamous murders, missing person cases, or conspiracy theories. The podcast  has developed a strong following of true crime addicts. 

Just for fun:

• This American Life the podcast version of the weekly public radio program. With over 3.6 million downloads each week, episodes are a collection of non-fiction stories curated around a theme. 
• Armchair Expert by Dax Shepard. Each episode, Shepard interviews a celebrity, academic, or journalist in an attempt to discover their inner truth, while shedding light on the “the messiness of being human”. 
• How I Built This hosted by NPR’s Guy Raz. Every episode features first-hand stories from innovators and entrepreneurs about how they built the world’s best-known companies. 
• Still Processing by The New York Times. Hosted by NYT colleagues Jenna Wortham and Wesley Morris, this culture podcast attempts to “understand the pleasures and pathologies of America.”

What podcasts do you tune in to every week?