Disembodied voices are making a comeback.
Back in the day, radio provided people with a source of news and entertainment. Nowadays, radio has taken a backseat (perhaps even the trunk) to the modern innovations of TV and computer technology. With our eyes doing most of the work for us, we’ve stopped having to rely on the ears to pull nearly as much weight.
Luckily for our already damaged eyeballs, it seems as though radio has begun making its comeback, but this time in a slightly differnt form: the podcast.
The podcast can be listened to through any smartphone, computer, or iPod related device, making it easily accessible throughout the day. For some, having people divulge information into your ear may not seem so enticing. But, if you’re anything like me and have an almost obsessive-compulsive need to stay up-to-date on world news, this function of technology can be quite appealing.
Podcasts aren’t just for news. They encompass a wide variety of entertainment — from spoken comedy sketches to advice forums and self-help guides. People have started following their own preferred podcasts, the same way they do with TV, and will stay up to date with the most recent episodes as they please. If you haven’t yet crossed paths with a thought-piece on Serial during your recent internet adventures, we’re here to help you get out of the rock you’ve been living under and provide you with a few worthy podcasts to help get you started.
Easily the show with the most buzz around it, Serial seems to be at the forefront of the podcast revolution. Produced by the makers of another notable podcast series entitled This American Life, Serial is hosted by Sarah Koenig and tells the true story of a high school girl whose body turns up in a city park six weeks after her suspicious disappearance. Detective work ensues. Think Twin Peaks, but with fewer sweaters.
The Moth is much like a series of audiobooks, as it consists of different stories being told per episode. Based in New York City, The Moth is a series of live storytelling events that are recorded and put into podcasts for people to enjoy without attending the actual event. Stories range from true tales of prison escape, to stories about coming-of-age in a poverty-stricken country. Unfortunately, The Moth only keeps its five latest episodes on iTunes, so it’s not entirely binge-able.
While Dan Savage’s Savage Lovecast is generally thought of as a relationship advice forum, there’s much more to the show than meets the ear. Yes, Savage deals with callers’ love-life woes and offers boatloads of advice, but he also spends quality time talking about important topics such as gender and LGBTQ+ equality. Veering from hilarious commentary to captivating discussions of problems within today’s society, Savage Lovecast becomes weirdly addicting, weirdly fast.
He can be irritating at times, and occasionally plain insufferable, but Marc Maron nonetheless runs an entertaining show. Having picked up steam over the years to reach the status of a highly regarded podcast, Maron has the ability to gather well-known celebrities like Louis C.K., Paul Thomas Anderson, and many others to speak on his show. The show usually features a special guest, as well as a bit of time set-aside to accommodate Maron’s various antics about his tumultuous life.
Hosted by the fantastically soothing voice of Harry Sheerer, an LA native and former member of SNL, Le Show is the best podcast to listen to for political commentary, world news, and current topics of debate. Besides the benefits of having the lowdown explained to you by a deeply relaxing voice (as if to sooth the pain of what will inevitably be bad news), Le Show also provides plenty of quirky music from around the world, as well as short skits reminiscent of Sheerer’s time spent as a comedian.
