I listen to a lot of podcasts. I've almost always got one on in the background while I'm working (unless I really need to concentrate, in which case I use brain.fm). I'm amazed at how podcasts have taken the place of radio for so many people. With that in mind, I thought you guys might like to see what I listen to. I've broken them into several categories.
Podcasts I pay for
Podcasts are basically free, so you might wonder why I'd pay for a podcast. The following three podcasts are so meaningful to me that I'd be heartbroken if they quit making them, so I actually send these guys money to make sure they don't. These obviously fall into the "Can't Miss" category as well.
Waking Up - Sam Harris does this podcast, and it's always mind expanding. Whether he's discussing religion, politics, or science I always get something out of it.
Common Sense - This is the first of two podcasts by Dan Carlin that I willingly pay for. Common Sense is Dan's current events podcast. His views line up pretty well with my own, and he applies a historical lens to current events.
Hardcore History - This is the other Dan Carlin podcast I never miss and happily pay for. This is a deep exploration of history and he sometimes spends up to 15 hours on a single subject. But it's never boring. Try it once and you'll be hooked.
Podcasts I never miss
Joe Rogan Experience - If you only have time in your life for one podcast, make it this one. It is by far the most wide ranging, irreverent, and hilarious podcast out there. His guests range from comedians to MMA fighters to scientists and bona fide crackpots. Never a dull moment on the JRE.
The Tim Ferriss Show - If you've been following me for a while you know that I'm a Ferriss disciple. His podcast could have gone either way, frankly, but he knocked it out of the park. He uses the podcast to break down the habits and traits of top performers and I always learn something.
We The People Live - Josh Zepps is a relative newcomer to the podcasting game, but he's come out the gate strong. This is mostly a political podcast, though it covers a fair amount of current events as well. Zepps is a comedian by trade, and he's got a snarky take on just about everything.
The James Altucher Show - I've been a fan of James for some time now. I love his radical honesty, and this is another show that delivers every episode. He's not afraid to make it weird.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe - This is the most fun you'll ever have in science class. Great ensemble of hosts who have really good chemistry. 100% give this one a try.
Hustle Casts
The Smart Passive Income Podcast - Pretty much the granddaddy of side hustle podcasts. Pat Flynn was one of the first online marketing gurus to start posting his earnings online, and that brought him a significant following.
The School of Greatness - I listen to this one depending on the topic and/or guest. Lewis Howes is a great podcast host, but his constant positivity grates on a dour old pessimist like me after awhile. That said, he's a really good interviewer and I enjoy his show.
The Tropical MBA - This one is all about location independent business. It's a resource for tips on how to quit your job, how to build a side hustle, and how to do it and live on less than $500 a month in Thailand.
Entrepreneur On Fire - This is the Beast Mode of side hustle podcasts. John Lee Dumas puts out a new podcast every day, seven days a week. Frankly, his volume is too much for me to keep up with so I cherry pick the guests or topics I want to listen to. His format is the same set of questions (roughly) for each guest and each podcast is about a half hour long, so they're easy to digest.
Mixergy - I'm a Mixergy premium member, so that link might be behind a paywall. If so, just look for "Mixergy" in the iTunes store or on Stitcher. Andrew Warner was one of the first small business interviewers and the interviews go back many years. If you go all the way back to December 7, 2010 you'll find this interview with our very own Patrick Curtis.
Unemployable - This is a podcast for the scrappy hustler and wannabe freelancer.
Starting From Nothing - Dane Maxwell has a pretty stout record of success in getting businesses built for people. This podcast (in general terms) will teach you how to SaaS-ify your offering and get people to pay for it before it even exists.
Extreme Productivity with Kevin Kruse - Pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Productivity hacks and tips for the various aspects of your life and business.
The Side Hustle Show - This is probably the one you should start with if you're interested in a true side hustle and not something to replace your job. Really good, timely advice and tips on how to make it rain, sideways.
Tech and Startups
Startup Grind - Startup advice curated by Google for Entrepreneurs.
CTRL-WALT-DELETE - Tech news and trends with Walt Mossberg and Nilay Patel.
The Reboot Podcast - Startup stories centered around leadership.
Recode/Decode - Tech trends and current events with Kara Swisher. If you like Kara, this is the show for you. If you're not a fan, give it a pass.
a16z - This is the podcast of Andreesen Horowitz. It's a blend of tech news and startup advice from a venture capital perspective.
This Week in Tech - Leo Laporte's weekly rundown of all things tech. Cleverly condenses to TWiT.
This Week in Startups - Jason Calacanis's weekly rundown of all things startup. Cleverly condensed to TWiST.
News and Opinion
The Tom Woods Show - Libertarian thinking with a slant toward economics.
Fareed Zakaria GPS - This is the podcast version of Zakaria's show on CNN. Current events and opinion.
The Weeds Podcast - Political wonkery at its finest from the crew at Vox.
The Ezra Klein Show - In case The Weeds wasn't wonky enough for you.
Democracy Now - Left leaning news and commentary.
The Young Turks Audio Podcast - Home of the Aggressive Progressives. Basically a left-libertarian slant for millennials.
Health
Total Human Optimization - Sort of a science-based meathead podcast. Brought to you by the good folks at Onnit.
Bulletproof - Dave Asprey of Bulletproof Coffee fame's podcast. Basically a biohacking podcast with a little business stuff thrown in.
Tara Brach - Your one stop shop for all things meditation.
The One You Feed - General purpose positivity podcast.
Smart Drug Smarts - The gold standard for discussions on nootropics and all other drugs. Heavy duty biohacker podcast.
The Rich Roll Podcast - Entertaining and informative. Rich is an endurance athlete and interviews a broad spectrum of guests.
The Fat Burning Man - Enjoyable show, but the often terrible audio detracts from what you learn. He'd have a real winner if he got on top of that.
Entertainment and Miscellaneous
Sword and Scale - Because people get up to some fucked up shit.
The Survival Podcast - Survivalist/prepper podcast that is surprisingly well done.
Radiolab - Duh.
WTF with Marc Maron - Pop culture interviews given by a truly damaged interviewer.
Ari Shaffir's Skeptic Tank - Comedian podcast.
The Art of Charm - Life skills podcast geared toward young men. Really solid stuff.
Intelligence Squared - This is going to be heavier, long form stuff. Think TED talk in your earbuds.
Freakonomics Radio - Duh.
Mohr Stories with Jay Mohr - Pop culture stuff with a really funny host. Mohr surprises me a lot.
I realize that's a pretty exhaustive list. On average, I have about 100 episodes saved on my phone and I work from the top or the bottom.
I know I've missed a bunch (or purposely omitted some that may be obvious). I'd love to hear from you guys which ones you like that aren't on this list.
Mod Note (Andy): Best of 2016, this post ranks #45 for the past year
Great list Eddie. I have a question for you and other heavy podcast listeners though. Do you ever find yourself consuming too much information and not enough time actually implementing what you've heard/learned? Back when I was going through an entrepreneurship phase, I would listen to all the "hustle" podcasts mentioned and found myself being thrown in 100 different directions. I had a ton of ideas and inspiration as a result of listening, but it was simultaneously debilitating. Kind of like analysis paralysis + paradox of choice. Thoughts?
This is definitely a real thing. The key is to focus and experiment. You simply can't try everything. I sift through the podcasts to find the stuff I think is most actionable and then try it out. Sometimes it works, other times not so much. But if you don't focus on a handful of high-impact strategies you can definitely spin your wheels.
this is exactly what i tell people, my favorite podcast and try to catch one or two a week.
-Rogan is a great interviewer -love that i can watch these on youtube -range of guests is incredible, i avoid the mma stuff but usually check out most of the others, just looking at his recent list (http://podcasts.joerogan.net/), these would all be potentially be good listens: Aubrey Marcus, Jordan Peterson, Chris Bell, Graham Hancock, and Scott Adams. -love the long format
also I love that you added on Ari Shaffir's Skeptic Tank, the most recent one with Shane Mauss was great. Had heard Mauss on Rogan & Duncan's podcast and now follow him
I struggle with Podcasts, but Rogan's is the only non-fitness one that I listen to pretty regularly. My only issue is that it seems to be ~50% MMA fighters, 30% comedians and then 20% other. I really only listen to the "others"
Joe Rogan Experience is the best shit out there. His top episode is with Wim Hof
JRE is AWESOME for boxing/mma fans. He had Shannon Briggs on there last week. That guy is hilarious going around and calling out the top heavyweights. Despite most of the podcasts being 2-3+ hours you don't get bored.
Let's go, Champ!
The Jocko Podcast
Jocko is in my rotation, but I find he's a better interviewee than interviewer (IMHO). Also, his religious bent is a bit off putting so I have to take him in small doses. Definitely a world class badass, though.
I agree 100% with the interviewee aspect. I guess maybe that's why I especially like the ones where he interviews his old SEAL buddies. It just seems like a normal conversation.
His discipline is absolutely incredible though. I respect the hell out of it and if any of us can apply just an ounce of what he brings to the table, we could all be better.
Great list. I've listened to a few of Rogan's when he's had a guest on that I really like but I'll have to add him to my rotation more frequently. I'll also have to check out Sam Harris more too, enjoyed him when he was a guest on other shows.
I can relate computerized . I find Tim Ferriss' podcast extremely informative but sometimes hard to implement due to so much information and 2-3 new shows a week to listen. That's why I love Jocko Podcast (introduced by Tim) since his big mantra is to go get after it (at 4:30am) and "discipline = freedom". It was a kick in the butt I needed when I started to listen to it last year since I was always looking to optimize my plans or waiting on more info being doing something. But I think it was a guest on Ferriss' show that said something along the lines of "If more information was the answer, we'd all be millionaires with 6 pack abs".
I'm a military brat so I always enjoy when Jocko reviews a military or war book.
Sports
Pardon My Take
Petros & money show Jim Rome Fighter & the kid (kinda sports, more comedy now)
Loved Callen's show when it was just Callen. Not a fan of Hunter Maats. I do like TFATK. Big Brown cracks me up. Plus their Instagram game is hilarious.
Award winning listener right here
Best podcast around
PMT and Old Row Radio are the best podcasts out there
Eddie Braverman Pretty sure the No Agenda Podcast would be up your alley generally. It takes a few episodes to understand the format and begin to understand the lingo. But I find it to be the absolute best podcast for news analysis. They have no advertisers, and don't give a fuck who they piss off. But most important is that they do research, like actual research about the topics they are discussing. I would wager a bet that the two of them are far more knowledgeable about the topics they discuss than an entire news team at any MSM outlet.
Mostly I just love how they point out the bullshit that the media tries to pass off as news.
Awesome, thanks. Will definitely check it out.
Just got through their election analysis episode. Pure gold. Thanks man.
On a bonus note, you might actually remember Adam from his days at MTV. They do quite a bit of international analysis as well Europe and the Middle East get significantly more play than anything else out there that has an American slant.
Just want to add for any football (soccer) fans out there - The Football Ramble. 4 guys from the UK who are genuinely quite knowledge about football and they're absolutely hilarious. They've been around since '07 and I've been listening since '13. Yet to miss a single episode. That, along with Dan Carlin keeps me busy throughout the day.
Glad to see Dan Carlin's Hardcore History make the list. I rarely listen to podcasts & I've blasted through well over 50+ hours of his content.
I still cringe when replaying 'Wrath of the Khans.'
Any decent (nfl, ncaa, nba, etc.) sports podcasts on youtube? I can't watch first take or "undisputed" anymore. Whose bright idea was it to put shannon sharpe on a tv show?
It kind of depends what you're looking for. Pardon My Take is fantastic but it's a satire poking fun at shows like first take, albeit while discussing the current happenings in sports.
The Vampire Squid is great for those looking to learn some entry level finance info. Also Patrick O'Shaughnessy's- Invest Like the Best is a good listen if interested in learning about investing your time effectively.
Great list.
GS briefings
Norm Macdonald is the funniest guy alive in my books, so Norm Macdonald Live is at the top of my list
Your Mom's House podcast with Tom Segura and his comedian wife Christina Pazsitzky. Extremely childish, crude, rude humor but usually hilarious and Tom and Christina have a comedic relationship with each other.
Yeah, they're awesome separately and together. I don't listen to Your Mom's House, but I never miss Segura when he's on someone else's show, especially Rogan. Dude just slays me. Tangentially related - I just caught Bert Kreischer's new special and I almost pissed myself at the bear bit.
As always, great post Eddie! I was the biggest podcast nut I know of before reading your post haha. How do you work through so much content amidst everything else in life? I find that I can listen to 4-6 episodes/day max before I just get overwhelmed and can't stop thinking about all the information I'm taking in. Any tips towards managing mindless listening would be appreciated. With most podcasts churning out new episodes every week, I fall behind frequently. I just started listening at 1.2x speed to slightly speed it up while still retaining information. Do you listen at a faster speed or use any other tricks to consume the content while still learning from it?
Here are some recommendations that you didn't have on your list but I imagine you're familiar with. Sorry, I suck at describing podcasts so I copy and pasted the show descriptions from their sites.
99% invisible - About all the thought that goes into the things we don’t think about — the unnoticed architecture and design that shape our world.
Note to Self - Is your phone watching you? Can texting make you smarter? Are your kids real? These and other essential quandaries for anyone trying to preserve their humanity in the digital age. Join host Manoush Zomorodi for your weekly reminder to question everything.
FiveThirtyEight Politics - Nate Silver and the FiveThirtyEight team cover the latest in politics, tracking the issues and “game-changers” every week.
This American Life - There's a theme to each episode of This American Life, and a variety of stories on that theme. Most of the stories are journalism, with an occasional comedy routine or essay. There's lots more to the show, but it's sort of hard to describe.
The Art of Manliness - The Art of Manliness Podcast is a Top 100 iTunes podcast that aims to help men become better men. Through in-depth interviews with authors and thinkers, host Brett McKay finds insights on how men can better understand their culture, their lives, and themselves, and recapture the ancient and classical ideal of manliness, one of Arete and eudaimonia: excellence and flourishing.
I second the one called 99% invisible. It is a really entertaining and informative podcast that really just sounds good. It combines a lot of history, design, and pop culture so that is right up my alley in terms of entertainment value.
Also, I listen to most podcasts at 1.5x or 2x. Once you get used to it, you really can't stand how slow the normal speed seems. Plus, you can listen to so much more during your commute.
I was hoping someone would reply about listening at fast speeds. How does that affect your day to day conversations? This might be a dumb assumption but I feel like I would talk faster subconsciously and would get frustrated when talking to slow speakers. I also could see it being frustrating to watch tv at slow speed when you're brain is used to consuming words rapidly.
Great list Eddie Braverman, will certainly return to this often. I've only gotten into podcasts recently and I find it surprising that you're able to listen to them in the background while doing work. I can only listen to them while driving or doing housework / yardwork (i.e. mindless tasks) but could never while reading or doing really anything on the computer as I feel like I half-ass both my work and understanding the podcast. Do you listen to podcasts while doing anything more concentration intensive than mindless tasks? If so, is this a skill you developed or is it more of an ability some people simply have? Or maybe like computerized I'm not focusing enough on the high impact portions of the podcasts? If anyone else has thoughts about to this too, please chime in.
OK, you guys are absolutely right. It's impossible to glean the really high impact stuff while you're busy doing something else. So the podcasts I listen to while I'm working are the ones that would fall into the category of "talk radio" in the old days. Podcasts like Rogan, No Agenda (hat tip heister ), WTF, or pretty much anything on my entertainment list is suitable to play in the background and safely assume you're not missing anything important. Trust me, if they say something that triggers your interest, you'll know it.
For the podcasts I listen to for tools, tips, or high impact strategies, I have to set aside time to concentrate on them. I'll either listen at night while the fam is chilling, or most often I'll pop in my bluetooth earbuds and listen while I'm driving (I pay better attention if it's in my ears rather than just on the car speakers). If an episode is really important, I'll just block out the time required to get through it on my calendar.
I've tried listening at higher speeds but find it distracting in most cases.
Savage Nation.
I recommend Sam Harris's podcasts; they're insightful and always worth the time.
Sam Harris:Philosophy as Olive Garden:Italian Culture
Ouch. To be fair, though, he doesn't pass himself off as a philosopher.
Second Dan Carlin although I only listen to his history stuff and not his current political commentaries. His series on WW1 called "Countdown to Armageddon" single-handedly rekindled my ability to use treadmills.
Countdown was phenomenal. I spent a lot of time at those sites in Belgium when I was living over there and that series really brought it all to life for me.
What do you listen to for movie reviews (if anything). I think this is a good one: Kermode and Mayo's Film Review
Bodega Boys - hands down the funniest podcast I have ever listened to. It's not for everyone though.
The Bill Simmons Show - don't follow sports besides soccer, so this is how I keep up. Simmons is a good sports writer/commentator. Shame to see his HBO show get cancelled but I 100% see why it did.
I'll take a look at the others soon, but I did have a chance to listen to some Hardcore History this weekend. I listened to King of Kings and Blueprint for Armageddon (the first episode of both). King of Kings was ok and a bit disorganized in my opinion. To be fair, that is not a part of history that interests me very much. I did, however, enjoy Blueprint for Armageddon. WWI has always intrigued me, so I figured that I would enjoy Blueprint for Armageddon as soon as Carlin started describing Gavrilo Princip.
SB'd. Sam Harris' "Waking Up" is a staple of mine.
Once listen to the Joe Rogan Experience and though "Wow, I hate him even more in this than when he did Fear Factor". That's a lot of hate.
Sam Harris is excellent. One of the most eloquent guys on the planet
Masters In Business Pardon my take Deal of the week
All are great in each their own way in my opinion.
Bookmarked, thanks
What about Peter Schiff?
http://www.schiffradio.com/
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