24 Best Podcasts of 2023 (So Far)
The year's best and brightest includes a Julia Louis-Dreyfus-hosted interview show—and a buzzy new sports series.
It's a tale as old as the App Store. Your small talk reaches a lull, and, before you can run for cover, someone unleashes the dreaded ice-breaker: Been listening to any good podcasts lately?
As bonding as it might be to discover a fellow listener of your favorite series out in the wild, trying to come up with your go-to list of favorite podcasts can feel like a nearly impossible task. After all, the podcasting industry has arguably become one of the most oversaturated entertainment mediums of today. (Just walk into any party and ask who has a podcast, and you're nearly guaranteed to find at least one person who has bought recording equipment off of Amazon for this very purpose.) There's a podcast for nearly every rabbit hole, random assortment of search words, or obsession you can think of these days. But, as the heinous TikTok clips of "free thinkers" behind mics will remind you, that doesn't mean all podcasts are good podcasts.
Given how bountiful the landscape is, you deserve to enjoy the cream of the crop. And, luckily for you, we're harvesting the best series out there—whether you're looking to brush up on your history knowledge while commuting, or just seeking some faux-company to pass time while running errands.
Featuring some newcomers, some tried-and-true favorites, and hidden gems, we've gathered a batch of pods that you'll be able to name-drop with pride. From tantalizing series like Normal Gossip, to hard-hitting investigative shows like The Conviction of Max B, stories from the WGA and SAG-AFTRA picket lines, and even a weekly astrology forecast, here the best podcasts of 2023 so far.
Love, Janessa
If catfishing mysteries like the viral 2021 true crime pod Sweet Bobby are your jam, then prepare to fall for Love, Janessa. The BBC and CBC-produced series zeroes in on Janessa Brazil—the woman whose likeness has been used to catfish and con countless victims out of thousands of dollars. Throughout the series, host and journalist Hannah Ajala sets out to find this “modern day Helen of Troy”—and the scammers behind her fake online personas.
The Conviction of Max B
Since 2019, Gimlet’s investigative anthology series, Conviction, has honed in on individual stories of the criminal justice system—shedding a new light on the institution and our society as a whole. In the latest season of Conviction, which premiered this month, the series focuses on the story of Max B, a Harlem-born man and beloved rapper whose budding stardom was cut short when an attempt to secure a rumored bag of cash ended in a 75-year prison sentence.
Lead by Example with Bob Myers
If you’ve already maxed out on sports podcasts—or need to reluctantly cut yourself off—this sports-adjacent pod is the perfect series to round out your listening habits. Hosted by Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers, Lead by Example features leaders in the sporting world and beyond, unpacking the unique ways in which they’ve become a leader in their own fields.
So far, episodes have included Steph Curry discussing his legacy in basketball and beyond, and Maya Moore Irons on how she pivoted from being a WNBA star to a leader in justice system reform. The series description teases guest in various fields going forward, though, including politics and entertainment.
Wakanda Forever: The Official Black Panther Podcast
In the wake of beloved actor Chadwick Boseman’s death, continuing the legacy of the Black Panther franchise seemed impossible—and yet, incredibly necessary. The resulting sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, is a undoubtedly a profound success, with Boseman’s legacy at its foundation. But the road to get there wasn’t easy.
In a podcast series from Marvel and Proximity Media, Ta-Nehisi Coates—National Book Award-winning author, journalist, and writer of multiple Black Panther comic volumes—offers an inside look at the creative process behind Wakanda Forever.
HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’ Podcast
If there’s one thing HBO knows how to do best, it’s starting a conversation. From its post-episode, behind-the-scenes featurettes, to Sunday night premieres that nearly guarantee watch parties and live-tweeting, streaming an HBO series gives you a guaranteed ticket into *The Discourse.*
After the roaring era that was White Lotus Sundays came and went, another beloved HBO series filled the void: The Last of Us. The pandemic survival thriller’s suspenseful plot makes perfect fodder for fan theories, recaps, and general excitement. If the weekly live-tweeting soirées (and our own recaps) weren't enough to fill your tank until the next season airs, HBO’s companion podcast is the perfect ally for your streaming journey.
Astrology of the Week Ahead with Chani Nicholas
It’s 2023. Time has passed, the planets have shifted, and the stars have spoken: It’s officially passé to be the guy at the party ridiculing anyone who believes in astrology. Like, 2010s “guy who makes fun of anyone who’s vegan”-level annoying. By all means, hold on tight to that healthy dose of skepticism—but it’s time to check your ego at the door when someone asks for your big three.
If you’re ready to expand your horizons a bit, Astrology of the Week Ahead is the perfect podcast series to get you started. Hosted by astrologer, author, and activist Chani Nicholas, Astrology of the Week Ahead offers a forecast of the week’s upcoming astrological events so that you can feel prepared and in tune with the world around you. Released in bite-sized episodes that are typically only 10 to 20 minutes long, Nicholas makes astrology feel entertaining, relevant, and accessible. Tune in for a few weeks and you’ll be telling your friends what a Jupiter cazimi means for your weekend plans in no time.
Unreformed
iHeartPodcasts’s limited podcast series, Unreformed, sheds an unprecedented light on the state-run juvenile reform school known as Mt. Meigs in Montgomery, Alabama. More importantly, though, Unreformed tells the story of Mt. Meigs’s former students (who reportedly described Mt. Meigs as a slave camp) and the five girls who worked to expose the institution after running away from it in 1968.
Hosted by writer, reporter, and prison and prosecution expert Josie Duffy Rice, Unreformed speaks directly to former students of Mt. Meigs as it traces the institution’s trajectory from being a proposed safe haven for Black youth in Alabama, to being “an early prototype for the for-profit prison.”
The Coldest Case in Laramie
If you’re at all interested in true crime podcasts, then there’s little to no chance that you’re not familiar with Serial. And with good reason. When it comes to true crime audio storytelling, there are few production teams with as consistently compelling storylines as Serial. Their latest series with The New York Times is no exception.
Hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Kim Barker, The Coldest Case in Laramie details the murder of Shelli Wiley–a case that took place during Barker’s teen years in her hometown of Laramie, Wyoming. More specifically, though, the series explores how the former police officer who was arrested for the murder (and allegedly even confessed to the crime) could inexplicably have his charges dropped for decades.
Normal Gossip
Look, no matter how many disclaimers we insert into rants with our best friends to qualify our gossip as totally-not-gossip, the reality is: Gossip happens. Even more than this, gossip can be good. Great. Healthy. Vital, even! When it comes down to it, the question is not “to gossip, or not to gossip,” but rather how to gossip. And, as any good gossip will tell you, the key to good gossip versus bad gossip – is all about the stakes.
This, at least, is the ethos of host Kelsey McKinney—who has set out to deliver the most tantalizing, distant, and low-stakes gossip possible to listeners each week. Or, as she has dubbed it: Normal Gossip. Pulling from reader-submitted stories, McKinney and her guests hilariously hash out other people’s lives without, well, ruining them. The result is a weekly chit-chat that will itch your gossip scratch for the week without the guilt or consequences.
Grown
If you're a fan of storytelling podcasts like The Moth, then this new series—from two Moth storytellers—is guaranteed to land its way onto your "to-listen" list. Hosted by Aleeza Kazmi and Alfonso "Fonzo" Lacayo, Grown is an exploration of adolescence, adulthood, and that tricky place in-between.
Using a curated selections of Moth stories about these topics, along with on-the-street interviews, audio diaries, and more, Kazmi and Lacayo offer a unifying lens to an often isolating time period in our lives. With episode themes like "Secrets," "Young Punks," and "Culture and Identity," Grown is sure to strike a chord, whether you're new to adulthood or pretending to be a pro.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
A celebrity-hosted podcast series has become something of a cliché lately. At best, they offer some extra insight into the interior lives of household names. At worst, they’re a thinly-veiled publicity grab. But it’s rare for them to stick with us beyond their initial novelty. This is not the case, however, for Wiser Than Me—as anyone familiar with the work of “Emmy award winning-est actress” Julia Louis-Dreyfus might guess. From Seinfeld to Veep, when Louis-Dreyfus takes on a project, she does it right.
In Wiser Than Me, Louis-Dreyfus sets out to solve the quandary of why we rarely hear from older women in media – and shows us what we’re missing. With an incredible guest lineup including the likes of Jane Fonda, Fran Leibowitz, Darlene Love, Carol Burnett, and more, Louis-Dreyfus has a gold mine of experiential wisdom to dig from in this heartfelt and impactful series.
Slow Burn Season Eight: Becoming Justice Thomas
There’s a reason Slate’s Slow Burn series has become a mainstay on nearly every “Best Podcasts” list year after year. From Watergate to Tupac v. Biggie, the series has cracked open some of the most influential controversies in American history—shedding an new light on well-known stories with unprecedented interviews and investigative journalism.
In Season Eight, host Joel Anderson unpacks the particular trajectory of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, tracing his transformation from a young radical leftist to a conservative icon. Beginning from his youth in Georgia to today, the series includes interviews with everyone from Justice Thomas’s political mentors to ex-girlfriends, painting a composite portrait of how he came to be one of the most influential figures in modern American politics.
If Books Could Kill
If you’ve held out on perennially-suggested nonfiction titles like Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers or Freakonomics, you can finally feel vindicated in your cynicism. With a healthy dose of scrutiny reminiscent of co-host Michael Hobbes’s previous podcasts Maintenance Phase and You’re Wrong About, If Books Could Kill analyzes the “airport bestsellers that captured our hearts and ruined our minds.”
Hobbes and his co-host Peter Shamshiri (lawyer and co-host of 5-4) leave no page-turner unturned, taking an unforgiving magnifying glass to a new title each episode. Equipped with thoughtful research and plenty of snarky humor to boot, If Books Could Kill is sure to hook you, even if you’re a reformed Atomic Habits truther.
Louder Than a Riot
This isn’t the first time that NPR’s Louder Than a Riot has made its way onto our various “Best of” lists. But, given the series’s untimely end after being canceled by NPR this spring–and considering its truly stellar investigative journalism and storytelling—it would feel remiss not to include Louder Than a Riot here for its second and final season.
Hosted by Sidney Madden and Rodney Carmichael, the first season of Louder Than a Riot set out to unpack the interconnected link between hip-hop and mass incarceration in the U.S.—highlighting the stories of various artists as a lens into the criminal justice system. In Season Two, Louder Than a Riot pivots to analyze marginalization within hip-hop, highlighting the experiences of Black women and queer people within the community. This season begins with a dive into Megan Thee Stallion’s testimony against Tory Lanez, and continues into important stories like Rico Nasty’s experience with harassment from fans, iLoveMakonnen’s experience navigating masculinity amidst homophobia in the industry, and even the hosts’ own personal experiences with these themes. In doing so, this season points toward a larger, powerful argument about how the scarcity mindset forced upon hip-hop by society has created these power imbalances—and what a more equitable future can look like within the industry and beyond.
Exploration: LIVE!
At first glance, the premise for Exploration: LIVE! might seem deceptively simple. Each week, comedians Charlie Bardey and Natalie Rotter-Laitman come together with a list of ideas—and they discuss them. You might wonder, Isn’t that every podcast? Isn’t that actually just… a conversation? In many ways, yes. But Exploration: LIVE! is also so much more.
Based off of the duo’s monthly standup show—in which they recruit an audience member to introduce their cryptically titled theories, like “Terminator Neck Stretch” and “the Doctor is the Mom is beating our ass,” Exploration: LIVE!’s take on observational comedy seamlessly weaves between the charm of an off-the-cuff shitpost and the accidental profundity of a Socratic seminar. (Who’s to say if Plato were around today that he wouldn’t be riffing in the agora about people named Tyler?) With an expanding guest lineup of comedians like Jaboukie Young-White, Jo Firestone, and more, Exploration: LIVE! is the perfect antidote for an unexamined life.
The Atlantic's Holy Week
If you didn't catch The Atlantic's eight-part series Holy Week when it debuted in March, it's the can't-miss listen of 2023. Hosted by senior editor and Peabody-winning Floodlines host Vann R. Newkirk II, Holy Week focuses on the often-overlooked period of what happened after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr—and why the consequential uprisings in the week following this event mark a critical turning point in the history of the Civil Rights Movement. Featuring exclusive interviews with firsthand witnesses and leaders who worked alongside Dr. King, the series stands as a singular and crucial analysis of American history.
Deadline’s Strike Talk
Whether you’re totally mystified by the actual goings-on of the ongoing WGA and SAG strikes, or have a personal stake in the movement, Deadline’s Strike Talk is a trusted resource for listeners within the industry and beyond. Hosted by Academy Award-nominated writer, director, and showrunner Billy Ray, along with producer Todd Garner, the series offers an incisive lens into what’s at stake on the picket lines—and what it means for the industry at large.
Tackling everything from the threat of AI, to bargaining developments, and labor rights movements on a global scale, the series stands as an important documentation of this moment in Hollywood history.
The Town with Matthew Belloni
For any entertainment news fanatics, Puck founder Matthew Belloni’s podcast series has been the talk of the town for some time now. Releasing multiple stories per week, Belloni digs deep into the entertainment business’s current affairs with exclusive reporting that’s both in-depth and accessible.
Whether it’s unpacking Barbie as a marketing juggernaut, ranking the best and worst summer blockbusters, simplifying streaming deals, or shining light on important strike developments, Belloni is here to have you showing up to your friend group’s HBO Sunday watch party talking like an industry insider.
The Retrievals
Created by Serial and The New York Times—and hosted by This American Life's Susan Burton—The Retrievals is a five-part narrative series documenting a recent incident at the Yale Fertility Center, in which one nurse replaced patients' fentanyl doses for their painful egg retrieval procedures with saline. The series unpacks the story from multiple intersections—exploring individual patients' experiences, the nurse's own story, and how identity can impact the way pain is addressed by institutions.
Baby, This Is Keke Palmer
From her work across titles like Akeelah and the Bee, True Jackson, VP, and Nope —to the sheer quotability of moments like her “Sorry to this man” one-liner and the meme from which this podcast derives its title—the influence of Keke Palmer is one that cannot be overstated. Now, the multi-hyphenate is bringing her talents to podcasting in the new 2023 series, Baby, This Is Keke Palmer. From motherhood, to online dating, psychedelics, and OnlyFans, Palmer sets out each episode to explore her most-burning questions and obsessions. With her singular charm and a guest list that only Palmer could pull (Think: Vice President Kamala Harris, Jordan Peele, and will.i.am), there’s something for everyone in Palmer’s pod.
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