Podcasts are a large part of my daily life but I’ve never shared that here.
It’s been awhile since I regularly listened to FM (NPR aside).
Instead, I’ve replaced it with podcasts for my daily commute. They’re also a mentally stimulating time filler while working around the house or other busy-work projects.
Heck, I’m listening to an episode right now.
With that, this week I’m sharing the podcasts I regularly listen to.
Tech & Biz
This Week in Tech
Weekly – 2 hours
This Week in Tech, or TWiT, is my go-to for staying up with everything in the tech world. News + punditry at its best. Even at two hours I still want more each week.
Host Leo Laporte has been on air for decades and shows it in his ability to run a high quality, well-produced episode each week. Throw in a panel with big tech media names week and it’s got all the right ingredients.
If you like TWiT there are 20+ other specialty shows on the TWiT network to check out too.
a16z
Weekly-ish – 30 minutes
The a16z podcast is the Andreessen Horowitz team’s chance to highlight different companies in their portfolio. They also discuss lessons learned about startups, tech and the business economy.
Over the last year I’ve tried to follow more VCs for thought leadership in tech & business. Here’s your chance to do the same.
Startup Podcast
Weekly – 30 minutes
StartUp is a brand new podcast from Alex Blumberg following his journey into starting a new business – a podcasting company of course.
Alex tells his story as well as Leo Laporte can host. After all, Alex is the former producer of the most popular podcast going, This American Life.
Lifehacker
Weekly – 1 hour
The Lifehacker podcast mostly just summarizes what’s on their site. If you read the site regularly you’ll run into a lot of duplicate content.
However, if you struggle to keep up with the deluge of articles Lifehacker publishes their podcast is a good highlight reel.
(The LH show might actually be over or on hiatus.)
Back to Work
Weekly – 1.5 hours
Part of the 5by5 network of podcasts (similar to TWiT’s network), Back to Work is a productivity-ist’s perfect podcast.
Hosts Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discuss, “productivity, communication, work, barriers, constraints, tools, and more.”
Fun
This American Life
Weekly – 1 hour
I’ve only been listening to the This American Life podcast for a couple weeks but am onboard already. Usually referenced as one of, if not the most popular podcasts, I finally gave it a shot and am glad I did.
Each week’s episode has a central theme with a handful of short, true stories around the theme. I know that sounds meh so just trust me, download an episode and listen.
NPR Sunday Puzzle
Weekly – 10 minutes
This is Will Shortz’s podcast. If you’re a puzzler then that’s enough said right there.
Think of the Sunday Puzzle as an audio version of a crossword puzzle.
Two Plus Two Pokercast
Weekly – 3 hours
The Two Plus Two Pokercast is the longest tenured of all my podcasts. Poker is my guilty pleasure and the Pokercast is where I get my fix.
Content ranges from legal updates in online gambling, rigorous hand analysis, poker strategy and news from the poker world.
As fun as it is thought provoking.
Music
I discovered music podcasts a couple years ago. Too many to name and constantly changing as my tastes rotate, they’re a big part of my podcast lineup.
EDM artists often have their own podcast to test out new mixes for their audiences. It’s almost like you’re at the show – well not really, but you get the idea.
Or, you might like an Indie podcast that highlights and curates emerging artists for you each week.
Podcatchers
This is an open question – how do you collect your podcasts?
I still use iTunes. Does that make me old? A podcast luddite?
Do you use a podcatcher other than iTunes and if so, why? I hear things like Stitcher, Instacast and more but haven’t felt the need to give them a try.
In any case that’s my list. For now at least as it’s always changing. What about you? What podcasts am I missing here?