True Crime–

“My Favorite Murder” 

“My Favorite Murder” is a comedy-murder podcast, which might seem oxymoronish but it’s true, just look at the title. Recorded by best friends and murder enthusiasts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, listening to their podcast is similar to being a fly on the wall in one of their wacky conversations. It’s easy to hear in their podcasts that they are excited to chat with each other about these true crime stories, which is one of the reasons it is a good listen. 

When true crime gets a little gory, as it necessarily does, they have the talent of saying exactly what a listener might be afraid to, and joke around a little bit while still being (mostly) respectful to the people and events involved. Not spending too much time on one case, My Favorite Murder usually covers a theme topic, such as weird ways to die, and shares interesting hometown murders sent in by listeners. 

There are also strictly hometown murder segments called Minisodes, where they talk about previously untold stories rather than tired old murders. The hometown murders are one of the ways this podcast gets a leg up on podcasts such as “Crime Junkie,” because they are often very personal stories that give a different perspective, instead of just retelling a popular true crime story already been told by many others.

Other True Crime podcasts:

“Crime Junkie”

“Last Podcast on the left”

Sports—

“Pardon My Take”

Created by Barstool Sports, this comedy-sports podcast provides listeners fast-paced updates on the sports world three times per week. While they continue to create new podcasts during quarantine, they also have an archive of episodes from the past few years, giving listeners a chance to relive the excitement of big moments in the sports world and witness interviews from sports legends. The episodes fall around the two hour marker, but the quick wit and jokes from “Big Cat” and PFT Commenter, along with their extensive knowledge of sports make it worth the time. The back-and-forth of the hosts and guests of “Pardon My Take” is unparalleled in other sports podcasts that often cover the same topics.

Very unscripted and off-the-cuff, the podcasts are guaranteed to be different each time and can end up going in any direction, even talking about Netflix’s “Tiger King.” However, the hosts make sure to give analysis to the most important sports related news, although they mainly stick to the big three: basketball, football and baseball. Listen to “Pardon My Tak” to get caught up in the world of sports and listen to guests from Adam Sandler to Patrick Mahomes. 

Other Sports Podcasts:

Bill Simmons Podcast

News/Informational—

“Stuff You Should Know”

With extra time on everyone’s hands during the quarantine, what’s better than learning about a new topic? Or that thing you’ve always wanted to know but are too scared to ask about at this point? 

“Stuff You Should Know” podcast is a great way to refresh your brain with a new topic, with numerous episodes to choose from. Well researched hosts and writers on “HowStuffWorks,” Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant answer common questions and talk about misconceptions on topics. 

From information on what to do if your limb is torn off to the story of Easter Island and everything in between, there is an opportunity to learn something new in a fun way during coronavirus quarantine. Even though an informational podcast might sound boring, “Stuff You Should Know” can be a good break from catching up with the never ending stream of upsetting coronavirus news. While possibly not as entertaining as some other podcasts, “Stuff You Should Know” is a unique way to learn something new without the monotone of reading facts off of a piece of paper. 

Other Informational Podcasts:

“Stuff You Missed in History Class”

“NPR News Now”

“The Daily”

Pop Culture and Entertainment–

“‘Armchair Expert’ with Dax Shepard”

Although “Armchair Expert” is a celebrity podcast, hosted by Dax Shepard, the recordings are extremely honest and down to earth with each guest. Usually falling around two hours, the podcasts feature Shepard along with different actors, comedians and experts on a range of topics. Instead of sticking to small talk subjects about the larger-than-life experiences in Hollywood and being famous, the podcast steps into new territory. 

Delving into real-life struggles and beliefs, “Armchair Expert” helps to show some of the most well-known stars of the entertainment business as human. What makes the podcast interesting is that Shepard isn’t afraid to dive into difficult concepts and divulge his personal flaws to elicit honest conversations with the guests on his podcast. With more than 100 different episodes to choose from, with guests such as Will Ferrell, Ben Platt, Bill Nye and Kristen Bell, it’s easy to find a compelling interview.  

Other Pop Culture Podcasts:

“Keep It”

“Woah That’s Good”

“Office Ladies”

“Ear Biscuits”