The Five Podcasts I Always Reccomend
Not to sound lame, but I totally liked podcasts before they were cool. When I was in high school, I lived in the middle of nowhere Nova Scotia, so I had to drive an hour both ways to get to school/the mall/my friends/whatever. This means there was usually two hours a day of me sitting in my car, usually at the whim of the radio or whatever album I could fit on my 16G iPhone 4 (seriously, why was that level of storage ever an option?), both of which could get old quickly. I’m not sure how I found them, but around the time I got my first car, I found podcasts, which became the perfect companion for my 6am trek to classes or for sitting in rush hour traffic while I tried to get back to the highway that would take me home. Some of the podcasts I’ve listened to have changed over the years, but their presence in my life never wavered - I would listen to them when I walked to my university classes, on the bus to and from my summer jobs, and while I got ready each morning. They’re entertaining, informative and bring some structure to my week, especially in COVID-times when I can’t tell a Tuesday from a March.
When someone asks me for podcast recommendations (or I get on a tangent about how great they are), these are the top five I always recommend:
Canadaland
Canadaland is a podcast network that brings a Canadian lens to a variety of topics. I first found their flagship media criticism podcast back in 2013, and as a future communications nerd in the making, I was hooked, always listening to hear new ideas and perspectives from new people. Since then, they’ve expanded to include series such as Commons, which deep dives into a new topic each season (like the COVID-19 pandemic or the history of policing in Canada) and investigative journalism such as the Thunder Bay and Cool Mules podcast. I’d recommend for anyone looking to learn more about media in Canada, or just learn more about interesting Canadian stories.
Be There in Five
If I have ever met a famous person who most embodies my vibe, it’s Kate Kennedy. Be There in Five is a weekly podcast where Kate talks her way through anything and everything to do with pop culture, growing up female and what it all means. Besides loving that someone other than me can dissect Taylor Swift albums or British Royal family drama for hours on end, she’s an incredibly authentic person who embraces being what some may call “too much” (as I’ve often been labelled) and really loves nuance, which is amazing in the internet age. This is a good pick for someone who likes pop culture, the sociological implications of it and deep dives.
Bad on Paper
I originally found Bad on Paper, a weekly podcast hosted by best friends Grace Atwood and Becca Freeman, for their book reviews, but quickly realized I couldn’t get enough of their episodes where they talk to each other about a variety of topics, including books, but also lifestyle travel, pop culture and career advice. I tune in weekly to hear them talk to each other and a variety of guests and always come out the episode having learned something (how to negotiate salaries) or having found an obsession account to follow on Instagram (looking at you, Grossy Pelosi). I will recommend this to my fellow book lovers, friendship treasurers and anyone who enjoys hearing the escapades of a cat named Tyrion.
Dissect
I found this podcast last summer, and it is the closest a podcast has ever come to blowing my mind. This Spotify original breaks down popular albums and their music videos line by line to explain the inspiration and implications behind each lyrics. The season I first found was breaking down Beyoncé’s Lemonade visual album and it was so intriguing to be able to mix the historical and personal context and understand how each choice made in the lyrics, the movie and the sequence came together as a piece of art. This is another slam dunk for those who like deep dives, but is also a heavier hitter for lovers of Queen Bey (they also did Black is King this past winter) and people who really like music.
Rom Com Pods
A newer podcast love coming from Bad on Paper host Becca Freeman and her partner Rachel King, Rom Com Pods takes the rom com book genre and flawlessly translates it to a short-series podcast. In six episodes, you experience a whirlwind romance alongside an endearing set of characters, and it leaves you wanting more every time you finish an episode and realize you have to wait a whole other week to continue the ride. The first season is set on a tour of Italy where the main character decides to go on the honeymoon she and her ex had already paid for, and the second is a beautiful mix of political realness and musical goodness in a election-set romance. If you’re a fan of rom-coms in movies or films, audio books or young women on interesting life adventures, this one’s for you.
Bonus: Every Single Album: Taylor Swift
Okay, so I know I said five, but I stumbled upon this podcast three weeks ago and I couldn’t do you the disservice of leaving it off this list. In advance of the release of Fearless (Taylor’s Version), two Swifties from different worlds team up to deep dive each of the original nine albums to discuss the music, the context in which they were created, Taylor’s career trajectory and to honestly just revel in what a genius this woman is when you look back on this amazing body of work. Listening to Nora and Nathan quickly became the highlight of my week, so much so that even I was offended (and crying with laughter) when Nathan stole a song out from under Nora in the ultimate T.Swift song draft. While it was a limited run that ended with the Fearless re-release, these podcasts are a timeless and hilarious listen for any Taylor Swift fan, lover of deep dives or someone interested in looking back on the arc of her career with now almost 15 years of knowledge and hindsight.
All of these are available wherever you find podcasts, and I hope you’ve found something new to listen to in the car, at your desk or while you clean around the house!