Podcasts are the “most-improved player” of modern entertainment. They’ve been around for quite some time, but have taken off in the past couple of years, with the recent trend of podcast hosts becoming celebrities and celebrities starting their own podcasts. Whatever it is you like, podcasts have everything from Emma Chamberlain to Joe Rogan. Summer is the perfect time to lay outside, run errands, go for a walk or take a vacation while listening to some of these podcast recommendations.
The podcast series that I will always advocate for is “anything goes” with host Emma Chamberlain. After listening to the random yet interesting topics and consistent schedule, I haven’t heard anyone say they didn’t love listening to Chamberlain’s voice. Something about it is relaxing and engaging. She posts every three to four days which gives you plenty of time to listen to one before starting another.
The 30-to-60-minute episodes could be about deciphering if marriage is outdated or not, how to deal with difficult people or talking about realistic daily habits. Chamberlain has such a conversational approach to the topics, and you will finish the episode fully convinced she is your best friend. A few of my favorite recent episodes are social life, success, and sleep, karma and lower your expectations about people.
Another one of my favorites is “13: A Taylor Swift Fan Podcast” by KiddNation. While niche, I highly recommend giving it a try whether you’re a Swiftie or can respect Swift’s lyrical talent and appreciate its breakdown. Right now, the hosts have a series where they predict what surprise songs Swift will sing at her next show of The Eras Tour, but their overall series is dissecting a song for 20 to 50 minutes and discovering the meaning. Even if you’ve come across just one Taylor Swift song that made you question if you know English or not, they’ve got you covered.
My favorite ones that they have analyzed so far are "Forever Winter,” “Cruel Summer” and “Afterglow.” Not only that, but they also interview people that Swifties want to hear from. Before the tour, they talked to GAYLE, one of the openers for Swift on The Eras Tour. In April of 2022, they talked to Maya Thomspon, whose late son, Ronan, is the subject of a Swift song of the same name. In the episode, she discussed what Swift and the song mean to her and her family. With all of that said, if Taylor Swift isn’t your thing, there are podcasts about plenty of artists and television series. Find something that interests you.
The last podcast is one that I started listening to after my mom showed me the book “Untamed” by Glennon Doyle. “We Can Do Hard Things” is a self-help series hosted by Glennon Doyle, her wife, Abby Wambach and her sister, Amanda Doyle. Much like her book, Doyle dives into topics that are hard to talk about as she believes that is the best way to work through them. Her posting schedule is somewhat irregular, but there are never more than seven days in between episodes.
My favorite part of this podcast is that I truly feel like I am learning something valuable due to her way of educating and informing in an entertaining way. I also love her willingness to interview those that know more than her about certain topics. Almost every episode includes an interview with a doctor or therapist of some sort, but it doesn’t feel like I’m being lectured. Some of the episodes that I recommend to help us all become better people are “5 Ways to Be More Present: Indigenous Wisdom from Kaitlin Curtice,” “How to Finally Let Things Go” and “Sonya Renee Taylor: What If You Loved Your Body?”
Next time you go to mindlessly scroll through TikTok or turn on that series you are just watching to say that you finished it, think about listening to a podcast that will equally entertain as it does inform. There is something out there for everyone to enjoy. Happy listening!
Layne Rey is a sophomore studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnist do not reflect those of The Post. What are your thoughts? Let Layne know by tweeting her @laynerey12.
