10 Ways to Discover New Podcasts

By: Katharine Maller | Edited by Arielle Nissenblatt

We’ve all been there: our favorite podcast ends, we finish a limited series like The Black Tapes, or we’ve simply caught up with your weekly podcast rotation. If you’ve ever looked at your feed and thought “I have nothing to listen to,” this list is for you!

Below are 10 ways to find something you’ll love listening to.

Trust a curator - EarBuds Podcast Collective

EarBuds sends a weekly email of five podcast episode recommendations based on a theme. Each issue of the newsletter is curated by a different person, which means you’re getting a different perspective each week as well as a new topic. This is perfect when you have no clue what you want to hear and are open to totally new ideas–recent issues include libraries, figure skating, and expat experiences.

You can sign up to start getting weekly recommendations or browse the archive with five years of back issues.

Browse your landing page

When was the last time you explored your preferred podcast platform’s suggestions? It might sound obvious, but the things that Apple, Spotify, Castbox, Pocket Casts or others recommend aren’t random.

Some platforms like Spotify use your user data to curate things tailored to your tastes, while others like Apple Podcasts expand your options with top-streaming charts and editorial curation. If you haven’t navigated away from your subscriptions page in a while, check and see what your favorite platform has to offer.

Podcast Delivery

Aiming to cut through AI/algorithm-generated queues, Podcast Delivery sends fresh recommendations to your inbox every Monday – you can check out their archive or their blog, where they highlight podcasts that didn’t make the cut for the weekly newsletters. They’re also cultivating a collaborative atmosphere on their reviews page, where you can read about individual podcasts, endorse your favorites, and see what readers like you are loving.

Podcast the Newsletter

Another great recommendation newsletter, Podcast the Newsletter is run by Lauren Passell, who founded Tink, a podcast marketing company. This means you’re not just getting a podcast enthusiast’s recommendations, but insight from someone inside the industry. Lauren interviews a podcaster in each newsletter, so you can get a juicy deep dive along with a list of “must listen” episodes.

Get influenced - Hop on TikTok

You’ve probably heard of BookTok – the community that put Colleen Hoover on the map – but have you heard of PodTok? Podcasters and enthusiasts alike are spreading the word about their favorites through bite-sized videos, and it’s the perfect way to find new recommendations if you don’t feel like reading a bunch of newsletters every week. Check out creators like Miriam Tinberg (miriam_tinny), who does short episode recaps along with book and article reviews, or explore by searching #podtok.

Year-End Best of Lists

‘Tis the season of best-of lists! Culture writers who have paid attention to all of the year’s new media releases have narrowed the offerings down to their favorites, making it easier for the rest of us to know what’s good. Simply pick a list from a publication you already love: Vulture, Vogue, The New York Times, and Esquire have already published their 2022 lists. You can also seek out local or industry-specific publications for a more micro focus (like Variety’s list, which has more of a LA/Hollywood lens).

Check out people you already follow

These days, many creators are publishing across platforms. Your favorite Substack writer might have a podcasting component (like From the Desk of Alicia Kennedy), a TikToker might podcast long-form content (like Emma Vernon’s The Perfume Room), or artists on Patreon might have audio perks (like Radhia Rahman’s podcast for $6 patrons). If you love a writer, artist, or content creator, dig deeper and see if they’ve entered the audio realm. Alternatively, see if your favorites have done guest appearances on podcasts – you might end up loving the interviewer as much as the subject!

Think beyond Google:

Listen Notes

Sometimes, it’s all about finding the right search engine. Cut out the clutter from Google and go straight to a podcast-specific search engine like Listen Notes. You can search for all of the podcasts someone has guested on, add individual episodes to a playlist (rather than subscribing to bookmark something), get recommendations based on a particular show, or see what other people are listening to.

Pocket Casts

Pocket Casts is a one-stop podcast destination: browse, discover, and listen all in the app. Along with a discover page that groups podcasts by categories like publishing networks and what’s trending, Pocket Casts lets you filter their library by criteria like episode length. You can also check out what’s popular in different countries, and they’ll autofill an “Up Next” queue while you listen to cut any dead air.

Check out podcasting networks

If you’re open to a variety of topics but want to include specific types of voices in your listening round-up, check and see what podcasting networks are out there. The Latina Podcasters Network promotes 40 Latina-run podcasts in the U.S. and Latin America, including English, Spanish, and bilingual podcasts, and Black Effect is an iHeartRadio project that showcases Black voices in podcasting.

Ask a friend!

If this list gives you analysis paralysis, a recommendation from someone you know IRL might save the day. Ask on Twitter, make an Instagram poll, or call your best friend and ask what she’s listening to – your friends’ favorites might surprise and delight you!