Podcast Recommendations from 5 Podcast Curators
By: Andreea Coscai
As you know, at EarBuds, we’re all about hunting down the next best podcast for you to listen to. And to kick off 2025, we reached out to a few of our favorite podcast curators to ask for their top recommendations. From what made them fall in love with the medium to a show that changed their view of the world, you’ll read all about it from them (and us!).
Miriam Tinberg, Community Builder, Facilitator, Strategist (@miriam_tinny)
Miriam is a digital curator, conversation facilitator, and community builder, exhibited most prominently by the TikTok community she has cultivated (@miriam_tinny), as well as the conversation club she co-leads called No Small Talk.
What podcast made you fall in love with the medium, and why? Where were you when you discovered it?
Two big podcasts sparked my love of the medium: Call Your Girlfriend and Serial. I was OBSESSED with both of these. Both of those launched in 2014; I know this because I was spending that academic year abroad and was quite lonely for much of it. Enter me, filling my quiet Rabat, Morocco apartment with lots of "fake friend" voices (it did help a lot, for what it's worth).
What podcast is creatively breaking the norms in the industry?
I think Swindled is doing some of the most innovative podcasting I've ever heard. First off — the host is anonymous. That alone is fascinating; the show is not built on the host's image or cache. The actual production of the show is INCREDIBLE. It's a mix of narrative storytelling, immersive audio, and historical records research. While it's technically "true crime," to me, it feels very different from some of the other podcasts in that genre. It feels like it's teaching us lessons about humanity and history — that we can and need to be better people. Cannot recommend this show enough!
What podcast has changed the way you think? How?
The podcast On The Nose has been one of the most important shows for me over the last year+. A podcast from the magazine Jewish Currents, a Jewish left-leaning publication, it's been a critical source of wisdom, perspective, and knowledge for me as I, along with many others, have been in intense pain and mourning and ideological struggle over the genocide in Gaza. On The Nose directly tackles some of the toughest questions that I know many Jews feel deeply confused about: antisemitism, our connection (?) to Israel, our role and responsibility in this genocide, our relationship TO genocide. I have recommended so many of these episodes to dozens of people over the past months. They are committed to existing in the gray areas of nuance and conflict and I feel my brain stretching as I listen.
What severely underrated or hidden gem podcast do you think more people should know about?
Ok, this is a podcast I discovered somewhat recently because I follow the hosts on TikTok: Diabolical Lies. This is hands down one of the smartest, sharpest, and most important podcasts I've ever heard. The two hosts connect political and economic theory to pop culture, gender, race, and political news. They've discussed Taylor Swift, Tradwives, abortion, Bari Weiss, etc. The two hosts have incredibly funny banter, and can I tell you? This is the only podcast that has episodes over an hour where I'm like, PLEASE, I NEED MORE.
What podcast host would you love to have coffee with, and why? What would you order?
Sam Sanders will forever be one of my inspirations! I've always admired how he has pushed the boundaries of traditional media when he was at NPR (both in how he spoke — challenging that 'NPR voice,' and what he spoke about — challenging that "pop culture is not that deep" philosophy). He seems so authentically himself, and I respect and admire that so much. Plus he just seems fun AF.
Lauren Passell, Founder Tink Media and Podcast The Newsletter.
Lauren Passell (she/her) is founder and CEO of Tink Media. She is the curator of Podcast The Newsletter and Podcast Marketing Magic and writes about podcasts for Lifehacker. Her list of 100 Podcast Marketing tips was called “GOLD” by Glynn Washington. Lauren has spoken about podcast marketing at conferences and classrooms all over the world, from Podcast Movement to SXSW to Harvard.
What podcast made you fall in love with the medium, and why? Where were you when you discovered it?
I think I have to say This American Life and Terry Gross but that’s before I really thought of them as podcasts. The first podcasts were, I guess, The Champs with Neal Brennan and Moshe Kasher and Slumberparty with Alie and Georgia.
What podcast is creatively breaking the norms in the industry?
Without hesitation, I would have the same answer every year: Ross Sutherland's Imaginary Advice.
What podcast has changed the way you think? How?
Phonograph (previously called Before It Had a Theme) has changed the way I listen to narrative storytelling, and how stories are structured, reported, and told.
What severely underrated or hidden gem podcast do you think more people should know about?
I’m not sure how we’re defining “hidden gem,” but off the top of my head, nobody ever talks about The Boring Talks and it's one of my favorite things ever made, and every time I help someone discover Bullseye with Jesse Thorn, they love it and thank me. But I'm always equally surprised they haven't heard of it. Oh, I also think more people should listen to Butt Out, Baby! It's phenomenal.
What podcast host would you love to have coffee with, and why? What would you order?
Tons. Like, I have met Sarah Marshall and Avery Trufelman before but it was so awkward. I was saying things and thinking "What words are coming out of your mouth right now?" I often meet people in audio whom I am truly in awe of and I fear they think I'm just an annoying PR person and not someone with deep respect for the medium. So, them. I would also say Josh Godelman. Does he count? Because he is the best podcast guest EVER and had a podcast at one time. I feel like a coffee with Josh would make you feel like the world was good and everything was going to be okay. Can I have one more? Tig Notaro. And OH, I would make them go to Wawa or 7/11 and get terrible coffee, and we would go on a walk.
Amber Smith, Director of Audience Development for iHeart Media's Custom Podcasts.
Amber Smith is currently the Director of Audience Development for iHeart Media’s custom podcast team. She has been a podcast producer, partnerships manager, and marketer in the industry for over 8 years and knows the challenges that come with finding talent in the podcast industry.
What podcast made you fall in love with the medium, and why? Where were you when you discovered it?
Atlanta Monster, 2018. I discovered it on the subway heading to work. The storytelling would literally stop me in my tracks and really made me realize the boundless and authentic power that audio has as a medium.
What podcast is creatively breaking the norms in the industry?
I LIVE for a good audio drama and I think everything QCODE has produced pushes the boundaries of the medium. I'm always immersed in a way that turns on my own imagination long after the episode or series is over. I’m linking one of those shows, Dirty Diana, here.
What podcast has changed the way you think? How?
Inner Cosmos. This is the show I nerd out on. It's all about neuroscience and how our brains interpret the world and what that means for us.
What severely underrated or hidden gem podcast do you think more people should know about?
Natal, season three. It just launched. It's all about Black families navigating birth and postpartum. Black women in the U.S. are 2 to 3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes compared to white women, according to the CDC. The two hosts do a great job of weaving personal narratives and advocating for the health and wellness of Black mothers.
What podcast host would you love to have coffee with, and why? What would you order?
Devi Brown! Her podcast, Deeply Well, is such a pocket of peace. I admire how she uses audio as a medium to uplift her audience and share her work. Her work is intimate, and the intimate medium of audio amplifies its impact. I'm definitely ordering the lavender matcha for this one!
Arielle Nissenblatt, EarBuds Podcast Collective Founder, Director of Community & Content at Audily
Arielle started EarBuds in 2017 and has since worked in many aspects of the podcast industry, including as a studio manager, an in-app curator at Castbox, a festival organizer at Outlier PodFest, and more. Arielle is a graduate of the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies. She is on the organizing team behind the Podcast Taxonomy project, an international, multidisciplinary collaborative standard for recognizing roles and credits in podcast production.
What podcast made you fall in love with the medium, and why? Where were you when you discovered it?
If I'm being completely, completely honest (and I do always try to be), it was Serial season 1. It's not that I'm ashamed. I just wish I had a more creative answer. But I was a bandwagon listener. Shortly after marathon listening to that entire show in like a month in 2014, I got into Radiolab, The Memory Palace, The Allusionist, and 99% Invisible.
What podcast is creatively breaking the norms in the industry?
E Pluribus Motto is like taking a road trip with friends who know everything about geography and civics. And if they don't have an answer, they search for it and make jokes along the way. Each episode spotlights a different U.S. state's motto, song, bird, and other things that make it unique.
What podcast has changed the way you think? How?
Crime Writers On... has been really impactful for me. The hosts of the show review and critique one true crime or investigative series (TV or podcast) per week. Listening to their planned, thoughtful commentary encourages me to be more thoughtful when explaining why I like or don't like something. They also regularly grapple with issues of ethics in reporting and those conversations have helped me question the news and stories I consume as well as the real people it impacts.
What severely underrated or hidden gem podcast do you think more people should know about?
The Puzzler. It's a daily word puzzle game from A.J. Jacobs. It's like Wordle but for audio.
What podcast host would you love to have coffee with, and why? What would you order?
I would like to sit down for a coffee with Dan Savage of Savage Lovecast. He's been dispensing sex and relationship advice, as well as publishing his podcast for decades now. We would talk about love, dating, and all that stuff, sure. But I'd want to focus moreso on how he keeps things fresh for himself, his listeners, and how he continues to grow the show. I’d get a black coffee.
Andreea Coscai, EarBuds Podcast Collective Newsletter & Community Coordinator, Eurowaves Founder and Writer. Yes, this is me.
Andreea Coscai (she/her) is a podcast producer and marketer passionate about multicultural storytelling. Her latest podcast is titled Who Holds Up Half the Sky. Involved in the American and European podcasting space, she is also the founder and writer of Eurowaves, a newsletter spotlighting European podcasting. In 2020, she founded the first NGO that promotes leadership and networking for young women, Her Time Romania. She is originally from Romania, lived in China for 2 years and in the US for 5 years, and is now based in Europe.
What podcast made you fall in love with the medium, and why? Where were you when you discovered it?
It has to be Kaitlin Prest’s work with The Heart. The podcasts I enjoy most are sound-design-heavy and even experimental in that sense. Believed was also one of the first narrative series I listened to and it just absolutely made me fall in love with the power of audio storytelling. I also remember hearing Richard’s Famous Food Podcast for the first time and being just blown away.
What podcast is creatively breaking the norms in the industry?
I think cross-border collaboration is still fairly rare to find in podcasting. WePod is one example of cross-border production. The show explores European stories and has multi-language versions of the final shows, which is amazing in terms of accessibility and reach across borders. I’d love to see more of that from everywhere in the world!
What podcast has changed the way you think? How?
There are so many, but one of them is Foretold from the LA Times. Host Faith Pinho goes on an exploration of the Roma community in the United States, by sharing Paulina’s story. It’s not just her adventure but it’s also a mission to debunk stereotypes about Roma people and highlight more of the community’s family dynamics and real-life joys and challenges. Romania, where I’m from, has a large population of Roma people that have been marginalized for centuries. So I am personally very interested in the work we can all do to be anti-racist and more focused on learning from and celebrating other cultures.
What severely underrated or hidden gem podcast do you think more people should know about?
Arts Educators Save the World is an absolutely fantastic podcast! In every episode, they bring on a new artist and their mentor and explore the role that their support had on the guest’s career. Their catalog includes Lin-Manuel Miranda, Cecily Strong, Chelsea Devantez (Glamorous Trash), Jonathan Groff, and so many more impressive names. The most wonderful thing about this podcast is the team behind it. They are lovely people who are truly and wholeheartedly dedicated to promoting arts education.
What podcast host would you love to have coffee with, and why? What would you order?
So many! Definitely Kaitlin Prest since her work will always have a special place in my heart. I’d also absolutely love to meet Rumble Strip’s Erica Heilman because her podcast is just…WOW. Oh, and I would have so many questions for George the Poet. Have You Heard George’s Podcast explores so many multicultural and social themes from a million angles, it always has me hooked. I would order a latte, followed by a couple others since we’d be talking for a while.