It’s amazing how much I’ve learned from podcasts over the past few years and what an explosion there has been in the medium. Podcasts have been around for as long as iPods (I used to listen to recap podcasts of the OC back in high school, over 10 years ago), but we are currently in the podcast Renaissance and I absolutely love it.
About two years ago, I wrote a blog post about my favorite podcasts (find it here) and it has become one of my posts that gets the most traffic. Then, about a year ago, I wrote an update with a list of new podcasts I’d been enjoying (find my 2019 list here). That post has also been one of the most popular posts on my blog.
If you’ve read both lists, you might have noticed that in 2018, my list was almost entirely true crime podcasts, and in 2019, it was a mix. Well, today I want to share a list of completely NON-true crime favorites! A couple reasons for this: while true crime is an addictive genre in the podcast world, I think we are seeing more and more great podcasts that aren’t true crime. I think with the success of Serial, true crime emerged as the most popular podcast genre, but these days there are so many other wonderful genres out there. Also, I do think that constantly listening to true crime podcasts (which I’ve done in the past) can take a toll on your mental health. Whether you live alone and get spooked easily, or some of the true crime stories hit too close to home and are upsetting, I think it’s good to evaluate how much of the gritty stuff we expose ourselves to. Lastly, I want to provide a resource for GREAT non-true crime podcasts, since I think there’s a perception that this kind won’t be as binge-worthy as a harrowing true crime story. But that’s not at all the case! The following list are all podcasts that I have LOVED and come back to again and again over the past year or so. Some are serious, some are silly, and I think all are worth a listen. In no particular order:
1. A Beautiful Mess
This podcast is hosted by Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman, two sisters who run the blog A Beautiful Mess. I have loved their blog for years and their new podcast is so much fun too! They talk about a lot of DIY and home decor-type stuff, but they also just kind of talk about whatever is going on in their lives at the moment. Their sister relationship kind of reminds me of me and my sister, which is sweet. I always look forward to this one and wish it were longer!
2. Inside Trader Joe’s
If you read this recent blog post of mine, you know I love Trader Joe’s. But even considering that, I wasn’t sure if I would care that much about listening to a podcast all about the store. But it’s SO GOOD! These are super short (150-20 minute) episodes that talk about things like where Trader Joe’s sources its items, taste testing panels, company history, and more. I probably sound nerdy talking about this but it’s FASCINATING. They also give previews of new seasonal items that are coming out, and I love knowing about those in advance so I can look for them! If you are a fan of Trader Joe’s I think you will like this podcast.
3. Office Ladies
If you love The Office (the TV show), you will LOVE this podcast. Each week, Jenna Fischer (who played Pam on The Office) and Angela Kinsey (who played Angela) walk through an episode of the show and talk about their memories of filming it, behind the scenes tidbits, hidden things in the episode you might not have noticed, etc. It’s so sweet, wholesome, and just fun to listen to.
4. American Girls
Okay, this one might be a little more niche, but to me this is the “cult classic” version of a podcast. It’s one of my FAVORITES and one of the podcasts I’ve learned the most from. I grew up with American Girl Dolls, and this podcast is for that generation of people. The hosts are hilarious and so smart, and they go through each doll’s books and re-read them and provide commentary. I honestly hadn’t read most of the books for the various dolls and still enjoy the podcast so much. It’s less about the actual plots of the American Girl Doll books and more about examining American Girl Dolls’ impact on American culture for my generation. It’s extremely good and I highly recommend it!
5. Gangster Capitalism
This podcast tackles the “Varsity Blues” college admissions scandal and does so in a very methodical way that I binge-listened to. I think the best thing about it is that it explains how a scandal like this could happen, what the structures in place are that allow for that kind of corruption, and how those avenues still exist in the higher education system. I guess you could technically call this one true crime because obviously fraud and bribery are crimes, but it’s white-collar crime so it (probably) won’t make you lose sleep :)
6. This Land
Definitely listen to this podcast if you want to know more about tribal sovereignty in the United States and specifically in Oklahoma. Even if you don’t think you are curious about that, the podcast is gripping, and it gives a bigger picture on Native land rights and how tribes have been treated in the US than I ever understood before. The podcast centers on a Supreme Court case (that is still pending as of the time I’m writing this) that will decide who owns 19 million acres in Oklahoma (about half the state). If it goes in favor of the tribe, it would be the largest land restoration in US history. Definitely worth a listen while we’re waiting to hear how the decision comes out!
7. RuPaul: What’s the Tee With Michelle Visage
This is a really fun, more lighthearted podcast with RuPaul and Michelle Visage (such a dynamic duo) where they interview a different guest every week. Ru and Michelle are hilarious (and usually the guests are, too), and they talk about a bunch of different topics. I don’t listen to this every single episode, but if they’re interviewing someone I know/like, I’ll listen. Grace and I like this one for long car rides!
I hope you get some good new listens from this list! I’d love to hear some of your non-true crime favs, too!