.jpg)
The 40 best podcasts for commuting, cleaning, and everything in between
From sports to true crime to politics, add these to your listening queue
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
It can be easy to drown in today’s endless torrent of audio content. Now, more than ever, literally everyone has their own podcast. But the best podcasts are the ones that stand out; The ones that you'll want to bang on about in the group chat, or that'll keep you entertained even while doing the most boring of tasks.
With that in mind, we've collated some of the best podcasts for all moods and occasions. Want to get clued up about a political issue that you still don't quite understand? Want to keep up with breaking news? Want to dive into an enthralling, multiple-part mystery? Or maybe you just want some funny chatter to half-listen to as you make dinner or do the dishes. Well, fear not: GQ's best podcast picks meets all those requirements and more. Smash play on the below.
1/40The Rest is Football
On which long-standing Match of the Day pundits Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards let their hair down and park aunty-enforced impartiality for candid chatter about the last few days in football (yes, that includes Lineker calling England's performance against Denmark at the Euros “shit,” but where was the lie?). It's a great bit of fun, not least because it feels more like a bunch of mates getting together at the end of a work day to rinse each other over pints — or a few glasses of wine, as seems to be the boys' preferred tipple. Your mileage may vary if you're looking for in-depth match analysis, which they largely reserve for broadcast. The Rest is Football is available here.
2/40This is Not a Drill
You probably have enough to worry about before you start thinking about Trump, nukes, and all of the world's mounting geopolitical crises. But let's say you're a person who'd rather face their fears head-on. In which case, we can't recommend This is Not a Drill enough, an informative — if somewhat miserable — pod that seeks out the world's foremost experts on the globe's hottest flashpoints to discuss the many dangers we face in a polarised, combative present. Hosted by former BBC man Gavin Esler, so you know you're in good hands. Even if it feels increasingly like the world isn't. This is Not a Drill is available here.
3/40The Ripple Effect
We've long been fans of online football pundit James Lawrence Allcott, who emerged as part of the new wave of thinking man's ball analysis on YouTube. On The Ripple Effect, he combines his astute commentary, granular analysis of the game and personable, mate-down-the-pub voice to entertainingly survey the biggest moments in football past and present, and how their effects can be felt now and into the future. His guests are universally class, too. Here's a football podcast that gives the mainstream sports commentariat a run for their money. Turns out you needn't be an ex-player to know ball. The Ripple Effect is available here.
4/40Untold: The Retreat
We’re often told that meditation is the key to a calm mind – and that can be true for many. But what if you were told to meditate almost constantly, with very little time to decompress in between? On Untold: The Retreat, a fairly new podcast from The Financial Times, host Madison Marriage dives into the world of the Goenka network, which promotes a type of very intensive meditation known as Vipassana. Plenty of people swear by Goenka retreats. But, on the flip side, others have been known to psychologically break down, lose touch with reality or emerge with a sense of terror, only to be told they weren’t meditating enough. Untold: The Retreat is available here.
5/40The Retrievals
I.V.F. treatment is stressful – it's costly, physically demanding and often wrapped up in huge amounts of hope and expectation. But at a fertility clinic at Yale in the late 2010s and early 2020s, dozens of women seeking to become mothers began to experience excruciating, unexpected pain while undergoing the egg retrieval process. In this shocking and excellently produced five-part narrative podcast from Serial Productions and the New York Times, reporter Susan Burton digs into what exactly happened to the fentanyl that should have been available to them. And in the process, the podcast cleverly unpacks the myriad ways in which women are expected to deal with pain in medical settings. The Retrievals is available here.
6/40Esther Perel: Where Should We Begin?
Here we have a stone-cold classic in which Esther Perel – probably the most famous psychotherapist in pop culture, and renowned author of Mating in Captivity – invites us to listen in on various couples of all backgrounds as they undergo therapy. If you’ve ever watched the BBC’s Couples Therapy, this is essentially the same concept, except that we only hear from each couple once, with each episode edited down to an hour. Now with over 100 episodes, Where Should We Begin? is endlessly fascinating, frustrating and heartwarming in equal measure, and will appeal to anyone who’s ever wanted to know what was happening in other peoples’ relationships behind closed doors. Esther Perel: Where Should We Begin? is available here.
7/40Chameleon: Wild Boys
In 2003, two emaciated teenage boys emerged from the Canadian wilderness claiming that they’d had little to no contact with the outside world. But, as ever, all was not what as it seemed. In Chameleon: Wild Boys – Camp Media’s gripping, well-paced podcast replete with plenty of twists and turns – host Sam Mullins tells their story, which absolutely does not go in the direction that you’d assume it might. It’s not a true crime podcast, per se, but it will appeal to anyone who likes to listen to an unfurling mystery – this time done with empathy, fairness, and excellent journalistic probing throughout. Chameleon: Wild Boys is available here.
8/40The Polyester Podcast
Listening to The Polyester Podcast is essentially like listening to your smartest, funniest mates gossiping, debating and trying to make sense of whatever pop culture discourse is currently floating around that month. With subjects that range from Baby Reindeer to whether polyamory is empowering or embarrassing and whether Poor Things is a feminist film, the Polyester girls tackle it all. Hosted by founding Editor-in-Chief Ione Gamble and Senior Editor Gina Tonic, this one is perfect for when you want some light-hearted but always interesting conversation topics beaming into your ears. The Polyester Podcast is available here.
9/40Nocturne
A podcast about the nighttime might not sound particularly riveting, but then again, maybe you haven’t heard Nocturne, the wonderfully engaging, soothing and often quite experimental podcast from producer and host Vanessa Lowe. Each episode focuses on a different nighttime-adjacent subject – from stories of people who’ve gotten lost at sea, to dispatches from club land to the host simply walking around the woods alone at night. Episodes don't come out often – they're each a careful work of art, and that takes time – but if you've never listened, there'll be plenty to dive into. Nocturne is available here.
10/40Empire
One of the many programmes made by Goalhanger, Gary Lineker’s all-conquering podcast company, Empire takes a series-by-series look at history’s most powerful civilisations. It kicked off with the British Empire – well worth revisiting to get yourself clued up on our country’s history – and has also looked at the Ottoman Empire, the Persian Empire and many more. It never feels too dry: though many of the guests are eminent academics, co-hosts William Dalrymple (a historian) and Anita Anand (a journalist) draw out the lively, colourful anecdotes that flesh out these grand narratives. Empire is available here.
11/40The Audio Long Read
The Guardian’s Long Read series is, as the title suggests, all about long, deeply researched articles – stories examine the likes of Nespresso coffee pods, care home romances and the origins of Guinness World Records. The Audio Long Read converts them into a listenable format, perfect for when you’re unable (or unwilling) to scroll, but still want to dive into some compelling journalism. The Audio Long Read is available here.
12/40Griefcast
One of the cruelest things about grieving is that it’s a constant: life continues as normal, even when your own world has stopped spinning. This can be a particularly lonely feeling, especially if no one around you has experienced a similar kind of loss before. This is where Griefcast comes in. In each episode, host Cariad Lloyd, whose dad died when she was 15, speaks to someone else who’s experienced grief and bereavement, always opening the show with: “Who are we remembering today?” Listening to a conversation between people who also know the pain, numbness, and weirdness of grieving is a therapeutic experience. And if that sounds a little too depressing for you, don’t worry, most of the guests – including Adam Buxton, Robert Webb, and Aisling Bea – are comedians, so it brings a rare and often much-needed humour and lightness to the topic. Griefcast is available here.
13/40Harsh Reality: The Story of Miriam Rivera
In 2003, one of Britain’s most controversial reality TV series, There’s Something About Miriam, was filmed in Ibiza. Following a Bachelorette-esque format, it featured six men who were each vying for Mexican trans model Miriam Rivera’s heart (i.e. a holiday with her and a £10,000 prize). Only there was a ‘twist’ – none of the men knew that Miriam was trans, a fact that producers revealed only after the winner had been chosen. The show was, rightly, criticised for transphobia – as its aim appeared to be to elicit horror from the men when it was revealed Miriam was trans – and for exploiting its contestants, who even filed a lawsuit to try and prevent it being aired. Nearly two decades later, and two years after Miriam’s untimely death, 2021’s Harsh Reality: The Story of Miriam Rivera, revisits the show and remembers Miriam’s life and achievements. Harsh Reality: The Story of Miriam Rivera is available here.
14/40Talking Sopranos
If, like seemingly everyone in the world, you've been rewatching The Sopranos, stars Michael Imperioli (Christopher Moltisanti) and Steve Schirripa (Bobby Baccalieri) have got you covered. Back in 2020, the pair started the Talking Sopranos podcast, in which they follow the series episode-by-episode, sharing inside knowledge, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and little-known facts from the legendary '00s show. Occasionally joined by guests, including Sopranos creator David Chase, Vincent Pastore (Big Pussy), and Lorraine Bracco (Dr Melfi), Imperioli and Schirripa also share more personal memories from their time filming the series. Whether you’re listening as you watch along or reminiscing about each episode, it’s a must-listen for Sopranos heads. Talking Sopranos is available here.
15/40The Trojan Horse Affair
One of 2022’s most talked-about and divisive podcasts, The Trojan Horse Affair, dives into the 2014 conspiracy about a secret Islamic extremist plot to infiltrate schools in Birmingham and radicalise the students. To uncover the truth about what really happened, reporter Brian Reed and fledgling investigative journalist Hamza Syed aim to find the author of the anonymous letter that started it all. Frustratingly for listeners, as well as Reed and Syed, the hosts find themselves with more questions than answers – and in a stand-off against the people in power who seem to be adamant to do everything they can to evade being asked. It’s a maddening podcast – and one so gripping you could easily get through it in a day. The Trojan Horse Affair is available here.
16/40The News Agents
The title is a throwback to when we got our daily news by popping into a local shop once a day but actually, this is sort of what ex-MSM professionals Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall are offering here: a smart, daily dissection of the big news stories of the day that has won plaudits and a big following since its inception in 2022. The News Agents is available here.
17/40The New Gurus
A brilliant example of pointing out something that was sat right underneath our noses, Atlantic journalist Helen Lewis's journey into the world of online gurus is an insightful and incisive look at the wellness industry, productivity hacks, Bitcoin, pick-up artists and many other dubious arenas in which people are promised easy ways to fix their lives. The New Gurus is available here.
18/40Normal Gossip
Salacious gossip has never felt so good thanks to the shame-free approach taken on this podcast. Host Kelsey McKinney briefly introduces each episode with a guest and their thoughts and reflections on gossip and its role in their life. But then comes the thing we all want: real-life, everyday scandal. McKinney takes us through real stories sent in by listeners and rest assured you'll never guess the ending each time. Delivered in delicious chunks, listeners are constantly guessing the twists and turns that are coming. Normal Gossip is available here.
19/40Dead Eyes
Actor and comedian Connor Ratliff (The Chris Gethard Show, UCB, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) is possibly the only person who could make a project like this work. Now in its third series, Ratcliff began the podcast as an absurd quest to find out why Tom Hanks fired him from a small role in the 2001 HBO mini-series, Band Of Brothers. Ratcliff's openness to admit just how deeply this failure rocked him and his confidence to act, along with some self-deprecation and comic relief, turns this from a niche story of obsession, to a nuanced and relatable examination of failure. Dead Eyes is available here.
20/40The Superhero Complex
Dive into the unbelievable world of real-life vigilantes, ordinary people who put on costumes and go out to fight crime, in this gripping podcast. The Superhero Complex follows the story of real-life superhero Phoenix Jones – a charismatic cage fighter, hell-bent on ridding the streets of criminals. Is he a brilliant hero or delusional narcissist? Journalist David Weinberg sets out on a wild journey to find out, and interviews Jones' team of superhero sidekicks who turned against him, former friends and the figure himself to try and find the answer to this question. The Superhero Complex is available here.
21/40HeidiWorld
The story of socialite Heidi Fleiss, who ran an elite prostitution ring during the ‘90s, is a fable of sexism and hypocrisy sure to make listeners silently seethe. Journalist Molly Lambert is at the helm for this journey through the glitz and glamour of LA, slowly revealing its seedy underbelly as she ventures deeper into the story. Fleiss, who the American media built up as the “Hollywood Madam” before pulling her back down again, was at the centre of an infamous and deeply misogynistic trial which feels grimly relevant in 2022. From the media, to the public, to the elite of Hollywood, hers is a story that implicates everyone. HeidiWorld is available here.
22/40Being Trans
Focusing on the lived experience of being trans, this audio reality podcast from the producers of Keeping Up With the Kardashians follows four trans people living in LA to paint a picture of their days, putting the quotidian and emotional moments of each day side-by-side. Created from hours of recorded conversations and daily interactions, Being Trans creates an intimacy with the listener as the cast navigate their careers, friendships and dating lives. Being Trans is available here.
23/40Hip Hop Saved My Life
A comedy podcast about hip-hop gets surprisingly deep, as comedian Romesh Ranganathan and producer Rupert Majendie (RuMaj) talk about hip hop's influence with comics, musicians and a wide range of other famous faces. It's brilliantly approachable for anyone, from hip-hop aficionados to complete novices, as Ranganathan finds the humanity in each guest through their recollections of the genre and beyond. Hip Hop Saved My Life is available here.
24/40The Always Sunny Podcast
Ostensibly a podcast where stars and writers of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia – Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day and Glenn Howerton – talk through each episode of the megasitcom, The Always Sunny Podcast is an exercise in the outlandish segue. From discussing which episodes wouldn't get the green light today, to creating coffee eggs, the gang sits down once a week to offer insights into the production of It's Always Sunny and a look into their own madcap minds. The Always Sunny Podcast is available here.
25/40The Flipside
Each episode of BBC Radio 4’s new show contains a lively discussion between two individuals with opposing viewpoints. It sounds like Twitter in podcast form, yes, but in the able hands of host Paris Lees, each episode is engaging, insightful and makes good on its promise to interrogate why we behave the way we do. Episode three, in which a swinger and a “female incel” discuss hooking up, is provocative in all the right ways. The Flipside is available here.
26/40Fallen Angel
Cohosted by US journalists Vanessa Grigoriadis and Justine Harman, Fallen Angel unpacks the rise and spectacular fall of Victoria’s Secret. Through explosive interviews with former employees and models, we learn about the brand’s disturbing link to Jeffrey Epstein and just how far Angels would go to maintain the “perfect” figure (one resorted to “bathwater meth” in order to stay skinny). At eight episodes long, it’s an overdue deep dive into the toxic underbelly of an industry-defining brand. Fallen Angel is available here.
27/40We Were Always Here
Broccoli Productions’ latest podcast marks 40 years since the first cases of HIV were identified. They went on to become part of the most stigmatised pandemics in history, one which was routinely labelled the “gay plague” by the press. In We Were Always Here, activist and host Mark Thompson first shares his experience as a gay black teenager in Brixton, before delving into fascinating untold stories from the UK’s 1980s Aids crisis. We Were Always Here is available here.
28/40Some Families
Hosted by lesbian mum Lotte Jeffs and gay dad Stu Oakley, Some Families is the UK’s first LGBTQ+ parenting podcast. Each episode features a guest with a unique, often jaw-dropping story. Benjamin Carpenter, for example, adopted his first child aged 21 and has adopted five more since, while Danny Stewart and Pete Mercurio adopted a baby they found in a subway station. A source of support for queer parents, and insight for allies, this is well worth your data. Some Families is available here.
29/40Unfinished: Short Creek
A welcome addition to the true crime genre, Unfinished: Short Creek is a thoroughly researched look at the Fundamentalist Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints (otherwise known as fundamentalist Mormons). Journalists Ash Sanders and Sarah Ventre have spent huge amounts of time in the community and use their extensive connections to tell an unsettling tale of corruption, abuse, polyamory and freedom of religion. Unfinished: Short Creek is available here.
30/401619
Part of a wider New York Times project, 1619 interrogates the many ways in which slavery has shaped modern American society. Hosted by the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, it includes five episodes that run to roughly 30 minutes long each. The focus of each instalment varies, from the origins of American music to the push for healthcare reform, but together they shed new light on one of the darkest chapters in human history. 1619 is available here.
31/40You're Wrong About
Think you've got Courtney Love all sussed out? Yoko Ono's role in breaking up The Beatles? The trial of O.J. Simpson? Well, think again, because journalists Michael Hobbes and Sarah Marshall are about to offer a fresh, unbiased perspective on cultural events and public figures that may have been previously misunderstood or sensationalised. Taking on a new subject with each episode, You're Wrong About is the podcast to make you think twice about making sweeping judgements, with some friendly banter thrown in to keep it light. You’re Wrong About is available here.
32/40Have You Heard George’s Podcast?
George The Poet’s self-produced podcast won four British Podcast awards when it was first launched in 2018, prompting the BBC to swoop in and commission more episodes for BBC Sounds. It’s easy to see why. Helmed by the critically acclaimed spoken word artist, Have You Heard George’s Podcast goes beyond the typical format of chats and interviews, intertwining poetry, music, historical storytelling and fiction to exercise your brain on topics such as Grenfell and the struggles faced by the UK’s young black people. Yes, it’s political – that’s generally a given when it comes to George’s work – but it’s far from boring. Each episode digs a little deeper, finds the angles you may not have thought about before and leaves you thinking long after it's finished. What more could you want from a podcast? Have You Heard George’s Podcast? is available here.
33/40WeCrashed
If you fancy yourself a good dose of rich-people-get-slightly-less-rich schadenfreude, then WeCrashed, the podcast about the downfall of WeWork, is for you. Produced by Wondery, the story starts with the company's founder, Adam Neumann, as he set up the company in 2010, and charts its journey from the hottest office destination for young professionals to financial disaster. Ex-employees reveal their mistreatment, while sound effects and theatrical scores really ramp up the drama. One to listen to before you come up with your next great start-up idea. WeCrashed is available here.
34/40My Year in Mensa
In 2018 the world's exclusive genius club, Mensa, let a self-admitted “dumb slut” into their ranks. My Year in Mensa tells her story. Comedian Jamie Loftus' podcast retelling her time amongst the intellectual elite is as hilarious as it is insightful, as she offers a glimpse into what it's like to take the test, be accepted and, eventually, attend the 2019 American Mensa Gathering in Phoenix, Arizona. Her fellow Mensans are not happy, but you will be after listening. A four-part series that you'll be able to digest in one sitting (if you have an afternoon free), it's exactly the kind of bizarre story that podcasts were made for. My Year in Mensa is available here.
35/40Dope Black Dads
There is a stereotype about black fathers that they’re often absent from their children’s lives. Dope Black Dads is working to change that. Founded by Marvyn Harrison, this podcast provides a safe space for black fathers to come together and share their stories, advice and a sense of community at a time when it is perhaps needed more than ever before. Tackling everything from the impact that racism has on mental health to domestic abuse and whether or not it’s safe to send children back to school in the middle of a pandemic, this is the ultimate companion to any black father that’s looking for support, representation and camaraderie. Dope Black Dads is available here.
36/40Athletico Mince
This is the one podcast in Britain your dad is more likely to introduce you to than vice versa. Bob Mortimer and Andy Dawson talk football in only the loosest, most surreal sense, with plenty of typically free-associating dad humour. There are a lot of impressions of Sean Dyche eating worms, titbits about the beauty of life in the North East, anecdotes about encounters with minor celebrities and enough fictional characters voiced by Mortimer and Dawson that there’s actually a Mince Wiki that confidently promises “semi-comprehensive coverage” of the podcast. It’s, uh, weird, but we promise you’ll get it. Athletico Mince is available here.
37/40The Rewatchables
Film nerds, rejoice – you’re not the only one who has watched The Breakfast Club more than 50 times. The Rewatchables is a podcast for people with an addiction to rewatching old films and analysing everything about them. And that means literally everything, so if you’re not familiar with Ally Sheedy’s post-Breakfast Club oeuvre, then get watching before you listen to that episode. With a loose presenting squad drawn from the staff of The Ringer, which produces the podcast, The Rewatchables has also had some big-name coups in the form of guest appearances by Quentin Tarantino, Aaron Sorkin and the Safdie Brothers, among others. The Rewatchables is available here.
38/40The New Yorker Radio Hour
Does anyone have as calming a voice as David Remnick? The New Yorker’s editor introduces each episode of the magazine’s Radio Hour, before allowing his almost painfully erudite staffers to present segments of varying lengths on the stories they’ve been covering recently. If the New Yorker occasionally comes across to you as a little self-serious in print, this is the antidote. Whether talking to a deradicalised white supremacist or discussing the legalisation of marijuana at festivals, the presenters on the podcast are well-informed, empathetic and self-deprecating. This is truly a balm for our unsettled times. The New Yorker Radio Hour is available here.
39/40Serial
Serial first came out in 2014; if you’ve only heard of one podcast, it is most likely this one, which has widely been credited with reviving the format after a perceived lack of public interest. As such, putting it on a list of the best podcasts is a bit like putting Citizen Kane on a list of good films – the label barely applies any more, such is its influence. Here’s how GQ described it back in 2018: “Created as a spin-off to This American Life by longtime producer Sarah Koenig, it’s like a radio version of Spotlight crossed with Making A Murderer, as casually told to you by your nasal-voiced older sister. It will leave you fired up, ready to retrain as a lawyer and bring down the whole US judicial system. It also demonstrated the huge thirst there is for old-fashioned thorough investigative journalism amid today’s click-baiting, gif-riffing, tail-chasing times.” Boom. Serial is available here.
40/40Ghibliotheque
Ghibliotheque came about when two film buffs sat down to watch and rewatch every Studio Ghibli film then review them. The twist? One, Michael Leader, is a dedicated Studio Ghibli fan, and the other, Jake Cunningham, had only ever seen two Ghibli films. Hayao Miyazaki’s animation can be simultaneously engrossing and a little inaccessible for Westerners unfamiliar with Japanese culture (Spirited Away becomes a lot less whimsical when you watch it in the context of Shintoism and Edo-era bath houses). As such, Ghibliotheque is a great guide to getting deeper into some of the most successful animated films of all time. Ghibliotheque is available here.
