WIRED Unveils Expertly Curated List of Best Podcasts for a Golden Age of Audio Content

In an era where podcasts have become to radio what streaming services are to television, we are experiencing a golden age of captivating audio content. With an overwhelming number of options available, distinguishing the exceptional from the mediocre can be challenging. To assist listeners in navigating this vast landscape, WIRED has published an expertly curated list designed to entertain and educate, suitable for any activity from daily chores and commuting to workouts or relaxation. The guide, last updated in March 2026, features several new additions including Flesh and Code, The Outlaw Ocean, What We Spend, Midnight Burger, and Fonejacker. For those looking to delve deeper into the podcast world, WIRED also offers guides on how to optimize listening habits, discover the best podcasts for kids, and even recommendations for the gear needed to start a personal podcast. Readers seeking unlimited access to WIRED’s best-in-class reporting and exclusive subscriber content can power up with a subscription today.

Podcast Subscription Services Offer Enhanced Listening Experiences

While a wealth of free podcasts is available, various subscription services provide additional benefits for dedicated listeners. These often include ad-free listening, early access to new episodes, and exclusive bonus content. Subscribers may also gain access to virtual events, discounted merchandise, and the opportunity to directly support their favorite podcasters.

Leading platforms and their offerings include:

• Audible Plus: Priced at $9 per month, this service provides a growing catalog of exclusive podcasts. For those also interested in audiobooks, the Premium Plus subscription at $15 per month includes a monthly audiobook credit and now integrates podcasts previously under the Wondery+ banner.
• Tenderfoot TV Plus: At $6 per month or $40 annually, this subscription grants access to ad-free episodes and bonus content for all Tenderfoot shows.
• Pushkin Plus: For $7 per month or $40 per year, subscribers enjoy ad-free listening and bonus content across a decent selection of podcasts in various genres, with support for any podcast app.
• NPR Plus: An $8 per month subscription provides full access to approximately 25 NPR podcasts, exclusive shows, and discounts in the NPR shop.
• Criminal Plus: This specific podcast also offers a subscription for $6 per month or $60 annually, which includes ad-free listening, bonus episodes, access to virtual events, and a 20 percent discount on merchandise.

Spotlight on Top Podcasts Across Diverse Categories

WIRED’s comprehensive list spans a multitude of genres, ensuring there’s something for every listener.

Best Tech Podcasts

• Flesh and Code: Explores the evolving landscape of human and AI relationships, telling emotional stories with empathy through hosts Hannah Maguire and Suruthi Bala of Redhanded. It delves into the growing business and potential tragedies associated with AI partners.
• Darknet Diaries: Jack Rhysider’s investigative podcast offers densely packed and tightly edited narratives on hacking and cybercrime, covering topics from Xbox hacking to the NotPetya malware, making complex issues mostly accessible.
• The Dropout: Chronicles the dramatic downfall of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos, the tech startup that promised revolutionary blood testing but dissolved amid fraud. It provides a clear recounting of the scandal, with season two focusing on the trial.
• Your Undivided Attention: Hosted by ex-Googler Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin, cofounders of the Center for Humane Technology, this podcast delves into the ethics of Big Tech, unpacking potential pitfalls and imagining technology’s role for humanity’s good.
• Twenty Thousand Hertz: Painstakingly researched, this show dives into the world of sound, explaining the creation and impact of iconic audio elements, from movie trailer sounds to the Netflix intro.

Best Society Podcasts

• Things Fell Apart: Jon Ronson skillfully investigates the origins of culture wars and extremism through interviews with figures like pro-lifers and anti-vaxxers, often revealing misunderstandings at their core.
• Wild Things: Siegfried and Roy: Unravels the rise to stardom of the famous Las Vegas duo, their controversial animal handling, and the fateful night Roy was attacked on stage.
• Revisionist History: Malcolm Gladwell challenges conventional views by exploring misunderstood events and rarely discussed ideas, mixing research and opinion on subjects from car recalls to historical firebombing.

Best Culture Podcasts

• The Cost of Happiness: Tony Hsieh: Investigates Zappos founder Tony Hsieh’s $350 million investment in Las Vegas’s Downtown Project, examining his utopian vision and the challenges it faced.
• The Superhero Complex: Explores the real-life Rain City Superhero Movement in Seattle, focusing on the controversial vigilante Phoenix Jones and the movement’s more benevolent aspects.
• The Read: Comedians Kid Fury and Crissle West offer brutally honest and insightful opinions on pop culture, social justice, mental health, race, and sexual identity.
• Forever35: Hosted by writers Doree Shafrir and Kate Spencer, this podcast evolved from physical self-care to a broad discussion of mental health, relationships, and everyday topics in a fun and inclusive manner.

Best True-Crime Podcasts

• The Outlaw Ocean: Ian Urbina delivers gripping and vital investigative reporting on the lawless high seas, exposing slave labor, environmental crimes, and murder beyond authority’s reach, though it can be deeply upsetting.
• Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas: Through interviews with gangsters, law enforcement, and journalists, this podcast charts the symbiotic rise of organized crime and Las Vegas, revealing inspirations for films like Casino.
• Criminal: Phoebe Judge’s soothing narration guides captivating tales from the spectrum of crime, respectfully avoiding sensationalism by featuring stories from criminals, victims, and legal professionals.
• S-Town: A compelling mystery hosted by Brian Reed, investigating a murder claim in a small Alabama town at the behest of an eccentric horologist, lauded for its perfect production.
• Bone Valley: Gilbert King hosts this painstakingly researched podcast about a 1987 Florida murder, where Leo Schofield was wrongly convicted and spent 35 years in prison despite fresh evidence.
• Chameleon: Hollywood Con Queen: This weird and compelling investigative podcast unwinds the twisty tale of a scammer posing as a Hollywood mogul, mercifully free of blood and violence.
• Kill List: Carl Miller’s gripping show uncovers a dark web hitman scam, tracking down proposed victims to warn them, raising ethical dilemmas and showcasing good intentions.

Best Science Podcasts

• Ologies: Enthusiastic host Alie Ward interviews specialists on various scientific topics, delighting in diving down random rabbit holes from the sun to repulsion.
• Maintenance Phase: Debunks fads and junk science in the wellness and weight loss industries with reasoned arguments and research, made entertaining by its hosts.
• Hidden Brain: NPR’s Shankar Vedantam expertly delves into human behavior with psychologists and sociologists, making complex ideas accessible and insightful.
• The Infinite Monkey Cage: Physicist Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince host a whimsical debate with diverse panels on profound questions like the existence of time, always articulate and thought-provoking.

Best Economics Podcasts

• What We Spend: A fascinating podcast that breaks the taboo of discussing finances by delving into the earnings and spending habits of ordinary people, from lawyers to the working homeless.
• The Indicator: A Planet Money spin-off, offering digestible, fast-paced, under-10-minute stories about business and the economy, covering topics from TikTok marketing to ticket scalpers.
• Freakonomics Radio: Hosted by Stephen J. Dubner, this long-running show explores the "hidden side of everything" with a clever mix of economics and pop culture, balancing entertainment and education.
• Macro Musings: David Beckworth of the Mercatus Center hosts this serious yet insightful show, interrogating economists and academics to unpack complex macroeconomics and monetary policy.

Best Business Podcasts

• How I Built This with Guy Raz: This NPR podcast explores the stories behind some of the world’s biggest companies from the perspective of their innovators and entrepreneurs, offering wisdom and business lessons.
• The Diary of a CEO With Steven Bartlett: Serial entrepreneur Steven Bartlett shares his experiences and interviews various CEOs about their journeys, covering personal challenges, mental health, and business strategies.
• Work Life with Adam Grant: Organizational psychologist Adam Grant offers practical advice on workplace issues, providing psychological perspectives on decision-making, pitching, and burnout, alongside insightful interviews with business leaders.

Best Celebrity Interview Podcasts

• The Adam Buxton Podcast: Adam Buxton’s witty and well-prepared conversations with interesting people like Charlie Brooker and Jeff Goldblum skillfully pull fascinating insights on personal lives, work, and popular culture.
• Life Is Short With Justin Long: Likable actor Justin Long and his brother Christian host enthusiastic, sprawling interviews with guests such as Zack Snyder and Kristen Bell, often sidetracked by nostalgic reminiscences and sibling bickering.
• SmartLess: Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes host a charming and goofy conversational podcast featuring surprise celebrity guests like Ryan Reynolds, offering warm, gentle, and often funny chats.
• Desert Island Discs: This legendary podcast, which began in 1942, features famous guests like Cillian Murphy and Delia Smith who choose eight songs, a book, and a luxury item they would take to a desert island, providing surprising personal insights.

Best Sports Podcasts

• The Rest is Football: Co-hosted by Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, and Micah Richards, this soccer podcast offers a relaxed, jokey, yet insightful chat among top-level pros, covering Premiership matches and wider football news.
• Sports Wars: Dan Rubenstein homes in on epic rivalries and long-anticipated showdowns in sports, unpacking the backgrounds of figures like Federer vs. Nadal and Tyson vs. Holyfield to understand their intensity.
• The Bill Simmons Podcast: A hugely popular sports podcast featuring fast-paced roundtable conversations with athletes and celebrities, primarily focusing on the NFL or NBA with unfiltered opinions and encyclopedic knowledge.
• The PosCast: Primarily focused on baseball, this long-running podcast hosted by Joe Posnanski and Michael Schur often meanders into comical conversations, with their chemistry making the show special.

Best Music Podcasts

• Bandsplain: Hosted by Yasi Salek, this podcast features a qualified fan making the case for a band or artist, punctuated by curated playlists, delving deep into legends and cult bands alike, from Guns n’ Roses to Nine Inch Nails.
• Transmissions (Aquarium Drunkard): This indie podcast offers an eclectic mix of passionate, informed, and thought-provoking interviews with musicians, artists, authors, and filmmakers, taking listeners deep into underground popular culture.
• Cocaine and Rhinestones: Tyler Mahan Coe charts the history of country music, warts and all, with thoroughly researched episodes covering figures like Loretta Lynn and the dysfunctional relationship of George Jones and Tammy Wynette.

Best Movie Podcasts

• How Did This Get Made: Hosts Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Jason Mantzoukas, along with guest creatives, engage in heated and hilarious chats about some of the worst films ever made, dissecting and ridiculing them.
• Kermode and Mayo’s Film Review: Respected film critic Mark Kermode and veteran radio presenter Simon Mayo discuss the latest movies, interview top-tier directors and actors, and invite listener views. Though the original podcast has ended, the duo continues with Kermode & Mayo’s Take.
• You Must Remember This: Creator and host Karina Longworth dives into Hollywood myths, uncovering truths about infamous secrets, scandals, and legends from Tinseltown, with acclaimed series on "Dead Blondes" and Manson.

Best TV Podcasts

• Dead Eyes: Comedian Connor Ratliff embarks on an amusing and honest mission to discover why he was fired from Band of Brothers, reportedly due to Tom Hanks thinking he had "dead eyes," offering insight into the world of acting triumphs and humiliations.
• Succession Podcast: The official podcast offers a behind-the-scenes look at the captivating HBO show, dissecting episodes and exploring character motivations through interviews with main players and guests like Mark Cuban.
• Harsh Reality: The Story of Miriam Rivera: Recounts the tragic and exploitative tale of the 2004 reality TV show There’s Something About Miriam, revealing the cruelty of reality television and its devastating impact.
• Talking Sopranos: Hosted by actors Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa, this podcast is essential for fans, running through every episode with big-name guests and offering candid, behind-the-scenes anecdotes.

Best Fiction Podcasts

• Midnight Burger: This sci-fi drama is set in a time-traveling greasy spoon diner, offering a witty, irreverent, yet heartwarming and philosophical narrative with solid writing and a classic radio drama feel.
• Darkest Night: Horror fans will enjoy this deliciously creepy chiller, which relives the gruesome last moments of corpses at the mysterious Roth-Lobdow Institute, featuring wonderful narration and clever sound design.
• Hello From the Magic Tavern: A thoroughly absurd fantasy improv-comedy show where Chicago comedian Arnie Niekamp falls through a portal into the magical world of Foon, filled with RPG references and bizarre characters.
• We Fix Space Junk: Short sci-fi comedy-drama episodes whisk listeners away to a corporate dystopia fraught with evil AI and monstrous aliens, following a struggling repair technician stuck with a rich murder suspect.
• Alien: Out of the Shadows: Set between Alien and Aliens, this impressive audio drama follows a mining engineer who finds Xenomorphs and artificial intelligence lurking in the deep, a treat for movie fans.

Best History Podcasts

• Nice Try!: Season one delves into the history of utopian communities, examining their hopes and failures, while season two explores lifestyle technology designed to achieve a personal utopia in the ideal home.
• Revolutions: Mike Duncan hosts this deeply researched series, contextualizing the ideas and events that shaped the modern world through various historical revolutions from the English Civil War to the Russian Revolution.
• The Memory Palace: Nate DiMeo’s eloquent narration and wonderful sound design elevate tales of seemingly random moments from the past into artful and poignant historical snapshots.
• Noble Blood: Author Dana Schwarz concisely dissects the madness of monarchs and the dysfunctional nature of royal families from various nations, questioning the very idea of "noble blood" through tales of tyranny and power struggles.

Best Food Podcasts

• The Food Chain: Offers half-hour insights into the business, science, culture, and history behind the food we eat, covering wide-ranging topics from chocolatiers to the history of banh mi.
• A Hot Dog Is a Sandwich: Chefs Josh Scherer and Nicole Enayati host a fast-paced and funny show debating tough food-related questions, from the titular hot dog debate to the best pasta shape.
• Gastropod: Cohosts Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley talk to experts, serving up a feast of bite-size facts about the history and science of food, from the humble potato to licorice.
• The Dave Chang Show: Celebrity chef Dave Chang discusses food, guilty pleasures, and the creative process with other chefs, also delving into random, often humorous, non-food topics.

Best Health and Wellness Podcasts

• The Courage to Change: A Recovery Podcast: Host Ashley Loeb Blassingame offers accessible and inspirational advice for those struggling with addiction, trauma, or eating disorders, providing practical guidance on a healthier path.
• Redefining Movement: Yoga leader and physical therapist Lara Heimann hosts a mix of Q&A, expert interviews, and motivational advice focused on understanding the body and mind, and the positive impact of yoga.
• My Wakeup Call With Dr. Mark Goulston: Psychiatrist Mark Goulston interviews notable individuals about the pivotal "wake-up call" moments that changed their lives, exploring what sparked their drive and led to their success.

Best Comedy Podcasts

• Fonejacker: Kayvan Novak, known for What We Do in the Shadows, revives his memorable characters for often absurd, usually juvenile, but always hilarious prank calls.
• Dara Ó Briain’s Timewasters: Lovable Irish presenter Dara Ó Briain presides over two comics arguing over who is the biggest time waster, featuring amusing anecdotes about various forms of time-wasting.
• My Therapist Ghosted Me: Comedian Joanne McNally and TV presenter Vogue Williams engage in irreverent Irish chat, offering brutally honest and frequently funny discussions on relationships, work woes, and social situations.
• Wolf and Owl: Comedians Tom Davis (the Wolf) and Romesh Ranganathan (the Owl) chat aimlessly and expertly poke fun at each other, delivering warmhearted and relatable conversations.
• Why Won’t You Date Me? With Nicole Byer: Stand-up comedian Nicole Byer is disarmingly open about her insecurities and struggles, seamlessly blending vulgar humor with hilarious conversations with guest comedians.
• Athletico Mince: Ostensibly a soccer podcast, this surreal show features British comedy legend Bob Mortimer and Andy Dawson telling tall tales about footballers, mixed with songs, silly inside jokes, and rambling conversations, enjoyable even for non-soccer fans.