As I alluded in last year’s post, there’s a lot of podcasts being made, and maybe not all of them are the best. But, despite my negativity, and less time than in past years to listen, I’ve found so many podcasts to love this year!
And before we dive in, I have to commend iHeartMedia on their recent AI stance. I want to give them my sincere kudos for guaranteeing to use human talent, not AI in their radio and podcasting. We need more of this!
Here are my favourite podcasts I listened to in 2025, in no particular order:
A podcast about… sounds? YES, and it’s AMAZING.
Those of us who have mostly full capacity of our hearing don’t often think about the soundscapes that surround us. Helpful cues that nudge us in the right way, familiar ditties and songs that introduce our favourite shows, unmistakable sounds from our favourite video games.
A podcast is a perfect format for a deep dive into sounds, and how they are made, what they are conveying without words, and how they work as part of larger systems. Every episode is a pause on the busy-ness of life and a deep dive into something we may not have though of.
This New Zealand podcast is a honest deep dive into a family story. It is unexpected, raw, and challenging while maintaining its humanity. What begins many months before with an email titled “Investigating the possible murder of my mother”, this podcast is not true crime, but does dig into dark subject materials.
This podcast asks hard questions of decisions that were made decades ago, and asks what would have been different had Nellie been pregnant today.
I’m a certified Marc Fennell fangirl, between the Stuff the British Stole Podcast and TV show, and now THIS exceptional piece of podcasting.
This podcast is dedicated to taking a closer look at the history we thought we understood, and always probes a little deeper. Sometimes, Fennell invites guests for an interview, but often uses his signature storytelling style to share information in a fun and engaging way. There’s always more to learn, and the details and nuance that this show shares with us is utterly fascinating!
To get you started, might I suggest the episode The Lingerie Makers who put Neil Armstrong on the Moon?
You’ve likely seen Berstein’s words before – his content often goes viral after major historical moments (unfortunately, they are often not attributed to him).
In his podcast, he’s using the extra time to dive deep into current people and ideas that are shaping the way we think (and think incorrectly) about what we’re all going through. More and more he’s able to ask us to think more deeply about the narratives we are experiencing and ask if that’s the full story.
On the lighter side of podcasts this year, What Went Wrong is a very well-researched deep dive into the movies we love, and love to hate.
How movies actually get made is an absurd process, sometimes they succeed because the right person persevered, sometimes because the right person got fired, sometimes because the right boss wanted to be petty. Whatever the how of how it happened, the stories behind our favourite movies are delightfully shared with these great hosts!
Forged focuses on the artwork and forgeries associated with Norval Morriseau, one of Canada’s best known indigenous artists. Morriseau’s work has been the victim of a massive ring of forgeries for decades (however, according to some, that is incorrect and there are no fakes). This deep dive takes listeners into a journey into the Canadian art world, and so many unsavory characters along the way. But the most important part of this podcast is contextualizing who Morriseau was and the incredible importance of his works.
Check out also: There are No Fakes (2019) is a documentary that tries to uncover the truth behind BNL’s Kevin Hearn’s frauded Morriseau painting.
This podcast isn’t about telling women how to give birth. Despite it focusing on the near misses and unfortunate fatalities associated with a specific online free birthing group, what this story is really about is the danger of capitalizing on the most vulnerable moments of someone’s life. It’s asking listeners to consider what we are being sold when it comes to our health and wellness, and the real tragedies associated when those who “know better” ask us to ignore the evidence.
Listen with care to this one, friends. The subject matter is heavy and enraging, but there is a conversation we need to have here about how we can protect people who are about to give birth, and protect one another from medical misinformation at our most vulnerable times.
You can read the accompanying article here.
Past Years (in case this isn’t enough!):
Top 10 (Plus Some More) Podcasts I Listened to in 2021
Top 10 (ish) Podcasts I Listened to in 2022
