Top Five Podcasts | Graphic by Kayli Thompson | The Wright State Guardian
Winter break. A time for reflection on fall grades, spending time with loved ones, drinking warm festive flavors and listening to a good podcast.
The Edison Research Infinite Dial 2020 reports that as of Oct. 2020, there are over 1.5 million different podcast shows available for listeners online with a total of over 34 million different episodes.
In the U.S. alone, Edison Research reports that 55% of American’s have listened to at least 1 podcast episode, and 50% of Americans are fans of at least 1 podcast show.
With such a vast array of podcast shows available for listeners, it may be difficult to pick out which shows best fit your listening interests. Compiled below, is a list of 5 popular podcasts that students can check out while cozying up inside over winter break.
Big Brains
Voted “Best Branded Podcast of 2020” by AdWeek, the Big Brains podcast is a weekly show hosted by the University of Chicago, and includes a variety of topics that has kept listeners coming back for more since it’s premier in Apr. 2018.
On average, episodes of the Big Brains podcast range from 20 minutes to just under an hour, and include guest speakers from the most prestigious American university settings available.
Most recently, Big Brains hosted professor Patrick Jagoda and associate professor Kristen Schilt from the University of Chicago to discuss the most popular form of media in today’s day and age — video games.
Professor Jagoda and professor Schilt are changing the script on how to teach certain topics, and are actively utilizing the video game format to address and educate students about some of the world’s most pressing issues.
Climate change, marginalization and public health are just 3 of the topics discussed in this episode.
Other episodes of the Big Brains podcast include discussions on empathy, capitalism, government secrets, Native American history and loneliness.
To listen to the Big Brains podcast, visit https://news.uchicago.edu/podcasts/big-brains or search Big Brains podcast on all audio streaming platforms.
The Tony Robbins podcast
Tony Robbins is an American author, motivational speaker and philanthropist. Best known for his life coaching seminars and self-help rhetoric, Tony Robbins has been a popular figurehead amongst entrepreneurs and business enthusiasts since beginning his Leadership Academy seminars in the late 90’s.
The Tony Robbins podcast is a place where Tony Robbins discusses topics ranging from unity, COVID-19, growing a business and guarding your own mind.
While the Tony Robbins podcast isn’t released on a set schedule, the episodes available on all audio streaming platforms provide listeners with business and marketing strategies from some of America’s most distinguished minds, and offer episodes ranging in length from 15 minutes to over two hours.
Most recently, Tony Robbins discusses food insecurity and the ever-growing need for nutritious, affordable and sustainable foods as the Earth’s population is expected to reach 9.7 billion people by 2050.
Tony discusses this topic with XPRIZE Founder and Executive Chairman Mr. Peter H Diamandis, a New York Times best-selling author and entrepreneur who has started over 20 companies.
To listen to the Tony Robbins podcast, visit: https://www.tonyrobbins.com/podcasts/ or search Tony Robbins podcast on all audio streaming platforms.
The Big Podcast with Shaq
For listeners looking for sports and comedy, The Big Podcast with Shaq is just that.
19-year NBA veteran Shaquille O’Neal has dipped his hand into many facets of American media over the last decade, and in January of this year, Shaq began his podcasting career as well.
Episodes of The Big Podcast with Shaq range from 50 minutes to just over an hour in length, and include some of the biggest names in the professional sports world today.
Previous episodes include topics of discussion such as the life and death of Kobe Bryant, leading young athletes, election coverage, Breonna Taylor and racial injustice, COVID-19 and many others.
Most recently, Shaq discusses the treatment of young athletes and in particular, meeting NBA star Kevin Love when Love was just a kid.
To listen to The Big Podcast with Shaq, visit: https://www.podcastone.com/the-big-podcast-with-shaq or search The Big Podcast with Shaq on all audio streaming platforms.
The GaryVee Audio Experience
The GaryVee Audio Experience is a podcast hosted by entrepreneur, CEO, investor and public speaking icon Gary Vaynerchuk.
From his #AskGaryVee show episodes featured on social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram, to keynote speeches and business segments featured on his WEEKLYVEE video series, Gary Vaynerchuk is an extremely popular figurehead in the marketing, advertising and business realms of America.
The GaryVee Audio Experience is a place where Vaynerchuk speaks on topics such as advancing your brand, consumer behaviors, delivering on expectations and enjoying the process rather than focusing on the end goal.
Episodes of The GaryVee Audio Experience range in length from 10-minute pep-talks, to episodes lasting over an hour. New episodes are released multiple times throughout the week.
In his latest episode, Vaynerchuk provides a Q&A format style episode and features business owners looking to learn from Vaynerchuk’s experience in navigating the business landscape today.
To listen to The GaryVee Audio Experience, visit: https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/podcast/ or search The GaryVee Audio Experience on all audio streaming platforms.
TED Radio Hour
Hosted by NPR, the TED Radio Hour podcast is a space for podcast host Manoush Zomorodi to talk to subject matter experts, and express her own personal interests into how technology has already transformed humanity and how these transformations change the landscape of human life on Earth.
Zomorodi took over the TED Radio Hour podcast in Nov. 2019, following previous host Guy Raz, who announced his departure from the show in July of the same year.
“Hosting TED Radio Hour is one of the best jobs in radio/podcasting. Who wouldn’t want to interview the smartest people on the planet about their life’s work and then collaborate with one of the top teams in audio to turn it into an intimate, educational, and entertaining hour of listening that impacts millions of people around the world?” said Zomorodi in a press release upon her hiring as TED Radio Hour podcast host in Nov. 2019.
The Ted Radio Hour podcast tackles head-scratching topics such as building a zero-emissions future, building resilient relationships, ingrained injustices, human loneliness and more.
Most recently, Zomorodi and The TED Radio Hour discuss the end of 2020, and recap the years most memorable podcast moments.
To listen to the TED Radio Hour, visit: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510298/ted-radio-hour or search TED Radio Hour on all audio streaming platforms.
