story by Jordan Pupa
Have you ever noticed the purple app icon on your iPhone? Perhaps you’ve never accessed it or even noticed it. The Apple Podcasts app allows you to stream over 550,000 shows with over 18.5 million episodes. For those of you who may be unfamiliar, the Dictionary definition of a podcast is “a digital audio or video file or recording, usually part of a themed series, that can be downloaded from a website to a media player or computer.” Today most podcasts are audio-only, though some are video, and can be accessed through a range of devices, including mobile. Overall, podcasts provide us with entertainment and story-telling on a variety of topics, but also inspire and educate us. No matter what you’re into, you will likely find a show that suits you!
There are a few reasons why podcasts are so widely popular today. The first reason has to do with making the most of the time we have. Today, people value time more than almost anything and podcasts can be used in the background during our everyday activities. Instead of sitting down and reading the latest news in sports, we can be at the gym, running on the treadmill while consuming the latest sports news. Audio content is great for listening while you mow the lawn, travel in the car, or go for a walk. It is easy to multi-task with podcasts, and they provide us with bite-size chunks of entertainment right at our fingertips.
Secondly, in a tech-savvy world, we spend so much time in front of screens that sometimes it becomes exhausting. Podcasts are a great alternative. Shiva Bhaskar states, “To me, one of the great things about podcasts is the lack of visuals — which requires us to imagine. I develop a comprehensive, moving picture of what is happening. No one is giving it to me.” Podcasts allow us to really dive in.
Lastly, a variety of podcast topics and episode lengths are available for all listener preferences. Looking for a certain topic? You’ll find a podcast dedicated to it. Have limited time and only 20 minutes? You’ll likely find a podcast that you can listen to in that time frame. Prefer stories, news, nonfiction, science, or politics? You’ll find a podcast that fits. As a listener, you can go from a student to a sports analyst to an attorney to a crime detective to a friend, and everything in between!
A podcast can set you up for continued learning, enjoyment, and even a good laugh. They allow us to take in powerful stories and discussions in which we can connect while stimulating our imagination. It’s time to jump on the podcast bandwagon!
Top 5 Podcast Chart Listings
(Chart updated frequently.)
1. Skimm This (News & Politics)
In today’s world, context is clarity. “Skimm This” breaks down the most important stories of the day and explains why they matter. All in 10 minutes. Every Monday-Friday.
2. Over My Dead Body (Society & Culture)
In “Tally,” the first season of OVER MY DEAD BODY, Dan and Wendi are two good-looking attorneys whose wedding is featured in the New York Times. But when this “perfect” couple falls apart, it leads to a bad breakup, a worse divorce, and a murder case involving a menagerie of high-priced lawyers and unexpected co-conspirators.
3. The Joe Rogan Experience (Comedy, Society & Culture)
The podcast of Comedian Joe Rogan.
4. The Dropout – ABC News (News & Politics)
Money. Romance. Tragedy. Deception. The story of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos is an unbelievable tale of ambition and fame gone terribly wrong. How did the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire lose it all in the blink of an eye? How did the woman once heralded as “the next Steve Jobs” find herself facing criminal charges — to which she pleaded not guilty — and up to 20 years in jail?
5. Root of Evil: The True Story of the Hodel Family and the Black Dahlia-TNT/Cadence 13 (Society & Culture)
When Elizabeth Short, also known as The Black Dahlia, was brutally killed in 1947, it gripped the entire country. More than 70 years later, it remains America’s most infamous unsolved murder. Now, through never-before-heard archival audio and first-time interviews, the Hodel family opens up to reveal their shocking story.