Livebrary Guides: Podcasts: Listening to Podcasts

Podcast Apps

There are lots of ways to listen to podcasts, from your phone to your computer, smart speakers and more. One of the most popular options are apps for mobile devices and computers. In addition to these apps, many podcasts and podcast publishers have their own websites where you can play episodes right from a browser on your computer, tablet or mobile device.

Below are links to some of the most popular apps, which mobile devices they work on, and their cost. Click through to see more devices each is compatible with, including Mac & PC, smart speakers, in-car entertainment systems and more. Find even more options at https://www.podcastinsights.com/best-podcast-apps/ (List updated December 2018).

Apple Podcasts
Free for iOS.
Google Podcasts
Free for Android.
iHeartRadio
Free for iOS, Android, browsers and more.
iTunes
Free desktop app.
Overcast
Free for iOS and browsers (with paid options).
RadioPublic
Free app for iOS, Android, and browsers.
Pocket Casts
$3.99 app for iOS & Android.
Podcast Addict
Free app for Android.
Spotify
Free app for iOS, Android, browsers and more (with paid options)
Stitcher
Free app for iOS, Android, browsers and more.
Castbox
Free app for iOS, Android, and browsers.
Podbean
Free app for iOS & Android.
TuneIn
Free app for iOS, Android and browsers (with paid options).

Podcast Rankings - What's Popular?

Most podcasts apps and podcatchers provide rankings of their most popular podcasts that you can view on their apps or websites.

Podtrac Industry Rankings
Podtrac's Top 10 Podcast Publishers and Top 20 Podcasts lists.
iTunesCharts
Apple's top 40 overall podcasts, with links to top 40 podcasts in each genre according to itunescharts.net. Apple's official podcast charts are not viewable on a desktop browser, but can be viewed in the Apple Podcast app.
iHeartRadio Top Podcasts
Featured podcasts with links to popular topics.
The Stitcher List
Weekly ranking of the most popular shows on Stitcher. Links to top lists by genre on the right.
RadioPublic - Popular Shows by Category
Radio Public's most popular podcasts, listed in 14 categories.
Castbox Top Shows
Castbox's top 10 podcasts, with a dropdown menu featuring 17 additional top categories.
TuneIn - This Week's Top 25 Podcasts
TuneIn's top 25 podcasts of the week.

Featured Podcasts

Average Brentwood Teens
"A podcast from the Brentwood Public Library where teens discuss pop culture, life as a teen, and anything else that pops into their heads"
The Library Pros - hosted by Chris DeCristofaro of Sachem Public Library and Robert Johnson of Emma S. Clark Library
"The Library Pros Podcast is a show by a technology librarian and an Information Technology professional who are both employed in the public library sector. Chris and Bob will discuss new and developing technology and how it will apply to the public library world, and do it with some laughs. The guys will also have guests from the library world who are doing innovative things in their libraries. So come and join Chris and Bob, the Library Pros!"
Writers Comma Ice Cream - hosted by Howard Gunston
"Writers comma Ice Cream invites authors to chat about the craft of writing over ice cream. From aspiring novelists to bestsellers, from full-time writers to writers with a day job, guests represent different moments in a writer's journey as they offer - with ice cream in hand - insights into their own creative process."

Podcast Networks

While some podcasts are produced independently, many are produced by larger organizations, like radio companies, media organizations, and production houses dedicated to producing multiple podcasts. Below are listed in alphabetical order some of the major podcast production companies - but there are many more out there! The links below will take you to the podcasts produced by each of the organizations listed.

American Public Media
"From food and culture, to investigations and education, we go wherever the conversation takes us."
Barstool Sports
Podcasts produced by Barstool Sports
BBC
Podcasts produced by the British Broadcasting Company
Daily Wire
Podcasts produced by The Daily Wire
Earwolf
"Earwolf is a leading podcast network devoted to creating the best, funniest, most entertaining and thought-provoking digital content there is. Our roster includes top-ranking shows like comedy favorites “Comedy Bang! Bang!,” and “How Did This Get Made?”; storytelling shows such as “The Longest Shortest Time”; and entirely un-categorizable but beloved offerings like “Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People.”"
ESPN
Podcasts produced by ESPN
Exactly Right Media
"Exactly Right is a podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative, voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. Created by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, hosts of the hit podcast 'My Favorite Murder,' in partnership with podcast industry leader Stitcher, Exactly Right’s roster of podcasts cover a variety of topics and voices, serving the highly engaged listenership of 'My Favorite Murder' and beyond."
Gimlet Media
"Gimlet Media is the award-winning narrative podcasting company that aims to help listeners better understand the world and each other."
Kids Listen
"Kids Listen is a group of people who love and make podcasts for kids. We have 28 member podcasts, representing the best podcasts for kids. Our goals are to raise awareness of podcasts for kids, build community, and set standards and best practices for the medium."
Maximum Fun
"Maximum Fun is your home on the internet for things that are awesome. Our blog will guide you and our family of podcasts will entertain and inform you."
Nerdist
"With daily news, hilarious videos and reviews of the latest games, movies and comics, join the Nerdist team as they explore the fabric of today’s pop-culture landscape."
The New York Times
Podcasts produced by The New York Times
Night Vale Presents
"Night Vale Presents continues Jeffrey Cranor and Joseph Fink’s mission to encourage new, independent podcasting from writers and artists who haven’t worked in the medium before."
NPR - National Public Radio
Podcasts produced by National Public Radio
Panoply Media
"Panoply Media was created by the people behind Slate's award-winning audio network, one of the world's first podcast networks and still one of the most popular. With so many new podcasts popping up, we believe listeners want a place where they can easily find quality programs from people and organizations they trust. With our shows, listeners can expect the highest quality of content, curated by Panoply's team of audio experts."
PRI - Public Radio International
"Podcasts and Programs from Public Radio International"
PRX - Public Radio Exchange
"PRX presents podcasts of all stripes - from those included in Radiotopia to freestyle offerings on all sorts of subjects with creative collaborators."
Radiotopia
"Radiotopia, from PRX, is a curated network of extraordinary, cutting-edge podcasts. Radiotopia empowers independent producers to do their best work, grow audience and increase revenue. At its core, Radiotopia cultivates community — for both listeners and makers alike."
Relay FM
"Relay FM is an independent podcast network for people who are creative, curious, and maybe even a little obsessive - just like its hosts"
The Ringer
Podcasts produced by The Ringer
Riotcast
"The Riotcast Network is a network of comedy podcasts dedicated to pushing the envelope and most importantly...making you laugh."
Slate
Podcasts produced by Slate
WNYC
"We are leading the new golden age in audio with high quality storytelling that informs, inspires and delights millions of curious and highly engaged listeners."
Wondery
"We’re a network of storytellers and love bringing a world of entertainment and a world of knowledge to you, wherever you listen."
WSJ
Podcasts produced by Wall Street Journal

Resources for Getting Into Podcasts

Wired - "The Beginner's Guide to Podcasts"
"Podcasts may be the new radio, but listening to these downloadable shows requires more effort than just twisting a dial."
How-To Geek: How to Get Started Listening to Podcasts
"You keep hearing about podcasts—from friends, online, even on TV. But what are podcasts, and how do you get started listening to them?"
Medium - The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Better Podcast Listener
"Can’t get into podcasts? I couldn’t, either — but now I get more “reading” done in a day than I used to in weeks (bonus: huge recommendation list to get you started!)"
Playbuzz: Looking to Get Into Podcasts? Here are the Best Ones for Starting Out!
"In the world of podcasts, there's something for everyone. Literally everyone. Have an interest? There are probably at least three shows about it."
The Guardian - How to Listen to Podcasts: Everything You Need to Know
"Listening to audio programmes, or podcasts, is simple if you have access to the internet. You just need to find a podcast platform or application (app) that suits you and then sample some of the many thousands of podcasts made around the world. "
Popular Science - How to Start Listening to Podcasts
"Your friends keep bringing up fun facts they learned from the latest episode of Radiolab, or discussing a crazy potential future described on Flash Forward. If you want to start listening to podcasts like these, but haven't dived in yet, then this guide is for you. We'll cover everything from the history of the audio format to the apps you can use to find and listen to the best podcasts for you."
The AV Club: Podmass
"In Podmass, The A.V. Club sifts through the ever-expanding world of podcasts and recommends the previous week’s best episodes."
15 Outstanding Podcasts for Book Lovers
"Looking for something to listen to on your commute? Check out these literary podcasts!"
17 Literary Podcasts to Ease Your Commute
"Stuck in bumper to bumper traffic with that same Ed Sheeran song playing on the radio for the hundredth time and giving you earworms for days? Rush hour subway too packed for you to immerse yourself in Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment without a stranger’s elbow obscuring half the page (rude much, fellow commuter)? We have just the solution: literary podcasts! "
9 Podcasts About Books to Help You Figure Out WTF You Want to Read Next
"Every reader knows there is no shortage of great books in the world, and that the real challenge is not finding a good title, but deciding which one to read next. If you have a hard time finding new reads, fear not, because there are plenty of book podcasts to help you make the right decision, no matter what your literary preferences are."
Library Journal - Audio in Stereo
A list of audiobook listen-alike recommendations based on your favorite podcasts.
10 Podcast Resolutions You Can Keep in 2019
"Here are some resolutions to help get you started on your 2019 road to audio actualization. And if you don’t, that’s okay, I’m too busy falling behind on my resolutions too."
Vulture: 100 Podcasts Worth Listening To
"Whether you've never listened to a podcast before or are just looking for your next obsession, here are 100 good ones to entertain you, edify you, or just help you understand the medium."

Best-Of Lists

If you're still struggling for where to start, turn to a best-of list! This list is sorted by the articles' publication dates.

Lifehacker: The Best Podcast Episodes of 2018
"Of the hundreds of podcast episodes I listened to this year, these are the 15 that taught or entertained me the most."
12/31/2018
BBC: The 10 Best Culture Podcasts of 2018
"From a series about Japanese animators Studio Ghibli to one on Aboriginal art, Amy Charles picks some of the highlights from this year’s arts and culture podcasts."
12/27/2018
The 15 Best Podcasts of the Year, According to Apple
As reported by Gear Patrol, Apple's 15 best podcasts of the year (this article, unlike Apple's official page, contains links to the podcasts.)
12/26/2018
The Atlantic: The 50 Best Podcasts of 2018
Atlantic's list of 50 best podcasts of 2018.
12/23/2018
Thrillist: The Best New Podcasts of 2018
"We’ve compiled a guide of the best new podcasts of 2018, organized by iTunes categories and updated regularly. Whether you’re here for a good murder mystery, are interested in immersive pop-culture conversations, or want to get nerdy about science, you're sure to find something you like."
12/19/2018
Wired: 24 of the Best Podcasts for Curious Minds in 2018
24 podcast recommendation in the categories Culture and Politics, Documentary, and Tech and Science.
12/14/2018
10 Fiction Podcasts You Should Totally Get Sucked Into
A list of 10 fiction podcasts as recommended by The Manual.
12/7/2018
New Yorker: The Best Podcasts of 2018
The New Yorker's top 10 podcasts of the year.
12/5/2018
Huffington Post: We Listened to A Lot of Podcasts in 2018. Here are 31 We Loved.
Huffintgon Posts's list of 31 great podcasts from 2018.
11/29/2018
Time: The Top 10 Podcasts of 2018
Time Magazine's top 10 podcasts of 2018.
11/20/2018
Digital Trends: The Best Podcasts of 2018
A list of Digital Trends' best podcasts of 2018, organized into the following categories: News, Comedy, Music, Science and Philosophy, Stories, Sports, Technology and Video Games, Arts and Culture, and Business.
9/14/2018
Esquire: The 15 Best Podcasts of 2018 (So Far)
Esquire's 15 best podcasts of 2018.
9/4/2018
Vulture: 52 Great True Crime Podcasts
A list of 52 recommended true crime podcasts.
7/30/2018