What’s not to love about a good podcast?
You get the thrill of a good story from anywhere, anytime, without having to schlep a heavy hardcover book with you onto the subway. And nothing beats an afternoon walk with a good podcast in your ears.
With over two million active podcasts, it can be challenging to know where to start. Luckily I listen to A LOT of podcasts, and I'm here to help narrow down the options for you.
I listen to podcasts not just because I'm the host of the Career Contessa podcast and it's my job to keep up with the trends, but also because I learn so much from listening to shows. I've learned marketing tricks, business advice, and have even been inspired to believe in manifestation.
It's safe to say that podcasts are more popular than ever, and with a wide variety of shows, your reasons to tune in can vary. Maybe you listen to be entertained by pop culture. Maybe you listen to laugh and get an energy boost around a never-ending topic like politics. Or maybe you listen to learn and hear great stories.
Table of Contents
- Why Listen to Podcasts That Can Make You Smarter?
- What Makes a Podcast "Smart?"
- 12 Podcasts to Make You a Smarter Human
- Notable Mention Podcasts
Some of the best podcasts teach us important skills in a way that is convenient and helpful to our overall career and personal development.
Why Listen to Podcasts That Can Make You Smarter?
When you think about learning a new skill, you probably think about formal education—like attending a college class on a specific topic—but we know that a lot of the best learning is done through real-life "adulting" or less formal approaches like online courses.
That's why we're thankful for the alternative learning options and formats such as microlearning through podcasts. In fact, three out of four people in the US listen to podcasts to learn new things. I recently started a podcast club (like a book club) where we recommend an episode to the group and discuss it. I've learned parenting tricks and had deep conversations about the changing face of ambition. Highly recommend starting your own podcast club!
Podcasts can also help broaden your knowledge base with almost any topic. Because they're so accessible, there aren't barriers or costs that keep people from being able to learn and develop their skills.
Another benefit of using podcasts to help you learn new things is the convenience they offer. You can listen to a podcast anytime, anywhere. Many people multitask and listen to podcasts on their commute, while exercising, or when doing household chores. What's better than free learning on a topic that can enhance your life without the pressure of deadlines or a stressful tuition bill?!
What Makes a Podcast "Smart?"
Podcasts cover all sorts of different topics like science, health, money, and career—but a podcast that can make you smarter will always include the following characteristics:
- Topic Niche: A podcast that makes you smarter should have a specific focus so it can increase your knowledge on a topic. An informational podcast will often explain what their niche is in the show description and/or title.
- Expert Authority: A podcast that makes you smarter should be taught by someone with expertise on the topic. Consider learning from experts in their fields with qualified credentials such as authors, doctors, successful entrepreneurs and executives, coaches with proven results, or other forms of authority so you know you're learning from the best.
- Episode Format: A smart podcast knows a person doesn't have all day to listen. The podcast host(s) are aware of the benefits of microlearning and are mindful of the length and their audience’s time commitment. The average podcast lasts about 40 minutes, but we found that when we changed our episode length to around 20 minutes, it brought in more listeners. This is because it's easier to complete an entire episode at one time.
- Episode Content Style: A smart podcast should deliver the content using conversational, interview-style, storytelling, or educational formats. The podcast’s content style should fit in with its niche and publishing schedule. For example, a show might deliver the content over a limited-time episode run vs. a seasonal show vs. an evergreen show.
- Episode Quality: A smart podcast should include excellent sound quality. Podcasts are an audible experience. They must deliver the best possible audio quality. If the audience has difficulty hearing and understanding the message, they'll move on to something else.
Finding a new podcast that can help make you a smarter human, align with your goals, and doesn't make you feel overwhelmed can feel impossible. Maybe that's why the most popular podcast genre is either true crime or a bunch of celebrities and comedians making a show for their super fans. Don't worry—you can listen to something other than an unsolved murder!
Here are 12 podcasts to add to your queue that will make you a smarter and more interesting human!
12 Podcasts to Make You a Smarter Human
Topic Covered: Science
Show Summary: Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices, and direct our relationships in Hidden Brain by NPR.
Average Podcast Rating: 4.6
Why You Should Care: Host and Executive Editor Shankar Vedantam has been reporting on human behavior and social science research for more than 25 years. In 2010, he published a book further exploring these topics and introducing the idea of “the hidden brain.”
What, exactly, is the “hidden brain”? This is a term Shankar created to describe a range of influences that manipulate us without our awareness. Some aspects of the hidden brain involve mental shortcuts or heuristics, while others are related to errors in the way memory and attention work. Some deal with social dynamics and relationships.
The “hidden brain,” in other words, is a metaphor, much like the “selfish gene.” Just as there are no strands of DNA that shout, “Me first!” no part of the human brain is disguised under sunglasses and fedora. By drawing a simple line between mental activities we are aware of and mental activities we aren't aware of, the “hidden brain” subsumes many concepts in wide circulation: the unconscious, the subconscious, the implicit.
The exploration of these ideas can be heard every week on the Hidden Brain podcast and radio show. Shankar and NPR launched the podcast in 2015. It now receives millions of downloads per week and is regularly listed as one of the top 20 podcasts in the world.
Topics Covered: Society, culture, and history
Show Summary: Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell's journey through the overlooked and the misunderstood. Every episode re-examines something from the past—an event, a person, an idea, even a song—and asks whether we got it right the first time. Because sometimes the past deserves a second chance.
Average Podcast Rating: 4.7
Why You Should Care: I'm currently binging season one and I feel like I've been looking for this podcast without knowing it for a long time. I know of Malcolm Gladwell via his best-selling books, but this podcast is so much more. He's an engaging, insightful, and endearing storyteller because he’s genuinely curious and fascinated by his subjects. I often come away with a shift in perspective after listening to him. It hits on social commentary in a unique way that sits with you.
I like how each episode considers the way we think about things like cognitive resonance, the relationships between things, and how it introduces ideas outside of what we normally consider for a functional country or society.
Topics Covered: Communication and leadership
Show Summary: Matt Abrahams, a lecturer of strategic communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business, sits down with experts in the field to discuss real-world challenges.
How do I send my message clearly when put on the spot? How do I write emails to get my point across? How can I easily convey complex information? How do I manage my reputation? Whether you’re giving a toast or presenting in a meeting, communication is critical to success in business and in life.
Think Fast, Talk Smart provides the tools, techniques, and best practices to help you communicate more effectively.
Average Podcast Rating: 4.6
Why You Should Care: One thing I've learned from interviewing so many experts on my own show is that many of today's challenges—and solutions—come down to communication! I also was lucky enough to interview Matt, and he did an incredible job explaining why it's important to learn how to communicate concisely and with emotion.
Emotion is how we connect with other people. Whether you're trying to sell yourself in a job interview, give a memorable elevator pitch, or spontaneously connect in person, it's one of the most valuable skills you can develop.
Topics Covered: Science, wellness, health
Show Summary: Regularly ranked as the #1 health podcast in the world, Dr. Andrew Huberman discusses science and science-based tools for everyday life.
Huberman Lab discusses neuroscience: how our brain and its connections with the organs of our body control our perceptions, our behaviors, and our health. The show also discusses existing and emerging tools for measuring and changing how our nervous systems work.
Dr. Huberman is a tenured professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine. His laboratory studies neural regeneration, neuroplasticity, and brain states such as stress, focus, fear, and optimal performance. For more than 20 years, Dr. Huberman has consistently published original research findings and review articles in top-level peer-reviewed journals.
Average Podcast Rating: 4.9
Why You Should Care: There's nothing more important that your health! From gut health to learning what alcohol does to your body (and brain!), Huberman Lab can often feel like a mini medical school class. From solo episodes to guests who are the top experts in their fields, sometimes I'm shocked this podcast is actually free given how much value you get with each episode.
One thing you won't get with this show are shorter episodes. Explaining science and neuroscience takes a bit longer, but I find myself saving up these episodes for a longer commute. I often need to rewind a few times because the information is that important. I love this podcast so much that I often find myself confirming advice from my real life doctor with Dr. Huberman's thoughts!
Topics Covered: Business, money, economics
Show Summary: Finance bros are out, #RichGirls are in. Money With Katie and her guests talk about spending habits, smart investing, and tax strategies—without putting you to sleep. Listen weekly to learn how to turn your Rich Girl mindset into money.
Average Podcast Rating: 5.0
Why You Should Care: It can be hard to find a money podcast that isn't just a bunch of white guys. Not only do I love this podcast because I learn so much about money, but I also love the host. There's a lot of research that goes into each show, and Katie easily breaks it down so it's digestable and feels doable.
Managing your money is the most empowering feeling, and I urge everyone to learn about personal finance ASAP.
Topics Covered: Mental health, happiness, psychology
Show Summary: Hosted by award-winning professor Dacher Keltner, The Science of Happiness allows you to learn research-tested strategies for a happier, more meaningful life, drawing on the science of compassion, gratitude, mindfulness, and awe.
Average Podcast Rating: 4.5
Why You Should Care: You don't have time to read the latest research on the psychology, sociology, and neuroscience of well-being. This podcast does. The host effectively teaches skills that foster a thriving, resilient, and happy life. I learn something new each time I listen to this show and appreciate that some episodes are only 10 minutes long. This is my favorite podcast to listen to during a mid-day walk.
Topics Covered: Career, money, mental health
Show Summary: Shortcut your path to being more successful at work. This show helps you figure out what you truly want, land a job, make more money, advance your career, and improve your work life with actionable insights from experts that boost work performance.
The Career Contessa podcast covers job searches, job interviews, resumes, LinkedIn, how to get paid and get a salary raise, career growth tips, leadership and management advice, workplace interpersonal skills, wellness strategies, work-life balance, confidence, career transitions, workplace toxicity, and more!
Average Podcast Rating: 4.9
Why You Should Care: As the host of this show, I'm obviously biased, but you should care about this show because being fulfilled at work is incredibly important for your health, financial success, and happiness. We spend more time at work and with the people we work with than any other place in our lives. Navigating the workplace doesn't come with an instruction manual. That's why we created this podcast—so you can learn actionable strategies to overcome tough work moments and build your skills.
Topics Covered: Health, fitness, adulting
Show Summary: Everyone needs a little help being a human. From sleep to saving money to parenting and more, Life Kit hosts experts in a variety of fields for the best advice.
Average Podcast Rating: 4.3
Why You Should Care: Life Kit has been in my listening rotation for years. From how to break up with your therapist to laundry tips, they cover a variety of topics. I really enjoy the format of the show—it's easy listening with experts with tangible takeaways. If you're looking for helpful ways to run your life better, give Life Kit a listen!
Topics Covered: Education, science, news
Show Summary: Every weekday, TED Talks Daily brings you the latest talks in audio. Join host and journalist Elise Hu for thought-provoking ideas on every subject imaginable—from AI to zoology and everything in between—given by the world's leading thinkers and creators. With TED Talks Daily, find some space in your day to change your perspectives, ignite your curiosity, and learn something new.
Average Podcast Rating: 4.1
Why You Should Care: From work topics to how to fix fast fashion, TED Talks Daily will entertain you with great storytelling while you learn something new. It's similar to Life Kit except that they also cover current events. I like to switch between the two on a morning walk. I love how it makes me think differently and takes me outside of my day-to-day.
Topics Covered: Business, career, psychology
Show Summary: You spend a quarter of your life at work. You should enjoy it! Organizational psychologist Adam Grant takes you inside the minds of some of the world’s most unusual professionals to discover the keys to a better work-life. From learning how to love your rivals to harnessing the power of frustration, one thing’s for sure: You’ll never see your job the same way again.
Average Podcast Rating: 4.8
Why You Should Care: Because work is a major part of your life and enjoying where you work can make a significant impact!
Topics Covered: Tech, culture, economy
Show Summary: Each weekday, Marketplace’s Kai Ryssdal and Kimberly Adams make today make sense. Along with their supersmart listeners, they break down happenings in tech, the economy, and culture. Every Tuesday they bring on a guest to dive deeper into one important topic. Because none of us is as smart as all of us.
Average Podcast Rating: 4.6
Why You Should Care: The world is complicated, but this show helps make it less complicated with short episodes on trendy topics. I also get so deep into my own work that I sometimes forget what is happening in the world. This show gives me the know-how of current events and introduces me to incredible experts.
Topics Covered: Business, management, leadership, career
Show Summary: A great podcast from Harvard Business Review featuring the leading thinkers in business and management.
Average Podcast Rating: 4.3
Why You Should Care: The HBR IdeaCast podcast does a great job at combining business, technology, and current events. They include authors who deep-dive on specific topics that always teach me something. This is another podcast that sticks to 30ish minute episodes, so you don't get lost in the learning.
Notable Mention Podcasts
Here are a few other podcasts that didn't make this specific list but definitely help you scratch your curiosity itch!
- The American Life
- Slow Burn
- The Daily from The New York Times
- Maintenance Phase
- Normal Gossip
- WTF With Marc Maron
P.S. If you're looking for a round-up of the best comedy, true crime, and mental health podcasts, we shared 50 podcasts we love here.
