By Francis Buchanan
Whether you’re travelling on business or commuting to work, there’s nothing better than getting stuck into an episode of your favourite podcast. After another fantastic year for pre-existing pods and popular new projects, the podcast scene is now more exciting than ever before.
Here at SilverDoor Apartments, we’re all about promoting the best travelling experience possible. We’ve already covered workouts and travel gadgets. So, in light of this, we thought we’d look back on the year and shine the spotlight on some of the best podcasts of 2019.
The Joe Rogan Experience
Racking up well over one thousand episodes since its launch on Christmas Eve in 2009, The Joe Rogan Experience is widely thought of as one of the most popular podcasts around. This podcast is, of course, hosted by legendary stand-up comic, TV personality and MMA commentator, Joe Rogan, and pretty much covers whatever he feels like covering on the day. In each episode, Rogan spends the best part of two or three hours speaking to guests about a series of different topics.
Yet, this podcast should in no way be mistaken for a casual talk show. In the past, Rogan has welcomed high-profile guests such as Elon Musk, Mike Tyson, Neil DeGrasse Tyson and Lance Armstrong. Listened to at least 1.5 billion times per year, Rogan’s podcast has also become an important media outlet in America’s changing political landscape. Speaking to politicians and commentators across the spectrum, at one point, the pod was even dubbed “one of the last bastions for civil discussion in contemporary America”. Debatably one of the best podcasts of 2019, The Joe Rogan Experience is expected to continue its upward trajectory into the new decade. So, if you’ve got a long commute ahead of you, sit back and download the latest episode.
Ctrl Alt Delete
By and large, Ctrl Alt Delete is all about our relationship with the internet and how technology has influenced our lives. Hosted by Emma Gannon, a distinguished non-fiction writer and Sunday Times columnist, each episode sees a new guest hop under the microscope. Typically interviewing writers, experts and creatives, Emma Gannon usually focuses on the guest’s relationship with the internet, however, discussions generally cover a number of other bases.
So far, Ctrl Alt Delete has welcomed A-list guests such as Lena Dunham, Gillian Anderson and Richard E Grant and the pod has also reached over five million people. Emma Gannon alone is one reason to tune into this podcast – she’s an influential voice in the campaign for women’s equality in the workplace and also works alongside a number of charities such as Amnesty International.
Funny, laid-back and hugely insightful, Ctrl Alt Delete ticks all the boxes necessary to perfect the morning commute.
Tailenders
A certified fan favourite, Tailenders is a weekly cricket-related podcast hosted by Greg James. Discussing all of the week’s hottest cricket news, Greg James is joined by permanent guests Jimmy Anderson and Felix White. The former – England’s all-time leading wicket-taker – provides an excellent insight into the dressing room and stories surrounding teammates, while the latter is the lead singer of the Maccabees and a colossal cricket aficionado.
Altogether, the group forms an excellent trio and provides an excellent level of commentary. Welcoming a series of guests every week, Tailenders drifts seamlessly between analysis, discussion, games and exclusive interviews, with Felix White often providing musical interludes between sections.
Films to be Buried With
Film-buffs and cinephiles take note – Films to be Buried With is your new earthly paradise. Hosted by the ever-entertaining actor and comedian, Brett Goldstein, the pod sees him speak to a new guest every week about, well, the films they’d like to be buried with. Essentially, it’s all about the power of cinema and the films that have left the biggest impression on our lives.
Every episode is about an hour or an hour-and-a-half long and typically features a different theme based on the films being discussed. Past episodes have featured Jack Whitehall, James Acaster and Claudia O’Doherty, while one of the pod’s finest hours saw Goldstein take on film critic royalty Mark Kermode.
Athletico Mince
Masterminded by the hilariously surreal British comic Bob Mortimer, Athletico Mince could loosely be described as a football podcast, although it often feels like something else entirely – it’s essentially the perfect podcast for football enthusiasts with a deeply obscure sense of humour. Joined every week by co-host Andy Dawson, the duo spend the best part of an hour mocking one another, roleplaying different footballing personalities and dishing out bizarre supermarket-themed quizzes. Altogether, it makes for perfect listening when all you fancy doing is glazing over at the end of a long day and listening to two grown men impersonate Roy Hodgson.
Today in Focus
Ranging from literature to football, The Guardian has always had a series of podcasts on the go. However, it was late in 2018 with the launch of Today in Focus that the media group really found its stride. Hosted every weekday morning by Guardian journalist, Anushka Asthana, the podcast tackles a different topic every day.
Interesting, informative and insightful, Today in Focus is a fantastic way to take in all the latest headlines while you’re on the go and represents the newspaper’s aptitude to innovate and move with the times. Each episode is around 25 minutes long and focuses on everything from political tensions to environmental issues.
Today in Focus has definitely been a hit this year, making it one of the best podcasts of 2019.
Mile Higher
From cryptic cult leaders to historical witch trials and mainstream conspiracy theories – Mile Higher is the podcast for everyone with a passion for uncovering the many mysteries of our universe. Hosted by husband and wife duo Josh Thomas and Kendall Rae, each episode is between 1-2 hours long and takes a deep dive into one specific topic. Launched in early 2018, the pod airs every Monday and has already covered a range of conspiracies such as the Kurt Cobain murder conspiracy and the Manson family murders, and additional topics such as peculiar folktales, past lives and UFO sightings.
The Football Ramble
Launched in April 2007, The Football Ramble combines over a decade of pod history with a refreshing appetite for original content. Hosted by Marcus Speller, Luke Moore, Pete Donaldson and Jim Campbell, The Football Ramble consists of a number of different daily shows that cover a range of different topics and welcome a host of different guests. Typically lasting between 40 minutes to an hour, episodes cover everything from recent news to the epic matches of the past. Here’s the complete schedule:
- Monday: The Ramble – A discussion of all of the weekend’s drama, including all premier league encounters.
- Tuesday: Jules & Andy – Tuesday’s episode sees Jules Breach and Andy Brassell talk over all of the biggest stories in world football.
- Wednesday: Ramble Meets – Ramble Meets sees the pod at its most journalistic. Meeting and speaking with players, managers, writers and pundits, the pod explores the relationship between the industry and those who work within it. Recent rambles have featured Alan Curbishley, Will Hughes and Michael Calvin.
- Thursday: On the Continent – A roundup of all the recent results, news and developments from around Europe. The episode largely covers news from Spain, Italy, France and Germany.
- Friday: The Preview Show – On Friday, the pod looks forward to another weekend of high-stakes Premier League drama.
- Saturday: The Blizzard – Saturday sees the pod get reflective. Looking back on over 100 years of sporting history, The Blizzard analyses the epic encounters of the past.
So, if you’re a football fan with a voracious appetite for varied commentary, make sure to tune into this daily pod, certainly of the best podcasts of 2019.
Happy Place
As the name suggests, Happy Place is all about overcoming the hardships of existence and celebrating life’s many joys. Every week, Fearne Cotton welcomes a different guest and gets to the core of what happiness truly means to them. Each episode is around 40 minutes long and past guests have included Hozier, Reggie Yates and Maisie Williams.
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