Stuff You Should Listen To

This is NOT a music post.

Like many folks, I’ve completely gotten into podcasts over the last several years, to the point that I rarely listen to the radio. It’s why my music exposure got so limited that I had to - and continue to - go out of my way for discovery of new music, something I’d actually consider a smashing success.

But what about these podcasts?

There are some - like Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History that of course I’d recommend, but they aren’t for everyone - there’s only one or two episodes dropped every YEAR and they can run up to six hours apiece. They’re a LOT, even if I love them.

Many of the podcasts I listen to focus on things I’m fairly into, like golf and football, or entertainment like movies and TV.

Here then, are three that DO NOT fit that bill. Note I’m sharing Spotify links because they embed better, but I’m promote the Overcast application for podcasts as it’s so much better than either Spotify or the default Podcasts app on your iPhone.

First, Search Engine. This podcast is hosted by PJ Vogt, who used to be an integral part of Reply All, a great podcast about technology. Vogt and another associate (Sruthi Pinnamaneni) left after being accused of creating a toxic work culture (ironically, this was dropped as they were doing a story on Bon Appetit about a … toxic work culture), and it sounds like, in fact, he might be a bit of a shit. But Search Engine is a fresh start, and it’s really a cool idea. The conceit is that either Vogt, a co-worker or a listener will ask a question that it SEEMS like there’s an easy answer to … but then, after thinking about it, it gets more complex. Here are a few examples.

It’s worth noting that the theme music to this podcast is so uncannily like the theme music to Succession that it’s genuinely annoying. I implore you to work past that. I did it. It’s possible.

Also? PJ Vogt looks NOTHING like what I thought he did:

Sorry, PJ but I thought you looked like Pee Wee Herman.

Another podcast I don’t really listen to is 99% Invisible - so, why am I mentioning it here? Because the hosts of that show, like me, are massive fans of one of the greatest books ever written - The Power Broker, by Robert Caro. It’s a 1200 page book about Robert Moses. It’s the kind of book I loved so much I’d consider re-reading it but, as I may have noted, it’s 1200 pages long.

But these guys are doing a book club where they recap about 100 pages once per month. And having guests! It’s really great. Here are the first two episodes:

Conan O’Brien is delightfully nerdy about writer Robert Caro, and then in the actual first “book club” episode, the guest is Caro himself! I’ve heard him speak before, but my GOD he has perhaps the thickest of New York accents I can recall. It’s a treat.

Finally, a podcast I recently just discovered is called Acquired. It’s a business podcast, which (despite being in business) I have little interest in listening about. BUT, these guys break down a single company in serious detail. How the firm was formed, the personalities behind it, the mistakes they made, the successes, etc., and generally how the company turned into what we know of it today. It turns out it’s in its 13th season, and earlier episodes were fairly brief - 45 minutes, an hour or so. I’ve listened to the below episodes, both which were about four HOURS, but worth every minute. I can’t recommend every single episode, but if you see episodes about companies you care about, I think it’s well worth your time.

---

What podcasts are you obsessed with? (One I didn’t mention is Heavyweight, which is on hiatus right now, looking for a new home.) Leave your recommendations and why you love them in the comments below!