Ah, podcasts. They are a true treasure in this fast-paced age. Between a nine-to-five job and everything else, there’s only so much most of us can do in a day. It has become increasingly difficult to do activities that cater to our interests—even as simple as reading a book. This is why podcasts are my go-to source of information and entertainment these days. Especially as a commuter, I just find them so convenient. Besides, while I do believe books are indispensable, a podcast offers a different treat to the senses. Just close your eyes, listen, and you’re instantly transported somewhere else.
In case you’re new to podcasts, or simply done with what you were listening to and looking for titles to check out next, you’re in luck. For this week’s Preen Picks, our officemates shared their recommended titles. From those that tackle business, to pop culture and romance, I’m sure one of these titles will speak to you.
How I Built This with Guy Raz
Have you ever wondered how big brands like AirBNB and SoulCycle got to where they are now? Well, I honestly have. With big companies and businesses I’m always curious to hear their origin story. In How I Built This, each episode focuses on one brand. The host Guy Raz interviews them and they discuss how these companies began, struggled, and eventually were able to maintain success. There are a lot of episodes to choose from but my favorites are Kate Spade and Ben & Jerry’s. – Tisha Ramirez, Associate Editor, Preen.ph
READ MORE: Business podcasts to listen to: Your journey to being a #GirlBoss starts here
Filmhaus and Comic Book Girl 19
I listen to two weekly (YouTube) podcasts these days, and both of them are focused on film, TV, and pop culture in general: Filmhaus and Comic Book Girl 19. They’re basically commentary podcasts where they talk about upcoming movies/shows, theories, and also give reviews. – Jackie Arias, Junior Content Creator, Preen.ph
Caliphate and In the Dark S1
Both [NY Times’ Caliphate and APM Reports’ In the Dark S1] delve into the world of investigative journalism. Caliphate is a podcast hosted by Rukmini Callimachi, a reporter who covers ISIS and terrorism. It gives listeners a glimpse of the ISIS ideology, as well as their recruitment process. In the Dark Season One, on the other hand, is an investigative podcast on the mysterious abduction of Jacob Wetterling, unveiling the flaws of the investigation. In a sense, they are both lessons on reporting and research. – Oliver Emocling, Associate Editor, Scout
Everything Is Alive and This is Love
I love podcasts! My all time faves are Modern Love by NPR and Criminal from Radiotopia. I love Modern Love because I’m a sucker for romance and the essays can get so deep it makes me cry. For Criminal, they have an odd but fascinating take on some crime stories. Plus points for great audio and music too. A podcast I would recommend is “Everything Is Alive” from Radiotopia also. It’s an unscripted interview where host, Ian Chillag, talks to inanimate objects.
Another recommendation is “This Is Love” from the same creators of Criminal. It’s an interview type about, well, love! But in different forms and meanings. It can get as deep as Modern Love plus the great audio and music of Criminal. – Marian Hukom, Junior Designer
Longform and Desert Island Discourse
My favorite podcasts are the Longform podcast and Desert Island Discourse. I love the Longform podcast both as a resource and as entertainment. It features interviews with nonfiction writers who—by simply recounting how they got into publishing and talking about what they love about writing and reading—give great practical writing advice. Also, I find that some writers speak as well as they write, which is so rare. Episodes I recommend: Elif Batuman, who talks about the lines between fiction and nonfiction, Helen Rosner who talks about raising the stakes in food writing, and Rachel Aviv who talks about medical journalism. As for Desert Island Discourse, it’s these two writers talking about the discography of musicians. Each episode is about two hours long because they really take the time to talk about each of the artist’s albums. They speak both as critics and as music fans, which you don’t encounter a lot in most mainstream music media. Recommended episode is the one on the band Sleater-Kinney! As a fan of the band, I’ve never felt as seen as when I listened to that episode for the first time. I loved it so much I ended up writing to the podcast hosts. They replied.
Honorable mentions: Philosophize This! and the Touré Show. Philosophize This! Is this one guy breaking down different philosophies. Each episode is smart, funny, wise, and problem-laden, which, for some reason make me less anxious. As for the Touré Show, I had to mention it because it has the episode, which, if I could only listen to one interview for the rest of my life, this would be it: Zadie Smith talking about why she loves to read and write. – Catherine Orda, Content Creator, FNB Report
Art by Tricia Guevara
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