The fifth annual awards indeed exponentially increased in magnitude and subsequently narrowing down the finalists was an even more grueling task, appreciate your added patience.

This year, like every year, we aim to showcase the best podcasts of the year while also shining a light a diverse group of podcasts, creators, and genres.

Thank you to everyone who cast a nomination. My challenge to every voter: vote for your favorite in any given category (note: all categories are optional). However, if you haven’t heard of another nominated podcast in that category please give it a listen. These podcasts are all deserving of recognition and who knows, maybe you’ll find a new podcast to add to your queue.

Voting is now closed.

Full list of finalists

Best Overall Podcast

  • Baby Name Envy
  • Cold War Conversations
  • Exit Scam
  • Imagined Life
  • Morbidology
  • My First Million
  • Old Gods of Appalachia
  • Potterless
  • The Daily
  • The Me-Suite
  • Twenty Thousand Hertz
  • Waypoint Radio
  • You’re Wrong About

Best New/Debut Podcast of 2021

  • Aack-Cast
  • Exit Scam
  • Financial Feminist
  • For A Better World
  • My World with Jeff Jarrett
  • No More Late Fees
  • Stolen: The Search for Jermain
  • The Ezra Klein Show
  • The Living Fears
  • The Newest Olympian
  • The Silt Verses

People’s Choice

  • 10ish podcast
  • Ask Dale Anything
  • Blaxit Global
  • Catie and Erik’s Infinite Quest
  • Cold War Conversations
  • Cover to Cover with Chris Franjola
  • Creative Elements
  • Fantasy Footballers
  • For a Better World
  • Grits with a Side of Murder
  • Hey Gurl! With Bill Janisse
  • Join The Party
  • Malevolent
  • Pod and Prejudice
  • Sugar Coated Murder
  • Swish and Flick
  • The Bourbon Road
  • True Crime & Cocktails

Non-English Podcast

  • Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast
  • Dos: After You
  • El Verdadero Robo del Siglo
  • Gabi Ng Bading
  • Lästerschwestern
  • Paris Paysanne
  • SBS Easy French
  • Wag Kang Lilingon
  • התשובה

True Crime Podcast

  • A Death in Cryptoland
  • A Paranormal Chicks
  • Algorithm
  • Cold Case Canada
  • Crime Junkie
  • Criminal
  • In Your Own Backyard
  • International Infamy
  • It’s Always the Husband
  • LA Not So Confidential
  • Marked Safe
  • My Favorite Murder
  • Small Town Murder
  • True Crime & Cocktails

Sports Podcast

  • 30 for 30
  • Crime in Sports
  • Fantasy Footballers
  • Fish Nerds
  • Pardon My Take
  • Ross Tucker Football Podcast
  • The Lowe Post
  • The Old Man and the Three
  • The Ryen Russillo Podcast
  • Wrestling Anonymous

News Podcast

  • El Hilo
  • Five Thirty Eight Politics Podcast
  • NPR Morning Edition
  • Pod Save America
  • Political Junkie
  • The Daily
  • The Daily Zeitgeist
  • Today, Explained
  • Up First
  • What A Day

Interview Style Podcast

  • Armchair Expert
  • Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend
  • Expertos de Sillón
  • Juicy Scoop
  • Mixergy
  • People I (Mostly) Admire
  • Sway
  • The Next Big Idea
  • WTF with Marc Maron

LGBTQ+ Culture Podcast

  • Beyond the Rainbow
  • Born on This Day Podcast
  • FriGay the 13th
  • Gayest Episode Ever
  • Gayish
  • Getting Curious
  • Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen
  • Making Gay History

History Podcast

  • Behind the Bastards
  • Cold War Conversations
  • Encyclopedia Womannica
  • Hardcore History
  • History or His Story
  • Noble Blood
  • Obscure History
  • Plodding Through The Presidents
  • Sawbones
  • The History Chicks
  • You’re Wrong About

Comedy Podcast

  • All Fantasy Everything
  • And That’s Why We Drink
  • Barmy Dale
  • Comedy Bang! Bang!
  • Cover to Cover with Chris Franjola
  • Scam Goddess
  • Smartless
  • The Dollop

Kids & Family Podcast

  • Baby Name Envy
  • Dreamful
  • Goodnight World
  • Mirths and Monsters
  • Skyjacks: Courier’s Call
  • Varmints
  • Wow in the World

Society & Culture Podcast

  • 99% Invisible
  • A Bintel Brief
  • Autism Rocks and Rolls
  • Blaxit Global
  • Cancel Me Daddy
  • Code Switch
  • Day X
  • Even The Rich
  • In God We Lust
  • Keep it!

TV & Movies Podcast

  • A More Civilized Age: A Clone Wars Podcast
  • Anime Sickos
  • Bitch Sesh
  • Buffering the Vampire Slayer
  • Fake Doctors Real Friends
  • How Did This Get Made
  • No More Late Fees
  • Office Ladies
  • Potterless
  • Spoilerpiece Theatre
  • The Big Picture
  • The Rewatchables

Technology & Science Podcast

  • Curiosity Daily
  • Darknet Diaries
  • Dementia Researcher
  • Hidden Brain
  • Ologies
  • Science Diction
  • Science Vs
  • This Week in Tech

Audio Drama or Fiction Podcast

  • AFTERSHOCK
  • Caso 63
  • Chad: A Fallout 76 Story
  • Hello From the Hallowoods
  • Malevolent
  • Old Gods of Appalachia
  • Passenger List
  • Red Frontier
  • Restless Shores
  • The Children of Room 56
  • The Vanishing Act
  • Whisperling

Business Podcast

  • Business Moves
  • How I Built This
  • Legends of Sales & Marketing Podcast
  • Me Suite
  • Rebel Entrepreneur
  • Snacks Daily
  • The All In Podcast

Arts Podcast

  • Alternative Stories and Fake Realities
  • Creative Elements
  • Drunk Art Review
  • How to Love Lit
  • LeVar Burton Reads
  • Pop Culture Happy Hour
  • The Moth

Music Podcast

  • Bill Buds
  • Cocaine and Rhinestones
  • Dissect
  • Infectious Groove
  • No Skips
  • She Will Rock You
  • Slate Hit Parade
  • That Thing I do
  • We Luvv Rare Grooves

Food Focused Podcast

  • A Hot Dog Is A Sandwich
  • Beyond the Plate
  • Dads Drinking Bourbon
  • Doughboys
  • Everyday is a Food Day
  • For a Better World
  • Gastropod
  • Off Menu
  • The Sporkful
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