Remember what they say at the beginning of summer? Blink and you'll miss it, they say. You think to yourself: That can't be-- surely Summer is longer than that.
Well, we blinked and it's the first of October. Whoops.
The good news is, we've been keeping track of all of the best and most important podcasts of 2021-- we've got everything from true crime to news stories, shows about life and culture, special guests, pop culture, tantalizing fiction, and everything in-between. We promise, your perfect podcast is in here somewhere.
The Best Podcasts of Summer 2021.
June
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3KI9ELsOqiF6K9yWSv8L1h?si=f4mt35nQTdScu66w-myZ5g&dl_branch=1
The WILD podcast is a series of origin stories all with one thing in common-- overcoming adversity. In this episode, Black Mexican music star Sarah Palafox details her fight against racism, and how her views towards civil rights activism changed after giving birth to a Black son.
https://open.spotify.com/show/2qI3UfoT6F699pErIkybCd?si=uSoFi9KcQNqw0j_o358t9A&dl_branch=1
Vermont Ave is a look-- or a listen-- into the ears of a thirtysomething person living in LA. In this Episode, John walks down Vermont Avenue to clear his head. Will you join him?
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5ibVOeG0pdLsWgryQFU3Ef?si=-w4ryVEKRFWBD77ZA9aVQA&dl_branch=1
Leila Day and Hana Baba specialize in sharing stories from across the Black diaspora that they believe need to be told. In this episode, Leila and Hana visit with the 8 and 10 year-old hosts of the show Hey Black Child to explore what it means to express their Blackness through podcasting.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7MmAcnb6KI7G1WZcclCThL?si=L4braFzTTc-26FFv3l5IwQ&dl_branch=1
Robocalls, phone scams, and hackers are an inevitability of living life on the grid. When everyone's got a phone in their pocket, vishing (or, voice phishing) can be a sinister way to make a buck. When Bridget Landry finds herself out of money and raising a family on her own, she realizes that her gift for deception and voice manipulation might be just what she needs to get out of trouble-- or deeper into it. If you're caught up on season 1, now's the time to jump in and binge season 2 of this beautifully written Gimlet Media show.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Qc9k4PW6Qn8Z6SulvgUxR?si=xFA0OdHNQNuVqdqzT1cBzw&dl_branch=1
Mosaic seeks to examine immigration and identity in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. In this episode of this crucially informative podcast, Professor Robert Lee explains how the perpetual alienation of Asian Americans can-- and has-- led to violence.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7vllQ8pqvmS2cRf3Yv3QN2?si=S0Rgij_rTemG5axySoLx0Q&dl_branch=1
In this 6-part series of the deep-dive investigative journalism show Radiolab, the Radiolab team investigates the story of Harry Pace. Years ago, Harry built Black Swan Records, a label responsible for kickstarting the career of Ethel Waters, inventing the term "rock n roll", and more. Then, he disappeared. Listen along for a tale of family, deception, betrayal, and a legend who changed the American music scene forever.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5WQkV4aTvpcB0U644u9Ue0?si=YRcKG-2qSPqs8INvp64fYA&dl_branch=1
Gender Reveal strives to put queer, non-binary, and transgender folks at the center of the conversation. In this episode of this weekly podcast, host Tuck Woodstock chats with John Paul Brammer, author of ¡Hola Papi!, to give queer advice on a medley of crucial topics.
July
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2cdNODNFfE2mv49t7F2akA?si=-ELbSYJITCyGH-dmtUi0uQ&dl_branch=1
Host Walter Thompson-Hernandez partners with seasoned creatives like Keke Palmer to bring the work of formerly incarcerated young writers to your ears. In this touching episode, Candice Price's Silent Love, read by Keke Palmer, tells the story of breaking the silence of survivorship to embrace the joyful truth of living as a Black queer woman.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2hEes6fad6f3dVzvEMYIDx?si=8b1umrkBR-CBkIksjurOrw&dl_branch=1
Object of Sound brings you in tune with the music that shapes our culture. In this episode, host and critic Hanif Adburraquib catalogs the history of the Harlem Cultural Festival-- known to many as the "Black Woodstock". Hanif is joined by the Roots drummer, music journalist, and DJ Questlove to examine the importance of the festival, as well as Questlove's new film about the event: Summer of Soul.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Q2nUNaGlJAHYBNYVQRIwQ?si=fzw_yDfWSsmyhLprEzmXcA&dl_branch=1
If you've ever cracked the spine of a celebrity memoir, then you're well aware that they aren't like normal books. In this hilarious iteration of the Celebrity Book Club, hosts Steven and Lily take a closer look at the memoirs of Hollywood's favorite foodies, including Guy Fieri, Joan Didion, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and more.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/76E34k6DmlqlioAjwrmuRX?si=b8SEOqK1RESHjCI7eGKsdQ&dl_branch=1
A great show for all the sports fans, The Woj Pod is your ticket to the inside scoop of the biggest NBA news stories, hosted by Adrian Wojnarowski. In this episode, Adrian has a chat with Giannis Antetokounmpo, a Greek immigrant of Nigerian descent, exploring his past of racism, poverty, and his climb to success in the NBA.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1E3iAJQ6S00pUaHI41vBDz?si=jpmqzjnSQoqjbHYUvY_36w&dl_branch=1
This season on the award-winning Mogul, the show cataloging Hip-Hop's most iconic moments, Gimlet media is telling the in-depth Story of DJ Screw; a reclusive genius who changed hip-hop forever by slowing it was down. Hundreds of people rapped on DJ Screw's many mixtapes, including one small-time rapper called Big Floyd. Now, however, he's better known as George Floyd.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1g45XyCGfBeMSRWCSrO5OW?si=wb0o0MaYQe-RSFC2sUeJMg&dl_branch=1
This episode of field guide asks just one thing of you: Go for a walk. As you pop in your headphones and lace up your shoes, comedians, podcast hosts, writers, authors and producers all take turns telling short stories of their favorite walks in their favorite places. If it's time for you to take a breather from current events, this is your chance.
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Don't worry-- we're not done quite yet. Find Part 2 HERE.
Staff / Moderator/ 3 years ago in Social & Random