15 Podcasts to Listen to in 2021

It’s probably safe to say that 2020 was a rough year (that may be an understatement). But through it all, podcasts were there to keep us up to date, engaged, and entertained. Whether you listen on your commute into work, from the comfort of your couch as you work from home, or all the in-between times, there’s a podcast for everyone and every topic you could think of.

The dawn of 2021 hasn’t only given us the hope and promise of a fresh, new year, but has also delivered us fresh, new pods to enjoy. There are 20 top podcasts of 2021 to keep you company this year, including some you may have missed from 2020, yet-to-be-released pods to look forward to, and some oldies-but-goodies to binge-listen. 

1. You’re Wrong About

HuffPost reporter Michael Hobbs and writer Sarah Marshall teamed up in 2018 to bring us a podcast all about the past and how we’ve gotten it all wrong. Each episode, the hosts do a very entertaining and educational deep dive into the long-standing myths, complicated histories, and facts of significant people, events, movements, and social issues.

Episodes to get you hooked: “The Obesity Epidemic”, “Human Trafficking”, and “Anna Nicole Smith” 

2. Apology Line

In New York City, for 15 years you could call an anonymous line and leave a voicemail to say you’re sorry. The creator of the line, “Mr. Apology”, began the project as an art project, but it soon became a much bigger, and much more dangerous, situation. From Wondery and the makers of hit podcasts like Dr. Death, this new podcast is immediately engrossing. 

Episodes to get you hooked: Start at the beginning! 

3. Code Switch 

Code Switch is a podcast about everything race and how it impacts every part of society. Featuring journalists of color, this pod is truly for everyone, and highlights how every single American is a part of the story of race and representation of our country. 

Episodes to get you hooked: “The Black Table in the Big Tent”, “Status Update”, and “A Strange and Bitter Crop” 

4. The Last Podcast on the Left

Comedians Marcus Parks, Henry Zebrowski, and Ben Kissel jump headfirst into all things horror in their highly researched, raunchy comedy pod (this one is definitely NSFW – Not Safe for Work). The trio generally likes to operate in three-part episodes, each tackling a spooky topic, ranging anywhere from cults, serial killers, and mass murderers (the continuing Heavy Hitter series), to cryptids, UFOs, and government conspiracies.

Episodes to get you hooked: “Episode 409: Gef the Talking Mongoose”,  “Episode 306: Casey Anthony Part I – Ill Wishers”, and “Episode 234: Albert Fish Part I – You Asked For This” 

5. Nice White Parents

Chana Joffe-Walt, a producer and reporter on This American Life, has created    Serial’s latest 5 part podcast that explores how race, gentrification, and good intentions have impacted one middle school in Brookyln’s Cobble Hill neighborhood. 

Episodes to get you hooked: Best to start at the beginning of this mini-series! 

6. Levar Burton Reads 

Levar Burton, former host of Reading Rainbow, has created a beautiful, comforting adult version of the kids’ PBS show, where he reads speculative fiction short stories to make you cry, laugh, and think. A great addition to anyone’s nighttime wind down routine or road trip playlist, Levar Burton Reads brings us into each author’s constructed worlds with his smooth baritone and creative characters.

Episodes to get you hooked: “The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu”, “Singing on a Star by Ellen Klages”, “L’Aquilone du Estrellas (The Kite of Stars) by Dean Frances Alfar” 

7. 1619

A series from the New York Times, 1619 explores the all-encompassing history and legacy of American slavery. A warning: this podcast is heavy, but absolutely riveting and relevant. 

Episodes to get you hooked: Start at the beginning! 

8. There Be Monsters

There Be Monsters is a new, original scripted sci-fi podcast starring John Boyega (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker) and Darren Criss (Glee, American Crime Story: The Assassination Of Gianni Versace). Boyega stars as our hero Jack Locke, who goes undercover to discover more about a mysterious CEO Max Fuller (played by Criss) and his Silicon Valley startup, which has vowed to intensify the human brain and what the human body is capable of. But at what cost? 

Episodes to get you hooked: This pod wrapped production in August 2020 and has yet to announce their drop date – keep an eye out for more info in 2021. 

9. Hello From the Magic Tavern

Join Arnie, Chunt the Badger, and Usidor the Wizard on their adventures through the land of Foon. This comedy improv pod will have nerds and non-nerds alike cackling with laughter as these three Chicago-based actors create the magical land of Foon on the spot for three ongoing seasons. 

Episodes to get you hooked: Start at the beginning! 

10. Welcome to Your Fantasy 

Promising a tale of corruption, sleeze, and murder, historian Natalia Petrzela’s podcast Welcome to Your Fantasy takes the audience into the exciting untold story of 1980s Chippendales. 

Episodes to get you hooked: Coming soon with an anticipated release date in February. 

11. No Compromise 

A piece from NPR, No Compromise peels back the curtain on the people in our society who believe the NRA isn’t going far enough when it comes to gun rights,  focusing on three brothers who are leading the charge. 

Episodes to get you hooked: Start at the beginning!  

12. Plot What Plot

A new podcast just for the nerds, Plot What Plot hosts Crumpet Aintree, Dylan Lincoln, and Hallie Rose gather each week to deep dive into different fandoms and the smutty, funny fanfiction that hides in the shadows. 

Episodes to get you hooked: “Getting Baked” and “Harry Potter and Hogwarts’ Inner Walls” 

13. The Dollop with Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds 

The Dollop is a bilingual American History podcast (El Dollop is the Spanish language version) where every week, Dave Anthony reads a story from American history to his friend, comedian Gareth Reynolds, who has no idea what the topic is going to be about. This podcast is especially hysterical and will have you Googling the mind-blowing stories Anthony tells so you can confirm that, yes, that actually did happen! 

Episodes to get you hooked: “12 – The Rube”, “15 – Ten Cent Beer Night”, and “271 – Uber” 

14. The Window

This is the most 2020 podcast on this list. The Window gives the audience a 10 to 15 minute glimpse into the lives of regular people during the pandemic. From out-of-work artists to frontline healthcare workers, these minisodes are a window into our country and how we are coping (or not) with COVID-19. 

Episodes to get you hooked: “The Joys and Challenges of Black Fatherhood”, “I Was Fired from an Amazon Warehouse”, and “An ER Doctor Treats an Outbreak”

15. Start with This

From the creators of Welcome to Nightvale, Start With This is a podcast to get your creative juices flowing. Every episode is built around a topic to help you expand and explore your own “creative playground”, and gives you two brief assignments – something to consume and something to create. A perfect pod to keep you occupied and put your ideas into motion during quarantine! 

Episodes to get you hooked: Start anywhere you like, or start from the beginning – you can’t go wrong with this one. 

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Need more things to listen to? We’ve got some great audio dramas, monologues, poetry readings, and more from MockingOwl Roost contributors and staff.

• Fluff of Delight – Monologue Reading
• The Way Cats Wake Up to a Passion of Birds
• Flood Plain – Poetry Reading
• At Daybreak – Poetry Reading