I subscribe to two different types of pop culture podcasts. The deep dives are my favorite because the hosts research and chat with experts to dive into one specific area of culture and society. It speaks to the side of me that still clings to my sociology degree. The other type of pop culture podcast covers the most recent gossip and happenings in Hollywood and online. Those make great errand running and dog walking listens because it doesn’t require much focus and allow me to stay up to date for girlfriend chats.
I divided the pop culture podcasts into those two different categories so you can choose according to your interests. If you want to subscribe, you can click on the name of the podcast and it will bring you to the Apple podcast pages.
Deep Dive Into Pop Culture with These Podcasts
1. Culture Study
Anne Helen Peterson is one of my favorite writers to follow online because she does fantastic deep dives into corners of society and culture that I find fascinating. Now, she puts some of those explorations into podcast form while interviewing guests who are experts on the topic. Start with the episode on trad wives and what it takes to actually leave or the Sephora teen freakout. Peterson also wrote a fantastic piece about the appeal of Glen Powell, so she covers a little bit of everything.
2. Sentimental Garbage
I hate the term “guilty pleasure” because I don’t believe anyone should feel guilty about what brings them joy, but we all understand the term. This pop culture podcast dives into those common pleasures, like real housewives, Barbie, Taylor Swift, and romance novels, to celebrate what makes them remarkable. I’ve learned about some fascinating people and content I was unaware of before this pod.
3. Shameless
The about line on this podcast is, “The pop culture podcast for smart people who love dumb stuff.” The hosts cover topics that have come up in pop culture that don’t make a lot of sense or need to be further discussed. I got sucked in during the daytime tv series because it brought me back to my childhood days when I’d be sucked into trash tv during the days in the summer when my parents weren’t home to shoo me outside. The most recent episodes cover Katy Perry’s strange career and after hearing her newest songs, I’m intrigued to find out what the hell happened to this pop princess.
4. Call Her Daddy
Alex Cooper has been a powerhouse in the podcast space for a few years now, but I didn’t listen to this podcast until she interviewed John Mayer. Now, I love to see who she’s talking to in each episode. Her questions differ from those of other interviews, and I think she gets to a different level with people. The podcast is done as a video pod on Spotify, but I listen to the usual audio.
5. Smartless
Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes come together to talk with people in Hollywood or Hollywood-adjacent. Each episode is a different interview. I kept this in the pop culture category because most of their conversations are about movies, television, or being in that realm. It’s an interesting peek into the host’s lives as well because they share so many personal stories when chatting with previous co-stars or personal friends. Their chemistry is great, but if you don’t love these three, you might be a little annoyed at how little the guests get to talk in some episodes. These are great on road trips or while I’m doing chores around the house.
Pop Culture Podcasts that Cover the Right Now
1. Pop Culture Happy Hour
NPR releases this short podcast multiple times each week. Most episodes quickly review a new movie, TV show, book, or trend. It’s a great way to find new recommendations. There are also themed episodes, which are my favorite, where the hosts share their favorites in a specific category. Some examples include three great sports documentaries, ideal karaoke songs, or favorite fiction audiobooks. The length is short, so these are great listens on a quick dog walk in the morning or while making coffee.
2. Las Culturistas
If you’re like me, you cannot get enough of Bowen Yang on SNL. When he started a podcast, I immediately subscribed without knowing what he would talk about, but it’s mostly pop culture topics with occasional guests. Matt Rogers is just as funny as Bowen Yang, and they are a perfect pod pair. The episodes are released weekly, so it’s a fairly low commitment.
3. Pop Apologists
This podcast could fall into either category because they do deep dives that I love, but they also spend many episodes just jumping into current pop culture events. There are true crime deep dives, like this one on Karen Read, that initially sucked me in. Recently, they have been in their Swiftie era and provide extra insight on past relationships and help me understand some of the deep easter eggs and Swiftie-lore that would otherwise go right over my head.
4. The Toast
Do you ever listen to something even though you disagree with most of what you hear? To me, that’s this podcast. I listen to it while getting ready if a story in their headlines interests me. It’s a daily pod on weekdays, which is a lot. Episodes are usually over an hour long as well. Two sisters chat about five pop culture stories daily and offer their takes and opinions. They seem to love all the characters and stories I hate, but I still find myself hitting play some days. This might be your jam if you’re looking for a pod that covers pop culture stories and light news daily.
5. Comments by Celebs
This podcast started with an Instagram account that shares hilarious comments that celebs leave on other posts from friends, fans, or co-stars. It offered a fun look into their personalities on social media. On their podcast, the hosts often go further into things happening in the celebrity gossip world. That isn’t my favorite. I love their Bravo recaps on the housewives and all the crazy information they know about the behind-the-scenes and current happenings with the wild stars of Bravo.
Final Thoughts on Pop Culture Podcasts
Pop culture podcasts provide a nice break from political podcasts or true crime podcasts. I like to stay on top of the new movies, TV shows, and music released, plus it’s fascinating to learn a little more about the people who find their way into my home via their craft. Let me know what pop culture podcasts you listen to regularly. Am I missing one of your favorites?
