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Simply the best: 50 podcasts you should be listening to right now

Updated: Aug 20, 2023

Bhakti Oberoi is a former publication art director and now juggles her time freelancing in graphic design, typography, teaching and being a full-time mom. She is a Ministry of New member and podcast enthusiast who actually wants to start her own someday! Whether you're a total newbie or a pod connoisseur, Bhakti has got some really fun, diverse options for you.


Sometimes, it is nice to just listen... 


Back in the day, the radio was my constant. It helped me decide if I needed to bundle up with layers of clothes listening to the forecast and other days helped me decide which route to take to avoid congestion in peak hours on the I-95. I always wanted to listen to the radio on my cab ride to get a vibe of the city that I was visiting. My love for radio trickled into radio-style ‘broadcasts' on my ‘iPod’ and thus began my obsession for the Podcast.


Depending on how I feel that day and the mood I am in, podcasts have become a staple for me. Sitting for hours in Mumbai traffic, designing on my desktop, chores or WFH during this pandemic, the iSheep in me has podcasts lined up on all my gadgets! And in true Rob style (Nick Horby's High Fidelity) here are my "Top Five' categories: 


Creative

what I like: I can be a fly on the wall listening to casual yet insightful conversations of people in the world of design and culture. Debbie Millman interviews one guest each week with names like Sagmeister, Paula Scher, Christoph Neimann, Neville Broody, Malcolm Gladwell and Ira Glass already in circulation.


If you like this, you may also like: The Observatory

Being a Micheal Beirut (Pentagram) fan, its a delight to hear him and Jessica Helfand (fellow designer, author and lecturer at Yale) discuss current issues and design trends for the past week in an intellectually stimulating banter. -


Overtime by Dribble what I like: worth listening to freelancer Meg Lewis talk about everything relatable to communication design with weekly trends, brought by the popular design platform Dribble.


If you like this, you may also like: Design Life (for product design and overall design)  Clever by Design Mik + Amy Devers (for graphic design)   The Futur with Chris Do (design online education) Method Podcast Google (for UX Design)  A Well-Designed Business (for Interior Design) Design Details (daily design practice conversations)


Culture + community

Modern Love what I like: being a sucker for short stories, this podcast is a personal favourite where beautiful stories are read from the Modern Love column of the New York Times 

99% Invisible  what I like: talks about the unseen, overlooked stories of everyday design, science and architecture.

If you like this, you may also like:  Hidden Brain by NPR  Longform Podcasts


This American Life  what I like: I mean, when Ira Glass talks, I keep all things aside, this podcast is so unique and gripping, gets you hooked! This show focuses on a theme each week, which could range from how people are dealing with the loss of sports during quarantine, to feeling stuck; and then share a selection of well-researched stories on these themes. A great podcast to start off with!

If you like this, you might also like:  The Moth Radiolab Serial S-Town



Mindfulness

what I like: host Jonathan Fields has a knack of asking beautiful, vulnerable questions about life and its purpose and leads the guests to tell their inspirational stories and their personal journeys to arriving at inner peace thereby leading meaningful lives. 


If you like this, you might also like: The Minimalists 


what I like: well there is nothing much I can say except, I love Oprah and these weekly conversations with some of the most engaging speakers in the world. Eckhart Tolle is a frequent guest who is just fantastic to listen to.


If you like this, you might also like: 


what I like: quick yoga sessions and rituals which can be sneaked in anytime during your hectic day. 


If you like this, you might also like: Sarah B Yoga


Business + news

what I like: probably the only podcast I listen to about my fellow Indians which is motivating and guides me with local do’s and don'ts, the host Neil Patel interviews founders of Indian start-ups in an engaging manner. 


If you like this, you may also like:

what I like: relevant topics related to work and life discussed in an interesting format with guest interviews.


If you like this, you may also like:


Skimm This what I like: curated news weekly without the political agendas and top news houses biased perspectives. 

If you like this, you may also like:

Skimm’d from the Couch Hello Monday from LinkedIn


Food + travel

what I like: being a foodie, am addicted to conversations around food and this podcast has some fun conversations. 


If you like this, you may also like:

Monocle 24 what I like: from one of my favourite publication Monocle is a series of well curated podcasts depending on what you are in the mood for the day be it films, travel or morning news. Monocle Films, Monocle Menu, etc.


Indie Travel Podcast  what I like: the chilled hosts travel all over the world and record their episodes at each place they visit and their local experiences eg.best places to drink beer while in Prague.

If you like this, you may also like: The Travel Diaries by Holly Rubenstein 



Parenting

for kids: 


for moms: 


The most basic and powerful way to connect to another is to listen. Just Listen.

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