The Year in Podcasts, 2022
/Since the early days of podcasting, I’ve been hooked on the medium. I love sharing and getting recommendations for other shows to listen to, but I really wanted to have a list for me to be able to look back on. A friend of mine, and the “we” behind Ericast, Eric Larson, recently covered what podcasts had his attention in 2022, so I thought it was a perfect time to share mine.
Before I run through my mostly complete list, I must address the elephant in the room: the podcatcher.
No more dog’s breakfast
There was a time, several years ago, when I nearly quit listening to podcasts altogether. It wasn’t because I thought the medium was going downhill like Twitter in 2023. It was because Apple’s default podcast app had become unusable.
Apple’s Podcast app for the iPhone is simply (and I don’t want to miss an opportunity to use this term I learned from Tod Maffin) a dog’s breakfast. It’s just awful. Finding new shows may be the only thing that it does well. But content management, and list management, is horrendous.
Thankfully, I didn’t quit. Instead, I started using Overcast and have been happy with it ever since. I’m proud to have been a faithful supporter since shortly after I started using it. The app works like my brain does. It’s intuitive and dependable. One of my favorite features is the “Smart Speed” that plays just barely over 1x… taking out pauses and dead air, playing it a little faster, minus the chipmunk effect. And it has already saved me 300 hours of time since I started using the app (See? I told you I listen to a lot of podcasts)
Some of the links below are in Overcast. If that’s not the app you use, I’m sure a Google search will get you to the right place.
The regulars
Here are my most regular shows, listed loosely in order of how regularly I listen (and how active they are).
Mac OS Ken - I can’t remember exactly how long I’ve been starting my day with Mac OS Ken, but it’s been at least 15 years. Long ago, when I would drive my youngest daughter to elementary school in the morning, she would say his opening verbatim. And one morning, after I emailed him, host Ken Ray started his show, “Say it with me, Makenzy… this is Mac OS Ken”. Her eyes went wide! She was blown away. Well, that young girl graduated from college a few years ago, so, yeah, it’s been a long time. I love Ken’s style and I like being up to date on Apple news. His show was one of the first podcasts I listened to with ads and I have always appreciated how well his ads have been, so many of which have earned my business.
This American Life – I’ve been listening to Ira Glass and crew for more than 20 years, going back to listening on the radio in the garage on the weekend. Classic story telling.
Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me – Another show I’ve been listening to since before podcasts (along with This American Life and, of course, Car Talk). If I was forced to listen to just one show for the rest of my life, I’m fairly certain Wait Wait… would be the one I’d pick.
TechMeme Ride Home – I first heard about Brian McCullough’s new show on Mac OS Ken, and I have been listening every day since the first episode… even since working from home for the last few years means I have a very short “ride home”. Listening to this show every day, and occasionally reading some of the “Weekend Long Reads” he previews, I feel like I’m close to earning, at least, a bachelor’s degree in what’s going on in tech! Recently, not just with all of the Twitter wildness, FTX crashing and SBF getting arrested, but all the moves around Crypto in general, and AR/VR, etc., I feel like I have a much better grasp on how the daily tech news impacts the world at large.
Cool Stuff Ride Home – What started as a daily show centered around COVID, turned into the Kottke Ride Home and was then renamed Cool Stuff Ride Home. Same format as the TechMeme Ride Home, but for interesting stuff all over the world. Great way to just get out of the doom and gloom of the news. Host, Jackson Bird is also known to go down deep into rabbit holes that most people didn’t even know existed! And as a bonus: After years of listening to Wait Wait… I am certain that their writers listen to this show, or they’re getting their info from the same sources (probably Reddit). If you ever get on to Wait Wait… as a contestant, make sure you’re listening to this show!
Today in Digital Marketing – I learned of this show from TechMeme Ride Home and have been listening since the first episode. Very similar to the Ride Home shows, host Tod Maffin and his sometimes fill-in host, associate producer, Steph Gunn, covers the days news in digital marketing. And like Ride Home, after nearly 800 episodes, I feel like I’m working on a bachelor’s degree on the subject!
This is Stockton – From 2009-2016, some friends and I produced over 100 episodes of Podcast Stockton, a show “all about the great life in Stockton, California”. It was a labor of love that I am still incredibly proud of. The stories I heard and the connections I’ve made still have an outsized impact on my life. Through the years, others have started a local themed show but never really got off the ground. That was until, Visit Stockton and their team started, This is Stockton. Wes Rhea, my friend and the industry leading CEO of Visit Stockton, and his crew, Amy and Anthony, have been putting out awesome new episodes about the people, places, and events in our city. I couldn’t be happier for them. And not only am I loving their new show, but I’m also learning new things about my city, and meeting new people because of it!
The Ericast – One of the longest subscribed podcasts in my feed. I’ve been listening to Eric’s show since the early days of podcasting. It’s a personal podcast about him and his family, his world, his faith, technology, all of it. I met Eric many years ago on Flickr and it’s been a thrill to get to know him through the years! I even met up with him on a trip to Minneapolis and he introduced me to the Jucy Lucy and the controversy therein.
The Daily Stoic – After a few years of reading Ryan Holiday’s books, I finally started listening to his daily podcast. My study of philosophy has improved over the year thanks to his works.
Work Life with Adam Grant – I’m rarely fanatic about celebrities (George Jones, yes), but there are authors and speakers that I do get fanatic about. In addition to the two Freakonomics authors, Adam Grant is high on my list. As an organizational psychologist, Grant helps me understand the challenges of being a human inside of an organization. I particularly enjoy his explanations of natural biases.
Your Favorite Band Sucks – This show is hosted by two guys with experience in the music industry, Tyler Mahan Coe and Mark Mosley. They roast (well, annihilate might be a better term) so many great artists, bands, and even entire genres in an intelligent yet stream of consciousness way. I only listen to the shows about the bands I love. There’s no joy in listening to them trash an artist I know nothing about… but so much joy is listening to them destroy Kiss, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Van Halen, Taylor Swift, and many more! They’re taking a little break at the start of 2023, but their back catalog is fantastic.
People I Mostly Admire – I really do love interview shows, but the bar is high for me to take on a new one. Host Steven Leavitt says he is not a natural interviewer, which gives him a style all his own. I find his interviews more provocative than the canned interviews on other shows.
Manager Tools – I started listening to Manager Tools shortly after they launched in 2005, and regular readers of mine know I credit their guidance for the success I’ve had in my career. Having them in my ear every week make me a better leader, a better employee, and ultimately a better member of society. I’ve been all-in with Manager Tools since the beginning and can’t recommend their podcasts (and conferences) enough!
No Stupid Questions – I’m a sucker for the Freakonomics Radio Network. I love all their shows. Add Co-host, Angela Duckworth to my list of writers I can get wildly fanatic about!
Cocaine & Rhinestones – Season one of Cocaine and Rhinestones, with stories about the history of country music, was incredible. Host and writer, Tyler Mahan Coe (son of David Allen Coe, and co-host of YFBS) goes deep on the subject like no other researcher out there. Season two is, in my opinion, the greatest work of audio storytelling I have ever heard. For the second season, Coe (who was given incredible access to the Country Music Hall of Fame archives) tells a single story: the story of the greatest country music performer of all time, George Jones. As a fan of Jones since I was very young, I was at the edge of my headphones for the entire season. It is beautiful, sad, and at parts, controversial, but thorough and entertaining at the same time.
“I’ve heard these stories my whole life. As far I know, here’s the truth about this one.”
Cocaine and Rhinestones sets the gold standard when it comes to the completeness of show notes for a narrative podcast, which includes his sources and liner notes with a list of featured and mentioned music. Also, if you prefer reading over listening, each episode is also a full written article.
Friends on Fire – I started listening to this show in 2020 when I met Co-host, Maggie Tucker at a virtual conference. As a show about FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) don’t assume it’s all serious and just about giving up your lattés. Maggie, along with Co-host, Mike, are funny and inspiring. After nearly 20 years of listening to podcasts, I think they make one of the greatest one-two host punches of all time (maybe after Chuck and Kreg).
Today in Esoteric Political History – Another show I started listening to since its inception. Given the political climate of the last several years, I love how this show highlights that there have always been whacky times.
Evil Genius Chronicles – This show was recommended to me by the great Steve Holden after a conversation about my frustration with Evernote (more on that soon). He sent me a link to an episode of Evil Genius where host, David Slusher spent nearly an entire episode talking about Obsidian. I fell into that rabbit hole and have been listening to his show ever since. He’s witty, incredibly smart, but also very aware that he’s a guy talking into a microphone (a recognized legend in the industry, who is one of the very first podcasters on this planet!). I love that he starts his show with a song. That was a much more common thing years ago… and I’m here for it! On a recent episode he played “Hard on Equipment (Tool for the Job)” by Corb Lund, a song and an artist with whom I was not familiar, but now I’m listening to a lot of!
The semi-regulars
Dear Hank & John – I only started listening in 2022. I’ve not read John Green’s books, and I knew nothing about his brother, Hank. But I did start listening to The Anthropecene Reviewed before it became a book, and I loved it. Since then, I look forward to the new episodes every Monday. This last week I have been singing, and laughing hysterically when I do, the song, “Five Foot 9” which the two brothers talked about, some might say ad nauseam, in a recent episode.
99% Invisible – “Always Read the Plaque”
The Jordan Harbinger Show – I found Harbinger’s show after I stopped listening to The Armchair Expert (after they moved to be exclusive to Spotify). Jordan is a brilliant interviewer and is very effective at getting guests to explain things that regular people (like me) can understand. I don’t subscribe to the show but listen to a few episodes a month (the interview shows only). He might be the greatest interviewer today.
Criminal – Does it get any better than Phoebe Judge?
This is Love – Yes. It does. With This is Love.
WTF – I love Marc Maron’s style. Even after 1,400 episodes, he still sounds like he’s having fun (most of the time) and he isn’t afraid to ask the “what do you mean by that?” questions, and isn’t afraid to push his guests’ buttons. I don’t listen to every episode. Many of the guests aren’t people that I’m familiar with. Surprisingly, however, some of my favorite episodes are ones where I didn’t know the guest. I really enjoy his brutalness, and his honesty about mental health and his addiction.
The Drive – I have never regretted any of the hours of listening to Peter Attia’s show, even when an episode is over 2 hours! Attia, a medical doctor that is focused on bringing the greatest minds together to uncover the secrets of longevity, is very technical at parts, but also understands that not all his listeners are. I’ve considered signing up as a member, to give him some of my money, because his content is that good.
Invisibilia – I go back and forth on this. When I listen, I love it, but it’s not one that stays in my rotation.
The one-times
Some are great episodes of shows I’ve only heard one episode of, others are short series. All are terrific!
The Apology Line – This show may now require Premium access, which is too bad. It is a fantastic story about a man that set up a phone number decades ago for people to call and offer an apology. Lots of laughs, and lots of tears. Terrific story telling.
Dolly Parton’s America – Dolly Parton is definitely having a moment. Jad Abumrad from Radio Lab did this short series about Dolly. It’s worth listening to more than once.
Smartless (with Brad Paisley) – I like this show but can’t fit it in my current world of podcasts, so I occasionally look to see who’s on this one. This one with Brad Paisley is hilarious and worth a listen!
Business Wars – Going back to his NPR days, I could listen to host, David Brown, read the phonebook (dated reference, I know). This series is always well written and put together. Each series takes several episodes to tell the story of a war, or at least rivalry, between two sides. It’s funny, entertaining, while often teaching me something I didn’t know. Now that Brown is no longer voicing the female parts, it is even better! Some of my favorites are Taco Bell vs. Chipotle, KFC vs. Chick Fil A, Southwest vs. American, Bad Boy vs. Death Row, Hasbro vs. Mattel, Estée Lauder vs. L’Oréal, Denim Wars, and Gibson vs. Fender.
Choiceology – Katy Milkman, like Dr. Laurie Santos, is someone who should started their own podcast years ago. Also, add them to the list of people I’d love to have a coffee with.
Insight – The one-hour late morning news magazine from our local NPR station, Capital Public Radio, in Sacramento. I don’t listen every day but when I want more than a headline on Nor Cal news, this is often where I start.
Guilty
I have a love/hate relationship with the true crime genre. In 2022, I swung mostly all the other way to the icky feeling when I listen to them. But I did listen to a couple:
Your Own Backyard – The story of the disappearance of Kristin Smart, a young woman who lived in my hometown, went to high school less than 2 miles from where I live, and went missing in her freshman year of college. Host Chris Lambert started this show because he wanted people to remember this case. It’s clear now, after Paul Flores was convicted in her murder, that this show was the reason.
What Happened to Sandy Beal – A well reported and produced story. A very sad story. And maybe the reason I’ve stopped listening to the genre (for now).
Customer Experience, Customer Service, Contact Centers
For those of you that aren’t in the CX, #CustServ or Contact Center industries, you may be surprised that there are podcasts all about this. There are hundreds of them, at least! I’ve been a guest on many of these shows. That’s not why I recommend them. Go ahead and skip the episodes I’m on, the rest are gold! I listen to many, and I’m always popping around to different ones, but here are my favorites in the biz in 2022:
The Experience Matters Podcast
Multiply You – Although not a CX podcast specifically, host Austin Clark interviews business leaders in many industries and disciplines. Although many are in the home services space (Austin is a leader in the pest control industry) the conversations and lessons are fantastic!
One of the things I love about these shows is that I’ve been able to make new connections all over the world after reaching out to many of the guests on these shows.
I’ve got friends… in pod places
Friends on podcasts are sort of like friends in bands. If I know you and you’re a guest on a podcast, especially if it’s on a topic I know nothing about, I will absolutely listen to it! Just like the industry I’m in, every industry has at least a handful of podcasts and I really enjoy learning new things about industries I know nothing about.
Here are some of my favorites this year. No matter what your interests are, or what type of work you do, there are some awesome nuggets of information in here.
Resilient roads, heated bridges, and the problem with autonomous cars – Bill Vavrik is as smart as he is funny, and as caring as he is a joy to be around. Bill has a real gift of explaining where the roads of the world are heading, literally and figuratively.
A Packaging CEO Discusses Leading During a Pandemic – Eldon Schaffer is one of the sharpest and kindest CEOs I know. His deliberate style of leadership comes through in this episode. Plus, who wouldn’t want to hear from the man that led the team responsible for putting sour cream in a stand-up squeeze container!
Decarbonizing with Hydrogen – Angel Wileman leads the thermo-fluids team at the Southwest Research Institute where she and her team work on the some of the world’s toughest problems. She is a leading voice in STEM and research and is the best example of a “dauntless nerd” that I know. She is also an incredible woman with a heart of gold. For anyone that thinks engineers are boring and robotic, this is great listen.
Watch: Berry Global and Logility: A Case Study – David Walsh, a supply chain executive for a company most consumers might not have ever heard of but whose products they certainly have used, gave a talk recently to SupplyBrainChain. Although it was not included as a podcast (one that I have recently started listening to), and was specifically about technology that he and his company deployed, it is a great short listen on the vital role that technology plays in a large and complex operation like Berry Global.
Managing Wealth and Staying True to Oneself – There are far too many of my CX, #CustServ and contact center friends to mention, especially since I seem to have at least one in my ears every single day. But I’ll call out one. Christine LaFrance O’Byrne is a fellow member of the CX gang that has taken Twitter by storm over the last several years. I really like this episode with her. She’s a fantastic leader in this space!
Tourism Heads and Their Tales – First, this podcast has such a great name! Wes Rhea, CEO of Visit Stockton, who I mentioned above, is a force in the tourism world. This is a great episode of a tourism management podcast with him. On my podcast years ago, Wes was a regular guest and contributor because he is such a great storyteller. Hear what it’s like to lead tourism in our city.
What are you listening to?
I’d love to add a few more to my rotation. Add your favorites to the comments!
(image source: Dall-E-2, 1/14/23, digital art of the back of an adult american dad walking while listening to a podcast)