I’ve recently gotten into the habit of listening to podcasts in the morning. I don’t know what it is about random voices of strangers, sharing stories or telling me new things, that comforts but integrating podcasts into my morning routine has really shaped my work week and helped me begin my day on a productive note.

Whether it’s listening to stories about fated encounters or learning new business tricks, here are podcast suggestions for every mood. 

 

Get your next big idea with…

Drive: Stories of Entrepreneurship

If you’ve ever wondered, “What is the secret of successful entrepreneurs?” This is the podcast for you. The same question is the focus of “Drive: Stories of Entrepreneurship”, the new, seven-part podcast produced by Business of Fashion – a leading digital magazine for fashion-industry expertise and resources. Drive provides fascinating insights into the fashion business through the eyes of seven successful fashion entrepreneurs. This is a great way to spark up your creativity and learn major take-aways from successful fashion entrepreneurs. 

 

Decode and analyze pop culture with…

Decoder Ring

Who doesn’t want to learn more about random pop culture phenomena? I mean, being a good conversationalist is still important and everyone loves the random fact every once in a while. Have you ever wondered about the origins of hit song “Baby Shark,” or why we do gender reveal parties? Decoder Ring dives deep to answer the questions you didn’t even think to ask. 

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Stock pile fun dinner party facts with…

Ologies with Alie Ward

Now’s the best time (if there was any) to nurture your curiosities about literally anything from astrology to scatology (the study of poop—yes you heard that right). Ology, which means a branch of knowledge, applies to everything. Host Alie Ward interviews an expert in any given field in every episode and asks every possible question you may have about any given topic.

This is the perfect pod for you if you’re the kind of person who wants to know everything. This is perfect for when you want some background noise while cleaning your room.

 

Laugh (and cry) with…

The Moth

Moth stories are true, and are often told live by the storytellers. We’ve all heard about them and have maybe tried to scout tickets (that are always sold out!) to the live events. Well, you don’t have to worry about that anymore because The Moth Radio Hour and the Moth Podcast have got you covered. You can dip into their library of stories going back to 1997—this is a nice change from your nightly scheduled binge-watching activities.

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For pointers on landing a post-quarantine bae…

Modern Love

This podcast is based off of the popular New York Times column. Each story is read by notable personalities and sometimes includes updates from the essayists themselves. You will fall in love from the first listen – romantics, take note!

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Catch up on sports with…

The Bill Simmons Podcast

It’s the most downloaded sports podcast for a reason. The sports analyist invites a fascinating a rotation of professional athletes, experts, and more on the show.

 

Learn more about the creative process with…

“Song Exploder”

This behind-the-scenes music pod as a simple structure: one artist is interviewed about one song. They walk the listener through the inspiration, writing, and recording process. It’s thrilling to hear indie darlings and superstars alike invite us into their brain with early demos and outtakes. You don’t have to be a musician to enjoy this gem.

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Participate in a murder investigation with…

“Serial”

Arguably the mother of modern podcasts, “Serial” was one of the first viral shows. Delving into the 1999 murder of teen Hae Min Lee, the show re-examines the controversial case – complete with interviews with friends, family members, and the alleged murderer himself, ex-boyfriend Adnan Sayed. This immersive experience does more than reopen a cold case, it reveals uncomfortable truths about the American justice. It won a Peabody award and has tallied over 340 million downloads.

 

Stay informed with… 

“The Daily”

If you’re not going the escapist route and are looking for information, you can’t do much better than this wildly popular offering by the New York Times. Short, digestible, and surprisingly comprehensive, this podcast does a great job packaging news in under 30 minutes.