After last year’s lineup of amazing podcasts, we thought the medium couldn’t get any better. How wrong we were. The best podcasts of 2024 are in a class of their own.
From comedic conversations like Ride with Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone or need-to-know news updates from sources like The Daily, the world of podcasts has never been more innovative, entertaining, or exciting. As we look back on the past year, the best podcasts of 2024—both new on the scene and classic favorites—have exceeded every expectation and given us a deep well of binge-worthy episodes full of diverse voices and groundbreaking storytelling. Plus, there’s truly something for everyone. Looking for a true crime mystery? Sistas Who Kill will keep you in suspense. Need a self-care check-in? Try Kamie Crawford on Relationsh*t.
What’s special about this year, in particular, is that podcasts have been trying new formats to advance the format and user experience. For example, Spotify started video podcasts for Call Her Daddy and Higher Learning with Van Laathan and Rachel Lindsay, allowing users to switch between audio or watching the episode directly in the app.
Below, you’ll find several recommendations for what to listen to before the year ends. Here are Glamour‘s picks for the best podcasts of 2024. After you’ve listened, maybe you’ll be like me and be inspired start one of your own.
The Good Whale
I’m not yet at a place in my life to become a New York Times subscriber (one can dream), so I haven’t been able to finish the series just yet. But so far, this podcast has been a welcome breath of fresh, sea-soaked air from Serial Productions. While other Serial endeavors have followed crime and political intrigue, this six-part series documents the true saga of Keiko, the captive orca most famous for his eponymous role in Free Willy, and the resulting efforts to free him IRL. Speaking to everyone from Keiko’s trainers in his tiny tank in Mexico to the scientists who tried to rehabilitate him to his native Icelandic waters, it’s an engaging story that will make you really consider the role of humans in animals’ lives. There’s also a musical episode, which for me is a podcast first. —Anastasia Sanger, senior manager, creative development
Baby, This Is Keke Palmer
With celebrity podcasts, you never know if it’ll be worth the listen or not. Unsurprisingly, Keke Palmer stands out from the rest. From the title to the format to the guests, the podcast feels like Keke through and through. One of my favorite episodes is “Don Lemon’s Search for God in America,” an interview with former CNN anchor Don Lemon on his recent book, I Once Was Lost: My Search for God in America. Keke was able to explore a side of Don that viewers who grew up watching him never got to see—the Don who rediscovered God as a gay man after a controversial firing from a prestigious network. Only Keke could ask the questions that we all want to know and get genuine answers that we believe. —Monique Wilson, editorial assistant
Otherworld
This came recommended by actor and comedian Casey Wilson on one of my other favorite podcasts, Bitch Sesh, and I’ll be forever grateful to her. Where other supernatural podcasts and media can feel too tin-hat conspiratorial and, frankly, weird, Otherworld takes a journalistic and curious approach to exploring the unknown. Host Jack Wagner lets people tell their personal stories of the paranormal—or, at least, unexplainable—events that have happened to them with no judgment, then does his due diligence to fact check as much as possible. Once you become an avid listener, and I have no doubt you will, you’ll start to see common threads and themes among the spectacular stories. It’s changed my perspective on, well, basically everything. —Anna Moeslein, deputy editor
Ride with Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone
Listening to Ride is like inducting yourself into the most loving, nontoxic cult. Each episode comedians and Professional Best Friends Mary Beth Barone and Benito Skinner “ride” for something they can’t live without—highlights include RSVPing no, chairs, things that age well, honest conversations, and otters. Each episode is a giddy love fest spoken in niche and chronically-online gibberish, so prepare to expand your mind and your vocabulary. —Channing Smith, junior designer
The Viall Files
I found this podcast last year, which made Glamour’s best podcasts of 2023. I continued listening in 2024, specifically for the exclusive Love Is Blind interviews with A.D. and Ashley, both of whom had tumultuous relationships on screen and faced a lot of criticism from viewers. Maybe it’s because Nick Viall is a former Bachelor and has experienced his fair share of public scrutiny, but he does an excellent job relating to the reality stars in a way that other interviewers can’t. I would be remiss to not mention the #AskNick episodes, in which callers ask him questions about love, friendships, and much more. While I don’t always agree with his takes, it’s fascinating to hear other people’s problems and his efforts to give them realistic (but sometimes tough) advice. —M.W.
Cocktails and Takeaways
Cocktails and Takeaways is a new podcast that I found this year on TikTok (duh). Every time I scroll through my FYP, I see cutdowns of Madame Joyce talking to everyone from your favorite Love Island-er to the one of biggest Afrobeats stars, Wizkid. Her lighthearted banter and oversharing make you feel like you’re listening to your best friend through your phone. —M.W.
Deux U
Whenever I’m in the mood for something low-stakes (and a little brain-numbing,) I’ll turn on the Deux U podcast. I know what to expect when listening to Deuxmoi’s anonymous gossip-monger rattle off the week’s biggest topics: drama on a film set, two celebrities hooking up, the latest restaurant hotspots, updates on her mainstay characters (Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and Timothée Chalamet, to name a few.) It’s especially great background noise for mundane tasks like cleaning your room and folding laundry. —Ariana Yaptangco, senior beauty editor
Bachelor Party
As someone who obsessively watches reality dating television shows, Juliet and Callie on Bachelor Party give me my weekly dose of breakdowns, gossip, and so much more. They cover all shows from The Bachelor / The Bachelorette to The Ultimatum to Love Island Australia. Listening to the pair go back and forth reminds me of conversations I love to have with my friends about who we like or dislike and all of our predictions. Highly recommend if you want a show that is hyperfocused on reality dating shows! —M.W.
Huberman Lab
I’m a huge fan of health and fitness podcasts, and the Huberman Lab podcast is a key part of my nighttime routine. Hosted by Dr. Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist at Stanford, this podcast is a treasure trove of science-backed advice on everything from physical fitness to brain health. What I love most is that Dr. Huberman always digs into the why behind every piece of advice, providing solid research that allows listeners to make informed decisions about their health. What sets The Huberman Lab apart is how it encourages listeners to think critically and take control of their own wellness. If you’re looking to optimize your health in a sustainable, evidence-based way, this podcast should be at the top of your list. —Loneeja Talukdar, senior analyst, Glamour Americas
The Daily
Luckily, my morning commute to the office is almost exactly one Daily episode long; I love the ritual of taking the elevator up to my desk as Michael and Sabrina are telling me, “What else do I need to know today.” Starting my day with some of the best journalists and storytellers in the biz has helped me get a better understanding of the news and the world at large, especially leading up to the election. From deep dives into tariffs to interviews with Gazan refugees, The Daily has been the essential news source for this girl on the go. –A.S.
Decisions, Decisions (formerly WHOREible Decisions)
Decisions, Decisions (formerly WHOREible Decisions) is another recurring favorite from last year. Mandii and Weezy have the conversations we all have in private on a public platform. Their vulnerability to talk about personal experiences, from Mandii rediscovering singleness and dating in her 30s, and Weezy exploring threesomes with her committed partner in a healthy way. In November, they renamed their podcast to Decisions, Decisions to focus on a wider variety of topics and added a weekly episode dedicated to answering listener questions while continuing to interview celebrities like Jauquees. I’m intrigued to see what 2025 looks like for Decisions, Decisions. —M.W.
Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay
Out of the two, I was more familiar with Rachel Lindsay as she was the first Black Bachelorette in the franchise’s history. But Van and Rachel have a good banter, similar to a brother-sister relationship. With Rachel’s background in law, and Van’s expertise in pop culture, the pair discuss everything from the 2024 U.S. presidential election to the Diddy sexual assault allegations to Luigi Mangione’s upcoming criminal trial. –M.W.
Call Her Daddy
If you’re not listening to Call Her Daddy, you’re missing one of the most candid and hilarious podcasts out there. Hosted by Alex Cooper, the show tackles everything from relationships and sex to personal growth with no filter. Think of it like your bestie giving you the unfiltered truth, mixed with a ton of laughs. Whether she’s giving advice on how to deal with messy situations or diving into pop culture moments, Alex keeps it real and relatable. Call Her Daddy isn’t my go-to podcast, but whenever I’m in the mood I definitely tune in. –L.T.
Relationsh*t with Kamie Crawford
As a self-proclaimed “virtual BFF,” Kamie Crawford talks about everything from wedding planning to friendship dynamics to workplace troubles. I love that she can talk about anything in an informed and relatable way. One of the podcast episodes that I talk about all of the time and shared with all my friends is, “What You Need to Hear About Birth Control with Dr. Jolene Brighten.” In it, she shares her personal experience with being on birth control for the majority of her life and taking herself off of it in preparation to have children. However, when she started the process, she realized she didn’t know how her body felt without birth control. I appreciated how vulnerable she was about the scariness of that. These are the kind of conversations that need to happen more—because most women can relate, or at least become more informed about reproductive and hormonal health. –M.W.
Sistas Who Kill
I can’t explain it, but I love true crime podcasts. Put Black women at the focus of these stories, and I’m especially locked in. That’s exactly what MaRah and Taz, two childhood best friends, do every Friday. Each week, they delve into a different case with a Black “murderess,” ranging from recent crimes that are still on trial to historical cases across the world. Following the main segment, they will go into “I Didn’t Do It, But If I Did” where they’ll discuss how they would’ve gotten away with the murder. Their playful banter, combined with their commitment to expose tragedies in the Black community, keeps me informed and entertained. —M.W.
