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🎧 Curated Collection
Best Podcasts for Beginners
Never listened to a podcast before? Start here — the most loved, most accessible shows to ease you into one of the world's best free habits.
Want something more personal? Take the quiz and we'll match you to the perfect show.
30 best podcasts for beginners podcasts — the big names
Good Hang with Amy Poehler
The Ringer
Last Podcast On The Left
The Last Podcast Network
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Comedy Central
Lore
Aaron Mahnke
99% Invisible
Roman Mars
Ologies with Alie Ward
Alie Ward
Myths and Legends
Jason Weiser, Carissa Weiser, Nextpod
The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos
Pushkin Industries
Heavyweight
Pushkin Industries
LeVar Burton Reads
LeVar Burton and Stitcher
TED Talks Daily
TED
Hello From The Magic Tavern
Arnie Niekamp
The Black Tapes
Pacific Northwest Stories
The NoSleep Podcast
Creative Reason Media Inc.
The Skinny Confidential Him And Her Show
Lauryn Bosstick and Michael Bosstick / Dear Media
Duncan Trussell Family Hour
Duncan Trussell Family Hour
Beautiful Stories From Anonymous People
Chris Gethard
Astonishing Legends
Astonishing Legends Productions
Haunted Places
Parcast Network
Candace
Candace Owens
Homecoming
Gimlet
The Girls Bathroom
Sophia & Cinzia
The Peter Schiff Show Podcast
Peter Schiff
The 85 South Show with Karlous Miller, DC Young Fly and Chico Bean
The Black Effect and iHeartPodcasts
Deep Water | Tortoise Investigates
The Observer
The Journal.
The Wall Street Journal & Spotify Studios
Tales
Parcast Network
Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce
Wave
The Daily Beans
MSW Media
Elis James and John Robins
BBC Radio 5 Live
How we curate best podcasts for beginners
Every podcast on WhichPodcast is ranked using Listen Score — a global popularity metric based on listener data, episode frequency, and audience engagement across Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. The shows above are drawn from the genres most relevant to this collection and sorted by their global listener ranking, so the top results reflect what millions of real listeners are choosing right now.
Want a more personalised recommendation? Our podcast discovery quiz matches you to the right show based on your mood, your time, and whether you want a household name or a hidden gem.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best podcast for someone who has never listened before?
The best first podcast is one that matches something you already enjoy — if you like crime dramas, start with a true crime podcast; if you enjoy learning, pick an educational show; if you want to laugh, comedy podcasts are hard to beat. The most popular shows above are popular for a reason: they're accessible, well-produced, and easy to get into.
How do I start listening to podcasts?
Download Spotify or Apple Podcasts (both free) and search for a show from this list. Hit play. That's it. Both apps remember where you stopped and will suggest new episodes automatically. Most people find they go from one podcast to ten within a few weeks.