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This is Part 2 of my best podcasts of 2019. Be sure to also check out Part 1.
I've waited until the very last day of the year to declare the rest of the best podcasts of 2019.
That's because, in the world of podcasts, new shows are launching all the time. Even at the end of the calendar year, during the very busy holiday season.
I've spoken to podcast hosts and producers who admit that they often are editing audio the day before an episode is scheduled to be published. Research and last-minute interviews put them in "crunch mode".
Other shows end up launching in the latter part of the year because that's just what is best for the hosts' schedules.
So, to make sure every podcast is considered, regardless of launch date, there's this second part to the Best of 2019 list.
I've written these Best Podcasts of 2019 posts over the course of several weeks, tinkering to make sure that I'm not missing anything. And it paid off: one of the shows featured in this list is very new, and bumped another show from the list altogether.
I'm glad I started early, because I discovered that, when you pick the best of the best, finding the right words to describe how good these shows are is tough.
It's important to me that I do the shows justice. Both because I want to convey to you just how amazing these podcasts are, and because I want the hosts to feel like I'm representing their work well.
So, as you read this list of the year's best podcasts, please know that these shows weren't selected lightly, and that I mean every word I use to describe them.
More of the Best Podcasts of 2019
Last Day
Here's a podcast that should win the "Bravest Host/Producer" badge, and the award for "Wow, you can actually make a funny, entertaining podcast about death and the opioid epidemic."
In Last Day, host Stephanie Wittles Wachs digs into the opioid epidemic, the misconceptions about opioid dependence, and what's being done to change the script.
The topic is extremely personal to Wittles Wachs and the show's producer, Jessica Cordova Kramer: they both lost their brothers to overdoses.
Season 1 features deep discussions about Jessica's brother, Stefano; his life, struggle with addiction, death, and the aftermath. It's also an exploration of science, healthcare, misconceptions, and humanity.
Somehow, Stephanie finds a way to be witty, self-deprecating, and completely endearing in her telling of all of it. There are times during episodes when I find myself laughing out loud, and also times when I want to give her a hug.
I implore you forget everything you think you know about drug use, and to go listen to this podcast—from episode 1, in order (like Stephanie says to do).
Have You Heard George's Podcast?
I feel like I'm jumping on the bandwagon with this one, because it's already won a ton of podcast awards this year. But it's true: Have you Heard George's Podcast? is absolutely one of the year's best shows.
George the Poet is a spoken-word performer from the UK. He mixes music with poetic storytelling, and it'll knock your socks off.
But it's not just the unique format of this podcast that makes it special; it's the social commentary and deep thought behind each and every verse that George presents.
There's a message in every episode. Heck, there's a message in every minute of every episode. George uses real-life events, people, and music to bring you into his world, and then weaves in analogies and metaphors to really open your eyes.
This podcast has given me goosebumps, made my heart race, and at times, had my mind going, "WOW WOW WOW!".
The answer to the question, "Have you heard George's podcast?" is: "Yes, and it's unlike anything else."
If you listen to podcasts at a faster speed, I recommend slowing down to 1.0x or 1.1x to listen to this podcast. You won't want to miss a thing.
Listen to Have You Heard George's Podcast
The Dropout
The Dropout tells the story of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder and former CEO of Theranos, who claimed that she and her company had revolutionized the medical field.
Before listening to this podcast, I only had some vague knowledge about this scandal. A friend of mine was fascinated by the story, but I honestly thought she was exaggerating and over-hyping it.
Then I listened to episode 1 of The Dropout, and it hooked me immediately.
While much has been written about Elizabeth Holmes and the fall of Theranos, this podcast brings the story to life through speeches and interviews.
Hearing Holmes, in her own words, and her own voice (which is a whole twist to the story in and of itself), makes the events so much more interesting.
And don't forget about all the very wealthy, influential people who believed in Holmes, for no good reason. You have to hear it to believe it.
Raise the Dead
This is one of the shows that was a last-minute addition to the list. It's just four episodes in, but is full of surprises that excite me every time I listen.
Raise the Dead host Justin Robert Young takes a deep dive into the 1960 U.S. presidential election between Nixon and Kennedy, and he has a blast doing it.
Young sets out to challenges the idea that the now infamous 2016 presidential election was like no election we've ever seen before. He does so by retracing the events leading up to the 1960 election, and pointing out the similarities between the two contests.
I wasn’t sure about this podcast when I listened to episode 1; the narration is not my usual style. It's like a cross between a sporting event and an aggressive program you hear on conservative talk radio (episode 4 is actually styled to sound like a wrestling match, which is SO not my thing).
But at the end of episode 1, the host actually addresses his unique style, apologizing to listeners who have never heard him before and might be caught off guard. This totally warmed me to him, and I immediately downloaded episode 2.
The truth is, even while I was undecided about the presentation, I was hooked on the content. I've never talked (or thought) about Eleanor Roosevelt so much as I did after listening to the first couple of episodes.
This podcast has taught me things that no history class ever did, and I'm genuinely excited each week for more behind-the-scenes details from the 1960 race.
If you're a high school history teacher, or college professor, I highly recommend checking out Raise the Dead as a teaching tool for your students. There is some language, but it's mostly direct quotes from famous powerful men, so don't blame the host.
Tell Them, I Am
I wish I had been in the room when Tell Them, I Am host, Misha Euceph, suggested her idea for the podcast. I imagine that moment, with her pitch being met with lots of pointing and everyone saying, "Yes, that! Do it".
Each episode of Tell Them, I Am is about 15 minutes and focuses on just one person, and a moment that defines them. That person is also Muslim.
If you don't personally know or have experience with someone who is Muslim, this podcast might shock you: because their stories sound just like yours and mine.
And that's the point. Euceph explains this in episode 1, which you really need to listen to.
Although you could listen to other episodes out of order/as standalone stories, I enjoyed listening in order, and getting to know Euceph along the way.
In addition to keeping the stories light and presenting a wide variety of Muslim voices, Tell Them, I Am brilliantly released one episode every weekday during Ramadan. If that's not unique and noteworthy, I don't know what is.
The Truth About True Crime with Amanda Knox, Season 3
Season 3 of The Truth About True Crime is titled, Killing for Love, and it was the first time in this podcast series that host Amanda Knox really drew on her own experiences to bring the story together.
Season 3 is about a 1985 murder in the state of Virginia and the young couple that was convicted of the crime. In the more than 30 years since then, stories have changed and evidence has been reexamined, but the couple is still imprisoned.
Knox finds similarities between this case and the one that made her a household name. She speaks in detail about the feelings and challenges she had to overcome in the years that she spent accused and convicted of murder in Italy.
The telephone conversations between Knox and one of the convicted persons in the case, Jens Soering, reminded me of calls between Sarah Koenig and Adnan Syed in Season 1 of Serial. The difference is that both Knox and Soering have experienced what it is like to be convicted of murder, and there's something powerful about that.
Listen to The Truth About True Crime
One Great Book
Sometimes, it's the simplest things make the most sense and bring the most joy. Such is the case with the One Great Book podcast.
Host Anne Bogel, from the popular What Should I Read Next? podcast, creates short episodes (10-minutes-or-less) in which she introduces listeners to just one book. She provides enough detail to peak your interest, but doesn't give away the entire plot.
Bringing the same enthusiasm to this short-form podcast as she does with WSIRN?, Bogel gives readers an "if you like X Book, then you'll love this one!" type recommendation.
Even when she's describing a sad book, Anne Bogel can make it seem like the most joyful thing you'll hear that day.
One of my goals for the Best Podcasts of 2019 list was to find shows that take a unique concept and execute it well. One Great Book does just that. By going against the grain and creating short, hyper-focused episodes, Bogel is serving her book-loving audience in the best possible way.
That's a Wrap!
I hope you found something great to listen to in this list of the best podcasts of 2019. Don't forget to check out part 1 of this list, which features 7 more amazing podcasts from the year.
You can also check out the list from 2018 and the one from 2017.
Your Turn to Recommend
Which podcasts do you think were the best of 2019? Leave a comment (and a link) below. And don't forget to save this list for later by pinning the image below to Pinterest!
