iHeart Podcast Awards 2021

Conan O'brien, Sebastian Maniscalco's comedy and other smaller actors and celebrities were some of the stand out podcast standouts from last year and this year I have to say I barely recognize any of this years nominations. Bill Burrs podcast didn't even get nominated these past two years...I did recognize The Breakfast Club from just rides to work on the radio. Iheart Media just put out their list of nominations for 2021's awards. 

I hate to say this but I'll be honest, I was hoping some of the Tik Tok podcast and more of the Barstool Sports podcasts would be nominated this year. Also a million of hilarious standup comedians have out podcasts as well. 

They just barely put in Pardon My Take this year but what about Call Her Daddy? I thought it would have been obvious if they left out those two powerhouse names. Even Alex Cooper's Rival Sophia with an F did not have a nomination. (Call Her Daddy was nominated also for last year and not this year even thought it had one of the most notable podcast news and drama of the year?)

They substituted those random Bachelor podcasts for more A list actor and more hollywood shows. Also controversial Logan Paul's show Impaulsive did not receive a nod in these awards and it regularly pulls in hundreds of thousands of views on Youtube. Other youtubers  such as Emma Chamberlin, H3H3, and The View, turned podcaster barely were recognized this year.

 Tt seemed the nomination were more hollywood with famed actors and actresses hosting and less contemporary and shockjock nominations. Noticeably missing was Joe Rogan's podcast that had the exclusive Spotify deal and Howard Stern who got the as infamous and lucrative SiriusXM deal. Conan's podcast once again nominated and popular Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert was nominated as well. That being said, this year just proves how much podcasting has boomed and has evolved over time. They made podcasts mainstream and the nominated reflected this. 

Podcast of the Year (Fan-Voted Category)

• “Bunga Bunga” (Wondery)
• “Dolly Parton’s America” (WNYC Studios/OSM Audio)
• “Nice White Parents” (Serial/The New York Times)
• “Office Ladies” (Earwolf /Jenna Fischer/Angela Kinsey)
• “Reply All” (Gimlet)
• “Stuff You Should Know” (iHeartRadio)
• “The Breakfast Club” (iHeartRadio)
• “The Daily” (The New York Times)
• “The Happiness Lab With Dr. Laurie Santos” (Pushkin Industries)
• “Wind of Change” (Crooked/Pineapple Street Media/Spotify)

Business & Finance Podcast

• “Business Wars” (Wondery)
• “Earn Your Leisure” (Independent)
• “Freakonomics” (Freakonomics Radio & Stitcher)
• “How I Built This” (NPR)
• “Pivot” (New York Magazine)

Comedy Podcast

• “Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend” (Team Coco/Earwolf)
• “Office Ladies” (Earwolf/Jenna Fischer/Angela Kinsey)
• “The Read” (Loud Speakers Network)
• “Smartless” (Independent)
• “Fake Doctors, Real Friends” (iHeartRadio)

Crime Podcast

• “Crime Junkie” (AudioChuck)
• “Criminal” (PRX/Radiotopia)
• “Deep Cover: The Drug Wars” (Pushkin Industries)
• “Forgotten: Women of Juarez” (iHeartRadio)
• “My Favorite Murder” (Exactly Right)

Pop Culture Podcast

• “Bitch Sesh” (Earwolf/Casey Wilson/Danielle Schneider)
• “Las Culturistas” (Big Money Players/iHeartRadio)
• “Pop Culture Happy Hour” (NPR)
• “Still Processing” (The New York Times)
• “The Read” (Loud Speakers Network)

Food Podcast

• “Burnt Toast” (Food52)
• “Gastropod” (Independent)
• “Home Cooking” (Samin Nosrat/Hrishikesh Hirway)
• “Spilled Milk” (Molly Wizenberg & Matthew Amster-Burton)
• “The Sporkful” (Dan Pashman/Stitcher)

Wellness & Fitness Podcast

• “Happier with Gretchen Rubin” (Gretchen Rubin/The Onward Project)
• “On Purpose with Jay Shetty” (Jay Shetty & Kast Media)
• “Sleep with Me” (Dearest Scooter & Night Vale Presents)
• “Ten Percent Happier” (ABC News)
• “Therapy For Black Girls” (Joy Harden Bradford/iHeartRadio)

 History Podcast

• “Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History” (Dan Carlin)
• “Noble Blood” (iHeartRadio)
• “Revisionist History” (Pushkin Industries)
• “Slow Burn” (Slate)
• “Throughline” (NPR)

Kids & Family Podcast

• “But Why: A Podcast For Kids” (Vermont Public Radio)
• “Hank The Cowdog” (Qcode & HTC Productions)
• “Smash Boom Best” (APM)
• “Story Pirates” (Gimlet)
• “Wow In The World” (NPR)

Music Podcast

• “Bobbycast” (The Nashville Podcast Network)
• “Broken Record” (Pushkin Industries)
• “Disgraceland” (Jake Brennan)
• “Dolly Parton’s America” (WNYC & OSM Audio)
• “Song Exploder” (Hrishikesh Hirway)

News Podcast

• “Pod Save America” (Crooked Media)
• “The Daily” (The New York Times)
• “The Journal.” (The Wall Street Journal/Gimlet)
• “Today, Explained” (Vox)
• “Up First” (NPR)

Fiction Podcast

• “Blood Ties” (Wondery)
• “Borrasca” (QCode)
• “Dirty Diana” (QCode)
• “The Left Right Game” (QCode)
• “Welcome To Night Vale” (Night Vale Presents)

Sports Podcast

• “All The Smoke” (The Black Effect)
• “Fantasy Footballers” (Fantasy Football)
• “Pardon My Take” (Barstool Sports)
• “The Bill Simmons Podcast” (The Ringer/Bill Simmons)
• “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” (iHeartRadio)

Science Podcast

• “Hidden Brain” (NPR)
• “Invisibilia” (NPR)
• “Radiolab” (WNYC Studios)
• “Science Vs.” (Gimlet)
• “Stuff To Blow Your Mind” (iHeartRadio)

Technology Podcast

• “Rabbit Hole” (The New York Times)
• “Recode by Vox” (Recode)
• “Reply All” (Gimlet)
• “TED Radio Hour” (NPR)
• “Waveform” (Studio71)

Ad Read 

• “Comedy Bang Bang” (Earwolf / Scott Aukerman)
• “Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend” (Team Coco/Earwolf)
• “Hollywood Handbook” (Earwolf)
• “Office Ladies” (Earwolf / Stitcher)
• “Revisionist History” (Pushkin Industries)

Overall Host – Male

• Conan O’Brien (Team Coco/Earwolf)
• Dax Shepard (Armchair Umbrella)
• Jonathan Van Ness (Earwolf/Stitcher)
• Michael Barbaro (The New York Times)
• Questlove (iHeartRadio)

Overall Host – Female

• Ashley Flowers (Parcast)
• Brené Brown (Parcast)
• Michelle Obama (Higher Ground/Spotify)
• Nicole Byer (Headgum)
• Nora McInerny (APM)

Political Podcast

• “FiveThirtyEight Politics” (FiveThirtyEight/538/ABC News, Nate Silver)
• “NPR Politics” (NPR)
• “Pod Save America” (Crooked Media)
• “Political Gabfest” (Slate)
• “Stay Tuned with Preet” (Cafe)

TV & Film Podcast

• “Fake Doctors, Real Friends” (iHeartRadio)
• “How Did This Get Made?” (Earwolf/Paul Scheer/June Diane Raphael/Jason Mantzoukas/Stitcher)
• “Office Ladies” (Earwolf/Jenna Fischer/Angela Kinsey)
• “Rewatchables” (The Ringer/Bill Simmons)
• “You Must Remember This” (Karina Longworth)

Spanish Language Podcast 

• “Duolingo Spanish Podcast” (Duolingo)
• “La Nota Roja” (Imperative Entertainment/Blue Guitar)
• “Leyendas Legendarias” (Sonoro/All Things Comedy
• “Radio Ambulante” (NPR)
• “Spanish Aqui Presents” (Earwolf /Spanish Aqui Presents)

Advice/Inspirational Podcast

• “Dear Prudence” (Slate)
• “Dear Sugars” (WBUR/The New York Times)
• “Terrible, Thanks For Asking” (APM)
• “Unlocking Us with Brene Brown” (Parcast)
• “Where Should We Begin with Esther Perel” (Esther Perel Global Media/Gimlet)

Beauty & Fashion Podcast

• “Articles of Interest” (Avery Trufelman/99% Invisible)
• “Beauty Needs Me” (Independent)
• “Blamo!” (Independent)
• “Dressed: The History of Fashion” (iHeartRadio)
• “Forever 35” (Independent)

Travel Podcast

• “Escape” (WEBVID)
• “Extra Pack of Peanuts” (Independent)
• “JUMP with Traveling Jackie” (Independent)
• “Let’s Go Together” (Travel & Leisure)
• “Travel with Rick Steves” (Rick Steeves)

Spirituality & Religion Podcast

• “Calm It Down” (Independent)
• “Doing Great with Vicky Vox” (Earwolf & Vicky Vox)
• “Elevation with Steven Furtick” (Independent)
• “On Being with Krista Tippett” (Independent)
• “Whoa That’s Good Podcast” (Independent)

 Green Podcast

• “America Adapts” (Independent)
• “Broken Ground” (Southern Environmental Law Center)
• “Citizens’ Climate Lobby” (Citizens’ Climate Lobby)
• “Costing The Earth” (BBC Radio 4)
• “How To Save A Planet” (Gimlet)

Branded Podcast

• “Bring Back Bronco” (Ford)
• “Hackable?” (McAfee)
• “Humans Growing Stuff” (ScottsMiracle-Gro)
• “Inside Trader Joe’s” (Trader Joe’s)
• “The Only Way Is Through” (Under Armour)

Top 20 Christmas Songs

 

1. All I want for Christmas is You: Mariah Carey

2. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas: Bing Crosby

3. Merry Christmas: NSYNC

4. Last Christmas: WHAM!

5. The Christmas Song: Nat King Cole

6. Sleigh Ride: The Ronettes

7. Jingle bell rock : Daryl Hall and Bobby Helmes one too 

8. Santa Claus is Coming to Town: The Jackson 5

9. Step into Christmas: Elton John

10. Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow: Dean Martin

11. Do They Know it's Christmas?: Band Aid

12. Mistletoe: Justin Bieber

13. Feliz Navidad: Jose Feliciano

14. Holly Jolly Christmas: Burl Ives

15. Here Comes Santa Claus: Gene Autry

16. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home): Darlene Love

17. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree: Brenda Lee

18. Its the Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Andy Williams

19. Carol of the Bells, Christmas Canon, Christmas Eve: Sarajevo: Trans Siberian Orchestra 

20. Santa Baby: Eartha Kitt, Wonderful Christmas Time: Paul McCartney and others...oh! the christmas shoes song too even though it's sad..

****There are many many many more necessary songs that should be on this list too but the list would be a million songs haha. 

*****I was going to make a list of the best christmas and holiday movies but I only maybe have three, Elf the Santa Claus Series, and Home Alone. I love the hall mark stories but I have to say I don't think I've ever seen a single one of those movies. And I think The Grinch used to scare me as a kid...

8 Holiday Must Haves (Maybe in 2020 too?)

1. Setting up the Christmas Tree and House lights

Not that we haven't been spending enough time in the house but this all definitely gets things in the holiday spirit. Set up the tree make a hot coco and light the fire place and watch Elf. A few minutes away from me, they are doing a drive-in movies and it's different holiday movies every week. It's perfect.

2. Drive around and look at Christmas lights

No contact involved, even in those professionally lit houses and areas, just in your car, stop by a Dunkin or a Starbucks for a hot drink and make a day of it. 

3. Small Town Light Parade

Now normally these are perfect, small towns in the suburbs put on these parades and make these huge floats and its perfect to get in the holidays, this year for sure it's different. The town near me are sort of doing a reverse parade almost, the cars are going to drive by the floats and such instead of it all going by on mainstreet. 

4. Black Friday and Holiday Shopping

This year actually really encourages everyone to think about the necessities and how to budget spending and not be so frivolous. Also black friday sales are some of the best of the year aside from like back to school sales and others. When shopping just keep in mind about what you're getting and buy with intent and purpose. 

PS. The stores and the malls aren't as crazy as they normally are

PPS. The tree lighting how this year as well as the thanksgiving day parade this year did look kind of sad this year but the floats and such looks nice.

5. Go To NYC and See the Tree

Per usual, NYC does the holidays correctly, every street seems to be in the holiday spirit minus the crazy holiday shoppers and tourists. Actually looking at pictures from the websites it still looks like the crazy shoppers are still there, but it's good to see that NYC isn't dead. 

6. Ice Skating

And ice skating, I honestly don't think I've ever done this in the city but there was an annual christmas party as a kid and that would be the one time I would skate a year and forget how to do it by the end of the night. And people normally stay 6 feet apart as it is on the ice.

7. Baking and Making Gingerbread Houses

If you haven't gotten cabin fever yet there is no shortage of recipes for the holidays, cookies, gingerbread, and other meals. Normally gingerbread houses can get stale and be a lot to make and prepare, but hey, we have nothing but time on our hands. Just throw on your favorite christmas tunes and do a little karaoke as well. I'm assuming there are no company holiday parties this year but hey you can make one at home.  

8. Skiing, Snowboarding, Sledding

Sooo so far, there really hasn't been any snow and such but it has been cold, so sort of normal, college definitely I enjoyed going on these trips and such so I am just ready for the temperature to drop. Oh and going the New Hampshire to the Ice Castles is a New England must so I'm not sure when they will open but the reservations will be a must. 

***Christmas movies also are a necessity I know some love the Muppets Holiday Christmas, and I love the Peanuts Christmas Special. I absolutely love Elf with Will Farrell and the Santa Claus series with Tim Allen. Freeform always does their 25 Days of Christmas with all the classics on it like ummmm Home Alone! 

Top 10 Podcasts of 2020

 

 

Youtubers back when I was in high school really started listening to podcasts. I think already I was interested in watching types of perspectives of youtubers being trying to be relatable, talking about news, and just simple gossip.

 I loved listening to Phil Defranco, Jenna Marbles and such. I really haven't watched youtubers since then, I remember watching daily vlogs for a bit and those random british daily vloggers for a bit. 

Now this whole year has introduced me or reintroduced me to podcasts. They really are so different I believe from each other and thats what I love, a little bit of drama, a little bit of comedy and other stuff. 

1. Joe Rogan

The year 2020 hopefully will be a hazy memory in the next few years, I hope we all learn through every thing and such. Joe Rogan for asking hard questions and being controversial and such.

 Conspiracy theories and topics are the norm bringing in people from Macauley Caulkin to Dave Chapelle to Elon Musk. Amazing variety of guests and great conversation. 

2. Your Favorite Things

So this podcast is hosted by Brandi Cyrus and Wells Adams talking about their favorite shows, music and reviewing shows like The Bachelor and such. Brandi Cyrus is Miley Cyrus' sister and Wells Adams was on The Bachelor and is Modern Family's Sarah Hyland's Fiancé. Always interesting to hear them talk about being famous adjacent. 

3. The Bill Bert Show

I didn't know who Bert Kreisher was until this podcast and Bill Burr I didn't know until getting into standup the past few years. It's interesting to hear their different perspectives on comedy now adays and how really it has been affected this past year without arena venues and such. 

A lot of comedians it seems have really turned to podcasts to put out their material. Definitely excited for when live shows come back more. 

4. The Yak

I really hadn't gotten into Barstool all that much until this year with different personas and different areas of entertainment. I don't know what TheYak used to be, but now it's definitely a lowkey form of improv on their radio show with New York 20 year olds.

 Entertaining definitely, This past year I've done a deep dive into the internet to pass the time. Barstool has a billion shows like Call Her daddy and such. 

5. Chicks In the Office

I love their thoughts on new TV shows and movies and just random twitter and media drama. Awesome that Barstool has branched out into entertainment media outside of sports and such. Rubbing shoulders with Bachelor personalities and other famous stars. 

6. Monday Morning Podcast

Bill Burr is the best standup from what I understand, has amazing perspective and toes the line.  Sebastian Maniscalco and Dave Chapelle and others I found out through hearing names in production and this podcast is a good rant and humanizing. 

I always hear comedians are like psychos and have a chip on their shoulder. I love hearing him talk about his family and friends. 

7. Oops

So this involves Francis Ellis formerly from Barstool and Guilio Gallaratti friends with standups Ricky Velez and Pete Davidson (I loved King of Staten Island and his stuff on SNL). Both stories are so interesting and what they have been involved with in entertainment. 

I really enjoy New England stories of sort of small town people. It's crazy how seemingly small the comedy circle seemed listening in to this podcast with their guests and such. 

8. Life is Short

Justin Long hosts this podcast and rambles on about personal life and just talks about projects coming up and talks to guests every episode. F is for Family is his show with Bill Burr and an animated show. 

I loved his start up with Judd Apatow shows when I was younger and seeing all the guests he knows it amazing how much he is involved with. Also New Girl! his costars from New Girl are interviewed as well. 

9. BFF's

This and those Instagram 'tea' pages are where I get my Tik Tok gossip and get my Tik Tok fix without actually downloading the app. I am incredibly interested in the different personalities on the app and what drama happens over time. 

Everyone is involved in drama and partying with each other and it's fascinating. Sometimes I forget they are all just barely 21 or not even, they are all real young but don't act it, it's confusing. 

Whatever makes that money I guess. I enjoy the gossip. Blending old media Barstool with new media Tik Tok are interesting outlooks. 

10. Conan O'brien Needs a Friend

It has really just come into the news that Conan O'brien is leaving his late night show and definitely is entertaining. Really wild how he is a Harvard grad and has worked on the Simpsons and knows a million people in show business. 

Has interesting guests from SNL, to other standup, and just other actors and actresses. I'm excited for what he's going to do after his latte night show.