RESOURCES

Podcasting is an increasingly popular pastime in the U.S. and there were an estimated 88 million podcast listeners in the country in 2019. This year has been a whirlwind and has led to a rise in new podcast content. Here are just a few of Code3’s favorite podcasts from 2020.

Nice White Parents

If you are interested to understand what’s wrong with our public schools, you have to look at what is arguably the most powerful force in shaping them: white parents. Nice White Parents is a five-part series from Serial Productions, a New York Times Company. This title was released in July and is hosted by Chana Joffe-Walt. This was the #1 new show of 2020, ranked by Podtrac, based on average downloads per episode.

Joe Exotic: Tiger King

When we look back at this year, one of the most memorable parts of quarantine was the Tiger King craze in late March. While the Netflix series started trending quickly, the podcast came first. Wondery’s Over My Dead Body: Season 2 was about Joe Exotic, and was hosted by reporter Rob Moor. When the Netflix series came out, Wondery renamed the podcast and Joe Exotic: Tiger King became a top show of 2020.

Home Cooking

With so many new podcasts focused on quarantine content, this is one of the Code3 team's favorites. Hosted by Hrishikesh Hirway (creator and host of Song Exploder) and Samin Nosrat (chef and author of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat), Home Cooking is a mini-series to help you figure out what to cook—and keep you company—during the quarantine. If you need help or just want some creative inspiration for your kitchen, they've got you covered. This show is a great mix of humor and delicious recipe ideas.

Reply All

Reply All is a Gimlet show that first aired in 2014 and has gained mass popularity over the years. The show features stories about how people shape the internet and how the internet shapes people and has been described by The Guardian as "a podcast about the internet that is actually an unfailingly original exploration of modern life and how to survive it." It’s hosted by PJ Vogt, Alex Goldman and Emmanuel Dzotsi.

Guru

Wondery had yet another hit this year with new Podcast Guru. When we face challenges in life, we seek answers from people we believe can help us. When tragedy strikes an exclusive retreat with a self-help superstar, many people are left to wonder: how far is too far? James Arthur Ray was an Oprah-endorsed self-help teacher who achieved fame, fortune, and influence. But friends and family members of his followers questioned his unorthodox methods, and tried to stop him. This was #7 on Podtrac’s list of highest downloads for a new podcast this year.

SmartLess

This star-studded podcast is sure to get you laughing. Hosted by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett, SmartLess is a podcast that connects and unites people from all walks of life to learn about shared experiences through thoughtful dialogue and organic hilarity. A nice surprise: in each episode of SmartLess, one of the hosts reveals his mystery guest to the other two. What ensues is a genuinely improvised and authentic conversation filled with laughter and newfound knowledge to feed the SmartLess mind.

Advertising in new podcasts is a great way to test the space (and get great rates) while a podcast grows and gains popularity. Get in touch today to learn more about how Code3 can help explore your podcast advertising opportunities.