The Best Podcasts to Listen to for Every Mood

The Best Podcasts to Listen to for Every Mood

If you’ve never listened to a podcast before, you’re missing out. Podcasts are like a mix between talk radio and TV shows—you listen to them like the radio, but they can range from informational to entertaining and come in episodes that you can listen to any time you would like. With more than 525,000 active podcasts through Apple alone, it’s not too hard to find a podcast that you love or even to find a podcast to fit any and every mood you’re in.

Need a good cry? There’s a podcast for that. In a silly mood and want a comedy to keep it going? There’s a podcast for that.

When You’re Bored

Even though you probably constantly feel like you have a million things to do, you can still get bored. For those days when TV shows can’t keep your attention, you have a long commute, you’re procrastinating a project, and you don’t want to clean, podcasts like Pop Culture Happy Hour and This American Life are the perfect distraction. Pop Culture Happy Hour is hosted by NPR contributors who spend an hour each Friday sitting together and talking about pop culture and then discussing what makes them happy that week. This American Life is a journalism podcast that tells the stories of regular, average-Joe Americans featuring “funny moments, big feelings, surprising plot twists, and interesting ideas.”

When You’re Sad

When you’re sad, sometimes all you need is a good cry in order to feel better, but it’s not always easy to get the tears flowing. If you find yourself feeling blue and just need to indulge in your sadness then turn on podcasts like Terrible, Thanks for Asking and Where Should We Begin? The former is raw and real as the hosts discuss the real answer to the question, “How are you?” with her guests and many of their stories are sure to touch you and make you cry. The latter is a podcast hosted by relationship expert Esther Perel, in which listeners get to explore and experience feelings and emotions alongside other couples she is helping through different emotional aspects of their lives.

When You are Wanting (or Needing) a Good Laugh

Whether you’re in a silly mood and want to perpetuate it or you’re feeling down but want to snap out of it, there are plenty of podcasts you can turn to that will make you laugh out loud and get you through the day. One great one is Comedy Bang Bang hosted by Scott Aukerman. Aukerman interviews entertainers and comedians in each episode, but once the interview is done, it’s a free-for-all that you don’t want to miss. Another great LOL podcast is With Special Guest Lauren Lapkus which features Lauren Lapkus acting as the guest of her own show but not as herself—she has to improv original characters as her actual guests act as host and announce the character she must play in each episode.

When You’re in the Mood to Learn

Sometimes you might be thinking about something and end up curious about how it works. For example, you may be wondering what is the best video editing app, or you may find yourself wondering how many trips DNA in the human body would make from the sun to Pluto and back if stretched (the answer is 17). Even if you don’t find yourself thinking that abstractly, you still may get the urge to learn some fun facts, and there are some great podcasts you can enjoy that will help you satisfy your curiosity and learn.

BBC Radio’s A History of the World in 100 Objects is a great podcast to listen to if you want to learn about the world as it was up to two million years ago as told by the former director of the British Museum, Neal MacGregor. If you’re interested in the history of things that may not have been true and are somewhat spooky, then Lore is a podcast you won’t want to miss out on.

When You’re Hungry

Hangry is definitely a mood, and if you find yourself feeling it coming on but aren’t sure what you want to eat, then you may want to turn on a podcast. The Bon Appetit Foodcast is a great podcast that covers everything from restaurants to the world’s best chefs and their cooking techniques. Although it can’t make dinner for you, it may inspire your dinner or inspire you to take a trip. Another great podcast is House of Carbs which features people with all different tastes coming together to share info about the latest in different types of food—it’s sure to help you get some good recommendations and ideas.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’ve been listening to podcasts for years or have just been introduced and are testing the waters, you’ll want to make sure you have a collection of podcasts to get you through whatever mood you’re in. Podcasts like those named above and many others will not only help you deal with your mood but might even give you ideas and inspiration to help you in life as well.

What podcast is your ultimate favorite?