The best pop culture podcasts to listen to right now

This daily podcast from NPR should be your go-to listen for everything pop culture. Four journalists are joined by a rotating cast of guests to discuss the latest in books, music, TV, film, and more. They offer analysis, opinions, and recommendations, and generally keep you up to date on the buzziest trends, internet sensations, and new releases. Whether you're into video games, arthouse films, Hollywood blockbusters, or great novels, this podcast has something to offer for just about everyone.

WTF with Marc Maron is a deep dive into pop culture and an exploration of the lives, motivations, and inspirations of people who have become icons in their fields. A stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and musician, Maron welcomes actors, comedians, directors, musicians, authors, artists, former colleagues, friends, and other interesting people as his guests. Their conversations are vulnerable and wide-ranging, revealing surprising truths about art, creativity, and human nature.

It's been nearly three decades since DJ Drama released his groundbreaking first mixtape, and in the years since, the Grammy winner has established himself as a certified multihyphenate, racking up credits as a producer, promoter, and record exec and working with the likes of Black Thought and Snoop Dogg. Now, the King of the Mixtape can add “podcast host” to his ever-growing resume. In this Audible Original, created in collaboration with Kenya Barris’s Khalabo Ink Society, DJ Drama dives deep with past collaborators, including Tyler, the Creator; Wiz Khalifa; Pharrell; and 2 Chainz. In each episode, a different rap icon reminisces on the origins of their entry into the Gangsta Grillz mixtape series, musing on each track’s cultural impact.

If you're in the mood for thoughtful commentary on what's going on in the world today from pop culture to politics and beyond, you'll want to check out this engaging conversational podcast. The show is hosted by three generations of women: Jada Pinkett-Smith, actress, screenwriter, producer, and businesswoman; her daughter Willow Smith, singer, rapper, actress, and dancer; and her mother, actress and sage Adrienne Banfield-Norris. Together, these three remarkable women invite guests to their home to discuss today's most pressing issues. Past episodes have focused on polyamory, conflict resolution, breaking cycles of abuse, and consent.

You know a podcast hosted by the brilliant, outspoken comedian and writer Sarah Silverman is going to be smart, funny, and full of incisive takes on whatever she decides to talk about. Each week, she discusses what's going on in the world and what's on her mind, as well as responding to listener voicemails. She covers a range of topics—from Seinfeld and rollerblades to Space Jam and socialism. Her particular blend of thoughtful analysis and relentless humor makes this one of the freshest, most engaging pop culture podcasts out there.

In this charming weekly podcast, hosts Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang dig into the latest pop culture moments, offering their opinions on TV, film, music, and more. They also invite special guests onto the show, interviewing actors, comedians, artists, and other pop culture aficionados. Come for the back-and-forth banter and over-the-top humor; stay for the sharp social commentary.

There are plenty of TV recap podcasts out there, but The Good Place Podcast is a step above. Hosted by actor Marc Evan Jackson (who portrays the devilishly deadpan Shawn in the Emmy-nominated sitcom), the show features behind-the-scenes stories, conversations with fans, anecdotes from the set, and lively discussions about the show itself. Guests include actors, producers, writers, and many others. It's a must-listen for fans of The Good Place, but anyone who appreciates the art of television will find plenty to love in this quirky, heartfelt, and humorous ode to one of NBC's most recent hits.

As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. On September 29, 1998, XXL magazine gathered 177 artists, producers, and influential figures within New York City’s hip-hop culture for one legendary photo. This picture, taken at 17 East 126th St. in Harlem, was in reference to a photo taken by Art Kane with 57 jazz artists at the exact same spot in 1958. Narrated by former XXL Editor-in-Chief Sheena Lester, The Greatest Day: The Epic Story Behind Hip-Hop's Most Iconic Photograph tells the gripping story of XXL's attempt to re-create Kane's iconic photograph for a new era

Keep It is a podcast all about the place where politics and pop culture overlap. Each week, the hosts get together with actors, artists, activists, politicians, and many others to discuss what's happening in entertainment, and what it has to do with politics. Nothing is off the table, from the latest movie trailers and Twitter controversies to critical race theory and addiction. This podcast is perfect for listeners who want a little bit of everything—strange and serious, lowbrow and highbrow, meaningful news and lighthearted banter.

Are you one of those people who listens to a song and immediately wonders what the artist was thinking when they wrote it? Are you curious about how, exactly, songs get made? Then this is the podcast for you. Each episode features a different artist explaining the whys and hows behind one of their songs. Guests discuss their inspirations, the ideas behind the sounds and/or lyrics, and the writing and recording process. The show has hosted a diverse range of musicians and songwriters, including PJ Morton, Yusuf / Cat Stevens, Jewel, and Selena Gomez.

In this often hilarious and always thought-provoking podcast, hosts Jonathan Braylock, Jerah Milligan, and James III review films starring actors of color, and then discuss them in the context of Hollywood's ongoing issues with racial diversity. Though they offer thoughtful opinions about every movie, this isn't just a show about movies. They use film as a lens to explore bigger issues of race, representation, and media in America.

If you're a fan of Phoebe Robinson from the comedy podcast 2 Dope Queens, you'll definitely want to check out her interview show. Exhausted and frustrated after years of being the only Black woman comedian in a field dominated by men, Phoebe decided to start a podcast that would celebrate other women and BIPOC creatives. Each week she sits down to chat with someone who's at the top of their field—actors, other comedians, writers, and more—and who isn't a white guy. Their conversations are honest, moving, and of course, always funny.

Breakthrough is the audio-only singing competition taking the world by storm. This first-of-its-kind, truly blind singing competition features major musical chops from its star-studded judging panel and talented aspiring singers. Produced by The Chainsmokers and AT WILL MEDIA, hosted by Tony and Grammy Award winner Daveed Diggs, and judged by the incomparable Sara Bareilles and Kelly Rowland, Breakthrough introduces five artists who pursue their dream to be the next singing sensation just using the power of their voice. An audiophile’s dream, this innovative 10-part series has us cheering on the contestants in anticipation of its June 22nd season finale.

Listening to this hilarious and irreverent podcast is a little like sitting around with a few good friends, talking about all the weird stuff that you think nobody else cares about. In each episode, the trio of hosts—the affable and unabashedly silly Jackson Baly, the defiantly loud Joel Duscher, and editor-in-house Joel Zammit—tackle a different pop culture question, sometimes with the help of guest experts. And the questions range from the mundane to the strange and the absurd. Recent episodes include such deep quandaries as: "How Would You Improve the Lightsaber?" and "Who Would Die the Quickest in a Horror Movie?"

Get ready to geek out about movies, music, fandoms, comics, and a whole lot more with designer and internet marketing phenom Jordan Ellis and writer and literary editor Elizabeth Crowder Serota, the hosts of this charming, upbeat podcast. It's an eclectic show that focuses on the nerdy side of pop culture, highlighting stories about women and girls doing awesome, geeky things.

This is a podcast for anyone who's ever obsessed over something: that one song from 1984, maybe, or a particular video game, or an indie film from the 1990s that no one seems to love as much as you. Whatever it is, sisters Lindsay Underwood and Halle Watson know the feeling, and they're here for it. Each week they get together to discuss their latest pop culture obsessions and nostalgia.

If you're looking for a podcast that takes a deeper look at pop culture and what it means to be an artist today, then Mind Power Mixtape is definitely for you. Award-winning rapper Common is interested in learning about how creative people think and how their way of thinking influences their work, personal life, and worldview. He interviews actors, comedians, writers, activists, and artists across diverse disciplines. The resulting conversations are powerful and raw.

Most of us think about fashion as a relatively modern concept. But it turns out that fashion has a long and surprising history. It's been a driving cultural force for centuries. In this fascinating podcast, broadcaster Clara Amfo and fashion historian Amber Butchart delve into the history of fashion, from the Middle Ages through the 20th century. Why do we wear what we wear? Where do trends come from? How does fashion influence the way we think about the world? Over the course of six episodes, Clara and Amber explore these questions, and discover that the answers are more complicated than you might think.