The Best Podcasts to Listen to Right Now

Our best podcasts 2023 list is here—and even if you think you've listened to all the best ones, you're sure to find a new favorite. That's what we love about podcasts: Even when the world feels out of control, at least we know we can download a little audio treat whenever we want.

It's how we used to feel before TV shows started dropping as full seasons, but healthier (or at least that's what we tell ourselves) because you're cutting down on screen time while still being entertained. It's so wholesome you might as well be shopping for produce at a farmers market. You are happy. You are learning. You are tuning out the world by plugging an endless stream of content directly into your ear canals.

These shows also bring intrigue and newness to our worlds, telling stories we may never have come across otherwise. Podcasts are friends to us when we feel isolated or lonely. They enchant, educate, and entertain. And sure, we can practically recite the ads for fancy mattresses, electric toothbrushes, and high-tech underwear by heart, but who can blame us?

Need some new recs? These are Glamour's picks for the best podcasts of 2023. (After you've listened, check out our guide to the best podcasts for women.)

That’s a Gay Ass Podcast

I'm admittedly biased—host Eric Williams is one of my dearest friends—but this podcast is genuinely a delight. Eric is so funny and gets to know each guest (which have included Bowen Yang and Dan Pelosi) on a level you didn't before. You'll laugh, you may tear up, and you'll definitely learn something new about a major character actress from the ’80s. —Lindy Segal, interim deputy editor

Wild Things: Siegfried & Roy

I binged this podcast in two days! Most elder millennials grew up with Siegfried & Roy being a part of their cultural landscape, and I'd always wanted to know more about their relationship and the horrible tiger attack in 2003. This podcast is illuminating and investigative! —Lauren Brown, senior visuals editor

WHOREible Decisions

This podcast has so much power! The hosts, Mandii B and Weezy, aren't afraid to have provocative conversations between themselves or with their guests about sex, relationships, and everything in between. This pair make uncomfortable conversations comfortable, and I love them for it. —Monique Wilson, editorial assistant

About a Boy: The Story of Vladamir Putin

This podcast came as a recommendation to me from my friend Karina Dearwood as a riveting listen that would help decode one of the most infamous world leaders, Vladimir Putin. Even more intriguing to me is the background on the Seige of Leningrad, which helped me understand the current moment in world affairs a little more. —L.B.

Note to Self

I love it when podcasters have an honest, straight-to-the-point take on subjects, and that's exactly how host's Payton Sartain personality shines through her podcast, Note to Self. Whether she's discussing relationships, navigating adult friendships, or offering tips on how to grow into the best version of yourself, she keeps it real. It feels like having an open dialogue with a friend. —Andrea Navarro, commerce writer

The Read

The Read has been going strong for over a decade, bringing Black pop culture and listener letters to your inbox almost every week. The show has evolved to deal with mental health, as the hosts Kid Fury and Crissle share their struggles with depression and anxiety. Even though it can be heavy, I always leave feeling like I hung out with friends for two hours. —L.B.

Articles of Interest

I haven’t been a podcast listener in a minute—there are just too many options!—but I made an exception this year for Articles of Interest, a show that covers fashion in a way unlike anything else I’ve heard. The standout episode of 2023 was one on plus sizes, which explored why there are such subpar options available for a majority of the country’s consumers (and why every plus-size top has cold shoulders). Host and creator Avery Trufelman also made a point to dig into fashion’s forgotten history, shining a spotlight on the Black Fashion Museum and antiauthoritarian designer Tamás Király. For anyone with even a passing interest in why we dress the way that we do, each 40-ish-minute episode is a sartorial treat. —Jake Smith, commerce writer

There are plenty of fashion podcasts about trend forecasting and current collections, but few contextualize clothing the way that Avery Trufelman does on Articles of Interest. Her approach to explaining why we wear what we do is almost anthropological—she digs into the history of trends (her series on American prep is a must-listen) while considering utility, culture, and production. There is an entire episode devoted just to pockets! Give this podcast a listen if you’re into the why, as opposed to the what, we wear. —Samantha Reed, senior entertainment editor

The Viall Files

I finally hopped on the Nick Viall train this summer. It started when I ran into him at the Williamsburg Hotel, and I became intrigued by everyone's fascination surrounding him. A few months later, The Viall Files has become the first podcast I listen to every Monday morning. His Ask Nick series is thrilling and intoxicating, with editions of “Special Updates” to keep the listeners updated with the advice letters. —M.W.

Pour Minds

A little raunchy and a whole lot of funny is exactly how I'd describe Pour Minds. The show touches on navigating modern dating, sex, and relationships from a brutally honest POV. Consider it a debrief with your friends, without any rules. —A.N.

Las Culturistas With Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

Las Culturistas has been around since 2016, but this year in particular has been a highlight for the pop culture comedy podcast. From their breakdown of Taylor Swift's Midnights to thoughtful and hilarious interviews with guests like Maren Morris, Michelle Yeoh, Garcelle Beauvais, and Meghann Fahy, Rogers and Yang continue to delight readers and publicists alike. —Anna Moeslein, deputy editor

Death of an Artist

Art historian Helen Molesworth gives us a rare glimpse into the art world by examining the tragic death of feminist artist Ana Mendieta. Through her examination of Mendieta’s troubled relationship with her husband and his acquittal of her murder in 1988, the podcast touches on the question we all have been forced to ask this post-#MeToo callout culture era: Can we really separate the work of our favorite visionaries from their less-than-becoming characters? —Alexandra Folino, art director

Once Upon a Time…at Bennington College

Finally, a literary podcast with some bite! This is actually expanded from an Esquire article about the Bennington class of 1986, which included Bret Easton Ellis, Donna Tartt, Jonathan Lethem, and Brix Smith (of the band Fall). Both Easton Ellis and Tartt started their major works while still attending, and this oral history is illuminating and hyper-personal. If you're at all interested in any of these authors or musicians, then you should tune in for the gossip alone. —L.B.

Therapy for Black Girls

Dr. Joy Harden Bradford is amazing. She covers almost every topic you can think of and always makes sure to include the Black perspective. It's not a replacement for therapy, but it's a good weekly podcast to explore different conversations dealing with mental health and trauma. —M.W.

Little Gold Men

If you care about Hollywood, awards shows, and the mystique behind the “And the Oscar goes to…” envelopes, Little Gold Men is an entertainment superfan's haven. Every week our colleagues at Vanity Fair become a sounding board to geek out over the movies and TV shows you're already watching, and you'll finish every episode with a slew of recommendations to add to your must-watch list. —Caitlin Brody, entertainment director

Lovers and Friends With Shan Boodram

I've followed Shan since her YouTube days, and I've always loved her honesty and authenticity. In this podcast she goes deep with her guests on a variety of topics that center on relationships. I love that she allows her guests to choose the direction, which makes the conversation unique and flowable. —M.W.

Sistas Who Kill: A True Crime Podcast

I discovered this podcast a few months ago because my roommate recommended it. I love that it focuses on Black women's stories in a factual—but slightly opinionated—format. The hosts, who have been friends since high school, have great banter and make you feel like you're one of the girls. Using segments like “Take That Sh*t to Trial” and “I'm Not Black, I'm O.J.,” the pair keep true crime interesting. —M.W.

Relationshit With Kamie Crawford

I’ve loved Kamie Crawford since before her days hosting Catfish, but when I heard she was launching a podcast, I was ecstatic. She doesn’t hold back on her show, Relationshit, where she dives into the ins and outs of the modern dating world. Her guests are also just as great! —A.N.

Reasonably Shady

I love Real Housewives of Potomac, so I knew I would like this podcast. The green-eyed bandits bring the same energy to the show as they do in this podcast, but audiences are able to get a deeper and more inside look into their lives. The pair aren't afraid to talk about anything, from politics to entertainment and their fellow Housewives. —M.W.

CockTales: Dirty Discussions

I love this podcast, so much that I went to their live show! It's amazing to hear two Black millennial women talk about their experiences with dating, sex, and relationships in a way that allows you to embody your inner toxic baddie. With different segments like “Weird Sex” and “Cocktale/Cockfail,” these women keep these topics exciting every week. —M.W.

Sounds Like a Cult

Isa Medina and Amanda Montell break down modern-day fanaticism—from Soul Cycle to essential oils and Trader Joe's—and ask the big question: It sounds like a cult, but is it? The hosts are so witty and smart that it feels like you’re talking to your best friend who went too far down a Wikipedia rabbit hole. —Channing Smith, junior designer

Fallen Angel

Hosted by reporter Vanessa Grigoriadis and former Glamour features director Justine Harman, Fallen Angel is a riveting—at times, shocking—look into the dark history of Victoria's Secret. It explores, with incredible nuance, the pressures on models, and it sheds light on former CEO Les Wexner's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. All that is to say: It's not an easy listen, so proceed with caution. —Christopher Rosa, contributor

Poog

Poog is Goop spelled backward, but it's so much more. On their search for wellness, comedians Kate Berlant and Jacqueline Novak paint a portrait of a deep friendship that will actually have you writing notes, sometimes on product recommendations, sometimes on Freud. “There were larvae dancing wildly,” said Berlant in a recent Poog, recounting a moth invasion in her home. “I called my flesh-fly man—texted him, I emailed him. Nothing. Hurtful.” To which Novak responded, sagely, “Don't go boutique.” I pause the pod to laugh several times per episode. —Jenny Singer, contributor

Maintenance Phase

In 2018 journalist Michael Hobbes published an article in HuffPost called “Everything You Know About Obesity Is Wrong.” It became a flagship piece of reporting and analysis for laypeople to take in the idea that being fat does not mean unhealthy or weak, though it does mean experiencing cruelty and discrimination. In 2020, Aubrey Gordon went public as the voice behind Your Fat Friend, a social media presence that documented, in beautiful, pained writing, an experience of being fat in America. Together Hobbes and Gordon created Maintenance Phase, a determinately cheerful, funny, irreverent takedown of diet culture and pseudoscience around weight loss. Listen to learn, feel less alone, and get mad at a punishing culture masquerading as a health-obsessed one. —J.Singer

She Makes Money Moves

Obviously we're going to put our own podcast in the best podcasts list, and how could we not? On She Makes Money Moves, real women share deeply personal stories about their finances. Then host and Glamour editor in chief Samantha Barry asks financial experts to break down the situation at hand and share some tips. Each episode is under a half an hour, and topics range from women small-business owners to dealing with health care debt. It's an empowering and shockingly entertaining listen. Prepare to feel in control of your spending, saving, and investing. —J.Singer

Eat, Pray, Britney

Eat, Pray, Britney is the ultimate deep-dive podcast for Britney Spears stans. Hosts Lisa and Jaclyn are encyclopedic in their knowledge, breaking down archived Britney interviews and performances with precise detail. Naturally, their expertise made episodes on Britney's conservatorship situation fascinating, as they went beyond the headlines and dove deep into the systems and people keeping the pop icon oppressed. When Britney's conservatorship ended on November 12, I waited patiently for the Eat, Pray, Britney episode to drop like it was Christmas morning. —C.R.

The Cutting Room Floor

The Cutting Room Floor, hosted by Recho Omondi, is my favorite podcast for its unfiltered, honest takes surrounding the fashion industry and the in-depth conversations Omondi has with her guests. I tell everyone to listen, even my non-fashion-industry folks. Omondi and her guests are so passionate and knowledgeable about their topics it's entrancing. An added bonus to your listening experience—the sound editing is incredible. —Kat Thomas, assistant fashion editor

We Are Supported By

Each week Kristen Bell and Monica Padman welcome a new woman who's “made a significant crack in the ceiling” and how to keep doors open for future generations. They discuss resilience, personal struggles, and, of course, their accomplishments. (My fave episodes have been with Kim K and Reese Witherspoon.) —A.N.

Killed

Justine Harman, the former Glamour editor behind the hit podcasts Broken Harts and The Baron of Botox, leads this 10-part series about the high-profile rape case against a California orthopedic surgeon and his substitute-teacher girlfriend, who were accused of drugging and sexually assaulting multiple women. While the deep dive into the couple's glamorous—but turbulent—lifestyle is fascinating, it's the impact statements from the survivors that will stick with you long after you listen. —A.M.

Radio Cherry Bombe

Radio Cherry Bombe is hosted by Kerry Diamond, the founder and editor of Cherry Bombe, a beautifully designed biannual print magazine that doubles as a coffee-table book. Each episode celebrates women in the food space, whether she's a vegan pastry chef from the Midwest, a food-insecurity activist, or the domestic god Nigella Lawson herself. I always come away from an episode more knowledgable, miraculously relaxed, and, of course, hungry. —C.B.

Nymphet

This podcast was basically manufactured in a lab to appeal to me, down to the name (which refers to a questionable Tumblr aesthetic I once aligned myself with). Each episode is an incredibly smart discussion about the intersection of niche fashion trends and culture, with a particular focus on Tumblr circa 2014, as well as current-day TikTok. My personal favorites were the deep dive into the history of American Apparel for the pod's inaugural episode, and the reflection on the lasting effects that Rookie online magazine still has on my generation. —Bella Cacciatore, contributor

Every Outfit

I have been a follower of the Every Outfit on Sex and the City Instagram account since day one, so when the women behind the account, Chelsea Fairless and Lauren Garroni, launched a pod, I was immediately on board. It strikes the perfect balance of two-friends-shooting-the-shit vibes, fashion talk, and pop culture news—their And Just Like That… filming updates and SATC recap eps are not to be missed—and I find myself literally laughing out loud at least once an episode. —B.C.

StraightioLab

The very funny podcast StraightioLab recently launched a Patreon, a service that allows listeners to pay for extra, exclusive content. Describing the cost of the Patreon's top tier, host Sam Taggart explained, “Don't think, like, we think we deserve this. We don't! We think it's a joke.” Host George Civeris added, “It's camp.” The cohosts asked listeners to subscribe, clarifying, “No presh.” StraightioLab is a comedic exploration of “straight culture.” Each week the hosts, who are gay, welcome a guest to bring an article of straight culture (cast-iron skillets, French manicures, and Neil Patrick Harris are recent examples). It is also a podcast about making a podcast—not the technical elements or editing process, but the anxiety caused by broadcasting your own thoughts and feelings to the world. As such, it captures a vibe you might recognize from, say, sending any email ever. The hosts claim to be enemies of sincerity, but StraightioLab sincerely makes me feel happy. —J.Singer

Again With This

To ease anxiety, I find nothing works better than this podcast that recaps every single episode of ’90s teen soap Beverly Hills, 90210, 30 years after it originally aired. I've probably listened to every episode no less than 20 times thanks to the fact that the hosts, Tara Ariano and Sarah D. Bunting—TV writers and seemingly very delightful people—deliver exactly what you came for. Unlike so many other podcasts that recap television shows, they don't go on meandering tangents about themselves but rather move through every episode swiftly from start to finish with actual audio clips from the original series (take note, other recap hosts!) while providing running commentary that's genuinely laugh-out-loud funny. I love this podcast so much that when I had former 90210 star Tiffani Thiessen on the Glamour podcast I host, What I Wore When, I told her she needed to listen to it immediately. —Perrie Samotin, digital director and host of podcast What I Wore When

Bitch Sesh: A Real Housewives Breakdown

I've been listening to this Real Housewives breakdown podcast, hosted by Casey Wilson and Danielle Schneider, for years, and it still brings me so much joy every week. The comedians' armchair psychoanalysis of some of the most insane characters on television, paired with their whip-smart banter, makes it impossible not to LOL while listening—whether you think Erika knew or not. —C.B.

The Splendid Table

Hosted by food writer Francis Lam, The Splendid Table is a charm-filled, beautifully produced conversation about food and dining culture. In one segment Lam will interview members of the Ng family, who for three generations and four decades have served Chinese food in Kansas City at their restaurant, Bo Ling's. In another, he's taking tips from chefs and regular people on “things to try,” to the tune of cheese in hot chocolate, and Oreos dipped in wine. —J.Singer

And the Award Goes To…

If you're a theater fan, you'll adore this charming and highly bingeable podcast. On each episode host Ilana Levine welcomes a different Tony Award winner, and the two zero in on the experience of collecting the award, and the road to winning. Topics include the speech they gave—and whether it holds up—who they brought, what they wore, and how they landed the role to begin with. The result is highly intimate and interesting. Plus, the guest list is beyond impressive: Patti Lupone, Laura Benanti, Kristen Chenoweth, Cynthia Nixon, James Monroe Iglehart, and B.D. Wong are just a few actors featured. —P.S.

Celebrity Book Club

“Who's that knocking at the door? It's all your friends, you filthy whore!” So goes the theme song for Celebrity Book Club, hosted by comedians Steven Phillips-Horst and Lily Marotta. It continues, “Your husband's gone, and we've got books and a bottle of wine to kill!” The hosts, who are childhood friends, can be hilariously brutal. But they also analyze celebrities' self-reported life stories with more respect and scholarly interest than most. Come for celebrity anecdotes, jokes, and very serious discussions about, for example, whether Tan France's position on getting bangs is harmful. —J.Singer

Originally Appeared on Glamour