New to podcasts? Here's a batch to start with.

Where the lyrics meet the melody

Song Exploder — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 02:30:45 +0000

Each episode of Song Exploder features an artist dissecting one of their songs: where it came from, how it evolved, and what they intended it to be. Hrishikesh Hirway, a composer himself, is an understated but insightful host. Here, Carly Rae Jepsen – who topped the charts with the lighthearted “Call Me Maybe” – discusses a more heartfelt track from her latest album.

Setting fashion years in advance

99% Invisible — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 02:30:17 +0000

Ever wonder how it’s decided that something is “in” one moment and “out” the next? 99% Invisible, a podcast all about the hidden decisions and forces that shape our world, trains a curious eye on trends and fashion forecasts in this episode – and finds a company that exerts a profound influence on what we all believe is “cool.”

Everyone wants them gone. What’s the holdup?

Planet Money — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 02:29:49 +0000

Baltimore is full of vacant houses; the city’s population is shrinking. But tearing down those houses is harder than you’d think. A fascinating look inside a changing neighborhood from Planet Money – a podcast that manages to make learning about the economy fascinating and fun.

What are you saying, puppy?

Brains On! — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 02:15:19 +0000

Can you tell the difference between a playful yip and a warning bark? What’s that cat trying to tell you? This science podcast hosted by young reporters is aimed primarily at kids, but will appeal to anyone who’s “serious about being curious.”

What do you do when you’re running low on liquid life?

Reply All — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 02:14:53 +0000

A surprisingly emotional investigation into the largely unregulated market for breast milk: who needs it, who’s got it, how they find each other, and just how costly it can be. This episode of Reply All might just get you hooked on the show’s story-driven, investigative approach.

Springing for a new place to sleep

Surprisingly Awesome — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 02:12:09 +0000

The premise for Surprisingly Awesome is brilliant: take a subject that might seem boring at first blush, and find something fascinating about it. In this episode, the hosts take a funny, informative, and energetic tour through the world of mattresses, and answer the question, “Should you worry about buying a mattress?”

Am I lying?

Criminal — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 02:05:18 +0000

Sherlock Holmes always knows when someone’s lying – just by looking at their facial expressions and body language. But is physiological evidence a truly reliable indicator of honesty and falsehood? Criminal looks into the most (and least) effective methods of catching liars in the act.

Shifting the lens

Invisibilia — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 02:04:45 +0000

We usually assume that we can predict how we’ll respond in different environments. But what if our perspective is more variable than we think? In this episode of Invisibilia – a show that combines great storytelling and careful research – we learn about the power of mental frameworks, and how the setting we’re in can affect our internal experience.

Can you see what I’m saying?

Stuff You Should Know — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 02:03:42 +0000

You hear about the importance of body language all the time – but how much of the research stands up to scrutiny? Stuff You Should Know, a podcast exploring subjects many of us leave unexamined, takes a closer look at how – and what – we communicate without words.

Insights from cellist Yo-Yo Ma

On Being with Krista Tippett — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 02:01:14 +0000

Irrepressibly joyful, deeply soulful, and artistically generous, cellist Yo-Yo Ma is also a brilliant conversationalist. In this interview with Krista Tippett, he reveals a little of his inner life, and of the beliefs that underpin his life in music.