Contrary to popular belief, video didn’t kill the radio star. Instead, the radio star merely waited in the darkness, gathering power and eventually being reborn as the voice of the internet through the magic of…podcasts! These days, anyone can be a podcast superstar. All you need is some decent audio equipment, a topic that your audience will tune in for and a partner to bounce off of, and you’ve got yourself the foundation for something great.
Podcasts are terrific, because the sheer variety out there allows people to listen in on something that they actually give a damn about. There’s a generation of young talent, magnetic personalities and hilarious voices that deserve to be heard. Heck, at the very least, podcasts are great for filling dead air with some life.
One of my personal favourites is Hollywood Babble On, a weekly show by movie director Kevin Smith and former radio disc jockey Ralph Garman. Whereas Smith is a beacon of positivity who waxes lyrical on many a subject, Garman balances out the equation by being an absolutely magnificent asshole who also just so happens to have a talent for impersonating celebrities. Throw in regular segments such as movie news, famous deaths in Tinsel Town and even a regular spot about why Justin Bieber’s a proper c***, and you’ve got a hell of a show to listen to.
Closer to home, we’ve even got some great talent here. Alessandro slipped me a Kit Kat, so here’s a mention for the weekly podcast that he does with one of our former writers, Matthew “Figgy Stardust” Figuera. Called Checkpoint Chat, it’s a show that’s all about video games, summarising a week’s worth of news into easily digestible tidbits and Matty’s obsession with Horizon: Zero Dawn.
Heck, they aren’t the only locals worth listening to, as the fellas from The Nexus run a curated list of peeps who are worth listening to. So that’s just my two cents though. Sound off below, let us know who’s great at tickling your auditory canals with weekly shows that details misadventures and news. We’d love to add some of your recommendations to our podcast list.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Critical Hit as an organisation.
Last Updated: November 16, 2018
Weanerdog
November 16, 2018 at 11:49
Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History and Last Pod on the Left, I enjoy their cult stuff (Thanks to Andre for this one).
miaau
November 16, 2018 at 11:57
Hey Darryn, your really Buggled up that opening line…
Ok, I will get my coat.
BradeLunner
November 16, 2018 at 12:14
Wolverine; The Long Night is pretty cool, its on Spotify
Big Jon V
November 16, 2018 at 11:10
There’s a bloody fantastic podcast coming out of Aus called “Filthy Casuals” featuring 3 comedians and game lovers that bring such a fresh unique spin on the otherwise drol (IMO) Giant Bombcast / Kinda Funny Games. Kotaku Splitscreen and Vice’s Waypoint Radio try too hard to make everything “woke”. Nintendo Enthusiast and Gamers With Jobs are ok, but for indies I listen to All the Small Games (also out of Aus).
Alessandro Barbosa
November 16, 2018 at 11:27
I adore the Bombcast purely because I find the crew critiques games in a far more interesting fashion than most other outlets.
Big Jon V
November 16, 2018 at 11:32
I think perhaps they present critique in a way that you as a reviewer can relate more to, but personally I just find the episodes too drawn out and somewhat lacking in enthusiasm. Filthy Casuals is leveraged more towards the way in which I consume videogames.
Skoobaz
November 16, 2018 at 11:29
Tim Ferris.
https://tim.blog/podcast/
The Big Bad Wolf
November 16, 2018 at 11:42
Best podcast in my opinion, and saviour from car trip boredom: Welcome to Night Vale.
Can’t get enough of that stuff.
Original Heretic
November 16, 2018 at 11:44
I’ll do you one better. What IS a podcast?
Pariah
November 16, 2018 at 13:45
It’s when you go fishing with an iPod
Weanerdog
November 16, 2018 at 11:49
Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History and Last Pod on the Left, I enjoy their cult stuff (Thanks to Andre for this one).
Wallman
November 16, 2018 at 11:57
Dear Joan and Jericha
miaau
November 16, 2018 at 11:57
Hey Darryn, your really Buggled up that opening line…
Ok, I will get my coat.
Marius Nell
November 16, 2018 at 12:04
The Co-optional podcast with Jesse Cox, Dodger and Jenna Bain (the wife of late Totalbiscuit that used to be the host)
NLSS is not a podcast but the streams are always hilarious fun and even has a lines from the nlss twitter account that have some of the best show quotes “Pressure is mass times volume divided by days since last nut.” – @NorthernlionLP [11/8/18]
BradeLunner
November 16, 2018 at 12:14
Wolverine; The Long Night is pretty cool, its on Spotify
RinceThis
November 16, 2018 at 12:17
Matty is only obsessed with Horizon because he’s just started playing it… We were all obsessed when we first started hahaha!
For the Emperor!
November 16, 2018 at 13:33
Wish I could spend time listening to podcasts or debating it here, but us freshly re-bloody-trenched guys need to spend that time looking for work!
GooseZA
November 16, 2018 at 14:02
Stuff you should know,
99% Invisible
RadioLab
My brother, my brother and me,
No such thing as a fish (QI elf podcast)
WTF with Marc Maron
Hardcore History
Tarisma
November 16, 2018 at 14:27
No such this as a fish is one of my favourites, I’ll give the others a bash.
Weanerdog
November 16, 2018 at 15:23
Have you tired FreakOnomics radio?