To listen or not to listen: Top picks for this academic year

Sometimes nothing hits.

You scroll through Spotify or Apple Podcasts, stare at the charts, see the same podcasts

everyone seems to be obsessed with and wonder what you’re missing. You try the

bestselling book your flatmate swears will change your life, or the podcast video on YT with

100k views, and… nothing.

That’s probably the problem with looking for something to listen to. We treat popularity as a

shortcut for compatibility. But finding a podcast you genuinely love is less like finding the

“best” one and more like finding a new favourite person. You have to try a few. Some will

annoy you. Some you’ll abandon after 12 minutes. And occasionally, one will make a two-

hour bus journey disappear.

So, if you’re heading into first year with an empty podcast queue, here are a few places to

start.

If you want to laugh: Off Menu

Ed Gamble and James Acaster invite a different guest each week to choose their dream

meal, from starter to dessert. The premise is simple, but the conversations rarely are. It is

chaotic, British, and easy to dip into, making it perfect for walks to campus or cooking dinner

in a kitchen you are still learning to navigate.

If you want to accidentally become a history person: The Rest Is History

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook take on everything from ancient civilisations to modern

political history without making it feel like a lecture. If you have ever thought history was

interesting but could not face another textbook, this might be your gateway.

If you want to understand what is happening: The News Agents

Moving to university often means realising there is an alarming amount of British politics you

were apparently expected to understand already. Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall

make sense of the day’s biggest stories and the political arguments behind them. If you’ve

ever nodded along to a political conversation while quietly Googling who everyone is, this

one’s for you.

If you want something slightly unserious: Sentimental Garbage

Caroline O’Donoghue’s podcast is for anyone who has ever loved something they felt they

were supposed to be embarrassed about. Films, television, books and pop culture get

dissected with considerably more affection than the phrase “guilty pleasure” usually allows.

Sometimes you do not need to become more productive. Sometimes you just need someone

to take your questionable taste seriously. And yes, I will be defending that 2000s rom-com

with my life, thanks.

If you want to discover a completely new obsession: Get Birding

Yes, birding. No, you do not need to own binoculars. The podcast makes getting into

birdwatching approachable, turning something that might initially sound like an activityreserved for retired men in waterproof jackets into a surprisingly accessible way of noticing

what is around you. First year is probably as good a time as any to acquire a bizarre new

hobby.

And if first year gets a little heavy…

Try How Do You Cope?, hosted by John Robins. The podcast explores how people deal

with difficult periods in their lives, from grief and anxiety to addiction and other challenges. It

is thoughtful without pretending there is a neat solution to everything.

Maybe that is the point of finding something to listen to. You do not need the podcast with

the biggest audience, the highest rating or the most impressive guest list. You just need one

that makes you want to press play again.

And if none of these do? Keep scrolling. Your weird little niche is probably somewhere in there.