How to Find New Podcasts You'll Love
How to find new podcasts you'll love
With over 4.5 million podcasts out there, finding the next show you'll binge isn't about having too few options. It's about having too many. Most listeners stick to the same five or six shows for months, not because nothing else is good, but because discovery takes effort nobody has time for.
That changes today. Here are the methods that actually work, ranked by how likely they are to surface something you'll keep listening to.
TL;DR
- Word of mouth remains the single best discovery method (45% of listeners find shows this way)
- Podcast apps have built-in recommendation engines most people ignore
- Social media clips on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram drive up to 60% of new listener acquisition for some shows
- Curated lists and newsletters cut through algorithmic noise with human-picked recommendations
- Cross-references within podcasts (guest appearances, host shoutouts) are underrated gold
Why finding new podcasts feels so hard
Unlike music, where Spotify can analyze tempo, key, and mood to recommend songs, podcasts are harder for algorithms to parse. A 90-minute conversation about economics might be hilarious or deadly boring depending on the host. Metadata alone can't capture that.
Most podcast apps sort by popularity, which means the same handful of shows dominate every chart. If you've already heard of Joe Rogan and The Daily, top charts won't help you much.
The result: discovery defaults to word of mouth. According to recent data, 45% of listeners find new podcasts through friends and family. That's great if your friends have good taste, but it limits you to one social circle's preferences.
Ask the people you actually trust
Personal recommendations remain the highest-signal discovery method. When a friend says "you have to listen to this," there's context baked in. They know what you like. They've filtered out the bad stuff.
A few ways to be more intentional about this:
- Ask specific questions. Instead of "know any good podcasts?" try "I want something funny about history" or "what do you listen to on long drives?" Specific asks get specific answers.
- Check what your coworkers listen to. Slack channels, group chats, and office conversations surface niche shows you'd never find on a chart.
- Post on social media. A quick "looking for podcast recommendations about X" on Twitter, Reddit, or Instagram Stories will get replies. People love sharing their favorites.
If you want to go deeper on specific genres, we have recommendation lists for true crime, comedy, history, science, and more.
Use your podcast app's built-in tools
Every major podcast app has discovery features that most listeners never touch. Here's what to look for.
Apple Podcasts
Apple Podcasts publishes curated editorial collections, including "Top New Shows" and category-specific picks. The Browse tab surfaces seasonal and thematic recommendations. Their annual "Best Shows" list, published each November, highlights breakout hits across categories.
Spotify
Spotify's podcast recommendations pull from your listening history, and their Browse by Genre section organizes shows into categories like True Crime, Comedy, News, and more. The "More Like This" button on any show page surfaces similar podcasts. In 2025, Spotify added personalized podcast recommendations directly to the Home screen.
Overcast, Pocket Casts, and third-party apps
Smaller apps often have tighter communities. Overcast's recommendation engine surfaces shows based on what other Overcast users with similar tastes follow. Pocket Casts has curated collections and trending lists. If you're comparing apps, our best podcast apps guide breaks down what each one offers.
Follow the social media trail
Social media has become the second most popular discovery channel, with 38% of U.S. listeners finding new shows this way. For younger listeners (18-34), that number jumps to 63%.
Short-form video clips are driving this shift. Podcast highlights on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels give you a 60-second preview of a host's style, humor, and energy. It's the fastest way to know whether a show matches your taste.
Here's how to use each platform:
- YouTube: Search for podcast clips in your areas of interest. YouTube's algorithm is strong at surfacing related content once you start watching.
- TikTok: Follow hashtags like #PodcastRecommendations or #PodTok. Creators regularly post "podcasts you need to listen to" compilations.
- Reddit: Subreddits like r/podcasts, r/PodcastRecommendations, and genre-specific subs (r/TrueCrimePodcasts, r/HistoryPodcasts) are goldmines. Search before posting; your exact question has probably been answered.
- Instagram: Many podcasts post audiograms and episode highlights to their Stories and Reels. Following a few podcast-focused accounts (like @podcastsiwishiknew) surfaces new shows regularly.
Try podcast search engines and directories
General-purpose search engines aren't great at podcast discovery. But dedicated podcast search tools let you search by topic, guest name, or even specific phrases mentioned in episodes.
Podchaser is essentially IMDb for podcasts. You can browse by category, see guest appearances across shows, and read user reviews. It's useful for finding which shows a specific person has appeared on.
Listen Notes lets you search across podcast transcripts. If you want to hear discussions about a specific topic (say, "intermittent fasting" or "stoicism"), you can find the exact episodes where it comes up, not just shows that vaguely cover the category.
Goodpods takes a social approach. You can follow other listeners, see what they're listening to, and browse community-curated lists. It's like Goodreads for podcasts.
Rephonic and Podyssey offer curated recommendation lists organized by mood, topic, and listening context (commute, workout, bedtime).
Listen to what the hosts recommend
Podcast hosts regularly shout out other shows, bring on guests who have their own podcasts, and participate in "podcast swap" promotions. Pay attention to these moments. A host whose taste you already trust is pointing you toward something they personally enjoy.
Cross-pollination works both ways. If you hear a guest who's engaging and funny, look up their own show. Many of the best podcast discoveries come from hearing someone as a guest first and then subscribing to their main feed.
Podcast networks also help here. If you love one show from Gimlet, Radiotopia, or Maximum Fun, other shows on the same network often share a similar production quality and sensibility.
Subscribe to podcast newsletters and curated lists
Algorithmic recommendations optimize for engagement. Human curators optimize for quality. Both have a place, but if you're stuck in a rut, newsletters can introduce shows you'd never encounter in an algorithm's output.
A few worth subscribing to:
- Hot Pod (by Ashley Carman at Bloomberg) covers podcast industry news and regularly highlights notable new shows
- Podcast Delivery sends a curated podcast episode recommendation to your inbox each day
- Bello Collective publishes thoughtful essays about podcasting alongside show recommendations
- Nick Quah's newsletter (formerly of Vulture/Hot Pod) covers the podcast industry and surfaces new shows
Most of these are free or have free tiers. One good recommendation per week is all it takes to refresh your rotation.
Check podcast awards and year-end lists
Every December, publications and platforms publish "best of" podcast lists. These are useful because they surface shows that earned attention through quality, not just marketing budgets.
Apple Podcasts publishes a "Best Shows" list across 15+ markets. Spotify Wrapped includes your top podcasts and trending shows. The Podcast Academy runs the Ambies (podcast equivalent of the Grammys), and the Webby Awards have a podcast category.
Bookmark a few of these lists when they come out and revisit them throughout the year. A show that won "Best New Podcast" in December is still a good recommendation in June.
Build a discovery habit
Finding new podcasts works best when you treat it as a low-effort, ongoing habit rather than a weekend project. Here's a simple system:
- Set a "try one new show" day. Pick one day a week where you listen to a new podcast instead of your regulars. If it doesn't grab you in 10 minutes, move on.
- Keep a shortlist. When someone recommends a show or you see a clip that looks interesting, add it to a note on your phone. When your "try" day comes, pick from the list.
- Rotate genres. If you only listen to true crime, try a history or comedy show once a month. Your taste might surprise you.
- Use your app's queue. Most apps let you add episodes to a queue or playlist. Drop interesting episodes in there so they're ready when you are. If you need help with this, our guide on how to manage podcast subscriptions covers queue strategies.
- Give shows a fair shot. Some podcasts take 2-3 episodes to hit their stride. If the premise interests you but the first episode felt off, try one more before writing it off.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find podcasts on a specific topic?
Use a podcast search engine like Listen Notes or Podchaser. Both let you search by keyword across episode titles, descriptions, and (in Listen Notes' case) transcripts. You can also search within Apple Podcasts or Spotify by topic, though results tend to favor popular shows over niche ones.
What's the fastest way to know if a podcast is worth subscribing to?
Listen to a recent episode, not the first one. Most podcasts improve over time, and a recent episode reflects the current quality. Skip to the 5-minute mark to get past any intro ads and give it 10 minutes. If the host's voice and style don't click by then, it probably won't.
How many podcasts should I subscribe to?
There's no right number, but most regular listeners actively follow 5-10 shows and sample others occasionally. If your unplayed episode count is climbing into the hundreds, it might be time to unsubscribe from shows you're not actually listening to. Quality over quantity keeps podcast listening enjoyable rather than stressful.
Can podcast apps recommend shows based on what I already like?
Yes. Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, and Pocket Casts all offer algorithmic recommendations based on your listening history. Spotify's tend to be the most aggressive (they'll push recommendations on your Home screen), while Overcast's are more subtle and community-driven. Podtastic also helps you discover new shows through its podcast directory.
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