The 60 best podcasts to listen to in 2024

Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes are an unlikely trio of quick-witted interviewers on this laidback comedy talk show that’s as funny as it is insightful. The three friends – all accomplished actors in their own right – take turns introducing a new ‘mystery guest’ each episode, giving their cohosts a moment to guess who’s calling in before diving into an hour of unscripted conversation, prescient questions and lighthearted quips with everyone from Larry David and Jake Gyllenhaal to Natalie Portman and three(!) US presidents. Smartless’s format is simple but rarely feels stale, thanks in no small part to the team’s fantastic chemistry.

Serial is back, and it’s more of what the team behind it has always been good at. It’s not quite the oh-my-gosh levels of season one, but it takes a deep dive into Guantánamo Bay, with the same levels of detail that made season three fantastic. It’s well worth a listen, even for Sarah Koenig’s brilliant storytelling alone. Hopefully we won’t have to wait another six years for the next one, eh?

It’s said that happiness is a state of mind. But, uh, how exactly do we get into that state of mind? Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos is your guide for the Happiness Lab, a fascinating, scientifically backed podcast digging into what happiness means and how we can get closer to achieving it. Scroll through the many episodes to find something that resonates with you, like tips on working, taming stress, parenting, or friendship. We especially recommend going back to season two for its series on ‘Happiness Lessons of the Ancients.’ Happy listening!

Film buffs, roll the f*** up. A24 is a podcast from the production team who made Midsommar, Moonlight, Euphoria and more, and it’s every bit as glitzy, achingly cool and full of celebs as you’d hope it would be. A recent episode featured Emma Stone and Julio Torres, paired up off the back of stellar performances in A24 flicks Problemista and The Curse, who talked all things weird and wonderful (namely wrinkly passports and a teenage obsession with Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette). Writer-director Coppola herself appeared on an episode with Past Lives director Celine Song to discuss their career journeys to date and what genres they’d like to explore next (here’s hoping for a girl-gaze western or sci-fi). Essentially, if you’re even a little bit of a film nerd, you’re going to want to get this one on, stat. 

If you find yourself getting ridiculously invested in drama involving complete strangers, then Normal Gossip is the podcast for you. Each episode features host Kelsey McKinney and a special guest as they dive into an anonymous morsel of gossip submitted by listeners. Even though you don't know any of the people involved, you still feel the rush of hearing extremely juicy gossip as if they're close friends. (And it will not stop you from forming strong opinions of everyone involved!)

Sometimes the best podcasts just feel like conversations you have with your mates. Although a fair bit more articulate, probably. Chanté Joseph’s Guardian podcast, Pop Culture With Chanté, does exactly that, chatting to various guests about the biggest pop culture stories of the week, from Beyoncé to the ‘Hawk Tuah’ girl. It’s been around since 2022, and the final episode of the season is now out, so if you haven’t dived into this one yet, you’ve got a whole season to get stuck into. For the rest of you, time to wait for her next instalment. 

This is a dilemma based podcast, meaning the segment goes whether listeners lead it (yes, it can be a ride). Hosted by author and journalist Candice Brathwaite and online personality Coco Sarel, this pod will have you in hysterics one minute and rethinking every single one of your life decisions the next. But mostly you’ll feel part of the sisterhood you never knew you needed. We love these ladies.

Gwyneth Paltrow could read me the Bible and I’d be enthralled – I just adore her. That being said, her lifestyle company’s namesake podcast is a wonderful listen, whether or not you’re a Paltrow superfan like myself. She and her co-host, Cleo Wade, tap into a vast network of experts, entrepreneurs, celebrities, authors, and industry disruptors to engage in meaningful conversations that enlighten and inspire. From something as benign as makeup to deeper issues like health and relationships, the Goop Podcast approaches of-the-moment topics with the curiosity and openness of a therapy session, but in a fun way.