It’s the new new. Re-launching the audio version of the newsletter. Featuring, Zaya, Undisclosed, Serial, and Hot Buttons. All the links below:

Zaya: https://greatpods.co/podcast/zaya

Undisclosed: https://greatpods.co/podcast/undisclosed

Serial: https://greatpods.co/podcast/serial

Hot Buttons: https://greatpods.co/podcast/hot-buttons

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Hey Poddy People!

This special edition of the newsletter includes the much-anticipated video podcast and the continuation of the audio podcast! We were given the opportunity to zoom record the And That’s Why We Drink hosts during their current tour and book release. At this moment, the editing is done and shipped. It’s not perfect and it doesn’t need to be. So the length of this newsletter will be relatively short.

Updates:

* I started tabulating overall click-through rates from readers to read a “full review”. We have that percentage and depending on the month it ranges from 10-20%! 10% was last month because of the viral moment from Reddit. The first 12 days of this month have click-throughs at 18%. If anyone has ideas on what benchmarks are out there in these types of cases, please reply back.

* Batman Unburied is trending up in search this week on GP thanks to its release on Spotify (Exclusive) and “dethroning” Joe Rogan for the #1 spot news cycle. It was tedious to sift through the hundreds of articles to find a couple of reviews, but I did it! Personal excitement: It’s pretty cool to see the analytics in real-time!

* Stuttering Awareness Week in SF - Our pod friend, Maya, has been doing some great work on Stuttering Awareness. Her podcast is here.

On to my picks this week…

Podcast: And That’s Why We DrinkGenre: True Crime, ParanormalPublisher: Em Schulz, Christine Schiefer

As mentioned above, we had the opportunity to interview the hosts of And That’s Why We Drink, Em & Christine.

About: Grab your wine and milkshakes and join us every Sunday for some chilling ghost stories and downright terrifying true crime stories. The world's a scary place. And that's why we drink!

They are in the middle of a tour, book release, and recording their podcast. Taking the lead in the conversation was a friend of GP, and independent critic, Keelin, from Mentally? A Magpie. Additionally, Keelin contributed to the interview write-up for the GP Blog! Thanks, you Rockstar!

Em and Christine did not disappoint. They were super fun and talkative. Made our jobs much easier. Keelin with great questions that Em and Christine commented on how they normally wouldn’t get these types of questions that got them thinking. There are even fun stories on what kind of gifts they’ve received at meet & greets. 200 human teeth being one of them.

Learnings on video podcasting: Seeing everyone’s reactions and also dropping in some funny visuals was fun. Hopefully, it works.

Natalie Griffin • The Game of Nerds

“Overall, And That’s Why We Drink delivers some dark and disturbing material in a way that is easier to comprehend and come to terms with.”

Shoutout to indie podcasters & behind the mic folks. I’ve done video editing before, but editing the podcast, zooming windows, framing, and being mindful of the audio is a long process! Thanks, Lisa, from Metro Public Relations, for setting this up.

YouTube:

Subscribe to the Great Pods Channel! Enjoy and give us feedback!

Podcast: Exit ScamGenre: True Crime, CryptoPublisher: Treats Media

This recommendation came from an unexpected source—my dreams. The current Crypto crash, Dr. Strange's multiverse dreams, and a road trip with Dave Matthew from Dave Matthew’s Band all played a role in it. In the end, I woke up to Exit Scam. I dropped it in a blog post if you want the long story.

About: In 2018, Gerald Cotten, the founder of Canada's biggest Bitcoin exchange, died under mysterious circumstances during a honeymoon trip to India. His customers were told that the $215 million they'd deposited on the exchange was lost forever — because Gerry had forgotten to leave behind his passwords. But here's the thing: Not everyone believes he's dead. Exit Scam is about what really happened to Gerald Cotten and the fortune that disappeared with him.

I looked it up on GP and started listening. It’s pretty good so far! The host, Aaron Lammer comes from the podcast, Longform.

Nicholas Quah • Vulture

“It’s kind of a dangerous world that Exit Scam gazes into, and Lammer provides a stabilizing, almost comforting presence throughout.”

Just Added:

Locked On Celtics - John Karalis, Locked On Podcast Network

Father Wants Us Dead - NJ.com

Ghost Church - Cool Zone Media, Jamie Loftus

Nice To Meet You - Gen-Z Media, Wondery

Stay Away From Matthew MaGill - Pineapple Street Studios

Stay safe, be empathetic, and be kind!

Listening with you,Captain Ron

Great Pods is your best friend in podcast discovery. Get immersed in engaging critic reviews and ratings to make finding your next podcast fun. Tell a friend!

Hey Poddy People!

Happy International Podcast Day! Celebrate by listening to your favorite podcast or finding your next one on Great Pods.

Website update: We released search! It’s in the first iteration with only “title search.” Try it out!

Twitter Space update: Edited and uploaded our conversation with Aftershock Co-Creator Ben Haber. More on that below.

Not much for an intro this week! Let’s go.

On to my picks this week…

Podcast: No Time To Die James Bond PodcastGenre: TV & FilmPublisher: Somethin’ Else

The behind-the-scenes podcast was starting to get released during the first pandemic postponement of the movie last year. With that one episode, it got a poor review from Times UK Critic, James Marriot.

I don’t really know what the spirit of Bond is, but I’m pretty sure this isn’t it."

It looks like Somethin’ Else might have read that review because they definitely re-edited the first episode and took the time to spruce it up with new Zoom interviews.

With all the episodes released, The Guardian’s Miranda Sawyer gave it a more positive review.

“…you do get a sense of the scale of the production, the weight of Bond’s history, just how staggeringly complicated it is to create a blockbuster that’s familiar but new.”

I listened to a couple of episodes, especially around the music which was good. Notable guests include Billie Eilish and brother Finneas for the last 10 min in conversation about their song for the franchise.

It might be a good listen on the weekend. *cough cough

Chat w/ Aftershock’s Co-Creator: Ben Haber

We were joined by Ben Haber, feature film & TV producer and co-creator of Aftershock podcast. He was a great conversationalist and made our first Twitter Space super easy.

We talked about using Squadcast during the pandemic, story plot points, and future seasons amongst other things. Looking forward to Twitter adding a record feature so I don’t have to come up with my own recording hack.

You can listen to it above.

Thanks to Arielle and Keelin for co-hosting with me. Kev for some additional questions. The iHeart team (Jenn, Alison, Maria, and Kelsey) for being so accommodating.

Ben Haber’s picks

Ben was kind enough to send over what podcast’s he listens to as well. I pulled two of them from the list and gave them a listen.

Podcast: TumanbayGenre: Audio FictionPublisher: iHeart

About: A vast empire threatened by rebellion. A fiction podcast on an epic scale set in the most powerful city on earth...

Ben wrote, “That show is extremely well produced and I feel like I'm in the world and the performances and writing are excellent.”

Based on that recommendation I decided to look into its Critic review and confirm adding it to my queue.

Kev - Tea In The Sahara

“The actors used in Tumanbay are quite simply outstanding.”

I started listening to this podcast and wow it’s grand. With four seasons already in the book, this will nicely fill the void that Aftershock has left me.

Podcast: Astronomy CastGenre: SciencePublisher: Dr. Pamela Gay, Fraser Cain (Indie)

Another one of Ben’s picks is this niche podcast about the stars! I added this to my queue as I do enjoy science and planetary podcasts.

About: Hosted by Fraser Cain (Universe Today) and Dr. Pamela L. Gay (Planetary Science Institute), this show brings the questions of an avid astronomy lover direct to an astronomer.

It’s definitely a good old discussion podcast and simplified for us common folk to understand.

Tom Urbain - Starlust

“The strength of the show comes from the host’s ability to turn complicated astronomical content into something that everyone can understand.”

Stay safe, wear a mask, be kind, and get vaxxed!XOXO

Captain Ron

Great Pods is a website that uses podcast critic reviews and ratings to help you find & decide your next podcast listen.

Hey Party People!

So I did a thing. I started a podcast club on Clubhouse audio app. Listen here. So far there are a whopping four members - including myself.

Storytime: Friends, Cory and Imran (yes, the same name as me), joined the chat. I asked what Imran liked listening to on the radio because he doesn’t listen to a lot of podcasts. He said Tupac and Biggie. Boom, Cory mentioned it was Biggie’s death anniversary this week and that he recommends Slow Burn Season 3, Tupac and Biggie. I found critic reviews and started listening to the podcast myself, and in turn, am recommending it to you all below. Huzzah! If you are on Clubhouse, search and add the Great Pods club! I’ll be sitting in a live room at 9 AM PT on Friday to chat about podcast recommendations if anyone is interested.

Industry news: The 1st Ambie Awards (Podcast Awards) nominations from the Podcast Academy were announced for a May live show. My first scan of the nominees, has me scratching my head a little. Hot take: As much as I love DJ Khaled, and continue to listen to his podcast, The First One, exclusively on Amazon Music, he should not have been nominated for Best Entertainment Podcast. His podcast still needs a little bit of work. I’ll be working on a longer newsletter edition on the nominations.

On to our picks this week…

Slow Burn: Tupac and BiggiePublisher: Slate PodcastsGenre: Music History (Explicit)

It was #BiggieDay March 9th. This year would mark the Notorious B.I.G’s 24th death anniversary. I wrote a little bit above why I am recommending it this week and the critic review I was able to source. If you are intrigued by the hip-hop saga, coupled with past interviews and storytelling, have a listen. Season 3 is 8 episodes in length. Write a review when you are done!

The work Slow Burn does to clearly document the Tupac-Biggie relationship makes for an admirable piece of reporting.

Jake Greenberg - Podcast Review - Dec 13, 2019

Podcast: Great Pods Podcast RecommendationsGuest: Lauren Passell from Podcast the Newsletter

1st Pick: Teikirisi - Take it easyPublisher: carmen & fryda (Independent)Genre: Society / Documentary (Explicit)

2nd Pick: My Year In Mensa (see 3rd recommendation below)

Our guest this week on the podcast is Lauren Passell! She is the curator of Podcast the Newsletter, a newsletter that helps you discover new podcasts and get to know the people who make them. She also curates for the podcast app Hark audio and is the founder of Tink Media, a marketing and PR company for podcasters. You can follow her on Twitter @laurenpassell.  You can listen to her critique in the podcast player above.

About teikiris‪i‬: a podcast celebrating all things Cuban-American.

Now that you know Lauren, she guested on John Hodgman’s comedy podcast. You’ll get some LOL’s out of this.

Honorable mention: Judge John Hodgman PodcastEpisode: Mr. Commode's Wild RideGenre: ComedyAbout: Lauren files suit against her mother, Cheri. Cheri says she would like her ashes flushed down a toilet at Disney World. Lauren is opposed!

Podcast: My Year In MensaPublisher: Jamie Loftus | iHeartRadioGenre: Personal Journal / Comedy (Explicit)

I’m going to be piggy-backing off of Lauren’s second pick, “My Year In Mensa” recommendation. Comedian Jamie Loftus recounts her one year of joining Mensa, the so-called smarty pants organization. Turns out they ain’t so smart. The setup is great. The follow-through is great. The content is sometimes surprising, but great. I was chuckling at her use of air horns and the Jeopardy sound-FX. By the time you hear them again, it’s like you are part of the inside joke. It’s a definitely weird roller coaster of comedy that includes darkness.

It’s only 4 episodes so you can easily finish this series.

"My Year In Mensa seems to combine so many podcast genres (it's documentary, true crime, history...) but I think the most important thing is that it's super funny."

Josh Flear - CBC - Jul 16, 2020

Stay safe, get vaccinated, and keep wearing a mask!XOXO

Captain Ron

About Great Pods: Great Pods is a podcast recommendation ecosystem that uses critic and listener reviews to help you find your next listen!

Hey Party People!

Great Pods is growing steadily thanks to all of you. If you have feedback, just hit reply and share it. I am all ears.

Podcast news: Spotify announced some new podcasting tools as well as new exclusive podcasts to their platform that includes Renegades: Born in the USA w/ Bruce Springsteen and President Obama. That should be an interesting listen. If you get to it before I do, add a review.

Website update: I just finished up our first round of user testing on the website to improve the functionality. As a result of that testing, we added sorting to the reviews page so you can sift through the 400+ reviews as we inch closer to a version 1.0. True Crime and Comedy sorting only for now. Thanks for the feedback!

On to our picks this week…

Podcast: NASA’s Curious UniversePublisher: NASAGenre: Science

The eagle has landed…on Mars! NASA’s billion-dollar baby, Perservence Rover successfully arrived on the red planet, and with microphones attached. What does that mean? We, humans, get to get to hear what it finally sounds like…ON A PODCAST! NASA’s Curious Universe podcast is an easy-going, easy-to-understand podcast, that released an episode this week on the “Sounds of Mars”. In this episode, they talk about the microphone setup and what you are hearing on Mars in addition to other cool things about the journey. Fascinating!

Reviewer elenaz.elie, wrote,

If you want to relax and learn at the same time join this podcast.

Podcast: Great Pods Podcast RecommendationsGuest: Jay Shifman from Choose Your Struggle

This week’s podcast guest recommendation comes from a friend of Great Pods, Jay Shifman, a mental health and substance misuse speaker, coach, and host of the Choose Your Struggle podcast. Listen to his recommendation in the episode above. Links below!

Captain’s Hot Take: I listened to the St. Vincent episode on Kesha and the Creepies. They both had calming voices and honestly, I did not know who was talking most of the time. But that was fine! There were stories at Taylor Swift’s house where they both met which were amusing. It’s not a “let’s talk music the entire time” type of conversation.

Side note: There are no listeners reviews for Cookies for Breakfast or Kesha and the Creepies. If you listen, add a review!

Podcast: Stuff The British StolePublisher: ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corp.)Genre: History (Some explicit language)

Oh, the British Empire. What haven’t they done during their time as colonizers? Whilst adding some reviews, this podcast popped up in various international critic reviews(see below). The first episode is on a toy tiger from the era of Tipu Sultan of India. Seeing how I am of Indian descent I put on that particular episode when I was on a road trip with the family. There is a short moment where one of the historians puts Tipu in a less than favorable light. Oh boy, my aunt and uncle did not like that and I got to hear it while we still had 30 minutes left on the way home. I laugh at that situation now. Putting that moment aside, I did enjoy the host’s struggle to find the bottom of the story throughout.

Fennell(host) is immensely entertaining, his podcasts are always gripping and this is an excellent series that uses history, colonialism and art to examine where we are today. Recommended."

Miranda Sawyer - The Guardian - Dec 12, 2020

Stay safe and don’t forget to wear a mask!XOXO

Captain Ron

About Great Pods: Our goal is to help solve the problem of discoverability via critic and listener reviews.

HOLD THE LINE! The stock market drama is going crazy. I might’ve partaken in some of the madness. Oops.

The Reddit vs. Wall Street saga is now in the works with Netflix to make a movie. We’ve recommended the Marketplace podcast to give you that daily 5-minute update on their show. If you want an episode full of expletives, anger, agreements, and disagreements about the saga, here’s an episode from the All In podcast.

Website update: Our podcast page is finally coming together. If you visit a review, we now have a Listen Now button that will let you select which podcast player you want to open! You may think little things like these are easy, but I say nay nay.

Podcast update: Great Pods: The Podcast, Episode 2 is now live! A podcast that compliments the newsletter with recommendations from guests explaining why they liked an episode or podcast. Compared to the first episode, my intro/outro audio quality got considerably better. You can reply to this email if you have feedback.

This week we have Nashville Emmy-winner and on-air journalist star, Kelly Sutton! I met her back in Austin during TuneIn’s SXSW showcase. Her new project is Connected with Kelly on YouTube and delight as she interviews Nashville’s biggest stars. Listen to Kelly tell us what she picked at the top of this post and find the links for her recommendations below.

Also, I’m adding a new section called Hot Take. Where I give you my…hot take on anything. It’ll pop up once in a while at the end.

If you liked the newsletter or know someone who might enjoy it too, share it!

On to our picks this week…

Podcast: Black History YearPublisher: Limina House, PushBlackGenre: History

It’s Black History Month. As I was adding more critic reviews to the database I was reading this Vanity Fair article on Black-owned and run podcasts. Although we have been promoting Black podcasts regardless of month, we will be shining light on more during BHM.

This podcast recommended by Justine Goode is a good podcast if you want a straight conversation on history and economics. There’s no fluff needed. I have listened to the episode on Black Cooperative Economics and how that works.

"Featuring interviews with experts, Black History Year provides crisp historical storytelling and analysis, animated by host Jay Walker’s excellent narration."

Justine Goode - Vanity Fair - Jun 16, 2020

Honorable Mention Podcast: SwayEpisode: Killer MikePublisher: NY TimesGenre: Society

The episode on co-op’s reminded me of the episode on Sway, with well-known tech reporter Kara Swisher. She interviewed Killer Mike (Run The Jewels) on his activism and his investment in Black businesses. I enjoyed this episode as well.

Kelly Sutton’s Podcast Picks:

Podcast: The Jasmine Star Show PodcastPublisher: Jasmine StarGenre: Entrepreneurship

Podcast: The Country Music Media Podcast Publisher: Billy DukesGenre: Music Commentary

As mentioned in the podcast, special guest Kelly Sutton gave us her two favorite podcasts she’s listening to right now. The episode that Kelly Sutton was on is also linked below! You can listen to why in the podcast episode.

About The Jasmine Star Show: On The Jasmine Star Show, you can expect raw business coaching sessions, honest conversations with industry peers, and most importantly: tactical tips and a step-by-step plan to empower entrepreneurs to build a brand, market it on social media, and create a life they love.

About The Country Music Media Podcast: The ultimate country music insider podcast. Each Monday, the Country Music Media Podcast features guests involved in timely issues who are willing to offer refreshing candor, unparalleled expertise and rare insight into the singers, songs and stories that define country music today.

Podcast: New Books In LanguagePublisher: New Books Network

If you ever wanted to deep-dive into languages and their origins especially with those who study them, this podcast is worth the listen.

Listener Edward G. said, “This episode taught me a lot about Sanskrit and the challenges of teaching a language that isn't spoken very widely today. I loved the anecdotes about the Sanskrit's unique verb tenses.”

Breaking Podcast News:

Joe Budden, former rapper and current podcaster, has now moved his network to Patreon after a much-publicized spat with Spotify. He will be joining the team as Head of Creator Equity too. More info.

Hot Take w/ Captain Ron

Fresh. Raw. Honest thoughts. That’s my hot take on anything. Not as dramatic as you would think, but possibly controversial.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch creamer. Do it.

That’s my hot take.

One more thing - This lady used Gorilla Glue to style her hair. The bigger story, Gorilla Glue comes in a spray can?! 🤣🤣🤣 GET OUT!

Stay safe, wear a mask, and subscribe to the podcast! XOXO

Captain Ron#ToTheMoon

Hey party people, there is a lot of celebrating going on this week! Happy inauguration week and welcome to our new subscribers!

Today I launched a podcast!

Podcast update: I finally jumped in and released the trailer and first episode of Great Pods: The Podcast. A podcast that compliments the newsletter with recommendations from guests explaining why they liked an episode or podcast. It’s a little rough around the edges, but you have to start somewhere! On the first episode, I asked Jefferson Graham, former USA Today tech columnist with whom I collaborated at TuneIn, for our first guest episode recommendations clip - (under 3 minutes). It will include what he listened to this week and why he liked it. You’ll be able to find the newsletter version of his recommendation below. Take a listen!

Also, if you liked the newsletter or know someone that might enjoy it too, share it!

On to my (our) picks this week…

Podcast: Freakonomics RadioPublisher: Dubner Productions and Stitcher

This year Freakonomics radio/podcast celebrates its 10 year anniversary. A spin-off of the popular book, it’s garnered awards and downloads for its storytelling and reporting.

“If you enjoy taking a fresh, data-driven look at what is happening in the world today this may be the podcast for you. The emphasis is generally on the United States but concepts and examples from around the world and history are incorporated to help the listener grapple with those trickiest of questions, the ones that begin with: Why?” - Robert Nease from Quill.inc.

In that celebration, they are releasing 10 years of archives from behind their paywall on Stitcher and freakonomics.com. Their normal podcast release is available everywhere else. Have at it!

About: Each week, Freakonomics Radio tells you things you always thought you knew (but didn’t) and things you never thought you wanted to know (but do) — from the economics of sleep to how to become great at just about anything. Dubner speaks with Nobel laureates and provocateurs, intellectuals and entrepreneurs, and various other underachievers.

The button above links to Spotify, Apple, Google, Breaker, Castro, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castbox, and RadioPublic

Guest Podcast Recommendation: Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal PodcastPublisher: Starburns

Another thing worth celebrating this week is the launch of the Great Pods podcast. As mentioned in the intro, this podcast and episode (Abbot and Costello) is a recommendation from Jefferson Graham. Listen to his audio recommendation above. As always, I like to supplement a recommendation with a review to assist in your decision to listen.

Marc Hershon from Huff Post writes, “With all of the rampant fun that this episode brings, my favorite touchstone throughout is the syncopated rhythm of Gottfried’s relentless cackle and Black’s throaty chortle. Those sounds alone are enough to pull laughs out of your piehole.”

I saw that Gilbert has episodes with Bob Costas and Neil Degrasse Tyson. I genuinely want to know what Gilbert and his signature cackle discuss with them.

The episode button above links to Spotify, Apple, and Google

The button above links to Spotify, Apple, Google, Breaker, Castro, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castbox, and RadioPublic

Jefferson Graham, the former USA TODAY tech columnist, is now launching a new travel video series on Amazon. Photowalks launches 2/19. Follow him at his newsletter, http://jeffersongraham.substack.com

Podcast: Planet MoneyPublisher: NPR

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby entered the public domain this month after 95 years of copyright law expired! What does that mean? It means anyone can perform, record, publish, and more without any publisher rights as it belongs to all of us now.

Not to be outdone by Freakonomics 10th anniversary, NPR’s chill economic podcast Planet Money, released a special episode this week reading the entire book with their staff on the podcast without having to pay for it.

Planet Money writes, “As much as anything, The Great Gatsby is about money. It's a book about why people want money, what they do with it when they get it — and what money does to them. The Great Gatsby is the perfect novel for Planet Money.”

Consider it your free audiobook!

The episode button above links to Spotify, Apple, and Google

Honorable mentions: It’s Dolly Parton’s 75th birthday! The singer, songwriter, actress, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and vaccine-funding queen is amazing, to say the least. We’re re-recommending Dolly Parton’s America in honor of her birthday and this interview with Willie Geist on NBC’s Sunday Sitdown podcast.

The button above links to Spotify, Apple, Google, Breaker, Castro, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castbox, and RadioPublic

Stay safe and wear a mask!XOXO

Captain Ron

GP Logo: Laura Music: LeviCopy editor: Brew

Introducing Great Pods: The Podcast

Every week we will recommend a podcast from a listener, critic, person of internet, or editorial team and tell you why we like a particular episode or podcast. You may just find the next listen for your road trip or however you consume podcasts.

Music: Levi