Discover New Awesome Podcasts Like Plaid Stallions
Does the phrase Plaid Stallions pique your interest? Have you been on the hunt for something new to listen to during your drive time commute or while getting the laundry done? While we didn’t go in-depth on passion or hobby podcasts covering things like woodworking, we do think we added something for everybody. So search no more, we’ve got you covered. We narrowed down the top five must-listen podcasts that you probably haven’t checked out yet.
We put together a list of podcasts covering a wide range of topics, with radically different tones and subject matter. It can get pretty stale listening to most of the same, so we dig having some strong contrast between the shows you subscribe to. Variety, after all, is the spice of life.
Without further ado, let’s jump into the list. We don’t want to keep you in suspense!
S-Town
Released last year, S-Town is far from your typical listening fare. If you’re familiar at all with the spin-off podcast Serial that This American Life producer Sarah Koenig worked on, then you’re close. But if you’re thinking of a facts-oriented exploration of a trial, then think again.
It begins with host Brian Reed explaining that he received an email in 2012 with the subject line “John B. McLemore lives in Shittown, Alabama.” Ah hah, I think I know where the podcast gets its title. This amusing introduction rapidly descends down a rabbit hole of mystery with no easy answers.
In his email to Reed, McLemore describes a cover-up of a murder that happened in his little town. They began corresponding first by email, and later by phone. Reed becomes so enthralled with the story of this place and this man that he travels to Woodstock, AL in an attempt to uncover the truth behind McLemore’s claims. Among the strange twists and turns in Reed’s investigation, he is introduced to McLemore’s labor of love: a carefully cultivated hedge maze that becomes conveniently symbolic of Reed’s confusing passage through the events of the show.
We feel it pertinent to note that S-Town is a part of Serial Productions, and Serial will be releasing a third season–at some point!
Special Brief Mention: If you’re a big fan of the grim detective-style podcast theme that Serial broke ground with, we can also highly recommend a weird addition to the genre: in light of the recent commotion on social networks and offline about McDonald’s bungled Szechuan sauce release, they have produced a 3-part podcast from the same vein that details where things went wrong internally. For fans of investigative journalism and the inner cogs of major multinational organizations, it’s probably a must-listen. You can check it out on their wewantthesauce domain here.
Podstallions
Podstallions brings you genuine and deeply engrossing freeform discussion about the toys, hobbies, and collectibles of the “Plaid Stallions” era: that point in the 70s where men proudly strutted their stuff in plaid leisure suits. Plaid Stallions is the name of the blog and website that ultimately spawned the podcast.
The show and its associated blog were inspired by a large collection of collectible catalogs co-host Brian Heiler had hung onto. Wanting to share this window into the past, he started to publish cool insights into these bygone toys.
For subject matter so specific, you might be concerned that details would be limited or glossed over. But hosts Brian Heiler and Jasno Lenzi are avid researchers and more than up to the task. When they cover a particular sci-fi toy, they go in depth about its story and origin. They even discover obscure details about how they were made.
If you’re interested in these guys and their awesome show, you can read our more in-depth Plaid Stallions article we published back in December. Obviously, we’re really into their show!
ID10T
ID10T is a nonstop laugh riot served up by host Chris Hardwick (stand-up comedian, actor, TV host, writer, and producer). The show started back in 2010, and for the majority of its lifespan has been called Nerdist. Hardwick recently rebranded the podcast (to some degree of mixed reception from more diehard fans) as it has found a new home away from the Nerdist Industries LLC umbrella.
Following the format of an interview show, each approximately 1-hour long episode features a celebrity guest Q & A, sometimes in Chris Hardwick’s home. While often the guests will relate in some way to comedy or nerd culture, this is by no means a hard and fast rule. No matter who the guest is, the episodes are consistently upbeat and entertaining.
One of the coolest things about getting into ID10T/Nerdist is the near-infinite archive. This show has been running for over 8 years and has accumulated over 900 episodes for you to somehow try to binge through. As Hardwick so eloquently puts it at the sign-off of the show, “Enjoy your burrito.”
Welcome to Night Vale
Welcome to Night Vale is the absolute weirdest podcast you’ll ever listen to. A rare treat in longform storytelling, twice-monthly installments feature news reports from a fictional town called Night Vale located “somewhere in the Southwestern United States.” The premise is simple: Every conceivable conspiracy theory is true in this place.
Host Cecil Baldwin reads deadpan news reports from around the town, slowly painting an eerie portrait of this forsaken place. Often the dreary atmosphere of the podcast will boil over into dry humor, a welcome but unexpected respite.
There are around 100 episodes available in the Welcome to Night Vale archives, stretching back to its creation in 2012. In current release, new episodes come out twice monthly. We encourage you to check it out, subscribe, and as they say, “Turn on your radio and hide.”
The Moth
Novelist George Dawes Green founded The Moth in an attempt to recreate the sense of a hot Georgia summer night, with moths gathering by lantern light while he and his friends spun tales. In fact, the very first event for The Moth was held right in George’s living room. After listening to the show faithfully for quite some time, we can honestly say that he didn’t land far from the mark.
Expanding fast, The Moth now has programs in nearly 30 U.S. cities. If you didn’t think that was cool enough, they also operate storytelling workshops for high school students or adults in underserved communities.
They’re trying something new right now and doubling up on available stories in the feed, so there’s really never been a better time to get into the podcast. Archives go back to 2011 with terrific stories and experiences ready to listen to.
Try Them Out!
We think these podcasts are terrific. Give them a listen and let us know what you think in the comments below! Want us to write up some of the others that we listen to? Let us know.
