This American Life, Serial, The Daily, Radiolab, and S-Town top the list of the 100 Greatest Podcasts of All Time
With 300 votes cast by voters in 23 countries, This American Life has been named the greatest podcast of all time in the inaugural Essential Listening Poll.
Dallas, Texas – Today Left of Dial Media, with support from Amazon Music, took the stage at Podcast Movement to announce the results of The Essential Listening Poll and unveil its list of the 100 Greatest Podcasts of all time, a group sourced celebration of the most influential and groundbreaking audio.
In April, a wide ranging group of leading podcasters, hosts, journalists, academics, and industry luminaries from around the world were invited to vote in the poll, sharing their top five shows, shining new light on the work that has most inspired, engaged, and influenced them. Voters included Alex Blumberg (StartUp), Brendan McDonald (WTF with Marc Maron), Hrishikesh Hirway (Song Exploder), Latif Nasser and Lulu Miller (Radiolab), Alex Sujong Laughlin (Normal Gossip), Leon Neyhfak (Slow Burn) and a critical mass of prominent audio makers.
“What a tremendous testament to how compelling, inventive, joyful, and incredibly diverse podcasts can be. The list is filled with both undeniable powerhouses as well as unexpected hidden gems. We see Pulitzer Prize winning pieces of journalism like Stolen and In The Dark alongside shows like WTF with Marc Maron and Serial that created entire genres from the ground up and shows like The Heart and Have You Heard George’s Podcast? that remain totally singular works of art,” said Alan Black, Founder of Left of Dial Media.
“I hope that the poll will be a jumping off point for eager new listeners to explore the rich and diverse history of podcasts and a reminder to seasoned audiophiles of the OG shows that paved the way, broke new ground, and left an indelible mark on our imagination. I hope it will inspire a tremendous amount of discussion, fiery debate, and discovery,” added Black.
Explore the full list of the 100 Greatest Podcasts of all time, along with ballots from featured voters, and the complete list of participants at https://www.leftofdialmedia.com/essential-listening-poll.
You can also listen to the top 100 Greatest Podcasts of all time in a special Amazon Music collection:
www.amazon.com/bestpodcastsever (live beginning August 19, 2025)
About Left of Dial Media
Left of Dial Media was newly founded in the spirit and with the attitude of college radio. We want to turn you on to your next favorite show – the one you didn’t know you needed, the one that changes your life. It is our mission to produce, distribute, and champion incredible audio and create opportunities for new and visionary voices on and behind the mic.
About Amazon Music
Amazon Music is an immersive audio entertainment service that connects fans, artists, and creators through music, podcasts, and culture. Amazon Music brings fans closer to what they love, with curated and personalized playlists, artist livestreams, artist merch, and Amazon Exclusive podcasts. Prime members get access to over 100 million songs in shuffle mode, All-Access playlists, plus the largest catalog of top ad-free podcasts, included with their membership. Customers can upgrade to Amazon Music Unlimited for full, on-demand access to 100 million songs in HD, a growing catalog of Ultra HD and Spatial audio, and the world’s largest selection of audiobooks from Audible. Anyone can listen to Amazon Music by downloading the free Amazon Music app, or wherever they listen to music including Alexa-enabled devices. Learn more at amazon.com/music.
Media Contact:
Alan Black – alan@leftofdialmedia.com
