With an hour+ commute (each way!), I listen to more podcasts than the average citizen. However, truth be told, I’d probably listen to ’em even if I weren’t in the car an excessive amount because many are just that good!

While there are many podcasts worth listening to these days, here’s a few of our favorites you need to add to your playlists. Let us know your favorites in the comments below!

Radio Rental

Do you like quirky? I like quirky, which is why I’m excited to share with you a podcast that is part supernatural mystery, part true crime thriller, and part scripted comedy. However you slice it, it’s 100% captivating. From the folks at Tenderfoot.TV (To Live and Die in LA, Atlanta Monster, Up and Vanished), Radio Rental is an anthology series anchored by a fictional video store clerk played by Rainn Wilson. However, the stories themselves are what carry the show. From a firsthand account of sharing the same plane as the infamous Shoe Bomber to narrowly avoiding death from a confirmed serial killer, you’re sure to be captivated and creeped out.

Where to start: Order isn’t important on this one, but episode one is a great jumping off point or check out episode 2: “A young woman hears a tapping on her window… is it her boyfriend?” (Spoiler alert: NO!) – Preston Burt

Decoder Ring

I considered myself an expert on pop culture until I listened to Decoder Ring and discovered I was but a young Padawan. Hosted by Willa Paskin and published by Slate, Decoder Ring dives DEEP into the origins and cultural impact from such wide ranging topics as the Baby Shark phenomenon (pssttt…it’s been going longer than you think) to Truck Nutz and Bart Simpson mania. I scoffed when I saw one of the more recent episodes was focused on gender reveal parties but was surprised to hear directly from the woman credited with creating them her regret opening Pandora’s box, and the reasoning behind the current phenomenon. Episodes are about 45 minutes each and are perfect for fans of pop culture, retro nostalgia enthusiasts, and for folks who like thoughtful, reflective commentary on cultural touchstones.

Where to start: Chuck E. Cheese Pizza War is a ball-pit full of nostalgia that tells you more than you ever needed to know about the animatronic battles between two fast-casual pizza chains. – Preston Burt

Office Ladies

Ok, I’ll be upfront. You’re only going to like this one if you’re a fan of the NBC television show The Office, but that seems to cover a lot of folks. Rewatch podcasts are nothing new, but unlike… say, Gilmore Guys, Office Ladies podcast features two stars of the show (Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey) who give all the juicy behind-the-scenes details fans crave. The podcast has already brought on special guests Paul Feig, Creed Bratton, and other production crew members to share stories never heard anywhere else before, but it’s the two real-life best friends Jenna (who played Pam) and Angela (who played…checks notes…Angela) who carry the show. Listeners can expect real laughter and tears (and Meryl Streep award show stories) to keep you coming back for more.

Where to start: Episode One: The Pilot, and it certainly doesn’t hurt to re-watch each TV episode before listening. – Preston Burt

Swindled

Tales of con men, swindlers, and grifters fill hours of listening time in this great, well-researched podcast. I was introduced to Swindled after learning HBO would be producing a documentary series about McDonald’s Monopoly instant win game and how it was rigged by one man who worked for the marketing company whose family and friends claimed all the big prizes. HBO was inspired by this Daily Beast article, which itself is rumored to be inspired by an episode of the Swindled podcast. “A true crime podcast about white collar criminals, con artists, and corporate evil,” Swindled episodes focus on a variety of tales of greed and corruption (a revenge porn magnate, a fake Saudi Arabian prince, and the ill-fated Fyre Festival to name a few) as told by the a singular narrator/anonymous host who happens to be the only downside to the podcast. If you can get past his monotone delivery, you’re in for a wild ride. Just be sure to listen to lighter fare in between episodes so you don’t lose all hope in humanity.

Where to start: Spot a topic you’re kinda familiar with, but still a little fuzzy on. I’m still listening through them, but The Raid touches on the current hot-button immigration issue from an unlikely source. -Preston Burt

Wizards! The Podcast Guide to Comics

File this one in my “I wish I thought of that” drawer. While news headlines today are constantly filled with talk of superheros and billion dollar movie franchises, if you were collecting comics in the ’90s, the ONLY source of news you could rely on was a magazine called Wizard. In this brand-new series (seriously, there’s only two episodes out at the time of this article), two comic geeks dive into the pages of the past, which happened to document a huge boom in the comics industry. In Wizards!, you will dive into the rise of independent comics, examine pinnacle releases like Todd McFarlane’s Spider-Man #1, and count how many times the name Rob Liefeld comes up in this fun, lighthearted nostalgia bomb.

Where to start: They’re going issue by issue, so start with the one that launched it all (and the only one any self-respecting collector would seek out), #1! – Preston Burt

Mission Log

I’m a sucker for Big Dumb Projects, and podcasting about every episode (and film) in the Star Trek franchise is certainly a huge undertaking. But this isn’t just a couple of nerds rehashing the events of each episode and geeking out about it (though there is some of that). The goal of Mission Log is to analyze each episode for its “morals, messages, and meanings” and whether they still hold up today. And the show also benefits from being an official podcast produced by Roddenberry Entertainment. From trivia to behind-the-scenes stories to exclusive interviews, the show is a thinking fan’s Trek goldmine.

Where to start: Though the show is currently working its way through Deep Space Nine, they began with the classic series before going through the animated series, classic crew movies, The Next Generation, and TNG movies. If you’re a Trek fan, start with the first episode, since their conversations about the original series are some of the best. But if Picard has you feeling nostalgic for the 90s, episode 97 is where TNG begins. – Jamie Greene

The History of English Podcast

I know, a podcast about linguistics isn’t going to fire a lot of people’s rockets, but have you ever wondered why the letter “w” looks like it should be “double v’? Or why the letter “c” exists at all? Even been in a conversation that got confusing because we use “you” for both the plural and singular, and have you ever wondered why there isn’t a different word for one of those? (Hint: there used to be, and you’ve heard it and maybe even used it.) How about the fact that in our language the contractions for “I cannot”, “I will not”, and “I do not” are different from the one used for “I am not”? Did you know that the words we use for the animals we eat are almost entirely old English words – cow, chicken, pig – but the words we use for their meat – beef, poultry, pork – are French loan words? You will learn those things and so, so much more in this absolutely fascinating – and entirely ad free – podcast.

Where to start: At the beginning, with episode 1. This is a podcast that is absolutely telling one overarching story, and there are lots of references to past episodes each week. – Rob Huddleston

Planet Money

Planet Money

NPR’s economics podcast is one of the consistently best 30 minutes I spend twice a week. You’ll learn what’s really going on in the world and dive beyond the headlines. The show is NPR, so you know the quality will be there, but also that unique brand of storytelling they bring to basically everything they do. And by the way, this is one for the whole family. My 14-year-old son is a huge fan, and whenever we have to drive any sort of distance and there isn’t a baseball game on, this is what he asks to listen to.

And if you like Planet Money and want a shorter, daily dose, you can also check out their companion show The Indicator, a daily 10-minute look at what’s going on in the world of economics.

Where to start: This is one you can start wherever. There’s a rich archive of close to a thousand episodes, but if you just subscribe and start listening to the twice-weekly new editions you can’t go wrong. – Rob Huddleston

The Soundtrack Show

As a reader of The Roarbots, it’s safe to assume that at a minimum, hearing about orchestral scores in movies isn’t going to send you running to the hills. The Soundtrack Show podcast, by Hollywood “voice actor, sound designer, writer, mixer and composer” David W. Collins features deep-dives into some of the most influential soundtracks in history, starting of course with John Williams’ music to Jaws and Star Wars. But along the way you’ll learn about the fascinating history of music in film, the 18th and 19th-century influences on neo-classical scores, and the ways in which composers like Williams and Goldsmith and more help tell the stories of the films through their music.

Where to start: Episode 1. Unless you have a degree in music theory, you will definitely want to begin with the first few episodes as Collins lays out his case for the musical influences in modern scores, especially because he will continue to make references to these foundational episodes throughout. – Rob Huddleston