By Olivia Eiken | Staff Writer
Podcasts are nothing new. In 2004 — the dawn of the “Apple Era” — Adam Curry and Dave Winer sought to find a way to download online radio broadcasts to an iPod, coining the term “podcast” from the words “iPod” and “broadcast.”
Today, it seems every celebrity, professional athlete and internet influencer has a podcast. Baylor students weighed in on their favorite podcasts.
The new form of entertainment really took off in 2014 when narrative-based podcasts began, most notably true crime shows. This genre of podcasts remains one of the most popular, with shows like “Crime Junkie” and “Murder, Mystery & Makeup.”
There may be a few reasons why podcasts are so beloved by young people today. They’re the perfect mix of on-demand entertainment and convenience, and podcasts can foster an educational environment, allowing for intellectual growth and thought-provoking conversations.
A couple of popular podcasts in this category are “Science Vs” and “History Daily.” Podcasts like these are especially beneficial as attention spans continue to decline among youth and adolescents, which is often the result of growing up in the age of technology.
Hewitt junior John Austin DeLozier said he loves listening to the “On Being” podcast with Krista Tippet because Tippet “talks about the pressing questions we all have.” The former public radio program examines the essential questions at the center of human life: What does it mean to be human? How should we want to live? A few of the guests “On Being” has hosted include Maya Angelou, Rosanne Cash and Yo-Yo Ma.
Snohomish, Wash., sophomore Carly Wuerch said she ranks “Anything Goes” with Emma Chamberlain as one of her favorites. Chamberlain cracked the code with “Anything Goes,” especially among her predominantly young female demographic. The podcast covers everything from trending fashion to relationship hardships and mental health struggles.
Wuerch said she enjoys tuning in because Chamberlain “heavily relates to issues that I have or probably will experience.”
League City junior Noah Falk said he enjoys listening to the “Huberman Lab” podcast hosted by Dr. Andrew Huberman. Huberman covers the realm of neuroscience and everything contained within it. Topics covered include how our brain and its connections with every organ in our body control our perception and reaction to the world around us. If you’re seeking to better understand dreams, learning behaviors, fear and stress, then “it’s a great lifestyle and health podcast for anyone,” Falk said.
Trophy Club junior Gina Martini and Oklahoma City junior Savannah Long are big fans of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast hosted by Alex Cooper. Cooper has the most listened-to podcast by a woman on Spotify. She’s known for sharing a blend of relationship advice and stories from both her and her listeners. Cooper shook the content creator and podcast worlds with “Call Her Daddy” because of how raw she is, specifically by talking about and normalizing topics society considers taboo.
“It’s just super funny and entertaining,” Long said.
