The 25 Best Podcasts of 2023
Editor’s Note: Find all of The Atlantic’s “Best of 2023” coverage here.
If art imitates life, it’s no wonder many of this year’s podcasts contained a dash of doom. During a year of planetary uncertainty, in which fears about the climate crisis and AI encroaching on the workforce intensified, the audio space reflected our impulse to decode mysteries: Series zeroed in on deception, premiering plenty of heist and con-artist content. Podcasters reexamined the justice system, from parole boards to the FBI. Three separate shows tried to solve the puzzle of the perplexing ailment known as Havana syndrome. Like many of us, producers searched for any answers they could get.
But the biggest podcasting trend I noticed in 2023 was, by far, the predominance of women as protagonists, hosts, and subjects. Traditionally male archetypes were served up with a feminine twist: Creators explored female adultery, espionage, scamming, and wanderlust. Although podcasts about delinquent doctors continued to draw in audiences, this year, they seemed to focus on misconduct in obstetrics—not too surprising, considering last year’s overturn of Roe v. Wade.
With millions of podcasts in existence, this list includes the 25 best I heard this year, each one novel and compelling. (As with every year, I’ve recused myself from considering The Atlantic’s podcasts.) These shows premiered fresh frameworks, experimented with sound design, and elevated underrepresented voices and stories. They dazzled in exposition, reporting, and range. We offer them as a compass for unpredictable times, a pick-me-up for winter blues, and, we hope, a hint of clarity in times to come.
25. Ride With Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone
This comedian-BFF duo invites listeners to ride shotgun on their friendship. With only brief preparation and rapid-fire banter, Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone make the case for the phenomena they ride for: Ferrero Rocher, Kim K’s private theater, and driving safely, among others. Listeners leave with inspiration for light pranking and Skinner and Barone’s new definition of cheating, which, they claim, includes choosing the checkout counter of an opposite-sex cashier if you’re heterosexual. Ride is not educational—though the hosts’ quips do offer a crash course in Millennial and Gen Z pop culture. The show boosts serotonin levels on a reliable 30-minute joyride.
Start with “Traditional Family Values + Pranking.”
24. Believable: The Coco Berthmann Story
Coco Berthmann rose to fame sharing
