+++
hook = "A list of the best podcasts that I'm listening to this year."
published_at = 2016-08-28T01:13:48Z
title = "Podcasts 2016"
+++

After moving to the big city, I've spent a lot more time on foot over the past
few years. I eventually picked up another habit that pairs with walking
perfectly: podcasts.

As of 2016, here are my favorites:

* [Common Sense][common-sense]: Dan Carlin on the American political system.
  Dan takes the side of neither party, but comments on them from the outside in
  a very informed way. He has the incredible gift to be able to speak for hours
  in a way that's hugely information-dense. No co-host required.
* [Hardcore History][hardcore-history]: Dan Carlin's podcast on history, and
  maybe _the_ best podcast that's out there right now. Dan's impassioned
  approach to the subject makes every episode great. In particular, check on
  the series on the fall of the Roman republic and the exploits of Genghis
  Khan.
* [Road Work][road-work]: John Roderick (a musician) and Dan Benjamin (a
  podcaster) talk about things. I know that doesn't sound very interesting, but
  Roderick has a way with words and is one of the world's great story tellers.
* [Waking Up with Sam Harris][waking-up]: Sam Harris is best known for his
  atheism, but only because that's his most controversial pursuit. He's a great
  thinker in general, and the most articulate person that you'll ever hear.
  Topics range from current events, society, or interviews with various
  intellectuals, and as you'd expect, a healthy dose of criticism on religious
  radicalism.

And some others that deserve mention:

* [8-4 Play][8-4-play]: Focuses on recent developments in gaming, specifically
  in Japan. I don't play many video games anymore, but I still find it
  fascinating.
* [99% Invisible][99-invisible]: A podcast on architecture and design that
  manages to drudge up original material that's as interesting as it is
  obscure.
* [The Bike Shed][bike-shed]: Titled with a concept that every programmer will
  know well, this one is unsurprisingly about -- software. Episode quality is
  variable, but there's occasionally some great content on advanced topics like
  Rust and ORM internals.
* [Planet Money][planet-money]: These guys really have a real knack for making
  economics interesting. Its major weakness is that it never trackles a subject
  in depth.
* [Radiolab][radiolab]: Covers scientific subjects and comes with good
  interviews and some great sound editing. It's only downside is that the hosts
  have a bad habit of brushing up against the realm of pseudo-science.
* [Roderick on the Line][roderick]: A slight variation of _Road Work_ above,
  this one is John Roderick and Merlin Mann talking about things. Recent
  episodes have been a little lackluster, but comb through the backlog for some
  incredible stories.
* [Song Exploder][song-exploder]: The best edited podcast on the list; breaks
  down popular songs and has their composer talk through the thinking and
  process that went into their creation. For best results, check the back
  catalog for songs that you like.

[8-4-play]: https://overcast.fm/itunes393557569/8-4-play
[99-invisible]:https://overcast.fm/itunes394775318/99-invisible 
[bike-shed]: https://overcast.fm/itunes935763119/the-bike-shed
[common-sense]: https://overcast.fm/itunes155974141/common-sense-with-dan-carlin
[hardcore-history]: https://overcast.fm/itunes173001861/dan-carlins-hardcore-history
[planet-money]: https://overcast.fm/itunes290783428/planet-money
[radiolab]: https://overcast.fm/itunes152249110/radiolab
[road-work]: https://overcast.fm/itunes1030602911/road-work
[roderick]: https://overcast.fm/itunes471418144/roderick-on-the-line
[song-exploder]: https://overcast.fm/itunes788236947/song-exploder
[waking-up]: https://overcast.fm/itunes733163012/waking-up-with-sam-harris
