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The Best Podcasts to Listen to Right Now

With almost all podcasts fusing coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic with their regular topics, it’s hard to dissect what you should be listening to.

Lockdowns around the globe are having a huge effect on listening figures too, with podcast giant Acast reporting a 7% increase in listens globally over the weekend of March 21-22.

Since January 22, podcast episodes that reference ‘coronavirus’ or ‘COVID-19’ have been downloaded more than 27.5 million times worldwide.

“It’s incredibly heartening to see podcasters and listeners adapting to these new challenges. Podcasting is a great way to stay informed or distracted during troubling times.” said Acast’s SVP of content, Susie Warhurst.

So here are some of the best podcasts out there if you want to stay up to date with the latest on the crisis in Australia (or for a bit of coronavirus-related entertainment):

Coronacast – ABC

Hailed as the premier source of coronavirus information for Australian’s, the ABC’s Coronacast is hosted by Tegan Taylor and Dr Norman Swan.

Swan also hosts The Health Report on Radio National, and has proved to be one of the best communicators about the issue.

The podcast has been published every weekday since it launched on March 4, addressing issues such as how to wash your hands properly, what Australia can learn from other countries, the nature of the virus, where COVID-19 came from, and even tips on how to convince friends to take the corona crisis seriously.

Swan is joined by a host of guests and also answers questions from listeners.

Check it out here.

Survivor’s Guide To Coronavirus – ARN’s iHeartPodcast Network

With his live stand-up career on hold for now, comedian Nazeem Hussain has just launched his new podcast Survivor’s Guide To Coronavirus.

Admitting he has no idea what to do for a world in crisis, Hussain is drawing on people even less qualified than him, to provide a lighter view on the situation.

He’s teamed up with Luke McGregor, Julia Morris, Karl Chandler, Collingwood’s Dane Swan, Scott Pape (The Barefoot Investor), Urzila Carlsson, Joel Creasey and even Melbourne Lord Major Sally Capp.

“I don’t know how informative this podcast will be but I can promise it will be funny and a great way to fill 15 minutes of your day in isolation. The other 23 hours and 45 minutes is up to you,” said Hussain.

Check it out on iTunes, iHeartRadio or here.

Sunny Side UP! with Ash London – PodcastOne AU

Hit Network National Nights host Ash London has launched a podcast which pledges to search for an antidote for the anxiety that comes with a global pandemic.

Sunny Side Up! sees London chat each day to someone around the world whose had a recent positive experience in their community.

“Hopefully it will inspire us all to be a little kinder, reach out to our neighbour, and survive this craziness in one piece,” said London.

“All in the time it takes to cook your morning egg!” Catch up on the first few episodes here.

Coronavirus Daily – NPR

Not an Australian podcast, but one of the best looks at incremental developments with the public radio frame of mind from NPR.

The pod covers all dimensions of the story from science to economics and politics as well as society and culture, and is Hosted by Kelly McEvers from Embedded.

It publishes each weekday, and includes tories and interviews from NPR’s Science, International, National, Business and Washington reporting teams.

It’s a good look into how the US is handling the crisis.

Check it out here.

Just The Gist – PodcastOne AU

While not a coronavirus podcast specifically, Rosie Waterland’s Just The Gist was named by the Hit Network as the top most-bingeworthy podcast on SCA’s PodcastOne Australia platform.

The weekly-ish podcast sees comedian Waterland joined by different guests to dive into the ‘need to know’ about a given topic.

The latest episode sees her dive into her experience having the flu in the past two weeks and worrying about having COVID-19, before diving into how the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918 (and why it wasn’t really Spanish).

Catch up here.

RNZ: Coronavirus Podcast – ARN’s iHeartPodcast Network

Hosted by Radio New Zealand’s Indira Stewart, RNZ’s Coronavirus Podcast dives into the affects of the global pandemic on our neighbours across the ditch.

With Australian PM Scott Morrison seemingly taking cues from NZ leader Jacinda Ardern, it’s useful to keep track on how our neighbours are dealing with COVID-19.

New Zealand has also just introduced Level Four social restrictions, and this podcast dives into how they work, and what Australia might expect if we implement similar measures.

The first episode launched on March 25, catch up here.

First published on RadioToday. Read original here