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There's an odd duality to awards in podcasting. There are a lot of different award programs within the industry. However, most of those award organizations set their sights on the most high-profile podcasts and hosts instead of the BEST podcasts, often developed and hosted by highly skilled but relatively unknown podcasters.  The NYC Podcast Awards proudly displays its independent streak, with its Director, Cory Choy, noting, "The NYC Podcast Awards recognize excellence in au

Two GOATS of life-affirming independent podcasts talked in Late January on the  Root to Resilience podcast  with creator/host Anupa Devi. On that hour-long episode on January 28th, Anupa welcomed Nina Rodriguez, creator/host of the  Grief and Light podcast .   Nina has already been recognized with the 2025 award from Women Who Podcast Magazine.  Anupa has just been nominated for the Woman Who Achieves Awards 2026 by Woman Who, in recognition of the brand and business she buil

In the logo of Ear Worthy , it states that we support independent podcasts and podcasters.  It's the basis of why Ear Worthy exists. It's also why we publish opinion editorials (OP-EDs) by qualified third parties, especially from seasoned pros like Doug Downs, who have spent a career supporting indie podcasters. Further, another enthusiastic supporter of that mission is  Podcast Professionals Association (PPA) . Doug and I are both members. Please check them out and consider

I started Ear Worthy back in 2007 when podcasting was in its infancy. So, it should have been no surprise to me that not many people wanted to read podcast reviews, since they didn't know what a podcast was. Back then, I called the publication Podcast Review . I know, zero points for creativity. The publication only lasted a few years. Anyway, back in the dark ages, podcasts were often experiments by early adopters, wildly creative types, entrepreneurs, risk-takers, and bold

When you hear of a podcast about Jane Austen, those words conjure images and sounds of a stodgy book review podcast where the host and an academic guest dissect Jane Austen’s collected works. It’s literary criticism at its best, but also potentially at its most boring. There is nothing boring about Austen After Dark . In fact, the podcast is like this multi-dimensional force, with vibrating energy in literature, erotica, history, romance, and women’s rights. I’ll let the show

The Once Upon A VHS Podcast is billed as a queer and never-ending quest through the fantasy films of the 80s & 90s, and all the memories and feelings they conjure up. From animated adventures and sword and sorcery epics to magical romcoms and fairytale horror, the creators/hosts, Michael and Callum, will journey through the big blockbusters and cult classics. While the Fox News crowd may get hung up on the queer part, this show is just a damn good movie review podcast, regard

While you wouldn’t have known it from the Golden Globes podcast nominations this year, audio fiction podcasts are largely a province of independent podcasting. While large podcast networks like Spotify have not figured out how to recoup their considerable investment in audio fiction, innovative indie podcasters have found that sweet spot between creative innovation and financial prudence. Leave it to an independent podcaster like Acorn Arts and Entertainment to innovate a way

Last week, Ear Worthy published an article -- Why Doesn't AI Recommend Indie Podcasts When Asked By Users? Essentially, the article uncovered a flaw in AI searches for the Best Podcasts: the results do not include independent podcasts.  When we revised our AI query and asked it to name the BEST INDEPENDENT PODCASTS OF 2025, the search results included independent podcasts such as The Life Shift, Multispective , and many others.  Here's the thing. Podcast listeners — whether s

A Live Conversation on Storytelling and Hosting One of the common threads that runs through TV shows about business is that people in that business are embroiled in a no-holds-barred, cutthroat battle to dominate. Think of the HBO show Succession, where Waystar Royco, the international media conglomerate controlled by aging patriarch Logan Roy, is contemplating what the future holds as his family jockeys to succeed him. Or Yellowstone, where John Dutton battles everyone from

If you’re a podcast superfan or indie podcaster, you already know the information I’m about to impart. Hang in there because we will get into a specific example in the article. Host-read podcast ads are highly effective because they create a personal connection and build trust with listeners, leading to higher engagement and better recall. These ads feel more like recommendations from a trusted friend than traditional advertisements. According to a study by SiriusXM Media, po

You might think that the further we get chronologically from classic Hollywood, the less interest there would be in the movies and stars of the 30s, 40s, and 50s. But you’d be wrong. Classic movies, like the stars of that era, are still popular. There is still a strong appetite for the classic films, evidenced by their availability on streaming services, theatrical re-releases, and the continued inspiration they provide to modern filmmakers. One of the best independent podcas

Not many were around during the OG times of podcasting. A recent survey found that 90% of current podcast fans began listening in the last five years. Today, podcasters and listeners grumble about too many podcasts. I remember (NOTE: This is much like the “I walked 20 miles to school in the snow” type story) when it was a struggle to find enough podcasts to listen to. One of those OG podcasters is Suzy Chase, a longtime independent podcaster based in NYC. We’ll let Suzy tell

I sound like a typical Boomer, fetishizing over 60s music and then obnoxiously explaining to newer generations that “music has never been as good.” I was a massive Doors fan in the '60s and saw them once in concert. No, lead singer Jim Morrison did not expose himself, if that’s what you’re wondering. The Doors have always been polarizing. Their work is often described as experimental, atmospheric, and improvisational, which some find captivating and others find self-indulgent

Season one of Tails And Tassels was a smashing success. Consider the elements of the show — a lively, captivating host, a peek inside the world of burlesque, a journey to all things cats, and a passion for podcasting. Tails And Tassels is a superb independent podcast that would never be made by a large podcast network. Why? First, because podcast networks are linear thinkers who study Excel spreadsheets to determine programming. Second, podcast networks often copy content a

Determining whether your indie podcast should hold a live show is the classic chicken-or-egg conundrum. It goes like this: “Live shows definitely generate interest and can increase my audience, but my audience is so small now, would anyone attend a live show?” Here’s an example. Another F*cking Horror Podcast  launched on Halloween in 2020 and has already completed more than 180 episodes. I love shows that bend or twist genres to their specific thematic premise, or, in this c

In the final moments before he took his own life, 14-year-old Sewell Setzer III took out his phone and messaged the chatbot that had become his closest friend. For months, Sewell had become increasingly isolated from his real life as he engaged in highly sexualized conversations with the bot, according to a wrongful death lawsuit filed in a federal court in Orlando this week. The legal filing states that the teen openly discussed his suicidal thoughts and shared his wishes fo

In Shifting Terrain , host Rachel Rybaczuk explains her show this way: “We explore race and class in politics, beyond the simplistic stereotypes in the news, and between election cycles. Voters, political strategists, organizers, and politicians discuss how race and class are shaping voting patterns, campaigns, the news, and election outcomes. And, ultimately, how we navigate America’s multiracial, cross-class democracy. We highlight voices across the country to interrupt mis

Authors and podcasters have a long-running symbiotic relationship. Podcasters need authors when specific expertise is required. The author is the ideal person to fit the bill. After all, authors are credentialed by virtue of their published works, and they can provide heft to the discussion brewing in any podcast. For podcasts, authors provide legitimacy to any topic, and their insights — based on the wisdom mined from their book research — can make for an enlightening and li

Here is the marketing pitch from Taboo Science : “Taboo Science is a podcast that answers the questions you’re not allowed to ask. It’s hosted by Ashley Hamer, a science writer and podcaster. Every episode dives into a different societal taboo to understand the science that makes it tick, the reasons we don’t talk about it, and the impact that has on society at large. Why don’t we eat people? Why are my swear words different from my parents’? And what makes porn, porn? It’s s

Let’s begin our review of Organized Money with its August 5th episode about “The Coup at the Antitrust Division.” In both Trump Administrations, transparency and “draining the swamp” were touchstones of their governmental philosophy. Someone must have forgotten to tell Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice because journalist Sohrab Ahmari broke a story titled The Antitrust War Inside MAGA: Powerful Lobbyists Are Battling Populist Reformers. In it, he reported that the recen