Have you ever listened to a favorite song so much, you began to resent it? Are you tired of the radio and its loud commercials and repetitive nature? Are you looking for a way to find un-filtered, uncensored news and entertainment?

Welcome to the world of podcasts—where you are in total control! It’s a universe begging to get tapped into, abound with useful information, hilarious banter, awe-inspiring journalism, and more.

But with the whopping 29 million podcasts available today, it may seem a little daunting to choose the best podcasts—that’s why we did it for you.

Dip your toes into the pool of podcasting with these 7 innovating winners!

The Best Podcasts Right Now (2019 Update)

How would we describe podcasts, exactly?

They’re radio shows that are available on the internet vs. a traditional car stereo. This gives you the freedom to listen at your leisure. So if you’re pulling up to work right as they’re about to reveal the killer—just press pause!

iPhone users can simply use the Podcast app, which comes pre-downloaded on all Apple devices. Android owners can use Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or any other podcast app of your choosing.

For the purposes of this article, we’re sticking to free podcasts, so you can subscribe at any time, free of charge!

Get on your pod app and let’s get to subscribing!

1. Reply All

A simple way to describe Reply All would be “a podcast about the internet.”

While this is certainly true, our hosts PJ Vogt and Alex Goldman do more than that. Since 2014, they’ve looked into all things technology. They teach us how to navigate the sometimes overly-complicated world that is modern day living.

Their most recent episode, “The Roman Mars Mazda Virus,” actually delves into a specific coding problem that occurs in one podcast (mentioned later—99% Invisible). It’s a fascinating look into the many layers of getting your podcast onto the internet.

2. Radiolab

This show, hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, is best described using their own words:

A strange little show in a weird corner of the media universe.

Since 2002, Radiolab has investigated, reported, and shared with listeners strange stories from around the world. Whether it’s about a woman too annoying to get deemed a citizen in her own town—or discussing the ways the word “sorry” has changed over time—this show delves into the things we didn’t know we cared about, but definitely do.

Bonus: Radiolab also created a wonderful spin-off dedicated to the justice system. Check out More Perfect for those episodes.

See for yourself why this show has an average rating of 5 stars (that’s from 24,410 reviews)!

3. The Joe Rogan Experience

Are you looking for an unbiased, informative, captivating podcast? One that interviews people from all walks of life? One that explores both sides of every story?

Then download the JRE podcast, created by the Podfather himself: Joe Rogan.

This isn’t the guy who hosted Fear Factor (okay, it is). But this is him years later, as a father, an MMA commentator, a husband, a runner, an elk hunter, and a workout enthusiast. He inspires you while also hitting your pressure points.

And that’s why every one of his episodes reaches over 1 million people.

For some great starter shows, check out Dr. Ronda Patrick, Ben Greenfield, Leah Remini (if you want to hear about the ins and outs of Scientology), or the infamous Elon Musk.

4. The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe

All right, critical thinkers and science nerds! This one’s for you.

This show, hosted by a panel of skeptics, scientists, psychiatrists, and more, is an awesome guide to today’s world. It teaches us how to view the world through a skeptics lens, questioning everything and accepting nothing (unless it has science-backed evidence, of course)!

This show features fun sections, such as “Science or Fiction,” where the host Steven Novella tries to trick his fellow hosts into making guesses about news stories. Jay Novella does a great “Who’s That Noisy,” where listeners have to name where a sound comes from. And Evan Bernstein ends every show with a quote.

We love last week’s quote by Louis Thomas, which says: “Statistically, the probability of any one of us being here is so small that the mere fact of our existence should keep us all in a state of contented dazzlement.”

5. 99% Invisible

99% Invisible (or 99pi for short) is a show that does what the name suggests. It wants to reveal things to listeners that are right in our faces that we don’t necessarily pay attention to. It puts thought into “the things we don’t think about,” making every episode an enchanting adventure.

Want to know why 99pi doesn’t work on Mazdas? Check out Reply All’s latest episode, which works to figure out that exact problem.

6. On the Media

Brooke Gladstone and Bob Garfield are two charming yet utterly realistic journalists whose mission it is to inform the public about the goings-on in our world.

This show, which drops weekly, investigates how media shapes our worldview. And if you think the media doesn’t shape our worldview, then give this show a try. It dives into all things known and unknown, peeling back curtains and revealing what’s in the dark spaces.

7. Stuff You Should Know

If you want witty, funny, relatable banter with a huge helping of information, Stuff You Should Know is your podcast.

Chuck Bryant and Josh Clark (senior writer of How Stuff Works) use the podcasting platform to “educate the public about common things and how they work.” Their recent episodes include the likes of the electric chair, desert survival, bedbugs, turbulence, and more.

As a bonus, they release periodical “Short Stuff,” which are usually under 15 minutes—perfect for that commute to work.

They also host Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know, which covers topics from North America’s largest (and disappeared) city to a glimpse at humanity in 1,000 years.

Listen at Your Leisure

These are some of the best podcasts out there, but don’t let this list stop you!

The internet is rife with listening material, waiting to get downloaded and enjoyed by you. There are podcasts about sex, plants, motherhood, comedy, law, and more. Name any subject and we can almost guarantee there’s a podcast about it.

This lovely little slice of technology has a slew of benefits—from its accessibility to the amount of awesome information divulged on a regular basis. They’re so great, even your grandma can partake.

For more interesting information, here are 7 ways tech has made aging easier!