11 Brilliant Podcasts To Listen To On Your Commute

At Eight, we’re all about fueling your days. We want you to feel good when you’re sleeping AND when you wake up. Our job goes beyond the bedroom, which is why we’re using this blog to share helpful tips to make you happier, healthier, and more energized. 

While some people need a cup of coffee on the train to stay awake, we rely on something else: podcasts.  

When it comes to commuting, podcasts are your best friend. They are the perfect mix of information and inspiration to get you going in the morning. Whether you’re standing on a crowded subway or stuck in LA traffic, listening to a podcast will certainly help pass the time. Curious minds alike will tune into podcasts for cultural ramblings, success stories, and hilarious commentaries. There are loads of podcasts available today covering topics in business, science, entertainment, technology, politics, and more.

If you want to learn something new, laugh a little, or even become better at your job (yes, there are podcasts for that, too), check out what The Eight team is listening to right now. Here are our favorite podcasts to listen to on the way to work.

1. How I Built This by NPR

How I Built This is our top pick because it shares the incredible stories behind some of the world’s most successful companies. It’s an inspiring podcast for innovators, entrepreneurs, and idealists like us at Eight.

2. The Dollop with Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds

The Dollop is one hilarious history lesson. Every week, the hosts explain events in American history with just the right amount of mockery.

3. Pod Save America by Crooked Media

This is a political podcast for “people not yet ready to give up or go insane.” Its no-bullshit approach to politics makes the conversations genuinely relatable.

4. Reply All by Gimlet Media

Reply All covers all things Internet. The podcast, hosted by Alex Goldman and PJ Vogt, humanizes elements of Internet culture and shows how technology has permeated our lives.

5. The Limit Does Not Exist by Forbes

This show is for the career-driven, ambitious individual. Each episode is an inspiring take on expanding your creativity, your curiosity, your skill set, and your goals.

6. Death, Sex, and Money by WNYC

Host Anna Sale explores the big questions and hard choices that are often left out of polite conversation. It’s a nuanced foray into “things we think about a lot, and need to talk about more.”

7. Stuff You Should Know by How Stuff Works

Stuff You Should Know discusses topics you should know about. If you’re looking for conversation starters or interesting dinner party material, this podcast will give you surprising new knowledge to share with friends.

8. S-Town by Brian Reed

For fans of This American Life and Serial, this riveting murder investigation is an easy and addictive listen. The popular series is a poetic exploration of friendship, mental health, and life in the American south.

9. My Dad Wrote A Porno by Jamie Cooper

Need a good laugh? This comedic sensation is about a man whose father actually published an erotic novel. Each week, Jamie Cooper reads a cringe-worthy chapter from his dad’s dirty book.

10. Invisibilia by NPR

Invisibilia is a fascinating dive into the unseen forces that control human behavior. It fuses storytelling with science to explore the things that shape our ideas, beliefs, assumptions, and emotions.

11. Note To Self by WNYC

This is one of our favorite tech podcasts because it’s all about making smart choices to live and think more productively. Host Manoush Zomorodi helps us become better informed in the digital era.

Ready to listen? Plug in and prep for your day with any of these free podcasts. Was your favorite not listed? Let us know in the comments. 

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