10 Podcasts You Should Listen to in 2017

1. FT Life of a Song
Each month, FT music critics and contributors discuss the story behind a song, from its origins and early recordings through to cover versions, both good and bad. Song selections span from Radiohead’s No Surprises and Eva Cassidy’s Wade In The Water - to a Christmas purist’s Good King Wenceslas.

2. Dirty John
Christopher Goffard reports and hosts the true-crime story of Debra Newell, who was seduced, deceived and manipulated by a serial killer. Her story gives a chilling account of how [dirty] John Meehan operated in both his personal and romantic life.

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3. If I Were You
Former CollegeHumour writers, Jake and Amir, deliver ill advised answers in this comedy advice podcast, with special guests like Jean Ralphio from Parks and Recreation and Bobby Lee from Pineapple Express. Whether picking apart writer’s dilemmas on whether to 'receive golden showers' or 'get down with polyamory', it's a sure fire way to make you feel better about your own life choices.

4. My Dad Wrote A Porno
Friends; Jamie Morton, James Cooper, and Alice Levine gather in the kitchen to dissect an erotic novel Morton’s father wrote in the 80s. Titled Belinda Blinked, hilarity ensues as the many plot holes in his dad's story are unveiled.

5. The Partially Examined Life
Philosophy and philosophers are discussed in an informal roundtable setting, with each host asking at least one “big” question, concern or idea. One of the most recent episodes entertains the idea of androids and humanity, just like the ones in Blade Runner 2049. Topics range from totalitarianism, racism/sexism, ethics and mankind’s origins, to softer concepts such as the bass guitar and tastes of social classes.

6. The Butterfly Effect
Jon Ronson’s podcast series goes through the consequences of the porn industry, by interviewing people who were either benefiting or being exploited by it. In one experience, Ronson speaks with the man who got rich off Pornhub by securing a $32 million loan to purchase sites that profited from stolen content (made by and starring those women). The podcast comes as an eye-opener to the realities of the porn-maker lifestyle.

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7. Pantiocrasy
Panti Bliss hosts a late night cabaret of witty and insightful conversations about contemporary Ireland. In the last instalment, 'Life's Little Nudges', Panti takes a theme from a song with guest, Julie Feeney, and explores how life's little nudges can change us and our lives.

8. Competitive Erotic Fan Fiction
Mostly explaining itself in the title, comedians compete in writing and performing erotic stories that have been voted in by fans. It touches on social and political issues with toilet humour. Fantastic.

9. The World in Words
An assortment of interesting types join Patrick Cox to talk about language - in everything from dubbing movies, to the 'lingo of pro-Trump trolls', to fortune cookies. The World in Words is a place for English speakers to discover a life outside their own globalised language.

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10. Talkhouse Podcast
Opting out of the usual host format, Talkhouse Music Podcast pairs interesting musicians with each other for unique artist-to-artist interviews. Some of the most compelling results have come during in-depth conversations between Kamasi Washington and Thundercat, A Tribe Called Quest's Jarobi White and Starita, to name but a few. Who needs a host when you have combinations like that?