For beginners and professionals alike, role models are key in continuous improvement. While this is true in every area of life – from the mundane to the complex – for those of you looking to attract and maintain a loyal listener base to your podcast, role models allow you to find areas for improvement and serve as benchmarks to aspire to.
But how are you to find podcasts with good voices for inspiration amongst a magnitude of shows? Luckily you don’t, because today we have scoured the RSS feeds for 7 of the greatest voices that podcasts have to offer.
If you are looking to carve a niche or create a show that appeals to listeners of all ages and backgrounds, chances are you can learn a thing or two from our top picks.
Table of Contents
Podcasts with Good Voices
You can find good voices in podcasts of all genres. More importantly, there is no reason to limit yourself to one particular genre just because that is where your interest lies. Scope is vital in helping your show stand out from the crowd, and inspiration can truly come from anywhere.
Today we will be focusing on a wide array of different genres and hosts; from solo storytelling to general discussions and interviews, keep reading to find out what it is that makes these voices so inspirational.
Criminal
Topic Area: True Crime
Name of Host: Phoebe Judge
Year of Launch: 2014
Length of Episodes: 15 – 30 minutes
Release Schedule: Weekly
Description: Criminal is a true-crime podcast with each episode analyzing a new case. Judge’s calm and soothing tone of voice juxtaposes the often-graphic descriptions of each case, making the narration easy to follow, and engaging to listen to.
Being born and raised in Chicago Illinois, her soft and articulate midwestern accent reflects her passion for both the episode topics – which she personally picks alongside her co-creator – and a deep interest in journalism.
With episodes in the hundreds, Criminal has seen steady growth in interest over its four years of run time. With a well-spoken and charismatic host such as Judge, it’s no surprise people keep coming back for more.
Sleep with Me
Topic Area: Health, Comedy
Name of Host: Drew Ackerman (Scooter)
Year of Launch: 2013
Length of Episodes: 60 – 90 minutes
Release Schedule: Twice a week
Description: As the title suggests, sleep with me is a podcast that helps you fall to sleep. Inspired by late-night comedy radio shows, Drew Ackerman has made a name for himself as one of the most relaxing and comforting hosts on the podcasting scene.
His dulcet New York accent works perfectly with his slow winding narrations designed to help you find peace of mind as you drift off to sleep. This podcast is a breath of fresh air as rarely does a host set out to help listeners stop listening, however, Ackerman should serve as a benchmark for any podcasters looking to calm and relax through narration.
The Memory Palace
Topic Area: History
Name of Host: Nate DiMeo
Year of Launch: 2008
Length of Episodes: 5-15 minutes
Release Schedule: Twice a month
Description: The Memory palace, hosted by Nate DiMeo, is a non-serialized short-form history podcast detailing people or events otherwise resigned to the past.
The short run time provokes a concise account of the chosen topic, which DiMeo narrates at a steady tempo. DiMeo remains cool and collected in his narration, prescribing a dreamy quality to his storytelling which invites the listener’s full attention.
His voice is clear and articulate without being abrasive or tiring to listen to. Working within the limits of the 10–15-minute episode run time forces a podcasting style that encourages a sustained engagement from his listeners, in order to paint a full picture of the moment in history.
Mirths and Monsters
Topic Area: Mythology
Name of Host: Classic Kevin
Year of Launch: 2017
Length of Episodes: 20-30 minutes
Release Schedule: Weekly
Description: Mirths and Monsters is a charming podcast bringing descriptions of old age monsters and myths to listeners, albeit with a humorous twist. The charisma of this show is largely down to the host, Classic Kevin’s broad Scottish accent.
His gruff and witty articulation brings to life the fantasy aspects of the show. With a conversational and humorous delivery, Kevin effortlessly manages to draw the listener into the topic of the episode.
This is a great example of how an accent can add to a podcast. Drawing on preconceptions and idiosyncrasies of the voice aids in the characterization of the host while still remaining clear and easy to follow along with.
Cortex
Topic Area: Discussion
Name of Hosts: CGP Grey & Myke Hurley
Year of Launch: 2015
Length of Episodes: 90-120 minutes
Release Schedule: Monthly
Description: Unlike some of the previous examples on this list, Cortex is a discussion podcast with the same recurring two hosts. While the principal of the show is fairly basic (a discussion of the working lives of the hosts) the chemistry between the two generates an incredibly engaging listen.
Being American and English respectively, the two hosts greatly complement each other, having many of the same issues being content creators – albeit with differing personal and cultural points of view.
Grey’s breadth of vocabulary and skill in analyzing and evaluating situations, paired with Hurley’s made for radio voice and persona makes for an interesting listen no matter the subject.
Philosophize This!
Topic Area: Philosophy
Name of Hosts: Stephen West
Year of Launch: 2013
Length of Episodes: 20-30 minutes
Release Schedule: Monthly
Description: When teaching a field as old and as far-reaching as philosophy, finding ways in which to be both engaging, and informative is no easy feat. Despite this, Stephen West manages to strike the right balance packaging such a rich and complex field into an easily digestible serialized show.
West’s teaching and tangents reflect his deep interest in all facets of the field. His energetic and conversational tone makes plain even the most advanced topics. If you are looking for inspiration in hosting an educational podcast, then listening to a few episodes of Philosophize This! Will give you a great starting point for the tone and style of narration that is both fun to listen to, while still being incredibly informative.
The Allusionist
Topic Area: Linguistics
Name of Hosts: Helen Zaltzman
Year of Launch: 2015
Length of Episodes: 15-30 minutes
Release Schedule: Twice a month
Description: Another variation on the educational podcast theme, The Allusionist follows Helen Zaltzman as she interviews linguistics experts from around the globe, dissecting language exposing all its facets and nuances along the way.
Zaltzman is a great host and incredible interviewer. Not only is she well-spoken (as you would expect from the host of a language podcast), but she also has a magnetic personality, cracking jokes and using dry wit to offset challenging concepts throughout the show.
Persona elevates an educational podcast from a daunting prospect for beginner listeners to a beacon of knowledge that people flock to for information and entertainment. Zaltzman’s background in performance and broadcasting helps to create a great blend of humor and learning.
Final Thoughts
As you will be well aware by now, no one aspect of voice makes a host better than the rest. Persona, tone, narration style, and chemistry all factor into our top picks, and by cherry-picking the aspects that work for you, you should be well on your way to finding your voice.
It is important to know your audience, and also know yourself. While some of these traits work for the genre and host of these picks, this doesn’t mean there are a cut and dry method for developing a good voice.
Now you have the inspiration to improve your voice, why stop there? Content is another crucial feature of a standout show that we didn’t have time to cover today, however, you can learn more in our article on ‘How to Write a Great Podcast Intro Script’.