Classroom Ideas
There’s a whole world of podcasts for teens – those trendsetters, and digital natives who navigate technology as easily as breathing. Here is a list of 25 podcasts for teens, covering subjects such as pop music, science, little known historical facts, superhero battles, sustainability, and so much more.
1. Radiolab
Radiolab is the OG of podcasts – beloved and renowned around the world. This podcast began in 2002 and has evolved into a platform for long-form storytelling and journalism with innovative sound editing. A recent episode titled “Falling” investigated black holes, a trip over Niagara Falls, and whether or not cats always land on their feet. Radiolab is quirky and thought-provoking, a combination that has won it some of the most prestigious awards in journalism.
2. Dear Hank and John
Teens are likely already familiar with the Green brothers. Hank Green is a well-known vlogger and YouTuber, and John Green is the renowned author of The Fault in Our Stars, which was turned into a hit movie. In their podcast, the brothers “offer both humorous and heartfelt advice about life’s big and small questions,” according to their podcast site. Both are big personalities that lend themselves to the podcast format.
3. Fat Mascara
Jessica Matlin and Jennifer Sullivan host this beauty podcast. Both are beauty editors by day, and they dispense cutting-edge advice from their industry in their weekly podcast. Teens will listen to interviews with influencers, dermatologists, celebrities, hairstylists, and more in this top-ranked beauty and fashion podcast.
4. Mental Music
This is a unique podcast in that it is a music-based podcast about teen mental health. The podcast is created by and hosted by teens who are in their element talking about the relationship between music and mental health. Recent episodes explore issues like stress in schools, masculinity, and social anxiety. The format is both friendly and informative, highly accessible for today’s teens.
5.Teenager Therapy
Five teens who describe themselves as energetic, yet sleep-deprived, talk about what it means to be a teenager today. The tagline of their podcast is, “because we have problems, too.” It’s highly relatable, swinging between heartfelt and funny. The teen team has tackled issues like social distancing, the fear of hurting others, and tik-tok, to name a few.
6. Stuff You Should Know
The description for this podcast is in its title! Recent “stuff you should know” includes how sweepstakes work, how election polling works (and doesn’t work), and how porta-potties work. From the wild and wacky to the down-to-earth, this podcast has it all.
7. The Socially Awkward podcast
Two brothers host this podcast they describe as “uncut, unedited, unsupervised, and frankly, a hoot load of fun.” The latest episode features a discussion of toxic masculinity, and in a twist, toxic femininity, too. The brothers have recently explored issues of identity and self-expression, the future of movie theaters, and country music, too.
8. Song Exploder
This is one of the more unique podcasts out there today. Creator and host Hrishikesh Hirway interviews musicians and asks them to talk about specific decisions that went into their hit songs. Once interviews are complete, Hirway edits himself out so the podcast focuses solely on the musician’s journey to bring the song to life. Guests have included Fleetwood Mac, Metallica, Lorde, and many, many more. Teens who live for music will love this podcast.
9.Stuff You Missed in History Class
History buffs will love this podcast about overlooked moments in history. The most recent episode looks at the founding of Paramount; another delves into the romance between Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning; a third follows 1695 buccaneer Alexander Selkirk.
10. Wait wait… don’t tell me!
Teens will love the trivia format, and this podcast could even make a great addition to a social studies class. NPR produces this weekly quiz over current events. The audience tries to guess what’s real, and what’s made up in classic quiz show style.
11. Mentors 4 Teens
This podcast is designed to offer college, scholarship, and career guidance to teens. A variety of youth mentors from various industries are interviewed for insight into how they build successful lives. The team behind this podcast also brings in college admissions officers and financial advisers. All together, teens can get advice on how to put their best foot forward in job and college applications.
12. The Mortified Podcast
Teens will get a kick out of this hilarious podcast. Adult guests are invited in to share the embarrassing things they wrote as kids, including love letters and diary entries. Celebrity guests like Elijah Wood and Alanis Morissette make surprise appearances.
13. Welcome to the Night Vale
Welcome to the Night Vale is a fiction podcast where “every conspiracy theory is true.” New podcasts are created twice a month and over 150 episodes have been recorded. The New York Times said this podcast is like what the news might sound like if Stephen King took over your local public radio. New listeners don’t have to start at the beginning but rather can just dive right in to the current episode.
14. SpyCast
Longtime host Dr. Vince Houghton is the curator of the International Spy Museum, though he has just hung up his spy hat and handed off the hosting reins to Andrew Hammond. SpyCast interviews with ex-spies and espionage experts. It’s fascinating listening for all ages, not just teens, though teens will be rapt.
15. What’s Good Games
What’s Good Games is a video game podcast hosted by best friends and gaming experts Andrea Rene, Brittney Brombacher, and Kristine Steimer, who combined have more than 30 years of experience in the gaming industry. Together, they cover all the latest video game news your gamer teen could want.
16. Adult ISH
The Adult ISH podcast tackles issues of culture, storytelling, and advice, all from (adultish) teens. Serious topics like marriage and menstruation are combined with episodes about robot takeovers and quarantine comedy. It’s really accessible for today’s teens.
17. The Breakfast Club
Hosts DJ Envy, Angela Yee, and Charlamagne Tha God call themselves “the World’s Most Dangerous Morning Show.” A recent episode including an interview with Dr. Oz about COVID-19. The Breakfast Club certainly feels like a chatty and fun morning show for teens.
18. WhoWouldWin
Hosts James Gavsie and Ray Stakenas ask the important questions, the ones we have all aksed ourselves: In a battle between Batman and Iron Man, who would win? What about, as a recent podcast episode explores, Robocopy versus Terminator? An official set of rules, available online, governs each debate to make sure winners are crowned fairly.
19. Hurdle
Emily Abbate hosts this thrice-weekly wellness podcast. Guests such as athletes discuss how they made it through life’s toughest moments as well as their biggest triumphs. Teens learn to handle life’s ups and downs with humility and resiliency.
20. Unstoppable Teen
The Unstoppable Teen aims to answer the big question, what does it take to have a happy and successful life? Podcast creators use evidence-based research to answer the questions and unlock the secret to a happier life for teens. The podcast gives teens a toolbox of skills they can draw from to improve their mindsets, addressing everything from resilience to hydration.
21. The Stuff of Life
What makes our world so maddening, so strange and so achingly beautiful? What a question! This podcast explores the sometimes sublime and oft-ridiculous phenomena that make our world incredible. Researchers weigh in on issues ranging from nostalgia to miscarriages. New episodes haven’t been produced since 2017, but the archives are still worth listening to.
22. Good Together
Teens interested in saving the planet, one small action at a time, can tune in to learn about sustainability. Each episode features quick tips and actionable strategies that teen and adult listeners can apply to their daily habits right away.
23. Science Vs
Science Vs aims to dispel commonly held – but fictitious – beliefs. The podcast examines fads and trends to determine what is grounded in science and what isn’t. Recent episodes have tackled coronavirus, giving listeners hard science answers to pressing pandemic questions.
24. Switched On Pop
Switched on Pop is a music theory class about pop music rolled up in a podcast. The hosts break down popular songs to figure out what makes a hit. Recent episodes look at the 90s music canon and the makings of a “sad banger.”
25. How I Built This
Guy Raz pulls back the curtain and looks at the creation of some of the world’s best known companies like Khan Academy, Bumble, Life is Good, and Tempur-Pedic. Listeners get to go behind-the-scenes with innovators and entrepreneurs, hopefully applying some lessons to their own lives.
