Feeling flat? Lift your spirits with some entertaining and informative listening on your way to or from work, or as you study. We’ve chosen six Aussie podcasts to try when you’re looking for something new to listen to – from conversational pop culture banter to easy-to-follow headlines of the day from a couple of Gen Zs in the know.

See Also
Melbourne International Film Festival and Golden Age Cinema programmer Kate Jinx and pop culture critic and author Brodie Lancaster discuss what they’re watching, reading, listening to and thinking about in a new conversational pop culture podcast, See Also. The friends comfortably traverse period dramas, such as the latest season of Bridgerton, to ’90s pop culture before pivoting to NFTs (which they later apologise for bringing up). It’s a deep dive into the zeitgeist and the organic conversation between two experts – who are taking their recommendations out of their DMs and into the mainstream – is easy-listening and fun. Listen via Apple Podcasts.

Stop Everything!
Hosted by Beverley Wang and Benjamin Law, ABC’s Stop Everything! covers culture, film, music, politics, fame, media and internet-related moments each week. Alongside the main news headlines, Wang and Law invite big-name guests to step into the studio for a chat. Recent guests include comedian Deborah Frances-White, Turning Red director Domee Shi and Masterchef judge Melissa Leong. No topic is off-limits, and whatever’s on the agenda is discussed with humour and ease, while also being intriguing and insightful. Download from Apple Podcasts or via ABC Listen.

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The Daily Aus

Starting as an Instagram project, The Daily Aus is known for its detailed infographics that break down the day’s news. If you’re time-poor and want to read more than just a Twitter headline or Instagram post to be informed, the The Daily Aus podcast is a great way to stay in the loop. Twenty-something hosts and co-founders Zara Seidler and Sam Koslowski launched the podcast in 2021 with the mission to create easy, informative and digestible news. Each daily episode begins with the headlines before diving into the key story of the day. Download from Apple Podcasts or listen via the Daily Aus website.

Race Matters
“When did you realise there was power in your race?” It’s a compelling question that’s presented to each guest on community radio station FBi’s Race Matters podcast. In one of the show’s episodes, Guardian Australia’s audio project manager Allison Chan responded with, “When I received cash money on Lunar New Year.” In another episode, journalist Antoinette Lattouf said, “After the Cronulla Riots and 9/11. Now I can say I’m a proud Arab woman from Western Sydney and my children say it with such pride now too.” This sums up Race Matters; it’s funny, sincere and educational – but most importantly, it’s a show by and for First Nations people and people of colour. Hosts Sara Khan and Darren Lesaguis hold space for nuanced and unexpected conversations with their guests, seeking to uplift underrepresented communities via their platform. Listen via FBi Radio.

Bad Taste
Did you know spam reached record sales for the seventh year in a row in 2021? The processed wartime food has become a staple in Australian pantries, and it’s a puzzling titbit that Melbourne food writer Jess Ho delves into in a six-part series from SBS Food. Ho, along with special guests such as author Bruce Pascoe and Anchovy chef Thi Le, explores the history of several edibles that have become part of the country’s dining table spread. Whether it’s spam, native grains or kimchi, Ho believes food is a vehicle for a freer, anti-racist world. At the end of the day, who gets to decide what good food is anyway? Download from Apple Podcasts, Spotify or via the SBS Radio app.

Ideas at the House

During the pandemic, Sydney Opera House continued to program its flagship festivals, such as All About Women and Antidote, either online or via a hybrid model. Even during trying times, we still need insightful discourse about topics that matter to us – from politics and feminism to the global economy and climate change. You can hear intense and amusing discussions such as authors Roxane Gay and Nakkiah Lui in conversation; or author Michael Mohammed Ahmad, children’s writer Randa Abdel-Fattah and academic Ghassan Hage discussing anti-Arab racism; or seek out ones with past Opera House guests including Yumi Stynes, Tilly Lawless, Ione Skye, Bri Lee and Osman Faruqi. Listen via Apple Podcasts or Spotify.