25 podcasts to add to your queue

Death, Sex, & Money: WNYC’s Anna Sale discusses the decisions we make every day about spending, family, and wrestling with mortality. With celebrity and unknown guests alike, the conversations sound a lot like those going on in your own head.

Mystery Show: From Gimlet Media, Starlee Kine uses her passion for everyday mysteries and gift for storytelling to create this new podcast.

Music That Matters: Why listen to the radio when you can listen to Music That Matters by KEXP? The Seattle radio station hosts the hottest alternative and indie artists, records their live performances, and channels them straight into your ears.

Criminal: This podcast tells the stories of “who’ve done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle.” It’s a biweekly true crime podcast with gripping narratives that leave the listener with a lot to think about.

Put Your Hands Together: Hosted by comedian Cameron Esposito, this podcast broadcasts the best stand-ups on the circuit today.

Serial: No list of podcast recommendations would be complete without the most popular show in the genre’s history. It follows journalist Sarah Koenig as she tries to make sense of the puzzling murder of Hae Min Lee, a crime for which a now-30-year-old Adnan Syed sits in jail.

The Ethicists: This is the podcast version of an advice column. Three New York Times writers wrestle with dilemmas such as “What can I do about a neighbor’s partying child?’’ and “Should I ask my secretary to fix her teeth?’’

How Did This Get Made?: Paul Scheer, Jason Manzoukis, and June Diane-Rafael bring the laughs in this movie-focused podcast. It’s not “how did this get made” as in the mechanics of its production—it’s “how did this get made” as in, “who thought this was a good idea?!” They watch terrible movies and riff on them.

Baseball Tonight: This podcast hosted by Buster Olney broadcasts the best of America’s favorite past-time. Olney and other ESPN analysts recap games, discuss highlights, and speculate on future match-ups.

Risk: Another storytelling podcast, Risk focuses on stories with an edge. One recent episode focused on body image. In another, a man told the story of a childhood friend who turned out to be a murderer.

Marketplace: If you need a reason to care about news stories, Marketplace is your answer. The podcast articulates how the news affects you, and provides a bridge between economics and everyday life.

The Gist: If you’re too busy to really keep up with the news, The Gist has you covered. The afternoon podcast is enough to keep you appraised of the major news and culture conversations that could come up during drinks with coworkers or across the dinner table.

The Nerdist Podcast: Chris Hardwick hosts this daily podcast about “what it’s like to be a nerd.” Connie Britton, Sir Ian McKellan, Hannah Hart, and Andy Samberg are just some of the show’s recent guests.

This American Life: Another of the best-known podcasts, This American Life has a theme for every episode and tells loosely related stories from people around the country. Lately, they’ve tried deviating from their format to tell longer-form stories, as seen in “Abdi and the Golden Ticket’’ and “The Problem We All Live With.’’

Stuff You Missed in History Class: Maybe you were distracted by passing notes. Maybe your teacher spoke in a monotone. Either way, if you can’t remember a thing from your history classes, this one’s for you.

Gilmore Guys: On this podcast, longtime fan Kevin Porter discusses the show “Gilmore Girls” with new-convert Demi Adejuyigbe. Episode by episode, they dissect the latest goings-on in Stars Hollow.

The Bugle: John Oliver’s gained a lot of traction in the past year for his hit show “Last Week, Tonight.’’ He also hosts The Bugle along with Andy Zaltzman, on which politics, current events, and the world at large get prime satirical treatment.

Radiolab: This two-time Peabody Award-winning podcast is an investigation into the sights and sounds around us. Part storytelling, part scientific exploration, Radiolab sheds new light on everyday occurrences.

Grantland Podcast: Hosts Bill Barnwell and Robert Mays put out episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Recent episodes have been geographic and league-specific previews of the upcoming season, but themed episodes aren’t uncommon, from “Best and Worst Contracts’’ to “Adopting Other Sports Rules.’’

The Moth: This podcast tours the country and asks everyday people to tell their stories. They’re emotional, heartfelt, funny, and carefully wrought.

Double X: Every other Thursday, Hanna Rosin, Noreen Malone, and June Thomas discuss feminist issues. From discussions of Rihanna’s latest music video to sexual assault on campuses, their smart and sassy takes on current events will get you thinking.

Comedy Bang Bang: The Podcast: Who doesn’t like improvisation and hilarious conversation? Scott Aukerman’s “Comedy Bang! Bang!’’ is a weekly foray into the world of modern comedy, with guests like Nick Kroll, Sarah Silverman, and Margaret Cho.

Invisibilia: Premiering early in 2015, the show features hosts Alix Spiegel and Lulu Miller exploring the hidden forces at work in our daily lives. The influence of expectations, mirror syndrome, and the power of thoughts are all tackled in the first six episodes of the show.

WTF with Marc Maron: Standup comedian Marc Maron hosts this podcast dedicated to “tackling the most complex philosophical question of our day – WTF?’’ Released every Monday and Thursday, the show consists of long-form interviews with comedians, entertainers, and others in showbiz.

Freakonomics: Have you ever wondered what the actual value of eating local is? Do you wonder if you’d be more successful if your parents had named you differently? From the authors of the acclaimed book of the same name comes this podcast that explores the hidden side of everything.