The violent crimes that inspired it, scary tales from the set and even insights from Sir Alfred himself … this six-part podcast is totally gripping. Just don’t listen to it in the shower

Jon Lovett is a funny guy, and gets the best out of his guests with a ‘mix of substance and jokes and rants and bad impressions’. But would a Republican voice add spice?

Ira Glass’s legendary podcast borrows some of Rookie magazine’s guests – including Run the Jewels – to give ‘grown up’ advice to teenagers

Brand – currently studying for an MA – is back with a podcast that’s a less confrontational ‘voyage of learning’

Double-act Pandora Sykes and Dolly Alderton breeze through chat about Casey Affleck, Drake and their privilege – and throw in a fair few gaffes

Each bitesize episode of Twenty Thousand Hertz is a heartfelt celebration of the noises we take for granted

The eccentric celebrity fitness guru disappeared in 2014. Now, a compelling new series is trying to track him down … and it’s already topping the charts

A Hollywood cast including Larenz Tate and Tika Sumpter scratch the surface of the American dream in 1940s Chicago

This podcast, the first in the series, goes out of the guide book and into the wild with stories of two intrepid cyclists who took on the world

The rapper joins basketball coach John Calipari’s podcast to talk about his mother’s depression, why he regrets not working with Sade – and the fear that drives him on

A double drop of the left-leaning pod covers a historic week in US politics

This outstanding pod asks musicians such as Solange and Metallica to pick apart their finest moments

This docu-drama investigates a string of still-unsolved brutal killings of young women in Los Angeles in the 1940s

The hosts may be privileged, but they are determined to give a voice to those who aren’t

You don’t have to be into hip-hop to enjoy the comedian’s entertaining chat – he has a gift for making interviewees spill personal stories only loosely connected to Wu Tang and De La Soul

Stories and standup from the pod that oozes friendship, warmth and spot-on observations on race, romance and hair

The dating app has launched its own podcast. It’s like a great first-date conversation, full of sparkle, debate and the realisation that everyone wants the same thing: love (or at least, sex)

This cult podcast uncovers the stories of the UK’s most chilling crimes. And it’s a real nightmare-inducer

Nora McInerney’s podcast begins with the death of her partner from brain cancer. Her clever, witty words are guaranteed to make you cry on your commute

Catherine Keener as a caseworker helping damaged soldiers and David Schwimmer as her take-no-prisoners boss lead this post-Serial narrative drama

This engrossing three-part podcast, with contributions from Oprah herself, runs from the start of her own show 30 years ago to her current brand of magic

Big brains tussle with trivia in a podcast that will make you smarter and make you laugh, hosted by Freakonomics Radio’s Stephen J Dubner