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Earlier this week, we unveiled the winners of the inaugural Pod Club Awards and announced who won the 2025 People’s Choice Award. Spoiler alert: listeners like YOU voted for Throughline!
Jo from Oregon had this to say about the history podcast: “I have an ah-ha moment with every episode – when the historical context comes into focus in the present with clarity and critical implications for the present and future.”
Dylan from California said that “Throughline is the show I can share with friends and family across the political spectrum to give us grounding guidance for further conversations on important issues.”
And Ann from Washington said that “Throughline is my all-time favorite, the one I'd take to a desert island.”
Congrats to the team behind Throughline – you’ve won over the hearts and minds (and votes!!) of your fans. 🏅
Did you forget to scroll through the full list of winners? Here are a few other prestige pods that took home awards:
The “Okay, I’ll Try It!” Award
for the Episode that Changed Your Behavior 💪
Do you remember the New Year’s resolutions you made back in January? Yeah, me neither. Setting goals is easy, but following through with them… not so much. If you’re looking to supplement your willpower, this episode of Life Kit offers a unique solution: finding an accountability buddy. Pin this for next month, and thank me later.
The 180 Award
for the Episode that Actually Changed My Mind 🧠
Being a teenager has always been challenging, but imagine navigating adolescence in today’s world. With economic instability, AI and climate anxiety, it’s no wonder we’re all a little extra nervous for our kids. This special series from the TED Radio Hour explores what teens are up against, but offers a unique outlook that might just change your perspective. Though kids today face a different set of challenges, they’ll always be built for resilience.
The “Pass the Tissues” Award
for the Episode that Restored My Faith in Humanity ❣️
What does it mean to live through war? And can someone who's experienced it ever move on? NPR’s Quil Lawrence interviewed veteran David Carlson over 10 years, as they both readjusted to civilian life after spending time in Iraq (where Lawrence covered the war as a reporter). The story is told in two parts, and is a heartbreaking and inspiring look at how people process the trauma of war.
The Rabbit Hole Award
for the Episode that Launched a Thousand Wikipedia Tabs 🌐
At a time when the world may be returning to testing nuclear weapons, NPR’s Geoff Brumfiel took a tour of a secretive underground nuclear research facility in Nevada. Listening to this episode feels like reading a Cold War Spy novel. It sparked countless Wikipedia rabbit holes, including “could there be a teensy-tiny nuclear weapon?” (It turns out… no.)
The Time Capsule Award
for the Episode that Represents 2025 ⌛
A lot has happened this year, but the assassination of Charlie Kirk left an indelible mark on 2025. This episode of It’s Been A Minute is a snapshot of a cultural reckoning: how do we make sense of a senseless act of violence and understand what it says about our state of the union? Leave it to host Brittany Luse to navigate the leading cultural conversations of our time with nuance and complexity.
The Pod Club Awards were curated and written by Lauren Gonzalez and Julia Carney, and edited by Luis Trelles. Special thanks to Isabella Romeu.
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