Volume up! The second annual iHeartRadio Podcast Awards acknowledged the biggest and most innovative podcasts across 30 categories on Friday, January 17. Held at the iHeartRadio Theater in Los Angeles, podcasters across a vast variety of genres including comedy, crime, music, sports, news, business and finance, pop culture, food, health and wellness, technology, beauty and fashion and much more were celebrated and honored.
Conan OâBrienâs âConan OâBrien Needs A Friendâ took home the award for Best Comedy Podcast while the captivating âMan In The Windowâ (L.A. Times/Wondery) stole the show for Best Crime. ABC Newsâ âThe Dropoutâ scored the big win of the night with Podcast of the Year, a socially voted category, against "Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend," "My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark," "Revisionist History," "Stuff You Should Know," "The Daily," "The Joe Rogan Experience," "The Read," "The Ron Burgundy Podcast" and "The Shrink Next Door."
Three Icon Awards were also presented to pay tribute to the creators, organizations and podcasts that have made groundbreaking contributions to podcasting's expanding role in today's pop culture. Tenderfoot TV's Payne Lindsey and Donald Albright received the Audible Audio Pioneer Award. The New York Times' "1619" was honored with the Social Impact Award and NPR's "Life Kit" received the Innovator Award presented by Zoom.
Take a look at the full list of 2020 iHeartRadio Podcast Awards winners below and get streaming! (And click here to relive highlights from last year's iHeartRadio Podcast Awards!)
2020 iHeartRadio Podcast Awards Nominees & Winners:
Best Podcast of the Year:
âConan OâBrien Needs A Friendâ (Team Coco & Earwolf)
âMy Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstarkâ (Exactly Right)
âRevisionist Historyâ (Pushkin Industries)
âStuff You Should Knowâ (iHeartRadio)
âThe Dailyâ (The New York Times)
âThe Dropoutâ (ABC News) - WINNNER
âThe Joe Rogan Experienceâ (Independent)
âThe Readâ (Loud Speakers Network)
âThe Ron Burgundy Podcastâ (iHeartRadio)
âThe Shrink Next Doorâ (Wondery/Bloomberg)
Best Comedy Podcast:
âComedy Bang Bangâ (Earwolf & Scott Aukerman)
âConan OâBrien Needs A Friendâ (Team Coco & Earwolf) - WINNER
âMy Dad Wrote A Pornoâ (Independent)
âThe 85 South Showâ (Independent)
âThe Joe Rogan Experienceâ (Independent)
âThe Readâ (Loud Speakers Network)
âThe Ron Burgundy Podcastâ (iHeartRadio)
Best Crime Podcast:
âCrime Junkieâ (audiochuck)
âHit Manâ (iHeartRadio)
âMan In The Windowâ (L.A. Times/Wondery) - WINNER
âRoot of Evilâ (TNT & Cadence 13)
âThe Clearingâ (Pineapple Street Media/Gimlet)
âThe Shrink Next Doorâ (Wondery/Bloomberg)
âWhite Liesâ (NPR)
Best Music Podcast:
âAll Songs Consideredâ (NPR)
âBobbycastâ (iHeartRadio)
âBroken Record with Malcolm Gladwell, Rick Rubin, and Bruce Headlamâ (Pushkin Industries)
âDISGRACELANDâ (iHeartRadio) - WINNER
âexpediTIously with Tip âT.I.â Harrisâ (PodcastOne)
âSong Exploderâ (Radiotopia)
âSound Opinionsâ (WBEZ Chicago)
Best News Podcast:
âPod Save The Worldâ (Crooked Media)
âPost Reportsâ (The Washington Post)
âThe Daily Zeitgeistâ (iHeartRadio)
âThe Dailyâ (The New York Times) - WINNER
âThe Journalâ (The Wall Street Journal & Gimlet)
âToday, Explainedâ (Vox)
âUp Firstâ (NPR)
Best Sports & Recreation Podcast:
â30 For 30â (ESPN) - WINNER
âFantasy Footballersâ (Independent)
âKnuckleheadsâ (The Playersâ Tribune)
âPardon My Takeâ (Barstool Sports)
âSports Warsâ (Wondery)
âThe Bill Simmons Podcastâ (The Ringer)
âThe Herd w/ Colin Cowherdâ (iHeartRadio & FOX Sports Radio)
Best Overall Host â Male:
Aaron Mahnke (iHeartRadio) - WINNER
Bill Simmons (The Ringer)
Glynn Washington (WNYC)
Jonathan Van Ness (Earwolf / Stitcher)
Malcolm Gladwell (Pushkin Industries)
Marc Maron (Independent)
Roman Mars (Radiotopia)
Best Overall Host â Female:
Amanda Seales (Starburns Audio)
Anna Sale (WNYC)
Holly Frey (iHeartRadio)
Jenna Wortham (The New York Times)
Kelly McEvers (NPR)
Nora McInerny (American Public Media) - WINNER
Rachel Maddow (MSNBC)
Best Business & Finance Podcast:
âBusiness Warsâ (Wondery)
âHow I Built This with Guy Razâ (NPR) - WINNER
âMarketplaceâ (American Public Media)
âThe Chris Hogan Showâ (Ramsey Network)
âThe Indicator from Planet Moneyâ (NPR)
Best Pop-Culture Podcast:
âThe Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcastâ (iHeartRadio)
âOff the Vine with Kaitlyn Bristoweâ (PodcastOne)
âPop Culture Happy Hourâ (NPR)
âTalk Is Jerichoâ (Westwood One)
âThe Breakfast Clubâ (iHeartRadio) - WINNER
Best Food Podcast:
âDoughboysâ (HeadGum/Doughboys Media)
âGastropodâ (Independent)
âThe Splendid Tableâ (American Public Media)
âThe Dave Chang Showâ (The Ringer & Majordomo Media) - WINNER
âThe Sporkfulâ (Dan Pashman & Stitcher)
Best Wellness & Fitness Podcast:
âHappier with Gretchen Rubinâ (Gretchen Rubin/The Onward Project)
âLast Dayâ (Lemonada Media)
âLife Kitâ (NPR)
âTherapy For Black Girlsâ (Independent)
âWhere Should We Begin? with Esther Perelâ (Esther Perel Global Media/Gimlet) - WINNER
Best History Podcast:
â1619â (The New York Times)
âLoreâ (Independent)
âMobituaries with Mo Roccaâ (CBS)
âRevisionist Historyâ (Pushkin Industries) - WINNER
âStuff You Missed In History Classâ (iHeartRadio)
Best Kids & Family Podcast:
â#MOMTRUTHS with Cat & Natâ (Independent)
âBrains On!â (American Public Media)
âStory Piratesâ (Gimlet) - WINNER
âThe Longest Shortest Timeâ (Stitcher)
âWow In The Worldâ (NPR)
Best Fiction Podcast:
âBlackoutâ (Endeavor Audio & QCODE) - WINNER
âCarrierâ (QCODE)
âLimetownâ (Two-Up)
âPassenger Listâ (Radiotopia)
âWelcome To Night Valeâ (Night Vale Presents)
Best Science Podcast:
âHidden Brainâ (NPR) - WINNER
âInvisibiliaâ (NPR)
âScience Vsâ (Gimlet)
âStarTalk Radioâ (Independent)
âStuff To Blow Your Mindâ (iHeartRadio)
Best Technology Podcast:
âTechStuffâ (iHeartRadio)
âThis Week In Techâ (Independent)
âReply Allâ (Gimlet) - WINNER
âRecode Decodeâ (Recode)
âVergecastâ (The Verge)
Best Ad Read:
âArmchair Expert with Dax Shepardâ (Armchair Umbrella)
âConan OâBrien Needs A Friendâ (Team Coco & Earwolf) - WINNER
âPod Save Americaâ (Crooked Media)
âRevisionist Historyâ (Pushkin Industries)
âThe Ron Burgundy Podcastâ (iHeartRadio)
Best Political Podcast:
âInterceptedâ (The Intercept)
âNPR Politicsâ (NPR)
âPod Save The Peopleâ (Crooked Media) - WINNER
âPolitical Gabfestâ (Slate)
âThe Ben Shapiro Showâ (The Daily Wire)
Best TV & Film Podcast:
âBinge Modeâ (The Ringer)
âHow Did This Get Made?â (Earwolf) - WINNER
âRewatchablesâ (The Ringer & Bill Simmons)
âStraight Up with Stassiâ (Radio.com)
âThe Bechdel Castâ (iHeartRadio)
Best Spanish-Language Podcast:
âEl Cine De LoQueYoTeDigaâ (LoQueYoTeDiga)
âEl Show de PiolĂnâ (Eduardo âPiolĂnâ Sotelo | reVolver Podcasts)
âNadie Sabe Nadaâ (Cadena SER)
âRadio Ambulanteâ (NPR) - WINNER
âTED en Españolâ (TED)
Best Advice/Inspirational Podcast:
âCall Her Daddyâ (Barstool Sports)
âDear Prudenceâ (Slate)
âDeath, Sex & Moneyâ (WNYC)
âLife Kitâ (NPR)
âOprahâs SuperSoul Conversationsâ (OWN)
âTerrible, Thanks For Askingâ (American Public Media)
âWhy Wonât You Date Me? with Nicole Byerâ (HeadGum) - WINNER
Best Beauty & Fashion Podcast:
âDressed: The History of Fashionâ (iHeartRadio)
âFat Mascara (At Will Media)
âForever35â (Independent) - WINNER
âNaked Beautyâ (Independent)
âThe Cut On Tuesdaysâ (Gimlet)
Best Travel Podcast:
âOn She Goesâ (Independent)
âOverheard at National Geographicâ (National Geographic) - WINNER
âShe Exploresâ (She Explores)
âThe Wildâ (KUOW)
âTravel with Rick Stevesâ (Independent)
Best Spirituality & Religion Podcast:
âA Little Juju Podcastâ (Independent)
âAlmost 30â (Independent)
âElevation with Steven Furtickâ (Elevation Church)
âOn Being with Krista Tippettâ (On Being Studios) - WINNER
âThe Joel Osteen Podcastâ (Independent)
Best Green Podcast:
âClimate Oneâ (The Commonwealth Club)
âDrilledâ (Critical Frequency) - WINNER
âSustainability Definedâ (Independent)
âTerrestrialâ (KUOW News and Information)
âWarm Regardsâ (Independent)
Best Branded Podcast:
âCamp Monstersâ (REI Co-Op)
âGoing Through Itâ (MailChimp)
âNBCâs Songlandâ (NBC) - WINNER
âSpitâ (23&Me)
âTrainedâ (Nike)
Photos: Getty Images