Top 10 Texas Podcasts to Listen to Now
You may have noticed we’re living in a new golden age of radio. Nearly every week, new programs are launching that are pushing the boundaries of what the audio-media format can do — from ambitious storytelling to groundbreaking reporting to music, comedy, history, and every kind of imaginative entertainment. But you won’t find these new programs on your AM or FM dial.
Rather, they are being delivered as podcasts through a variety of distribution services that take advantage of the fact that most Texans have a handy cell phone in their pocket that can serve every conceivable form of media.
While the most popular new podcasts are storytelling platforms such as NPR’s This American Life, there are plenty of new or newish podcasts being produced right here in Texas that explore Texas life from every angle. So, whether you are already a podcast addict or you are new to the medium, here are some great Texas podcasts to get you through winter.
Rooster Teeth
One of the pioneers of new-media broadcasting, Rooster Teeth got its start way back in 2003 as a comedic web series. Today, the team produces a wide variety of content, including a handful of podcasts, out of its studio in Austin. The original Rooster Teeth Podcast launched in 2008, and it features the company’s familiar personalities shooting the breeze about all things pop culture, from video games and news headlines to website gossip and sports. The pod has won numerous awards, and at one time, it was one of iTunes’ most downloaded podcasts.
TribCast
Plenty of Texas media outlets have their own podcasts, but few top the insider baseball gossip on Texas politics served up by the Texas Tribune’s TribCast. Hosted by editor-in-chief Emily Ramshaw, TribCast’s showcases the nonprofit news source’s deep understanding of the nuance, complexity, and occasional absurdity of the Texas political world.
Hey Amarillo
Life can get lonely up on the high plains of the Texas Panhandle, but Jason Boyett helps remind listeners that it’s never boring. The podcast launched in 2017 when veteran podcaster Boyett decided to turn his microphone toward his neighbors to ask them who they are, what they do, and how on earth they ended up in Amarillo. The result is a podcast that unearths the incredible richness and beauty of this fascinating corner of Texas.
Tara in the Neighborhood
Like Hey Amarillo, Tara Rios’s podcast documents the unique character of one of Texas’s unique, out-of-the-way regions. Based on South Padre Island, Rios chats with members of her community, Brownsville, and the wider Rio Grande Valley to explore what life is like in a coastal town that sits between two countries and two cultures.
Wise About Texas
One of the great achievements of the open-sourced nature of podcasting is the platform it provides to historians, both professional and amateur, to explore the stories and places they love. At the forefront of Texas history podcasting is Justice Ken Wise, a court of appeals judge in Houston whose Texas-history podcast unearths wild and oddball stories from the fascinating past of the Lone Star State.
Dr. Death
This 10-episode podcast tells the story of the notorious Dallas surgeon Christopher Duntsch, who was convicted of medical malpractice after 33 of his patients were either seriously injured or killed while in his care. After it launched in 2018, it became consistently ranked as one of the best podcasts of the year. It’s in the process of being adapted into a television series.
West Texas Talk
Originally launched as a 30-minute program on Marfa Public Radio, the hour-long podcasts allow listeners from around the world to listen in to stories about life on the empty West Texas plains. Conversations with notable locals about issues ranging from immigration to art to local history make this podcast a must-listen for those who live in, or even just love to visit, the amazing little town of Marfa.
Texas Crime Files
Some of the most popular podcasts out there focus on true crime, and since Texas knows no shortage of wild and fascinating stories about outlaws and criminals, it makes sense that the state has its own dedicated true crime podcast. Produced by KVUE, the first season focuses on the case of Rodney Reed, who was convicted of murder in 1998 and sentenced to death — a sentence now being appealed — and whose supporters believe was wrongfully convicted.
The Fundamentals
As podcasts grow in popularity, more and more celebrities are getting in on the action as a way to connect with fans and find new creative outlets. One Texas notable to launch his own show is San Antonio Spurs great David Robinson. Robinson launched The Fundamentals with his son, and each episode draws life lessons from the NBA Hall of Famer’s experience as a naval veteran, basketball star, philanthropist, and investor.
Boomtown
One of the newest podcasts on this list, Boomtown is a 10-part look at life in the Permian Basin in late 2019. The Texas Monthly-produced podcast explores the people and places, characters and contradictions, and booms and busts of one of the largest oil-producing regions in the world, an isolated place with an outsized influence on the globe.
For more Texas culture, check out our ultimate road-trip playlist and quintessential Texas book list.
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