Actor Sylvester Stallone takes on podcasting this week with his new series about devastating falls and inspirational comebacks. Also this week, musicians Nas, Chiquis and Jim Lindberg are all embracing the spoken word. There’s a new show from the NFL that spotlights women in football. And a new daily podcast rooted in the teen app Storybooth. Plus a daily show that focuses on the fast-growing video game industry.
Here’s some of what’s new this week in podcasting –
I Am Kobe is a new podcast series from iHeartRadio and Diversion Media that explores Kobe Bryant’s ascent from a high school stand-out to a first round draft pick and burgeoning NBA star. But before he was a five-time NBA champion and 18-time All-Star, Kobe Bryant was a kid from Philadelphia. Philadelphia journalist and host Mike Sielski shares intimate, never-before-heard tapes of Kobe from this time: exploring his thoughts, dreams and goals as a teenager aspiring for greatness. Each episode will feature exclusive interviews from Kobe's high school coaches, friends, family, and those who knew him in his youth to show listeners what Kobe was like on his journey to becoming an icon
Earnin’ It is a new podcast series from iHeartRadio and the NFL that spotlights stories of the women in football who are breaking “grass” ceilings, from the field to the front office. Hosted by Sam Rapoport, a former professional quarterback, who chronicles the journey of creating a women’s pipeline to bring talented football minds into the game, which today has become a reality. Each week, this story of this forward progress will be told by NFL head coaches, owners, players, and of course, the women themselves.
The Comeback is a new podcast from Executive Producer Sylvester Stallone. The ten-episode series is an immersive, cinematic documentary podcast series about meteoric success, devastating falls, and inspirational comebacks — all told by the people who lived them. Guests include Gerald Ratner, the CEO of the world's biggest jewelry chain; famed big wave surfer Maya Gabeira; music producer Jennifer Lee (aka Tokimonsta), professional bull rider Ezekiel Mitchell, New York city firefighter and entrepreneur Matt Long, NHL player Darren McCarty, and world champion adventure racer Danelle Ballengee, among others. Hosted by Stallone, the podcast is presented by Imperative Entertainment, and is created, written, and edited by Giles Andrew and Elliott Watson of Honora Productions. Executive Producers are Sylvester Stallone and Braden Aftergood of Balboa Productions, Jason Hoch of Imperative Entertainment, and Trevor Groth of 30WEST.
When Diana Met is a new limited-run series from CNN. Hosted by longtime podcaster Aminatou Sow, the show takes listeners inside Princess Diana’s most notable meetings with public figures, politicians, dignitaries, and celebrities to reveal often-overlooked truths and misunderstandings about her life as Princess of Wales. In the first episode, Aminatou goes behind-the-scenes with royal biographer Andrew Morton for an inside look at Princess Diana’s first lunch with Camilla Parker Bowles. Morton first learned of this meeting through secret recordings from Diana herself. Aminatou also chats with her friend Candice Carty-Williams about why she will always stay Diana, and why she even turned down an invitation to Buckingham Palace.
Plain English with Derek Thompson is a new current events and pop science podcast from The Ringer Podcast Network. Thompson is a staff writer at The Atlantic, where he covers economics and culture. He is the founder and host of the technology podcast Crazy/Genius, which won the 2020 Publisher Podcast Award for best technology podcast and best podcast of the year.
On his new show, Thompson cuts through all the noise surrounding the big questions and headlines that matter. Thompson and guests engage the news with clear viewpoints and memorable takeaways. New episodes drop every Tuesday and Friday. The first episode will be released November 16.
My Own Worst Enemy is a new music podcast from Osiris Media. The show is about the seminal Lit song that has been in constant rotation since its release in 1999. Over four episodes, the documentary style podcast explores the history of the band, the creation of the song, its radio dominance at the turn of the millennium, the anatomy of a hit, and the ways My Own Worst Enemy has become permanently embedded in American pop culture. Produced for Round Hill Music by Osiris Media.
The Frankie Quiñones Show is a new podcast series from iHeartMedia and Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players Network. It features Frankie Quiñones, a stand-up comedian, actor and creator, who is best known for his character work. On the show Quiñones dives into characters he’s created in his head like reformed cholo turned fitness sensation to feel good guardian angel, Pachanga.
Things Fell Apart is a new podcast from BBC. Hosted by author of Jon Ronson (So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed), who tracks down the people involved in some of the defining battles that have raged across cultural lines in recent decades - to hear their stories and to help us understand how we got to a point where it can feel like every aspect of our lives has the potential to divide us. The episodes span more than 50 years of history, from the polarization galvanized by the arrival in America of the ‘60s counter-culture, through the moral panics of the ‘80s and ‘90s; from the days of the early internet to the forces unleashed by ‘post-truth’ politics. The BBC says the eight stories are rooted in the experiences of the people involved: individuals compelled for different reasons into behaving in extreme, sometimes lethal ways, in service of causes that they deeply believe in.
The Bridge: 50 Years of Hip Hop is a new music podcast from Spotify. Ahead of the upcoming 50th anniversary of hip hop on August 11, 2023, industry icon Nas will bring his talent and expertise to podcasting. Nas and co-host veteran hip hop journalist Minya Oh aka Miss Info will conduct candid interviews with the industry’s top artists and the pioneers who helped shape it. During each episode, Nas and Miss Info will pass these figures the mic to share personal recollections, lessons from their careers, and to offer new insights into the issues and trends that have shaped hip hop culture since its inception nearly 50 years ago, with interviewees including Nas’s brother Jungle, Ice Cube, Cordae, Mary J. Blige, and many more. The first season will launch Nov. 16.
Cover Story is a new podcast from New York magazine. The investigative series uncovers the secrets and exposes the darkest corners of the psychedelic revolution through a twisted, deeply personal tale at the intersection of mind, body, and control. The first season is titled “Power Trip,” and it is hosted by iO Tillett Wright and collaborator Lily Kay Ross. The eight-episode series will be released on Tuesdays starting November 30. The second season will debut in February.
Storybooth Daily is a new Spotify Original from Parcast, in collaboration with Wheelhouse DNA. The podcast is about Storybooth, the app and YouTube channel that guided pre-teens and teens globally and quickly accumulated a following of over 4.5 million subscribers. It has been transformed into a podcast, with new episodes out daily. Every day, host Jordyn Rolling will bring listeners real, relatable stories told by the people who lived them for an intimate look into the issues that affect us all. The podcast will provide all sorts of personal and diverse perspectives, from first kisses to dating mishaps to all of the challenges and joys of teenage life -- no topic is off the table.
Let’s Play Daily Gaming News is a new podcast from Sounds That Brands. The daily podcast focuses on the fast-growing video game industry. Geared at video gaming industry professionals and enthusiasts, the five minute daily podcast will provide a quick recap of the latest industry news. Nate Bender, creator of the popular podcast Limit Break Radio and the creator/host of "Checkpoint XP," the first nationally syndicated radio show about video games and esports, serves as host of Let’s Play Daily Gaming News.
“With Sound that Brands, I’ve created a daily gaming news podcast for all, from casual gamers to pros,” Bender said. “I’m a player and I work in the industry, so my goal is to bring people the up-to-date information that people like me need, every day.”
In 2021, the video game market size in the United States is projected to surpass $65.49 billion. Gaming news happens constantly.
"The time has come. There's a huge demand for daily game news that's delivered in a factual, fun, concise way,” said Sounds That Brands CEO Dave Beasing. Sound That Brands is minority owned by radio broadcaster Emmis.
Sailor Jerry Podcast is a new music podcast hosted by Matt Caughthran and Jim Lindberg, the legendary laid-back frontman of SoCal punk rock lifers Pennywise. The series will discuss the band’s three decade career. Caughthran also takes a look under the hood of Jim’s debut solo album, “Songs from the Elkhorn Trail,” which comes out November 19. In addition, the pair reminisce about the glory days of Los Angeles punk and pay homage to some of the best to ever pick up a microphone. The podcast is inspired by Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins’ KTRG radio show “Old Ironsides,” and will release episodes every other Thursday,
Chiquis and Chill is the newest addition to iHeartMedia’s My Cultura Latinx podcast network. It is hosted by Latin Grammy award-winning artist and TV personality, Chiquis, who will share never-before-heard stories about her life, insight into managing her career, relationships and how she found success in the male-dominated music industry. New, one hour episodes drop each Monday.
Black Box is a new sci-fi podcast from Reverb. The series evokes the nostalgic thrills of “Stranger Things” and time travel antics of “Back To The Future.” The eight episode series follows four teenagers who stumble upon the wreckage of a crashed time machine and discover its black box recording foretells of impending disaster. Forced on the run with the jaded inventor of time travel, they must scramble to uncover a catastrophic plot by a scheming scientist and powerful military general before it’s too late. It stars actors Joel McHale (Community), Kelsey Grammer (Frasier), Jacob Bertrand (Cobra Kai), Brec Bassinger (Stargirl), Michael Cimino (Love Victor), Chosen Jacobs (IT) and Edi Patterson (The Righteous Gemstones),
“Black Box explores the power of friendship and perils of ambition through an unpredictable and fast-paced adventure that will keep listeners glued to their headphones” says series creator Brian Siegele. “We want Black Box to be a fun and easy to follow experience unlike anything podcast fans have heard before.”
Black Box is produced by Brian Siegele and Chase Kinser for Reverb.
The Mayor of Maple Ave is a new podcast from Meadowlark Media and Advance Local. The series looks back at the sexual abuse case of Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky. It is timed to coincide with the tenth anniversary of his indictment. The creators say that while most of the last decade has been about accurately recognizing and dealing with sexual abuse — bringing it to light, and holding people accountable. What has been missing is treating those who are struggling with the effects. The tell the story of one of Sandusky’s alleged victims to highlight the complexities of this trauma and the system failures that are not being addressed.
Decoder Ring is returning for a new season. Hosted by Willa Paskin, this season will unravel threads about a set of joke books that changed the bestseller charts, Alberta Canada’s claim to be rat-free, a tale of a famous American artist’s cache of secret paintings and so much more. On each episode, Paskin takes listeners on unexpected voyages and down the most interesting rabbit holes to find larger truths about the culture’s strangest and most resonant mysteries — mysteries you didn't know you needed the answer to, but ones that hook you in the first minute. This season starts with the true story behind Andrew Wyeth’s Helga Paintings.
Generation Gamble is a two-part special on the CNBC-produced Fast Money Podcast. Hosted by CNBC anchor Melissa Lee, the special covers the rise of online sports betting, trading, crypto and the metaverse. CNBC says “Generation Gamble” provides an in-depth examination of the intersection of betting, trading and gaming, exploring what is at stake for everyone involved and how taking risks can be as easy as a tap on an app. Lee profiles avid college-aged users of online betting and investing apps illustrating their ease and willingness to take risks. Then, Lee travels to Boston, where she interviews the co-founders of DraftKings and discusses the rapidly growing popularity of sports betting as it becomes legalized around the country. Lee also examines how social media and its influencers are changing the world of traditional investing by glamorizing trading for a new generation and fueling the rise of crypto.