Editors at a major audio streaming platform have released their mid-year list of the best podcasts of 2026, drawing from a global curated collection. The six selections highlight standout series in true crime, comedy, documentary, and interview formats.
Editor Picks
Anita Brabham, Podcast & Audience Development Manager, selected Foundling by Tortoise Investigates:
Foundling | Tortoise Investigates has built a reputation for stories that stay with you, and this is among their most affecting. It follows an abandoned baby’s search for her birth mother and the fallout that search creates for everyone involved. Heartfelt, with revelations you never see coming.
Flora Paul, Audience Development Manager, chose Ela é Pior que Eu:
Ela é Pior que Eu, the title translates to ‘She’s Worse Than Me’, features a pair of actresses and comedians and their mothers, who are just as unapologetic and outrageous as their daughters. They talk about pretty much anything that crosses their minds, creating a chaotic, fun, and authentic podcast.
Gianluca Schappei, Podcast Partner Manager, picked Die Lieblingsschülerin:
Documentaries have always been a staple of the German podcast industry, and Die Lieblingsschülerin is an amazing example of why. Host Britta Rotsch spent over a year investigating emotional and sexual abuse by teachers in German schools, telling the story through three survivors. It’s impeccably produced and a reminder of why documentary podcasts are, and will always be, a key medium for storytelling.
Valeria García Escalante, Audience Development Manager, recommended Las Desencantadas:
Las Desencantadas transforms a simple premise, a conversation between a mother and daughter, into something deeply relatable and powerful. What makes it special is the honesty between them: Once the recording starts, they move beyond their family roles and become two women sharing experiences without filters. I recommend Episode 4, ‘No saber decir no’ (‘Not knowing how to say no’), which explores the challenge of setting boundaries across generations.
Rowan Collinson, Senior Audience Development Manager, selected 100 Questions with Tom Simons:
100 Questions with Tom Simons is a new take on the interview format where a guest is given one hour to answer 100 questions. Tom Simmons casts a wide net, with interviewees ranging from astronomers and ex-gang leaders to radio DJs, and a Twitch streamer with Tourette syndrome. Start with the Stephen Fry episode, he needs no introduction but is not known for his brevity. Can you guess how many questions he gets through?
Alexandra Tryggvadottir, Podcast Editorial & Audience Development Manager, chose Friends Keep Secrets:
Friends Keep Secrets does something I’ve never seen a podcast pull off. Benny Blanco, Lil Dicky, and Lil Dicky’s wife, Kristin Batalucco, are genuine friends who actually like each other. The couple has rigged their home with hidden cameras that follow them everywhere, including the in-house recording studio, which makes it less of a show and more of a hangout you got invited to. Start with the Ed Sheeran episode. You watch them build a song from scratch in real time, a rare glimpse into how these creative minds actually work.
