• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it

2

Iran strikes 85 U.S. military sites in the Gulf, sparking a global selloff in stocks and a spike in the price of oil

3

Current price of gold as of July 8, 2026

1

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it

2

Iran strikes 85 U.S. military sites in the Gulf, sparking a global selloff in stocks and a spike in the price of oil

3

Current price of gold as of July 8, 2026
Lifestylepodcasts

The best podcasts of 2021, according to Fortune staff

By
Rachel King
Rachel King
and
Fortune Editors
Fortune Editors
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Rachel King
Rachel King
and
Fortune Editors
Fortune Editors
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 12, 2021, 9:00 AM ET
Podcasts are finally mainstream.
Podcasts are finally mainstream.Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Podcasts have finally hit the mainstream this year. While not as lucrative (yet) as securing TV programming, even signing exclusive podcast deals has become a necessary business move for the likes of Spotify and Apple. But, while everyone and your neighbor might be starting a podcast, there’s still a high threshold for what kind of content keeps listeners subscribing and downloading new episodes week after week.

Here are some of the best podcasts released in 2021, as nominated by the staff of Fortune, in numerical and alphabetical order, respectively.

60 Songs That Explain the ‘90s

This hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking podcast by veteran music journalist Rob Harvilla is unmissable if you grew up obsessing over your CD collection in the ‘90s. But even if you didn’t, it’s fascinating to look back at a time when the musical monoculture still reigned. (Pro tip: start with the “Semi-Charmed Life” episode. You’ll thank me.)—Kristen Bellstrom, executive editor

Anything for Selena

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez—known simply as Selena to her millions of fans, a fanbase that continues to swell—was murdered more than 25 years ago. And yet her life continues to inspire people, fueling multiple projects about her career and family, starting, of course, with the lauded 1997 Jennifer Lopez-starring biopic, Selena, and a similar but expanded show on Netflix, Selena: The Series, in 2020 and 2021. But both of those projects, while entertaining and loving in their depiction of the late singer, have the explicit feel of being endorsed by her family. In WBUR’s Anything for Selena, host Maria Garcia takes a more direct approach in understanding Selena’s life and legacy, and how the image of that legacy has been constructed by her family and by pop culture.—Rachel King, editor

Bad Blood: The Final Chapter

The current trial of disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has all but turned farcical, right down to her “fans” turning up outside the San Jose courthouse in blond wigs and black turtlenecks. But the charges against Holmes and her alleged co-conspirator and former boyfriend Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani are anything but comical. Wall Street Journal reporter John Carreyrou first revealed the fraud going on at the once-lauded Silicon Valley startup in his Pulitzer Prize-winning book Bad Blood, and is continuing to spin out more stories about what happened and what went wrong at the “unicorn” company with new interviews with former employees while analyzing how the long-awaited trial is playing out.—R.K.

Fallen Angel: The Victoria’s Secret Story

Fallen Angel dives into the Victoria’s Secret story—from the undeniable influence of the brand on American culture, to the pressure on its models, to L Brands founder Lex Wexner’s business empire and ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The documentary series hosted by Vanessa Grigoriadis and Justine Harman turns the Victoria’s Secret saga into a chapter-by-chapter account of how the rot at the center of the business ultimately led to its demise as the arbiter of American beauty and sex appeal.—Emma Hinchliffe, editor

Harvard Business Review: The Rise and Fall of Carlos Ghosn

The arrest, escape, and ongoing exile of former Nissan executive Carlos Ghosn seems almost too impossible to be true; if Hollywood screenwriters tried to come up with it first, it would have been derided as completely implausible. And yet, it happened, and this four-part special series outlines how (and why) it happened and where Ghosn might go from here.—R.K.

Long Shadow: 9/11’s Lingering Questions

The 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 felt especially heavy this year, and there was no shortage of content and commentary reflecting on what happened in the years since and where we go from here. But among the most level-headed but simultaneously thought-provoking works came from journalist and historian Garrett Graff. Essentially a follow-up to his bestselling book, Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11, Graff addresses questions about what happened that day and about the U.S. response in the years that followed from a middle-of-the road, true journalistic perspective—truly refreshing, if not novel in what feels like the age of social media conspiracy theories.—R.K.

Subscribe to Fortune Daily to get essential business stories straight to your inbox each morning.

About the Authors
By Rachel King
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Fortune Editors
By Fortune Editors
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Lifestyle

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Lifestyle

Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott
SuccessBillionaires
Billionaire MacKenzie Scott just donated $20 million to support America’s youth mental health, as a fifth of teens struggle with suicidal thoughts
By Emma BurleighJuly 9, 2026
2 hours ago
m
Commentarymedicine
America’s bone health is quietly headed for a $19 billion crisis
By Matthew T. DrakeJuly 9, 2026
8 hours ago
Vets issue urgent warning to pet owners as flesh-eating screwworm spreads through Texas and New Mexico
Healthpets
Vets issue urgent warning to pet owners as flesh-eating screwworm spreads through Texas and New Mexico
By John Hanna and The Associated PressJuly 8, 2026
21 hours ago
The Best Rowing Machines (2026): Trainer Tested and Approved
HealthDietary Supplements
The Best Rowing Machines (2026): Trainer Tested and Approved
By Christina SnyderJuly 8, 2026
23 hours ago
HBO Max’s ‘The Pitt’ and ‘Hacks’ lead among Emmy nominations
Arts & EntertainmentEmmy Awards
HBO Max’s ‘The Pitt’ and ‘Hacks’ lead among Emmy nominations
By Christopher Palmeri and BloombergJuly 8, 2026
23 hours ago
Asia’s super-aging societies are sparking a boom in high-end longevity clinics—even if ‘public enthusiasm’ is outpacing the science
AsiaPersonal Health, Fitness, and Wellness
Asia’s super-aging societies are sparking a boom in high-end longevity clinics—even if ‘public enthusiasm’ is outpacing the science
By Angelica AngJuly 8, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
Success
Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
By Preston ForeJuly 6, 2026
3 days ago
Iran strikes 85 U.S. military sites in the Gulf, sparking a global selloff in stocks and a spike in the price of oil
Newsletters
Iran strikes 85 U.S. military sites in the Gulf, sparking a global selloff in stocks and a spike in the price of oil
By Jim EdwardsJuly 8, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of gold as of July 8, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of July 8, 2026
By Danny BakstJuly 8, 2026
1 day ago
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI
AI
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 5, 2026
4 days ago
Mining CEO worth $24 billion nearly drowned and had to break his own leg in a freak hiking accident—he used the recovery time to go back to school
C-Suite
Mining CEO worth $24 billion nearly drowned and had to break his own leg in a freak hiking accident—he used the recovery time to go back to school
By Eleanor PringleJuly 8, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of July 8, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 8, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 8, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.