Most of you know them, some of you love them. And what exactly is “them”? Podcasts, of course! Recent studies show that teens have begun to listen to podcasts as a source of entertainment, instead of TV or even music, and our NAHS Warriors are no different.  In recent years, the popularity of podcasts has spiked. Spotify reports that 63 percent of their users aged 12-24 listen to podcasts monthly, over a 42 percent increase from January 2019. 

Genres of podcasts are all over the place; you can listen to anything from dental hacks to bugs. Many North Atlanta students listen to two specific genres- lifestyle and true crime. Interesting, right? Complete opposite ends of the spectrum, one all about laughing and joking around and the other all about brutal murders and serial killers all across the world. 

Among comedy podcasts one of the most popular shows is Views, hosted by David Dobrik and Jason Nash. Every episode is unique, talking about the lives of Youtubers, crazy fan encounters, and weird situations they have experienced in the past few weeks. “Views is one of the best podcasts out there,” says junior Maddie Bartlett, “I listen to it every Friday on the way to school, and it definitely starts my day on a high note. I’m never not laughing at David and Jasons crazy lives!”

The more popular genre is true crime, with podcasts such as Crime Junkie, Dr. Death, and My Favorite Murder taking the cake as the favorites amoung North Atlanta students. Crime Junkie, co-hosted by Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat, showcases a different murder every episode, leaving listeners scared and a little more alert after finishing the fourty-five minute episodes. “This podcast is insane! Ashley knows how to tell a story and every episode leaves me a little more scared to be home alone.” says sophomore Kate Nelson. 

Podcasts are a dominating force in the youth entertainment industry. While they are typically known for their popularity among older demographics, this is changing rapidly. Watch out Hulu and Netflix…podcasts are on the rise.