ABOUT THE ESSENTIAL LISTENING POLL

Unlike movies, music, and books, podcasts have never received the mainstream critical attention they deserve. They are rarely discussed, debated, or analyzed outside of industry circles after their initial release. Beloved shows fall off the charts and become invisible to new listeners, buried under an algorithm that favours new and familiar. Podcasting history is all but forgotten.

The US podcast audience has grown by 100 Million over the past decade. A cannon has yet to be established, leaving keen new listeners without a starting point for exploration.

Left of Dial’s Essential Listening Poll will ensure that the groundbreaking and unforgettable shows of yesterday continue to find new audiences and inspire the creators of tomorrow and that the history of our medium pervades the culture and is widely celebrated and discussed.

Left of Dial’s Essential Listening Poll will bring together a diverse critical mass of hundreds of audio makers, writers, and scholars for the first time to participate in the creation of the definitive list of the most groundbreaking, influential, and beloved podcasts.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Any podcast that has publicly released at least one episode is eligible regardless of length, frequency, or genre. Voters may list any podcast save for those that they have been involved in making or distributing. We will be considering podcasts in their totality rather than individual episodes but voters may highlight specific episodes that are meaningful to them.

  • We have worked with a variety of partners o curate a diverse list of over 3000 prominent podcast producers, hosts, makers, writers, critics and academics from across the globe to participate in voting. Podcasters working in the medium are invited to vote. If you would like to participate in the inaugural poll, please email contact@leftofdialmedia.com.

  • Each voter will have the opportunity to vote for 5 podcasts. Votes will be counted and shows will be ranked based on total number of votes. A list of the top 100 will be published along with individual voter lists.

  • There are many exciting ways that you can participate in the Essential Listening Poll - helping to write the history of podcasting and amplify the classics. For more info, contact Alan Black - alan@leftofdialmedia.com