All The Winners of Second Annual Signal Awards

The Signal Awards, celebrating the world’s best podcasts, today announced the Winners for its second annual honors. Some of the world’s most influential, entertaining and informative voices are taking top prizes, including Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Eva Longoria, Kit Harington, Kevin Hart, Hoda Kotb, Doja Cat, QuestLove, Jill Scott, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ashley Johnson, Jon Stewart, Ed Helms, Snoop Dogg, Björk, Steve Yeun, Kevin Pang and Miranda Keeling. Notable podcasts such as HBO’s The Last of Us Podcast, The Slowdown, Netflix is a Daily Joke, Operation: Tradebom, And That’s Why We Drink, Growing Up Powerful and She’s a 10 Times 5 are also receiving Gold Awards for exceptional work.

“2023 was a huge year for podcasts, as worldwide listenership continued to skyrocket and new trends emerged,” said Signal Awards managing director Deondric Royster. “The winners of the second annual Signal Awards represent the best of the industry: those who are pushing boundaries, telling important stories, encouraging laughter, and reaffirming the overall power of podcasting and its ability to connect to listeners all over the world.”

The first-ever Signal Company of the Year was won by Audible, earning the most honors across all categories. With 32 total wins, Audible received nods for Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast, The Sesame Street Podcast, Mandela: The Lost Tapes, Origins, American Football, The Goop Pursuit and more.

During the public voting stage, podcast fans cast over 130,000 votes for the Signal Listener’s Choice award. Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend, HBO’s The Last of Us Podcast, Mobituaries with Mo Rocca, Small Town Dicks, Barely Famous, And That’s Why We Drink and Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls were among the podcasts receiving the most public votes.

With nearly 2000 entries received in only its second year, Signal Awards is already one of the largest honors for podcasts in the world. Organizers noted the diversity of companies entering great podcasts, including global media heavyweights like Warner Bros. Discovery, ABC News, Audible, SXM Media, WaitWhat, Apple, Netflix, Al Jazeera, iHeart Podcasts and Stitcher Studios to pioneering companies like Paramount Amazon, Vox Media Podcast Network, Tenderfoot TV, Lemonada, Crooked Media and Realm.

Reflecting the medium’s reputation for being informal and authentic, a number of shows were selected as Winners for Best Indie Podcast including Like You: Mindfulness For Kids, Fireside with Blair Hodges, Humans of Purpose, Undiscarded: Stories of New York and Curios Matter Anthology.

Live recorded and video podcasts continue to be popular tools of the industry, with more and more notable voices taking to the medium every day. The Official Game of Thrones Podcast House of the Dragon, Questlove Supreme, Soul & Science Podcast | Shake Shack CMO Jay Livingston and Paul Giamatti’s CHINWAG with Stephen Asma – SO YOU THINK YOU’RE A STARSEED? were all recognized as Winners for shows in the Best Live Podcast Recording category.

Signal Award Winners were selected by the Signal Academy, which included Founding Jurors Jody Avirgan (Host, This Day in Esoteric Behavior); Ray Chao (GM of Audio, Vox Media); Rachael King (CEO and Co-Founder, Pod People; Maya Watson (Head of Global Marketing, Clubhouse); Michael Gluckstadt (Director of Podcasts, HBO & HBO MAX); Anna Hossnieh (Executive Producer, iHeartRadio Comedy); Jenny Kaplan (Co-Founder and CEO, Wonder Media Network); Deray McKesson (Host, Pod Save the People / Co-founder & Executive Chair, Campaign Zero) and Nikki Silva (Co-Host, The Kitchen Sisters Present from PRX).

Signal Awards Winners will be celebrated with a reception at The Bowery NYC on October 23, 2023.

Signal Awards Winner Highlights

Best Daily Podcast – Shows

The Slowdown – APM Studios

Arts
From: American Public Media
Hosted by: American Public Media

Best Commute Podcast – Shows

Trailer Netflix is a Daily Joke – Netflix

Comedy and TV & Film
From: Netflix
Hosted by: Megaphone

On Purpose with Jay Shetty – alignPR

Health & Fitness and Business
From: iHeartPodcasts
Hosted by: Omny Studio

Trailer And That’s Why We Drink – Metro Public Relations

Comedy
From: Christine Schiefer, Em Schulz
Hosted by: Megaphone

Best Experimental Podcast – Shows

Trailer Stopping To Notice with Miranda Keeling – Fresh Air Production

Society & Culture
From: Fresh Air Production
Hosted by: Omny Studio

Best Host (Current Events) – Shows

Trailer The Problem with Jon Stewart: The Official Podcast – Apple TV Podcast

Comedy and News
From: Comedy Central
Hosted by: Megaphone

Best Indie Podcast – Shows

Trailer Undiscarded: Stories of New York – CitizenRacecar & The City Reliquary

Documentary
From: CitizenRacecar & The City Reliquary
Hosted by: Captivate

Trailer Curious Matter Anthology – Knightsville Workshop

Fiction
From: Knightsville Workshop
Hosted by: Megaphone

Trailer Humans of Purpose – Humans of Purpose

Business
From: Purposeful
Hosted by: Podbean

Trailer Fireside with Blair Hodges – Fireside

Religion & Spirituality and Society & Culture
From: Blair Hodges
Hosted by: Squarespace

Trailer Like You: Mindfulness for Kids – Perpetual Motion

Kids & Family
From: Perpetual Motion
Hosted by: Spotify for Creators

Popular Culture & Variety – Shows

Jill Scott Presents: J.ill the Podcast

Society & Culture
From: iHeartPodcasts
Hosted by: Omny Studio

Best Exclusive Content + Experiences – Shows (Listener’s Choice)

Trailer Small Town Dicks – Paperclip Ltd.

True Crime
From: Audio 99
Hosted by: Acast

Interview or Talk Show – Shows

Gold Minds with Kevin Hart – Hartbeat

Comedy and Comedy
From: SiriusXM
Hosted by: Simplecast

Most Interesting Person You’ve Never Heard Of Podcast – Corner Booth Media

Business
From: MIP Podcast
Hosted by: Spotify for Creators

Trailer Wiser Than Me – Lemonada Media

Comedy
From: Lemonada Media
Hosted by: Omny Studio

Profoundly Pointless – Profoundly Pointless

Society & Culture
From: Cloud10
Hosted by: Megaphone

Gal on the Go Unplugged – Gal on the Go Unplugged

Culture
From: Kimberly
Hosted by: Podbean

Comedy – Shows

Gold Mind with Kevin Hart – Hartbeat

Comedy and Comedy
From: SiriusXM
Hosted by: Simplecast

Documentary – Shows

Trailer Teaching Texas – Wonder Media Network

Government
From: Wonder Media Network
Hosted by: Acast

Trailer The Catch - Season 2 – Foreign Policy

Society & Culture and Science
From: Foreign Policy
Hosted by: Megaphone

Trailer Admissible: Shreds of Evidence – VPM Media Corporation

Society & Culture and True Crime
From: VPM & Story Mechanics
Hosted by: Megaphone

Trailer Operation: Tradebom – Apple TV Podcast

True Crime
From: Apple TV+ / Truth Media
Hosted by: ART19

Trailer DDx: Abortion as Healthcare (a Miniseries) – Figure 1

Health & Fitness and Education
From: Figure 1
Hosted by: Simplecast

History – Shows (Listener’s Choice)

Trailer Mobituaries with Mo Rocca – Paramount

History
From: iHeartPodcasts and CBS News
Hosted by: Omny Studio

Best Hosts – Shows

Trailer Wiser Than Me – Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Lemonada

Comedy
From: Lemonada Media
Hosted by: Omny Studio

Trailer BEEF with Bridget Todd – Next Chapter Podcasts

Society & Culture
From: Next Chapter Podcasts, Bridget Todd
Hosted by: Megaphone

Trailer Dark History host by Bailey Sarain – Audioboom

True Crime
From: Audioboom Studios
Hosted by: Audioboom

Trailer Mind of a Monster: Jeffrey Dahmer – Michelle Ward – Warner Bros. Discovery

True Crime
From: ID
Hosted by: Acast

Trailer Reality with the King – Carlos King – QCODE

TV & Film
From: Carlos King & CRK Entertainment | QCODE
Hosted by: Megaphone

Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris – Wondery

Health & Fitness
From: 10% Happier
Hosted by: Libsyn

Best Conversation Starter – Shows

She’s a 10 Times 5 – She’s a 10 Times 5 Podcast

Hobbies
From: Laurie Jabbar and Michelle Emmick
Hosted by: Buzzsprout
• The Sunday 7 Conversation Starter – Draft Doris

Trailer Do the Pot – How to Do the Pot

Education
From: Ellen Scanlon
Hosted by: Megaphone

True Crime – Shows (Listener’s Choice)

Trailer And That’s Why We Drink – Metro Public Relations

Comedy
From: Christine Schiefer, Em Schulz
Hosted by: Megaphone

Kids – Shows (Listener’s Choice)

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls -- Rebel Girls

Kids & Family
From: Rebel Girls
Hosted by: Megaphone

Best Video Podcast – Branded Shows & Advertising (Listener’s Choice)

Trailer Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend – Samsung Electronics – SXM Media

Comedy
From: Team Coco & Earwolf
Hosted by: Simplecast

Television & Film -- Individual Episode (Listener’s Choice)

Trailer HBO’s The Last of Us Podcast - Episode 3 - “Long, Long Time” – Warner Bros. Discovery

TV & Film
From: HBO
Hosted by: Megaphone

Best Guest – Individual Episode

Trailer Michelle Obama – The Light Podcast: “Barack is My Home” with Oprah Winfrey (Ep. 8) – AUDIBLE

Education and Society & Culture
From: Higher Ground
Hosted by: ART19

Trailer HBO’s The Last of Us – Ashley Johnson – Warner Bros. Discovery

TV & Film
From: HBO
Hosted by: Megaphone

On Purpose with Jay Shetty – Tom Holland ON: How to Overcome Social Anxiety & Beneficial Life Lessons You Can

Health & Fitness and Business
From: iHeartPodcasts
Hosted by: Omny Studio

Trailer Questlove Supreme – The Oriel Co.

Culture
From: iHeartPodcasts
Hosted by: Omny Studio

Best Writing – Individual Episode

Trailer The No Good, Terribly Kind, Wonderful Lives and Tragic Deaths of Barry and Honey Sherman – “Chapter Eight: Thin Lines” – Antica Productions

News
From: Lionsgate Sound & CBC
Hosted by: Triton Digital

Trailer MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories Ep. 126 The Barn – Ballen Studios

True Crime
From: Ballen Studios
Hosted by: ART19

Trailer Ahead of its Time VR Gloves: Where air guitar meets a Nintendo flop, meets the future of remote surgery – Setapp

History
From: Setapp
Hosted by: Simplecast

Best Guest – Individual Episode

Trailer The Official Game of Thrones Podcast: House of the Dragon, “Live from GOT Fan Con with Kit Harington” – Warner Bros. Discovery

TV & Film
From: HBO
Hosted by: Megaphone

Arts & Culture – Individual Episode

Trailer Hungry for History with Eva Longoria and Maite Gomez-Rejón – iHeartPodcasts

Culture
From: My Cultura and iHeartPodcasts
Hosted by: Omny Studio
• Origins – Tobe Nwigwe – Audible

Trailer Proof - The World’s Greatest Italian Beef – Kevin Pang – America’s Test Kitchen

Arts and Society & Culture
From: America's Test Kitchen
Hosted by: Megaphone

Lifestyle – Individual Episode

Trailer Biscuits & Jam - Hoda Kotb Is a Southerner – Dotdash Meredith

Arts and Music
From: Southern Living
Hosted by: Megaphone

Best Conversation Starter – Individual Episode

The California Report Magazine Did Mac Dre Really Go to Prison Because of His Lyrics – KQED

News
From: KQED
Hosted by: Megaphone

Trailer Beyond 6 Seconds: Dissociative Identity Disorder with Amber Louise Ainsworth – Beyond 6 Seconds

Society & Culture and Health & Fitness
From: Carolyn Kiel
Hosted by: Libsyn

Interview or Talk Show – Individual Episode

Trailer Wish I Knew: Peter Beck – Bessemer Venture Partners

Business
From: Bessemer Venture Partners
Hosted by: Spotify for Creators

Trailer Skip Intro – Steven Yeun – Netflix

TV & Film and Society & Culture
From: Netflix
Hosted by: Megaphone

What the Hack: Jill Schlesinger Hits the Reset Button – Loud Tree Media

True Crime
From: Loud Tree Media
Hosted by: Megaphone

Trailer Milk Drunk: The Podcast – Meghan Trainor & Emily Oster: Redefining “Best” Parenting – Bobbie

Culture
From: Bobbie Baby Formula
Hosted by: ART19

Music – Individual Episode

• Origins: Doja Cat – AUDIBLE

Interview or Talk Show - Individual Episode (Listener’s Choice)

Barely Famous Podcast x Kat Stickler - PodcastOne

Culture
From: PodcastOne
Hosted by: ART19

Most Innovative Audio Experience – Limited Series & Specials

Trailer Björk: Sonic Symbolism – Archetype

Music
From: Mailchimp
Hosted by: Megaphone

Advice & How To – Limited Series & Specials

Trailer Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast – AUDIBLE

Education and Society & Culture
From: Higher Ground
Hosted by: ART19

Advice & How To – Limited Series & Specials (Listener’s Choice)

Trailer Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast – AUDIBLE

Education and Society & Culture
From: Higher Ground
Hosted by: ART19

Best Editing – Limited Series & Specials

Trailer Culpable – Tenderfoot TV

True Crime and Society & Culture
From: Tenderfoot TV, Resonate Recordings & Audacy
Hosted by: Megaphone

Trailer Into America: Street Disciples – MSNBC

Society & Culture
From: MSNBC, Trymaine Lee
Hosted by: Simplecast

Trailer Long Shadow: Rise of the American Far Right – Long Lead

History
From: Long Lead & PRX & The Trace & Campside Media
Hosted by: PRX

Trailer Heretic in the House – The Shalom Hartman Institute

Religion & Spirituality and Society & Culture
From: Shalom Hartman Institute of North America
Hosted by: Megaphone

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – Limited Series & Specials

The Idiom – SBS

Culture
From: SBS
Hosted by: StreamGuys

Trailer Free From Desire: Asexual in the City of Love – Paradiso Media

Society & Culture
From: Paradiso Media
Hosted by: Simplecast

Inside Europe - Women of Europe – Deutsche Welle

News
From: DW
 

History – Limited Series & Specials

Trailer SNAFU with Ed Helms – FilmNation Entertainment, Pacific Electric Picture Company, Gilded Audio, iHeartRadio

True Crime
From: iHeartPodcasts
Hosted by: Omny Studio

Best Original Score or Music – Limited Series & Specials

Trailer Lake Song – Make Believe Association

Fiction
From: Make-Believe Association
Hosted by: Libsyn

Best Writing – Limited Series & Specials

Trailer Growing Up Powerful – Rebel Girls

Kids & Family and Education
From: Rebel Girls
Hosted by: Megaphone
• CAN YOU DIG IT? – A HIP HOP ORIGIN STORY – PB & J Productions (Audible)

Trailer SNAFU with Ed Helms – FilmNation Entertainment

True Crime
From: iHeartPodcasts
Hosted by: Omny Studio

Trailer Into America: Street Disciples – MSNBC Into America Podcast

Society & Culture
From: MSNBC, Trymaine Lee
Hosted by: Simplecast

Trailer High Strange – Tenderfoot TV

True Crime
From: Tenderfoot TV and iHeartPodcasts
Hosted by: Omny Studio

Music – Limited Series & Specials

• Snoop Dogg W+M – AUDIBLE

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