Breaking down the 2026 Golden Globes podcast category: Possible contenders, eligibility requirements, voting timeline
On Wednesday, the Golden Globes released the eligibility rules for the new Best Podcast Award category. The goal of the honor is to celebrate excellence in podcasting by recognizing their "quality, creativity, audience engagement, and impact," but which famous podcasters might be in contention for the prize?
Only those that appear on a curated list of the "Top 25 Podcasts," as determined by Luminate, will be eligible to compete. The company will use a "proprietary methodology designed to objectively evaluate podcasts," based on the following key metrics: audience reach/engagement, financial metrics, and platform visibility/market presence. Nothing in the rules states that eligible podcasts have to be entertainment-related. (Luminate is owned by Penske Media, which also owns Gold Derby as well as Golden Globes producer Dick Clark Productions in a joint venture with Eldridge.)
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Once the 25 podcasts have been determined by Luminate, it's then up to those producers or distributors to submit their podcasts for consideration at the Golden Globes. Those who choose not to submit between the Oct. 1 and Oct. 31 submissions period will not be eligible. Golden Globe members will vote on their favorite podcasts between Nov. 17 and Nov. 24, and six nominees will be announced on Dec. 8. Winner voting then runs from Dec. 19 to Jan. 3. The eventual winner will be announced on Jan. 11 in a the annual Globes ceremony at the Beverly Hilton.
The organization says that the winner(s) of the Best Podcast Award will be "the podcast's consistent host(s) (with respect to hosted podcasts), or the podcast's production company(ies) (with respect to non-hosted podcasts)." That means, for example, that if Call Her Daddy were to win, then host Alex Cooper would take home the trophy.andBased on all of the above criteria, and utilizing similar metrics to Luminate, the following 25 podcasts are among the possible contenders at the 2026 Golden Globes, based on Spotify's "Top Podcasts" chart from June 18:
The Joe Rogan Experience — "The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan."
Ryan Trahan — "Just a guy."
Spotify Presents — "Experience exclusive performances and unique content crafted with your favorite artists from around the world."
This Past Weekend With Theo Von — "What happened this past weekend. And sometimes what happened on other days."
Prime Crime With Jesse Weber — "Hosted and executive produced by attorney and Law&Crime anchor Jesse Weber, Prime Crime puts a spotlight on infamously controversial stories that have shocked investigators and the public alike."
Good Hang With Amy Poehler — "Come hang with Amy Poehler. Each week on her podcast, she'll welcome celebrities and fun people to her studio. They'll share stories about their careers, mutual friends, shared enthusiasms, and most importantly, what's been making them laugh."
The Daily — "This is what the news should sound like. The biggest stories of our time, told by the best journalists in the world. Hosted by Michael Barbaro, Rachel Abrams, and Natalie Kitroeff."
Knifepoint Horror — "Tales of supernatural suspense written, produced, and narrated by Soren Narnia."
Nick DiGiovanni — "Nick DiGiovanni is the world's top food content creator who is redefining what it means to be a chef."
Crime Junkie — "Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story?"
Up First From NPR — "NPR's Up First is the news you need to start your day. The three biggest stories of the day, with reporting and analysis from NPR News — in 10 minutes."
Bad Friends — "Andrew Santino and Bobby Lee present Bad Friends."
Modern Wisdom — "Life is hard. This podcast will help. Lessons from the greatest thinkers on the planet with Chris Williamson."
The Tucker Carlson Show — "The Tucker Carlson Show is your beacon of free speech and honest reporting in a media landscape dominated by misinformation."
Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard — "Hi, I'm Dax Shepard, and I love talking to people. I am endlessly fascinated by the messiness of being human, and I find people who are vulnerable and honest about their struggles and shortcomings to be incredibly sexy."
The Jefferson Fisher Podcast — "Communicate with confidence so you can argue less and talk more. Every episode of The Jefferson Fisher Podcast is packed with actionable strategies you can implement today to improve the way you communicate."
Call Her Daddy — "The most-listened to podcast by women, Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy has been creating conversation since 2018. From deep, honest discussions to laugh-out-loud moments, Cooper cuts through the BS with exciting guests and bold topics."
Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast — "Grab onto this fast moving train and witness two comedians rise to victory and splendor. This is easily the funniest podcast out there."
Shawn Ryan Show — "The Shawn Ryan Show is hosted by Shawn Ryan, former U.S. Navy SEAL, CIA Contractor, and founder of Vigilance Elite. We tell REAL stories about REAL people from all walks of life."
The Journal — "The most important stories about money, business and power. Hosted by Ryan Knutson and Jessica Mendoza."
Two Hot Takes — "Join host Morgan Absher and her team of co-hosts as they scavenge Reddit, listener write-ins, and the rest of the internet to give their hot takes on the juiciest dating, relationship, life, and AITA stories."
The Mel Robbins — "You can change your life and Mel Robbins will show you how."
JackSepticEye — "I play video games but I also make other content like Try not to laugh, reacting to tik toks, meme review and IRL content. A lot of people come to my channel for long let's plays, especially for Sony exclusive games from PlayStation."
NPR News Now — "The latest news in five minutes. Updated hourly."
SmartLess — "SmartLess with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett is a podcast that connects and unites people from all walks of life to learn about shared experiences through thoughtful dialogue and organic hilarity."
Michael Buckner/Dick Clark Productions
Here is the fine print for the Best Podcast Award at the Golden Globes:
For purposes of this award, a "podcast" shall mean an episodic digital audio and/or video series that is made available to the public for download or on-demand streaming over the internet via a widely recognized media platform (individual social media accounts do not qualify).
Eligible podcasts may take on any of the following formats or genres, so long as the podcast meets the other qualifying criteria set forth herein: i. Narrative: Fictional (scripted) or non-fictional (documentary-style) storytelling. ii. Scripted: Professionally written content, such as audio dramas, journalistic programs, fictional storytelling, or serial narratives. iii. Unscripted: Freeform or semi-structured formats, including talk shows, interviews, panel discussions, or improvisational content. iv. Hybrid: Combination of scripted and unscripted content, such as podcasts that incorporate interviews within a larger narrative framework. v. Educational or Informative: Programs designed to inform, teach, or explain specific topics, including subjects such as science, history, technology, health, and wellness. vi. News or Current Affairs: Programs that discuss, analyze, and/or report on local, national, and/or global news and trending topics. vii. Entertainment and Pop Culture: Commentary or discussion of popular media, celebrities, and/or cultural trends.
Eligible podcasts must consist primarily of original content. Repackaged or rebroadcast content from other media (e.g., film or TV content converted to podcasts) is not eligible.
Eligible podcasts must have released at least six (6) episodes during the period between January 1, 2025 and September 30, 2025 (the 'Podcast Eligibility Period'), with each episode having a minimum length of thirty (30) program minutes.
Foreign podcasts (programs produced principally outside the United States) are not eligible for podcast awards unless they are the result of a co-production (both financially and creatively) between a United States partner and a foreign partner. A 'United States partner' is a company legally organized and doing business in the United States or a controlled subsidiary or affiliate of such company.
Podcast eligibility does not depend on the language(s) used in the program. Non-English-language podcasts released in the United States are eligible if they meet the other qualifying criteria.
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