It's safe to say we're living in the golden age of podcasting. As such, the sheer volume of quality audio content out there can feel overwhelming. Between the endless political commentary inspired by the daily nightmare of our current administration, the consistent post-Serial churn of true crime efforts, and a burgeoning trend of scripted podcasts in the style of radio plays, your choices as a listener are limitless. We're here to help narrow things down.

Here are 21 of the best podcasts of 2018. If your ears are still hungry for more, take a look back at our Essential Podcasts of 2016 and 2017 lists.