While you rest your body this holidays, give your ears the treat they deserve.

(Okay, the first one is ours but we had to do it to 'em).

Inside The Big Day Out

I couldn't not give this incredible short series manned by The J Files' Gemma Pike a shout out. If you got to take part in this Australian rite of passage, IBDO is essential listening. It masterfully charts the full story of Australia's biggest touring festival, from lucking into getting Nirvana for the debut fest, to the 2001 crowd crush death that made me cry real tears in the drive-thru, to the Big Day Out's fast, spectacular fall at the hands of its US co-owners. It's epic, it's only six episodes, and the music rules.

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— Nat Tencic

Blank Check

I listen to all two hours of this podcast every week. I don't know how I have time to do anything else, but if you love movies, it is absolutely worth every minute. Actor/comedian Griffin Newman and The Atlantic's film critic David Sims talk about filmographies, directors who find success early in their careers, and are given a blank check to create whatever crazy passion projects they want, and sometimes those checks clear, and sometimes they bounce, baby. This is quip-a-minute hilarity laced with really nuanced, in-depth film analysis. It's nerd shit of the purest, highest order, and you're going to want these guys to be your best mates. Hot tip: start with the Christopher Nolan mini-series.

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— Nat Tencic

Carrier

This is less of a podcast, more of an audio movie. Cynthia Erivo plays a truck driver carrying some mysterious, monstrous cargo for a shady company. It's recorded in binaural 3D with one of these things, so it sounds like everything is happening around you. It also has a great cast including Martin Starr, Lance Reddick and Elliott Gould. Make sure to listen with headphones, and not while near traffic. It's much too real.

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— Nat Tencic

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Demi Lardner and Tom Walker are two of Australian comedy's best absurdists. I honestly can't tell you what this podcast is about, it's like a wild post-gastro fever dream, a heady, sometimes frustrating but mostly welcome delirium. A non-sensical distraction from your disappointingly sensical life.

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— Nat Tencic

HBO Official Watchmen + The Chernobyl Podcast

HBO gave us two stunning series this year with Chernobyl and Watchmen – but also provided companion podcasts with the shows creators. In-depth discussions about creating the show that also helped decompress after the show. The perfect thing for all those viewers out there, who otherwise would be nagging their half interested partners about nuclear meltdowns or blue superhero dongs.

SUBSCRIBE + SUBSCRIBE

— Nick Gerber

Stranger Things

On the other end, Netflix’s own behind the scenes pod shows the insane thought, care and planning went into Stranger Things epic third season. From recreating an entire 80’s Mall to how they brought the disgusting Mind Flayer to life, it’s the perfect thing to hold you over till Season 4.

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— Nick Gerber

The Phone Hacks

In an overcrowded podcast genre, The Phone Hacks sets itself apart though its genius premise. Comedians/hosts Nick Capper and Mike Goldstein get guests to give up their phones and allow access to the darkest corners of their digital lives.

Not only are guests phones up for rummaging, but you’re also allowed to post whatever you like on someone’s social media accounts. Phone Hacks takes everyone’s nightmare scenario, adds a spinning wheel and makes you nervously laugh, hoping it never happens to you. The live episodes are especially great, but get ready to hear some bad language and truly crook shit.

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— Nick Gerber

Who? Weekly

The podcast that’s “everything you need to know about the celebrities you don’t”, Who? Weekly, is no affiliation to the glossy magazine. Basically, the world is divided into Who’s and Them’s. The easiest way to know whether someone is a Them is to ask yourself “does my mum know who they are?”. If not they’re a Who and they’re fair game for hosts Lindsay and Bobby to dissect.

One of the best parts of the Who? Weekly universe is the Wholigan community that’s organically built up around it. The main Facebook group has spiralled into an unknown number of specific subgroups including cooking, dogs (Who’s a good boy? Weekly), Harry Potter (Yer A Wizard, Whorry), Disney (A Them is A Who Your Who Makes) and location-specific ones where you can safely discuss regional celebs (shouts to my Rooligans). But don’t bother trying to join until you’ve listened to the pod and worked out who the Who? Queen is.

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— Hannah Thompson

Listen to the first episode of Inside The Big Day Out now: