Nominees for the fifth annual iHeartPodcast Awards have been announced, celebrating the best podcast creators in the industry.
The media corporation and podcast publisher celebrated nominees across 29 categories, including the addition of a new category for Best Overall Ensemble with nominations going to entertainment podcasts Best Friends with Nicole Byer & Sasheer Zamata, Smartless, Just Between Us, Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend, and Let’s Make a Sci-Fi.
“We continue to see tremendous growth in the podcast industry, as this medium explodes with new creators and brand interest alike,” said CEO of iHeartMedia’s digital audio group Conal Byrne. “To celebrate the most noteworthy, innovative storytellers in podcasting, we are proud to host the signature event to honor this creativity and empower new and emerging voices around the world.”
This year’s fan-voted Podcast of The Year category had 10 nominees including true crime podcast Crime Junkie - which appeared on both Apple Podcasts and Spotify’s top shows of 2022 lists - comedy podcast Las Culturistas, wellness podcast Maintenance Phase, and more.
For the Best International Podcast category, iHeartMedia brought attention to two notable podcasts from the UK: true crime podcasts British Villains and Redhanded. Last year, another true crime podcast, Morbidology, won the same category.
In addition to the podcast categories, the Icon Awards will also be presented at the event, in celebration of creators and organisations that have made a significant impact in the industry through their contributions.
The 2023 Pioneer Award will go to journalist and podcast host Kara Swisher, the 2023 Social Impact Award will go to both Dr. Laurie Santos, host of psychology podcast The Happiness Lab, and Dr. Joy Harden, host of mental health podcast Therapy for Black Girls. Lastly, Ashley Flowers, founder and CEO of production company audiochuck and host of Crime Junkie, will be awarded the 2023 Innovator Award.
The winners will be announced on 14 March 2023 via livestream, available to watch on iHeartRadio’s YouTube and Facebook channels or listen on iHeartRadio stations and its mobile application. Viewers can also watch on demand following the event.
Last year, singer Dua Lipa presented the Podcast of The Year award and later announced the launch of her first podcast, Dua Lipa: At Your Service - produced by Dino Sofos’ company Persephonica - at the event.
Other celebrity guests that featured as presenters included socialite Paris Hilton, writer Shonda Rhimes, Jemma Fischer and Angela Kinsey from The Office Ladies podcast, and Smartless’s Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett. The line-up of presenters for 2023 is yet to be announced.
