IHeartRadio Podcast Awards explained

iHeartRadio Podcast Award
Firstawarded:	2019
Website:	https://www.iheart.com/podcast-awards/
Network:	iHeartRadio (2019–2021) LiveXLive (2020)
Current Awards:	2020 iHeartRadio Podcast Awards
Country:	United States
Awarded For:	Performance on podcast platforms, popularity among fans, and recognition in the podcasting industry, recognizing podcasters and podcast providers

Election Name:	Most recent iHeartRadio Music Award winners
Before Election:	"Slowburn"
Podcast of the Year
2Data5:	Nora McInerny (host of Terrible, Thanks for Asking)
1Data5:	Best Overall Host – Female
2Data4:	Aaron Mahnke (host of Lore)
1Data4:	Best Overall Host – Male
2Data2:	Songland (produced by NBC)
1Data2:	Best Branded Podcast
2Data1:	The Dropout (produced by ABC NewsZABC)
Election Date:	January 17, 2020
1Data1:	Podcast of the Year
2Blank:	Winner
1Blank:	Award
Next Year:	2021
Next Election:	2021 iHeartRadio Music Awards
Previous Year:	2019
Previous Election:	2019 iHeartRadio Podcast Awards
Ongoing:	no
Type:	primary
After Election:	"The Dropout"

The iHeartRadio Podcast Awards is a podcast awards show that celebrates podcasts heard throughout the year across iHeartMedia radio stations nationwide and on iHeartRadio, iHeartMedia's digital music platform. Founded by iHeartRadio in 2019, the event recognizes the most popular podcasters and podcasts over the past year. Winners are chosen in a few categories by judges, but the majority of categories are voted on by fans through the iHeart Podcast Awards website and social media. The inaugural event was held on January 18, 2019, at the iHeartRadio Theater in Los Angeles.^[1]

Overview

Fans vote on their favorite podcasts through the iHeart Podcast Awards website and social media over the course of a couple of months leading up to the ceremony. A panel of judges who are blue-ribbon podcast industry leaders determines the podcast winners of several of the categories.^{[2] [3] [4]}

List of ceremonies

Year	Date	Venue	Host city	Host(s)	Podcast of the Year winner	Broadcaster
2019	January 18, 2019	iHeartRadio Theater	Los Angeles	Lenard McKelveyHolly Frey Bobby Bones Mario Lopez^[5]	Slow Burn produced by Slate Magazine and hosted by Leon Neyfakh	iHeartRadio	^[6] ^[7]
2020	January 17, 2020	iHeartRadio Theater	Los Angeles	Will Ferrell	The Dropout produced by ABC News and hosted by Rebecca Jarvis	LiveXLive iHeartRadio	^[8]
2021	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	^[9]

Award categories

The categories cover an array of genres, including fiction, religion and spirituality, music, and political podcasts. Categories voted on by judges are indicated with a double dagger .

Current award categories

• Best Podcast of the Year (2019–present)
• Best Comedy Podcast (2019–present)
• Best Crime Podcast (2019–present)
• Best Music Podcast (2019–present)
• Best News Podcast (2019–present)
• Best Sports & Recreation Podcast (2020–present)
• Best Overall Host – Male (2020–present)
• Best Overall Host – Female (2020–present)
• Best Business & Finance Podcast (2020–present)
• Best Pop Culture Podcast (2020–present)
• Best Food Podcast (2019–present)
• Best Wellness & Fitness Podcast (2019–present)
• Best History Podcast (2019–present)
• Best Kids & Family Podcast (2019–present)
• Best Fiction Podcast (2020–present)
• Best Science Podcast (2020–present)
• Best Technology Podcast (2020–present)
• Best Ad Read (2020–present)
• Best Political Podcast (2020–present)
• Best TV & Film Podcast (2020–present)
• Best Spanish Language Podcast (2020–present)
• Best Advice/Inspirational Podcast (2020–present)
• Best Beauty & Fashion Podcast (2020–present)
• Best Travel Podcast (2020–present)
• Best Spirituality & Religion Podcast (2020–present)
• Best Green Podcast (2020–present)
• Best Branded Podcast (2019–present)

Past award categories

• Best Business & Entrepreneurship Podcast (2019)
• Best Entertainment & TV Podcast (2019)
• Best Curiosity (2019)
• Best Health & Fitness Podcast (2019)
• Best LGBTQ Podcast (2019)
• Most Bingeable (2019)
• Best Multi-Cultural Podcast (2019)
• Best Scripted Podcast (2019)
• Best Sports Podcast (2019)
• Best Science & Tech Podcast (2019)
• Breakout Podcast (2019)

Special awards

Podcast Innovator Award

• 2019: Marc Smerling^[10]
• 2020: Life Kit
• 2021: TBD

Podcast Pioneer Award

• 2019: NPR^[11]
• 2020: Tenderfoot TV's Payne Lindsey and Donald Albright
• 2021: TBD

Social Impact Award

• 2019: Ear Hustle
• 2020: 1619
• 2021: TBD

Multiple wins and nominations

Most wins (as of 2020)

Most nominations (as of 2020)

Performance

!Year!Performers (chronologically)

2019	N/A
2020	Gavin DeGraw
2021	TBD

See also

• iHeartRadio Music Awards
• iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards
• iHeartRadio Music Festival

References

1. Web site: October 22, 2018. iHeartMedia Announces First Podcast Awards (Exclusive). January 14, 2021. The Hollywood Reporter. en.
2. Web site: iHeartRadio Podcast Awards Nominees Include Shows Featuring T.I., Rick Rubin. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200919101829/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8543438/iheartradio-podcast-awards-nominees-list. September 19, 2020. January 15, 2021. Billboard. en.
3. Web site: Conan O'Brien, Will Ferrell nominated for iHeartRadio Podcast Awards. January 15, 2021. UPI. en. January 24, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210124152633/https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2019/11/12/Conan-OBrien-Will-Ferrell-nominated-for-iHeartRadio-Podcast-Awards/9971573577665/. live.
4. Web site: Spangler. Todd. December 8, 2020. iHeartRadio Podcast Awards 2021 Nominees Unveiled. January 15, 2021. Variety. en-US. January 21, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210121115603/https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/iheartradio-podcast-awards-2021-nominees-full-list-1234848671/. live.
5. Web site: January 18, 2019. Watch the Live Stream iHeartRadio Podcast Awards 2019. January 15, 2021. The Hollywood Reporter. en. January 28, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210128113447/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/watch-live-stream-iheartradio-podcast-awards-2019-1177220. live.
6. Web site: January 18, 2019. iHeartRadio Podcast Awards 2019 Winners. January 14, 2021. The Hollywood Reporter. en. January 21, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210121222615/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/iheartradio-podcast-awards-2019-winners-1176995/item/podcast-year-1176975. live.
7. Web site: iHeartRadio Podcast Awards 2019 Winners. January 15, 2021. Billboard. en. January 23, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210123005142/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8494170/iheartradio-podcast-awards-2019-winners. live.
8. Web site: January 17, 2020. iHeartRadio Podcast Awards 2020 Winners. January 14, 2021. The Hollywood Reporter. en. January 22, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210122030252/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/iheartradio-podcast-awards-2020-winners-1270028/item/best-podcast-year-1270145. live.
9. Web site: iHeartRadio Podcast Awards 2021: See The Full List Of Nominees. January 14, 2021. iHeartRadio. en. January 16, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210116091759/https://www.iheart.com/content/2020-12-08-iheartradio-podcast-awards-2021-see-the-full-list-of-nominees/. live.
10. Web site: 2019 iHeartRadio Podcast Awards: Full List of Winners. January 15, 2021. iHeartRadio. en. February 13, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190213010120/https://www.iheart.com/content/2019-01-18-2019-iheartradio-podcast-awards-full-list-of-winners/. live.
11. Web site: November 13, 2018. NPR to Receive Inaugural iHeartRadio Podcast Pioneer Award at iHeartRadio Podcast Awards Presented By Capital One® on January 18. January 15, 2021. www.businesswire.com. en. January 22, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210122042415/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181113005782/en/NPR-to-Receive-Inaugural-iHeartRadio-Podcast%C2%A0Pioneer%C2%A0Award-at-iHeartRadio-Podcast%C2%A0Awards-Presented-By-Capital-One%C2%AE-on-January-18. live.