Listening to a podcast is a very 2019 thing to do. It feels as productive as reading a book, takes less effort, and there’s one out there to suit every taste. Really. From analysing your favourite TV series to, er, the surprisingly storied history of Marks & Spencer, there’s a lot of them out there. Sorting the wheat from the chaff can be tricky, however, and so personal recommendations are always welcome. With that in mind, we asked some of the MR PORTER staff what podcasts they’re listening to this summer, and they told us all about their favourites, below.

A podcast series charting the history of British punk legends The Clash – “The Only Band That Matters” – would be reason enough to listen. From a chance meeting between Messrs Mick Jones, Paul Simonon and Mr Joe Strummer in a Shepherd’s Bush squat to galvanising the fledgling punk scene, The Clash were at the forefront of music and progressive politics in the late 1970s and early 1980s, exploring reggae and dub in London before decamping to New York and becoming the first white group to record a hip-hop song (well, sort of). On top of that, this eight-part series is presented by Public Enemy firebrand Chuck D. A proper coup for Spotify, whose musical podcast roster also now includes the forensic Dissect, which is currently knee-deep in Tyler, The Creator’s sublime 2017 album Flower Boy. That’s good, but this is The Only Podcast That Matters.

spotify.com

If you’ve enjoyed watching the USA women’s soccer team rampage mercilessly through the 2019 World Cup and would like to find out more about the tournament’s most successful ever team, this is the place to start. ESPN’s 30 For 30 Podcasts – an audio spin-off of the TV documentary series of the same name – has spent four seasons searching out compelling human stories from the world of professional sports. In the latest episode, “Back Pass”, it turns its attention to women’s football, and the events that transpired in the wake of the USA’s second victorious World Cup campaign back in 1999.

30for30podcasts.com

There are some things in life that only brown people (specifically Indian) will understand and can laugh at – the importance of picking the ripest mangoes, the desirability of being a doctor, or dentist, or, rather more seriously, the lack of Indian representation in British culture. All are topics discussed by Msses Shivani Kochhar and Eshani Bhatt in Brownie Podcast, which celebrates Indian voices – talking about what it means to be born in Britain with roots in India, and how this forms our experiences of living in the UK. For each episode, they interview someone who has made it within their respective field: Mr Nikesh Shukla, the author behind the brilliant The Good Immigrant and Coconut Limited; artist/singer/blogger Ms Bipasha Ling, and most recently Ms Dipal Acharya, art and entertainment director at ES Magazine. It’s honest, natural, insightful conversation with plenty of nod-your-head-in-agreement moments.

podcasts.apple.com

F1, IndyCar, touring cars, Formula E – anything with an engine gets my attention. If you’re into your cars, bikes or simply love to hear from some of motorsport’s most prolific characters, Motor Sport magazine’s podcast is a great go-to. I was lucky enough to grow up in the racing industry since day dot, so listening to stories of “the good old days” alongside what the future holds – cue electric racing – always brings a big smile to my face. Motor Sport magazine is one of the most respected publications in the industry, so it has unprecedented access to all the best storytellers. It’s an easy listening, insightful podcast that I watch and listen to through YouTube, so you can really immerse yourself and get live reactions from the guests. My personal favourite episodes feature the F1 drivers from the 1990s, but maybe I’m a tad biased...

motorsportmagazine.com

My favourite part of going on holidays used to be heading to the local bookstore to buy an array of titles to take with me. Now, instead of the latest Mr John Grisham novel, I search for the most compelling podcast to listen to while away from home. This summer, I am going to take on the back catalogue of Phil Taggart’s Slacker Podcast. Mr Taggart is a BBC Radio 1 DJ (I listen to his Chillest Show every Sunday night) and in his podcast he interviews the most amazing musicians in a very candid and organic way. My favourite episode so far is the one with Mr Norman Cook (aka Fatboy Slim) recorded in the artist’s kitchen in his house in Brighton. During the episode, they play the first ever demo of “Praise You”, which doesn’t sound anything like the final version. A true gem.

podcasts.apple.com