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 iHeartRadio (often shortened to just "iHeart") is an American freemium broadcast, podcast and radio streaming Computing platform, platform owned by iHeartMedia. It was founded in August 2008. , iHeartRadio was functioning as the national umbr ...

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.

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.

List of ceremonies

Award categories

The categories cover an array of genres, including

fiction Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying individuals, events, or places that are imaginary, or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent with history, fact, or plausibility. In a traditi ...

, religion and spirituality, music, and

political podcast Political podcasts are podcasts that focus on contemporary politics and current events. Most political podcasts maintain a connection with an existing media source such as a newspaper or magazine. They aim to inform or entertain or advocate a c ...

s. 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 Marc Smerling is an American film producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, and director. He was nominated for an Oscar for '' Capturing the Friedmans'' in 2003, and co-wrote and produced '' The Jinx'', a six-part HBO documentary on suspected murd ...

* 2020: ''Life Kit'' * 2021: TBD

Podcast Pioneer Award

* 2019: NPR * 2020: Tenderfoot TV's Payne Lindsey and Donald Albright * 2021: TBD

Social Impact Award

* 2019: ''

Ear Hustle ''Ear Hustle'' is a non-fiction podcast about prison life and life after incarceration created by Earlonne Woods and Antwan Williams, both formerly incarcerated, and Nigel Poor, an artist who volunteers at San Quentin State Prison. In 2016, it w ...

'' * 2020: ''1619'' * 2021: TBD

Multiple wins and nominations

Most wins (as of 2020) Most nominations (as of 2020)

Performance

References

External links

* {{Official website, https://www.iheart.com/podcast-awards/ Awards established in 2019 Podcasting awards