Golden Globes Introduce New Podcast Award
The Golden Globes recently announced that it will add a Best Podcast of the Year award to recognize the new form of storytelling that is taking consumers by storm.
The new annual category is set to debut at the 2026 ceremony, which will take place on January 11 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. By recognizing podcasters, organizers hope to acknowledge the growing influence of this storytelling medium and honor those leading their profession.
“As the world of entertainment continues to evolve, we are excited to recognize new forms of storytelling,” expressed Golden Globes president Helen Hoehne. “Podcasts have emerged as a profound medium for sharing narratives and building communities across global borders and generations. By celebrating achievements in both audio and visual podcasts, we aim to honor our heritage categories while making room for new voices and formats to be heard.”
The 25 most popular podcasts will qualify for the award, and six will be nominated for the final round. Both audio and visual podcasts are included. In the coming weeks, comprehensive eligibility criteria and additional details about the honor will be announced.
Among the current top 25 podcasts are The Joe Rogan Experience with Joe Rogan, Call Her Daddy with Alex Cooper, SmartLess with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett, and The Mel Robbins Podcast with Mel Robbins.
These storytellers, among others, could be recognized at the 2026 ceremony. The organization explained in a statement, “The 83 Golden Globes will include a salute to podcasts that have made a significant impact over the past year, celebrating the creativity and influence of creators worldwide. The newly added podcast category marks another progressive step by the Golden Globes to adapt to contemporary entertainment trends and audience interests.”
Cool @goldenglobes !!! That's innovation in awarding now Best Podcast!!! It will be fair to tons of young and elder artists!!! Congratulations to you all!!!
— Michel Braga (@michelbragareal) May 7, 2025
The Golden Globes are one of the first establishments to recognize podcasting. Apart from this new category, the iHeartRadio and British Podcast Awards acknowledge these creators. The People’s Choice Awards has a podcast category, although it relies on public voting to spotlight storytellers across various genres. Additionally, the Webby Awards include podcasting among their digital media categories. However, it does not have podcasting as its own category.
With the increasing popularity of podcasting as a form of storytelling, creators are beginning to be recognized for their craft. While we await the next Golden Globes ceremony to see which podcasters will be honored, explore all the different podcasts these creators put out.
