From true crime, to comedy, to food - you name it and there’s probably someone that hosts a podcast about it. So of course there are a multitude of different podcasts on our favourite subject: love and dating!
I figured I would save you the trouble of drudging through an endless list of dating podcasts and compile a list of my top five podcasts.
As Nicole Byer herself would say, what a treat, what a dream! If you love comedy and dating horror stories, you need this podcast in your life. Stand up comedian and host of Nailed It on Netflix, Nicole Byer, is here to share all of her relationship woes (and man, there are a lot of them!) with her podcast Why Won’t You Date Me?
She interviews her fellow comedians, friends, and actors we know and love, and even people from her past relationships! She gets down and dirty with some of her exes and really puts them on the spot to find out where they went wrong within their relationship - a relationship autopsy if you will!
Nicole takes her guests (and us listeners) on a trip through her Tinder and Bumble profiles and gets her guests insight on what she’s doing right or oh-so-wrong. Byer always ends her podcasts by asking her guests if they would date her - and it’s never not awkward! What a treat indeed!
Nicole’s episodes don’t require that you listen to them in order, so if you’re wild and crazy and don’t require structure or order (can’t relate) start anywhere. If you’re looking for a great episode to start on that’s sure to suck you in, try Dealing with Creeps (w/Trixie Mattel) for a good time!
If you want a no-nonsense host that doesn’t beat around the bush when it comes to advice, then Dan Savage is your guy! On his podcast Savage Lovecast, he offers his sex and relationships advice to individuals or couples that call or write in to him. He’s the comforting, personable gay uncle I never knew I needed.
With over 600 podcast episodes, Savage has pretty much covered it all. From advice on how to handle yourself when your lover is talking smack about you on their online blog, to the trials and tribulations a couple has between the sheets, it’s pretty much guaranteed there will be an episode that will tickle your fancy.
If you’re willing to pay a small fee, Savage has a paid continuation of his episodes where he speaks to self-proclaimed experts, authors, doctors and other intriguing guests. I have yet to have the pleasure of listening to the longer versions he puts out (broke college student problems - every cent counts) but they sound like tantalizing conversations! For example, in episode 679, Savage speaks to author/actor/comedian Micheal Ian Black about infidelity, betrayal, and revenge! Sounds like a fun Friday night listen if you ask me.
Savage Lovecast’s most downloaded episode is number 680, so I feel like you can’t go wrong starting there!
Esther Perel is a genius. There, I said it. I have a serious girl crush on the host of Where Should We Begin?, Esther Perel. She’s a Belgian therapist with expertise in relationships and sexuality. While she’s got a lot of accomplishments under her belt and seems to be a busy gal (she’s an author, psychotherapist, and mom of two) she’s blessed us with this podcast where we get to step into the therapist’s office with her.
Listener’s get a front row seat into intimate couples counselling sessions with willing and anonymous couples. We get a raw look into a number of different couples and their issues with infidelity, loss, and struggles with intimacy. Now, you’ve been warned, this isn’t a podcast for light listening. This is heavy stuff. But it’s oh so good to listen to from time to time.
One of my favourite episodes of Perel’s is actually one of her first posts, number eight: Tell Me I’m Not Alone. I can’t recommend it enough as a great place to start!
If you were searching for the ultimate online dating podcast, look no further! DTR is your one-stop-shop podcast for everything to do with digital romance. Host Jane Marie is a super cool and talented writer/producer and she delivers listeners a polished, professional, but also fun podcast with DTR.
Most of DTR’s podcast episodes are short and sweet, hitting around 25-30 minutes each. Which is super convenient if you’re one of those people that hate when hosts babble on and on about their personal lives or other miscellaneous topics. Jane gets right to the point with her unique, captivating, yet polished intros.
With each episode, Jane, along with her friends and colleagues that join her as guests, tackle one guy or gal’s dating dilemmas. From classic issues such as how to go from a tinder date to serious relationship, to dealing with mixed signals, this podcast takes issues in and spits results out!
Now I’ll be honest, I almost left this podcast off my list of best dating podcasts! Namely because DTR has limited episodes and hasn’t been updated in a while, so you’ve been warned! But, the information provided by Jane and her guests is just too good and relevant to pass up mentioning here. If you’re online dating, I highly recommend taking a look through the episodes and clicking on one that touches on a subject that maybe you need help with yourself!
Polyamorous couple Jeremie Saunders and Bryde Maclean host a podcast that seemingly has no barriers. Turn Me On is a podcast for the sexually curious that I think all humans should listen to! Whether you’re single, dating, or married, this podcast will deliver information you didn’t even know you were missing. From friendly relationship advice, to the ins and outs of different kinks, the hosts don’t hold back a thing!
With over 100 podcast episodes under their belt, this team has interviewed experts such as Dr. James Cantor, a Canadian clinical psychologist and sexologist, and other seasoned, sexual individuals that really know their stuff! Jeremie and Bryde have open and honest conversations between each other and their guests, some of which are just everyday folk like us that want to share their experiences with intimacy and love.
We get a deep and personal look into what a polyamorous relationship can look like and learn that relationships don’t have to be just one thing, rather they can be whatever we want them to be! I love the conversation that these two have started and I never want it to stop!
If you’re looking for a good place to start, episode number 79 called PolyamoroUS, Chapter TMO throws you right into the thick of it in a delicious way.
I love laughing my way through situations, and that’s exactly what the hosts of U Up?, Jordana Abraham of Betches and comedian Jared Freid, do! They give their own personal thoughts and opinions of today’s dating culture and the issues that arise from it. They even have super cool guests like comedians Whitney Cummings and Andy Cohen!
Plus these two hosts just have such good chemistry! Their banter is a delight to witness and the topics they touch on are relevant. There are a lot of dating podcasts out there, but one that is done with great comedic timing, such as this, really is unforgettable.
One of my favourite episodes is How Do I Confront My Partner About Their Terrible Texting? Ft. Jonathan Van Ness. Not only is it filled with great content, but featuring one of the stars from Queer Eye, Jonathan Van Ness, is just the cherry on top.
Now let’s get chatting! What are some of your favourite podcasts, dating related or otherwise? Leave your faves in the comments below!
