From Cobain's top 50 to an ecosystem-changing gift, fall in love with these podcasts

This February there's a whole extra day to fall in love with a new podcast. If you need some inspiration, the NPR One Team has gathered recommendations from across the NPR Network to get you started.

The podcast episode descriptions below are from podcast webpages and have been edited for brevity and clarity.

On Our Watch - KQED

"When correctional officer Valentino Rodriguez first stepped behind prison walls, he wasn't just starting a job, he was joining a family. What he didn't know was that he was now bound by an unwritten code that would ultimately test his loyalty to his oath and his fellow officers. Five years later, Valentino's sudden death would raise questions from the FBI, his family and his mentor in the elite investigative unit where they both worked. This season, join us as we follow in Valentino's footsteps to uncover the secrets hidden inside the most dangerous prison in California: New Folsom."

Start listening.

Blindspot - WNYC

"HIV and AIDS changed the United States and the world. In this series, we reveal untold stories from the defining years of the epidemic, and we'll consider: How could some of the pain have been avoided? Most crucial of all, what lessons can we still learn from it today?"

Start listening.

The Cobain 50 - KEXP

"Each week, "The Cobain 50" digs into Kurt Cobain's famous list of his top 50 albums and how those artists influenced the sound of Nirvana. It's also a chance to dig into the individual histories of the albums on the list, spotlighting both artists on the fringes and some of the biggest groups of all time. The list takes us through the legacies of acts like Sonic Youth, Pixies, The Breeders, Public Enemy, PJ Harvey, Black Flag, Mazzy Star, The Shaggs, Shonen Knife, and more."

Start listening.

What Is Owed? - GBH

"Boston has begun to wrestle with the notion of paying reparations to Black people to make up for 400 years of enslavement and economic exclusion. But in Boston, this debate is layered in history. It was here that slavery was first legalized in the American colonies; it was here that founders of American independence are buried alongside the Black people they enslaved; and it was here that legislation was introduced in the 1980s that became the model of a national bill calling for reparations - a bill that is still on agenda in the U.S Congress. GBH News political reporter Saraya Wintersmith seeks to understand what reparations might look like in one of the oldest cities in America."

Start listening

The Anti-Dread Climate Podcast - KCRW

"The climate crisis is undeniable and overwhelming. People have a lot of questions about how they can help the planet in their daily lives. We have the answers, each week, in less time than it will take you to sort your recyclables."

Start listening.

Embodied - WUNC

"Embodied is dropping a three-part series all about love and AI. The WUNC podcast explores the intricacies of human-bot relationships, the current state of sexbot technology, and how people use grief-bots to navigate loss. In part one, host Anita Rao attempts to answer the question: When human romance isn't working out, can an AI chatbot successfully take its place?"

Start listening.

If All Else Fails - NCPR

"Far-right extremism is thriving in small, rural communities across the country, gaining the support of mainstream voters and local law enforcement. In this podcast from North Country Public Radio, reporters Emily Russell and Zach Hirsch investigate extremist groups and militia movements that are active in northern New York State, why they're drawing support, and what kinds of threats they pose at a pivotal moment for democracy in the United States."

Start listening.

Points North - Interlochen Public Radio

"In October 1960, Prince Akihito of Japan visited Chicago for 21 hours. Chicago's mayor presented the prince with a diplomatic gift: 18 bluegill. What happened next would change the underwater world of Japan forever."

Start listening.

A People's History Of Kansas City - KCUR

"In the late 1970s, a group of musicians in Topeka, Kansas formed what became one of the first all-women mariachi bands in the country. Mariachi Estrella broke down barriers in a male dominated music scene, before a deadly disaster almost ended the group for good. Suzanne Hogan tells how the band's descendants are ensuring their legacy shines on, decades later."

Start listening.

In Black America - KUT

"On this week's "In Black America," producer and host John L. Hanson, Jr. presents a 1982 interview with the late Shirley A. Chisholm, a former Congresswoman from New York's 12 Congressional District who in 1968 became the first African American woman elected to Congress, and, in 1972, the first major-party African American candidate for President of the United States."

Start listening.

NPR Explains - NPR

"The 2024 presidential race is well underway. There's always buzz around primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire, but all 50 states, Washington D.C. and U.S. territories will hold their own separate primaries or caucuses leading up to the party conventions. If the whole process feels complicated and a little quirky, you're not alone. (What even is a caucus, anyway?) NPR Explains is back to help break down the primary and caucus system, the controversial factors surrounding primary season and what we can expect in this year's 2024 elections. Join host and political reporter Elena Moore in NPR Explains: Primaries and Caucuses, a podcast series exclusively on the NPR app, which is available on the App Store or Google Play."

Start listening.

NPR's Jessica Green and Jack Mitchell curated and produced this piece.

Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.