Happy best-podcasts-of-the-year season! Some highlights:

More best-of lists next week for sure, including This Week in Podcasts’ essential episodes of 2020. Any I should consider? Hit me up.

This week’s counts: 68 notable guests, 10 new podcasts, five deep dives and one hot show about “real-life American Psychos.”

Pod Take of the Week

“There’s no failed experiment if you’re paying attention to the world.”

Listen Broken Record: Jeff Tweedy’s Songwriting Master Class (49:48)

That’s Tweedy, on the lack of downside to simply noticing what’s going on around you.
The leader of the band Wilco and the author of “How to Write One Song” adds: “I am aware that my brain wants to make sense of stuff, and I give it an opportunity to make sense of stuff.”
My take: A shot of inspiration for creators.

Go Deep

1) “All I Want for Christmas is You”

Listen: 60 Songs That Explain the ‘90s

The Spotify-exclusive pod goes 40 minutes on Mariah Carey’s modern Christmas classic that you now can’t get out of your head. ‘Tis the season!

2) America’s Homelessness Crisis

Listen: 99% Invisible

Katie Mingle spent “two years trying to understand how we’re helping the hundreds of thousands of people living without adequate shelter in America today.”
The result: A five-part series, According to Need.

3) TikTok vs. Instagram

Listen: Business Wars

The Wondery pod’s two episodes into a series on the battle between the social media giants.

4) The Lives of Seniors

Listen: Everyday Decisions with Jo Firestone

The comedian, who teaches comedy to seniors, talks to her students about how they spend their mornings.
It’s a three-part series. Total listen time: 3 hours, 7 minutes.

5) Hacking Schools

Listen: What Next, The Journal.

The Slate and Wall Street Journal pods investigate what’s driving ransomware attacks on school.

Guest Appearances By…

($L) = Luminary, behind a paywall. (S) = Spotify exclusive. ($A) = Audible, behind a paywall.

21 Savage expediTIously

Acho, Emmanuel Armchair Expert

Baldwin, Alec The New Abnormal

Belushi, Jim Literally! With Rob Lowe

Berninger, Matt Mike Birbiglia’s Working it Out

Bodden, Alonzo Green Eggs and Dan

Boreanaz, David The Big Ticket

Brand, Russell The Jordan Harbinger Show

Bridgers, Phoebe The Three Questions with Andy Richter

Brockovich, Erin I Don’t Know About That, Useful Idiots

Brosh, Allie You and Me Both with Hillary Clinton

Burke, Kareem The ETCs with Kevin Durant

Convo with the Roc-a-Fella Records co-founder.

Burton, Levar The Sporkful

Caan, James WTF with Marc Maron

Carlos, John I’m So Obsessed

Catmull, Ed The goop Podcasts

The Pixar co-founder tells Gwyneth Paltrow about creating company culture and effective leadership.
He says: “One of the rules for the powerful people is they’re supposed to shut the hell up for the first ten or fifteen minutes.”

Chang, David The Bill Simmons Podcast

Chenowith, Kristin Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend

Clinton, Hillary Armchair Expert

Coel, Michaela Grounded with Louis Theroux

Corgan, Billy The Zane Lowe Interview Series

Cranston, Bryan Pardon My Take

Cross, David Life is Short with Justin Long

Densmore, John WTF with Marc Maron

DiFranco, Ani Bullseye

Ek, Daniel The Tim Ferriss Show

Feimster, Fortune Do You Need a Ride?

Godin, Seth Design Matters

Goldsmith, Taylor Never Not Funny

Heller, Marielle Sway

Higgins, John Michael The Last Laugh

Holland, Mary Las Culturistas

Thank you for “Happiest Season,” Mary.

Hollis, Rachel Danica Patrick Pretty Intense

Jackson, Randy At Home with Linda & Drew Scott

James, LeBron Road Trippin’

Part one of a two-parter with the basketball superstar.

Jewel Song Exploder

She breaks down her hit “You Were Meant For Me.”
Spoiler: That’s Flea on bass.

Kelly, Scott Armchair Expert

Kerman Langston Why Won’t You Date Me?

Kesha Good For You

Kimmel, Jimmy The Dave Chang Show

Klebold, Sue Nobody Told Me!

Kornheiser, Tony The Bill Simmons Podcast

Kroll, Nick Impaulsive

Kwapis, Ken Larry Wilmore: Black on the Air

Lapkus, Lauren Bananas

Lee, Dr. Sandra What’s Her Story with Sam & Amy

Dr. Pimple Popper talks about the community of “pop-aholics.”

Louis-Dreyfus, Julia The New Abnormal

Martindale, Margo Maltin on Movies

McConaughey, Matthew Kickass News

He’s been a podcast guest six of the last seven weeks!

McDonald, Audra You and Me Both with Hillary Clinton

McHale, Joel Anna Faris is Unqualified

Murphy, Ryan Just B with Bethenny Frankel

Ndegeocello, Meshell Switched on Pop

Nielsen, Rick Rockin’ the Suburbs

The Cheap Trick guitarist sits for the pod’s 1,000th episode.

Nuñez, Oscar You Made it Weird with Pete Holmes

Oluo, Ijeoma The Cut

Palamides, Natalie Good One

Parton, Dolly Table Manners

Peretti, Chelsea Doughboys

She and the Doughboys review Peet’s Coffee.

Royce Da 5’9 Cannon’s Class

Silverman, Sarah SmartLess

Smith, Stephen A. expediTIously

Sullivan, Andrew The Megyn Kelly Show

Symon, Michael Beyond the Plate

Taylor, Shelli Decoder

The CEO of Alamo Drafthouse talks about reopening theaters, streaming.

Trainor, Meghan Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness

Tweedy, Jeff Broken Record

Watts, Reggie Eric Krasno Plus One

Notable New Podcasts

1) Red Collar (Dec. 1)

Catherine Townsend “dives into the minds of…real-life American Psychos.”
Apple Podcasts rank: No. 1.
Spotify Trending Podcasts rank: No. 4.

2) The Mismatch (Dec. 4)

In the Ringer pod Kevin O’Connor and Chris Vernon “discuss all the news, trends, and transactions happening in the NBA.”
Apple Podcasts rank: No. 18.

3) Duck Call Room (Dec. 3)

Si Robertson and Justin Martin “share hilarious stories, tall tales, hunting adventures, pop culture commentary, and all the antics and escapades you know and love.”
Apple Podcasts rank: No. 24.

4) Little Stories Everywhere (Dec. 1)

Virginia Madsen and Robbie Daymond read classic children’s books.
Apple Podcasts rank: No. 168.

5) Say Yas to the Guest (Nov. 30)

Patrick Starrr and “friends chat about how they met, how they got success and how they overcame the status quo.”

6) American Coyote (Dec. 1)

It’s a 10-part story “of a legendary man and unlikely hero, Elden Kidd, who supported his family of five as a Coyoté and gave countless others a chance at a better life.”

7) About a Girl (Nov. 29)

The scripted narrative anthology series “brings to light the stories of women who inspired some of the most celebrated and enduring music of the modern age.” Eleanor Wells hosts.

8) Half-Forgotten History (Dec. 2)

Former ESPNer Trey Wingo’s pod features “Super Bowl Champs, Hall of Famers, and stories you won’t want to miss.”

9) What They Don’t Tell You With Jordyn Jones (Dec. 3)

The singer/actress/influencer shares “how to stay true to yourself while on your life path”.

10) Podland (Dec. 3)

James Cridland and Sam Sethi “analyse the news from the world of podcasting and interview some of the biggest names that matter in Podland.”

Reminder: I’ve contracted and expanded coverage of new podcasts. The newsletter includes a curated list of the most notable and best new podcasts of the previous seven days.

Broader coverage now resides at weekinpodcasts.com, where I’ll show my work with an evolving list of new and upcoming podcasts. Know of any podcasts that should be included? Reply and let me know.