iHeartMedia has unveiled the nominees for the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards, set to take place at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas. The annual celebration of podcasting excellence will be hosted by comedian and “Saturday Night Live” alum Ego Nwodim, who also hosts the emerging podcast Thanks Dad. For the second consecutive year, the ceremony will be held at ACL Live at the Moody Theater on March 16, beginning at 7 p.m. CT. Fans can tune in via livestream on select iHeartMedia radio stations and the iHeartRadio app.
Fan-Voted Podcast of the Year
The most anticipated category, Podcast of the Year, features ten nominees:
- Good Hang With Amy Poehler
- The Breakfast Club
- The Mel Robbins Podcast
- Pablo Torre Finds Out
- The Daily (New York Times)
- The Rest Is History
- This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von
- Call Her Daddy
- Heavyweight
- Giggly Squad
Voting is open from January 14 through February 22 at iheartpodcastawards.com..
Icon Awards Honorees
In addition to competitive categories, iHeartMedia will present three Icon Awards:
- Jay Shetty (On Purpose) – Social Impact Award
- Terry Gross (Fresh Air) – Audible Audio Pioneer Award
- Hrishikesh Hirway (Song Exploder) – Innovator Award
These honors recognize groundbreaking contributions to the podcasting medium.
Categories Across the Industry
The 2026 nominations span 28 categories, covering comedy, crime, pop culture, wellness, history, music, news, sports, science, technology, and more. Notable contenders include Earn Your Leisure in Business & Finance, Crime Junkie in Crime, Las Culturistas in Pop Culture, Huberman Lab in Wellness, and Radiolab in Science. Emerging voices also have a spotlight, with nominees such as Khloé in Wonder Land, Smart Girl Dumb Questions, and Nwodim’s Thanks Dad.
SXSW Partnership
The awards are produced in partnership with SXSW, reinforcing podcasting’s growing role in cultural conversation. “The Podcast Awards have become a defining moment for the audio community at SXSW,” said Peter Lewis, chief commercial officer of SXSW. Will Pearson, president of iHeartPodcasts, added, “We are thrilled to return to Austin and ACL Live to celebrate the storytellers who are pushing the boundaries of audio.”
Sponsors and Production
Amazon’s Audible is the presenting sponsor of the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards. Executive producers include John Sykes, Tom Poleman, Conal Byrne, and Bart Peters for iHeartMedia. Guest presenters and celebrity appearances will be announced closer to the event. With podcasting continuing to surge in popularity, the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards promise to highlight the creators shaping the future of audio storytelling.
