5 Best Typography Podcasts You Should Be Listening To
Are you stuck in a creative drought and looking for the best typography podcasts to give you inspiration for your next font or typeface design?
Design rules the world around us (think of the iconic Mcdonald’s arches).
Typography (think of the Comic Sans or Gothic Font), a subset of design, is no different.
It’s the art of arranging letters and numbers to make them clear, legible, and most importantly, appealing.
So whether you would like some inspiration or just want to learn a little something about typography or design, these podcasts are sure to help you out.
Why stare at your screen going through pages of designs?
Give your ears some work to do!
Table of Contents
1. The Weekly Typographic
Micah Rich and Olivia Kane hosted this podcast and has been streaming since November 2017.
It’s a fantastic podcast that dives headfirst into the world of Typography.
Not only that, its uniqueness truly lies in the explanations that the hosts give.
They go in-depth and decipher the nuances of Typography, like how a swiss watchmaker could explain their creation.
It always amazes me how insightful the hosts get and that leaves me craving for more.
But of course, it may become too monotonous to listen to the details of Typography every day.
That’s why the hosts call upon guests to stir up the monotonous pace of the podcast.
The discussions that come out of the guest interactions are so witty and remarkable that I am quite amazed each time.
Each guest brings a unique thought process.
Of which the discussion may become contentious and veer off-script.
Thus, it’s always enlightening and really opens any listener’s mind to different viewpoints.
Since we deep dive into Typography, it would be remiss of the hosts not to answer any questions that audiences send in.
No worries, thankfully, they do answer audience questions.
This interaction with the listeners is what I believe makes the experience that much more personal and memorable, which I absolutely love.
You can access the podcast on Spotify by clicking here and listen to it on Apple Music by clicking here.
2 . Wellfed Creative Podcast
Jon Sorrentino, a designer himself working out of “The Big Apple”, and obsessed with Typography, is the host of this fantastic podcast.
Streaming since December 2018, this podcast hosts some amazing guests known in the designing industry.
What I personally love about Jon’s podcast is that he invites all forms of creative professionals.
From designers, photographers, illustrators, and his own personal heroes to just talk.
The discussion has an amazingly diverse group of professionals in terms of established artists, freelancers, and employed professionals.
Jon expertly talks about his guests’ lives.
But also the inspiration to pursue this career path.
Moreover, they talk about the challenges and the triumphs they faced or are currently facing along their way.
It truly gives a listener a preview of what is to come in their journeys as designers.
And it really helps confused artists about what they want to do next in their journeys.
Even for folks who are just starting, it helps shed a spotlight on the struggles and see what to do to overcome them.
Jon helps lay down all the options one has with an accurate picture of risk and reward in all the paths.
This truly fantastic podcast gives a listener much depth about its practicality and connection to the real world.
So be sure to enlighten your mind.
Gain inspiration from some of the space’s top minds by tuning into the podcast on Spotify by clicking here.
You can also listen to Apple Music by clicking here.
3. Talk Paper Scissors
An award-winning lecturer and a Registered Graphic Designer, Diana Varma is the host of this impressive podcast.
Having traveled worldwide learning about trends and design, she brilliantly brings all of her life’s journeys into this stellar podcast.
Her experience in teaching the concepts of design is truly a boon to her show.
This is because she can articulate her thoughts and philosophies clearly and cohesively in her show.
The podcast itself is quite diverse, considering it covers topics such as typography, branding, areas of design, and printing.
Which I am sure will satisfy a wide variety of listeners.
She also delves into the world of publishing, how it works, its nuances, how design, typography, and colors play an essential part in it.
Moreover, the podcast meanders into:
- The colors and the theory behind them for various printing jobs
- A little bit of history for all the amazing new age symbols out there (just like Twitter and its hashtags)
- Technical analysis for some of the more common and some more unique letterforms out there.
Diana streams from the amazing city of Toronto, Canada.
Her listeners will also find episodes of designs that talk about iconic Canadian buildings and landmarks.
This is definitely one of those shows that you shouldn’t miss!
Check out the podcast on its official website or Spotify or Apple Music.
4. Just My Type
This podcast is the perfect amalgamation for folks who absolutely love history and typography.
It talks about various typefaces and where they came from in vivid detail in each episode.
The producers in this podcast really put together high-quality content to satisfy their listeners.
Some of the stories are so disparate that I am left thinking about how the host can ever link these cohesively.
What I love about it is how the host explains the links so smoothly.
One of their episodes links the vampire slayers and broadway musicals with typography.
With these two example episodes, just imagine how interesting other episodes are like.
I may have raised your expectation with the above episode a tad bit!
But the other episodes as well have a similar kind of exceptional creative work put into them.
Oh, and I almost forgot, this podcast has tons of jokes and laughs.
The host is quite witty and has some of the most incredible comedic timing, which will make you laugh.
And finally, before I forget, the podcast has some cool titles for the episodes.
These episodes are quite relevant to modern pop culture.
So if you are into pop culture or want to know how pop culture and design are intertwined, this is the podcast to check out.
The host himself describes the show as the one for “Typography snobs”.
It truly is a mind-boggling podcast and frankly quite an educational show out there for the so-called “Typography snobs”.
Streaming since February 2019, listen to the podcast in Apple Music by clicking here, and on Spotify by clicking here.
For sure you won’t regret it.
5. Neon Moire Show
This show is a podcast from the https://www.neonmoire.com/ website.
Neon Moire’s team primarily focuses on hosting events and conferences on design and its relevance in today’s digital world.
Thomas Dahm, the host of this podcast, expertly covers all the work behind the scenes at a design conference through his show.
He also interviews designers and artists who have presented at their conferences about their experiences.
They also discuss how the conference itself is influential in its design and how it affects other people.
Its uniqueness lies in the fact that Thomas efficiently manages to get the guest to speak about their own participation experience.
For audiences of the show who have long wondered what a design conference looks like this is the show to check out.
Its uniqueness lies in the fact that Thomas so easily manages to get the guest to speak about their own participation experience.
Moreover, they also talk about how designers like themselves really brainstorm and collaborate for such a conference.
And I must say, it’s the only one that gives you an accurate depiction of the “backstage scenes.”
So if you have ever wondered or wanted a sneak peek of what it takes to organize, participate or just attend such conferences, this amazing podcast brings all that to life.
What are you waiting for?
Tune in and catch all the show’s episodes on Spotify by clicking here and on Apple music by clicking here.
Special Mentions
I feel the above 5 best Typography podcasts will be enough for all the typography and design enthusiasts.
But in case you manage to exhaust all the episodes and want to listen more, here are a few more that you may like.
I didn’t put them in the Top 5 as they are currently retired or are not strictly typography focussed.
However, they are still some fantastic shows that delve into typography and design.
And to be honest, they are what I would call classics.
So read on more and check out the below podcasts!
Design Guy
This podcast is the podcast for design folks who are just starting.
Hosted by Anthony Rotolo, it explains complex problems through simple explanations and instruction.
This way of explaining helps the newbies to follow along.
The show also guides you through the process and philosophy of design which itself is eternal.
Moreover, Anthony’s presentation style keeps the show light and humorous while still having a lot of learning in each of his episodes.
Listening to the podcast leaves you inspired and motivated to tackle the most complicated problems.
Trust me, it makes you feel like Tony Stark from the Marvel Series.
And I must say, for such an old show, the production quality Anthony brought to it is truly unique.
Each episode covers a timeless design principle.
So rest assured, listening to this podcast won’t mean you are cut off from reality and transported back to the old age anytime soon.
This is particularly helpful for new designers.
As it really helps them understand some of the lasting design principles in clear and concise ways.
It truly is sad the host decided to discontinue the show, because had it still been around it would be my Top 5 pick for sure.
For all those binge listeners out there, this is a show with no new episodes coming out, so binge away.
Catch all the episodes of the podcast on Apple music by clicking on the link here.
P.S.
Even though Anthony is not updating this podcast, he does host other podcasts.
Google him to find his other work.
On the Grid
Hosted by 3 amazing people who were knowledgeable in design.
Dan Auer, Andy Mangold, and Matt McInerny provided wealthy information in this podcast.
It started in 2012 and concluded 5 years later in 2017.
The podcast discusses various aspects of design and typography through the lens of the 3 hosts.
The 3 members of the podcast are highly opinionated, with strong viewpoints on every little nuance.
So, be ready to hear some opposing views.
A great part about these disparate views being put together and discussed is that you get to hear extremely varied viewpoints as a listener.
Then, you can decide for yourself which stance you want to take.
The 3 design nerds are quite honest with each other, which really helps this show shine.
The show had a fantastic run.
Being started so far back really helps you consider the design principles present during the show’s time.
This will help you see if they are relatable to the design principles of today.
This show provides an insight into the thinking around design and its effect on the world in those days and helps you observe the ramifications of those thought processes today.
The podcast has been removed from most streaming sites,.
However, you can still check out all its episodes on Anchor by clicking the link here.
Response Web Design
I did not include this podcast in the Top 5 because it does not really go into typography as much as design.
Justin Awery, a pro design consultant, hosts this podcast and brings some really amazing stuff to it.
I wanted to mention this podcast because it talks about design and technology together.
Some of the more recent episodes are focused on design for the web.
As we all know, almost all tasks are done on the web in today’s world.
The host also gets together designers and lecturers to feature in his podcast to discuss recent development in the space.
I was genuinely amazed at the amount of innovation that is done.
Hindsight innovation has led us to have something archaic like Netscape evolve into the Snapchat, Facebook, and countless other websites we use today.
In conclusion, this podcast combines timeless design elements with the modern web to give you a great show.
Fair warning to all you readers here, this podcast being more on web design, has very few elements of typography in it.
So, it might be better to check out other podcasts in our Top 5 list if you want more typography-focused.
Check out the episodes on Justin’s site by clicking the link here.
Final Thoughts
These are some of the podcasts that, for me, are really pushing the limits in typography and design.
The top 5 best Typography podcasts are my favorite.
They have captured the origins of typefaces, discuss business in a designer’s world, and there are ample amounts of interviews with the elite designers or exploring the nuances of typography.
Moreover, I have included in the Special Mentions section, which covers some cool design and typography principles.
Even though two of the shows are retired in the Special Mentions section, the podcasts themselves are amazing to listen to as the hosts cover the various gamut of typography and design.
I hope there is ample content for you to listen to and that this list inspires you to start a new project or finish an existing one in your design and typography journey.
Hope to catch you in one of these podcasts as an esteemed designer one day!
And do remember this list is a small subset of what’s out there.
Explore and learn every day on this journey!
Who knows what you find?
And if something has changed from what I have discussed in this article, do let us know.
We will be interested to hear the changes.
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