iHeartMedia Announces Host and Nominees for 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards at SXSW on March 16, 2026

Hosted by comedian Ego Nwodim, the event will honor the most influential podcasters of 2025 across 28 distinct categories including the coveted, fan-voted Podcast of the Year award Nominees for Podcast of the Year include “Good Hang with Amy Poehler,” “The Breakfast Club,” “The Mel Robbins Podcast,” “Pablo Torre Finds Out,” “The Daily,” “The Rest Is History,” “This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von,” “Call Her Daddy,” “Heavyweight” and “Giggly Squad” Jay Shetty, Terry Gross and Hrishikesh Hirway to be honored with Icon Awards The event will be held at ACL Live at the Moody Theater and broadcast on select iHeartMedia radio stations nationwide and digitally through the iHeartRadio app iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, today announced the host and nominees for The 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards in partnership with South by Southwest® (SXSW®). For the second consecutive year, awards will be presented at ACL Live at the Moody Theater in Austin, Texas in celebration of the best in podcasting and most influential creators in the industry. In addition to the in-person show on Monday, March 16, 2026, at 7 p.m. CDT, the ceremony will also be live-broadcasted on select iHeartMedia Radio Stations and on the iHeartRadio app. Additionally, the event will once again be open to select SXSW badge holders. Actress, comedian and host of the “Thanks Dad” podcast, Ego Nwodim, will emcee this year’s iHeartPodcast Awards. The event will span all genres of podcasts including Comedy, Crime, Sports, News, Business, Pop Culture, Food and more, with winners in each category determined by a panel of industry leaders, creatives and visionaries. The night’s top honor, Podcast of the Year, will remain in the hands of the fans. From January 14 through February 22 listeners can cast their votes for their favorite shows at iHeartPodcastAwards.com. The nominees for the 2026 Podcast of the Year include: “Good Hang with Amy Poehler,” “The Breakfast Club,” “The Mel Robbins Podcast,” “Pablo Torre Finds Out,” “The Daily,” “The Rest Is History,” “This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von,” “Call Her Daddy,” “Heavyweight” and “Giggly Squad.” “Podcasting continues to be one of the most vibrant and fast-growing mediums in media today,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts. “We are thrilled to return to Austin and ACL Live at the Moody Theater to celebrate the storytellers who are pushing the boundaries of audio. We can't wait to see which show the fans crown as their Podcast of the Year for 2026.” In addition to the fan-voted and category awards, iHeartMedia will present three Icon Awards – Social Impact Award, Audible Audio Pioneer Award and Innovator Award – honoring individuals who have made groundbreaking contributions to the podcasting medium. Jay Shetty, renowned author and host of the acclaimed podcast “On Purpose,” will be honored with the 2026 Social Impact Award for leveraging his platform to spark meaningful conversations around mental health. Through empathy, insight and intention, he has helped millions turn self-reflection into meaningful change. Terry Gross, the legendary host of NPR’s “Fresh Air with Terry Gross & Tonya Mosley,” will receive the 2026 Audible Audio Pioneer Award for a career that has redefined the art of the interview through curiosity, rigor and deep empathy. For over a decade, her groundbreaking work has elevated audio journalism and influenced generations of hosts, producers and listeners. Hrishikesh Hirway, creator of “Song Exploder,” will be presented with the 2026 Innovator Award for his visionary approach to storytelling, inviting artists to break down their creative processes and redefining how audiences experience music in podcast form. “The Podcast Awards have become a defining moment for the audio community at SXSW, and we’re proud to continue building that momentum with iHeartMedia in 2026,” said Peter Lewis, Chief Commercial Officer, SXSW. “Bringing this event back to ACL Live at the Moody Theater reflects how deeply podcasting is embedded in the cultural conversation at SXSW, and our commitment to creating meaningful stages for the creators shaping where audio goes next.” Previous iHeartPodcast Awards shows have featured an array of celebrity presenters and guests including Will Ferrell, Martha Stewart, Charlamagne Tha God, Ed Helms, Kyle MacLachlan, Sophia Bush, Dennis Quaid, Wilmer Valderrama, Sarah Spain and many more. Some of the biggest names in the industry were honored last year, with Podcast of the Year Award going to “Las Culturistas,” “New Heights” receiving the Best Sports Award and “Huberman Lab” receiving Best Wellness and Fitness. See the full list of 2025 winners here. 2026 iHeartPodcast Award Nominees Include: Podcast of the Year: Good Hang with Amy PoehlerThe Breakfast ClubThe Mel Robbins PodcastPablo Torre Finds OutThe DailyThe Rest Is HistoryThis Past Weekend w/ Theo VonCall Her DaddyHeavyweightGiggly Squad Best Business & Finance: Earn Your LeisureHow I Built ThisAcquiredYoung and Profiting with Hala TahaThe Diary of a CEO Best Comedy: Good Hang with Amy PoehlerThe ToastDistractibleHandsomeThe Basement Yard Best Crime: Crime JunkieRotten MangoAnatomy of MurderMy Favorite MurderWisecrack Best Pop Culture: Las CulturistasCall Her DaddyTherapuss with Jake ShaneGiggly SquadThe Viall Files Best Food Eating While BrokeThe SporkfulHome CookingThe Splendid TableDinner's On Me Best Wellness & Fitness: On Purpose with Jay ShettyHuberman LabThe Mel Robbins Podcast10% HappierMaintenance Phase Best History: The Rest Is HistoryYou’re Wrong AboutThroughlineAmerican History TellersSNAFU Best Kids & Family: Story PiratesWow in the WorldCircle RoundThe Big FibBrains On! Best Music: The Bobby Bones ShowSong ExploderSwitched On PopAll Songs ConsideredOne Song Best News: The DailyThe Megyn Kelly ShowPivotThe MeidasTouch PodcastUp First from NPR Best Fiction: The NoSleep PodcastHavoc TownOld Gods of AppalachiaTable ReadMurder at the Patel Motel Best Sports: New HeightsPardon My TakeThe Zach Lowe ShowClub 520The Ringer Fantasy Football Show Best Science: RadiolabOlogiesHidden BrainStarTalk RadioShell Game Best Technology: Hard ForkBlack Tech Green MoneyGalaxy BrainAcquiredAll-In Best Ad Read: Conan O’Brien Needs a FriendCall Her DaddyMy Brother, My Brother and MeDudes on DudesDistractible Best Host: Amy PoehlerPablo TorreAlex CooperEmma ChamberlainCaleb Hearon Best Ensemble: We Can Do Hard ThingsSmartLessThe Basement YardThis Is ImportantGet Played Best Political Pod Save AmericaThe Bulwark PodcastBreaking PointsHacks On TapThe Ben Shapiro Show Best TV & Film: The Big PictureThe RewatchablesHow Did This Get Made?Watch What CrappensGirls Rewatch Best Spanish Language: Gracias, Come Again.Radio AmbulanteLeyenda LegendariasChente YdrachRelatos de la Noche Best Advice/Inspirational: IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig RobinsonOn Purpose with Jay ShettyThanks For Asking with Nora McInernyJust Heal with Dr. JaySelf-Conscious with Chrissy Teigen Best Beauty & Fashion: Nymphet AlumniFashion Neurosis with Bella FreudArticles of InterestLipstick on the RimNaked Beauty Best Travel: Women Who TravelTravel with Rick StevesZero To TravelPoints TalkThe Travel Diaries Best Religious & Spirituality: Deeply Well with Devi BrownGirls Gone BibleJoel Osteen PodcastWHOA That’s Good PodcastElevation with Steven Furtick Best Branded Podcast: This Is Not a Beauty Podcast (L’Oreal)Crucible Moments (Sequoia Capital)The Unshakeables (Chase for Business)ZOE Science & Nutrition (ZOE)Smart Talks (IBM) Best Emerging: Khloé in Wonder LandSmart Girl Dumb QuestionsTry HardThanks Dad with Ego NwodimUpstairs Neighbors Best International: ShxtsNGigs (United Kingdom)Las Alucines (Mexico)The Rest Is History (United Kingdom)Shameless (Australia)Crime Beat (Canada) The 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards is part of iHeartMedia’s roster of nationally recognized events including the iHeartRadio Music Awards, the iHeartRadio Music Festival, the nationwide iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Concert Tour, iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina, iHeartCountry Festival and iHeartRadio ALTer Ego. Executive producers for the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards are John Sykes, Tom Poleman, Conal Byrne and Bart Peters for iHeartMedia. More information including guest presenters, celebrity appearances and more will be announced in the coming months. Audible is a proud sponsor of the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards. For more information visit here. About SXSW SXSW dedicates itself to helping creative people achieve their goals. Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW is best known for its conference and festivals that celebrate the convergence of tech, film and television, music, education, and culture. An essential destination for global professionals, the annual March event features sessions, music, and comedy showcases, film and television screenings, exhibitions, professional development, and a variety of opportunities to meet and connect with people. SXSW proves that the most unexpected discoveries happen when diverse topics and individuals come together. SXSW 2025 will take place March 7–15 in Austin. Learn more at sxsw.com. About iHeartMedia iHeartMedia, Inc. [Nasdaq: IHRT] is the leading audio media company in America, with nine out of ten Americans listening to iHeart broadcast radio in every month. iHeart’s broadcast radio assets alone have a larger audience in the U.S. than any other media outlet and over four times the ad-enabled audience of the largest digital only audio service. iHeart is the largest podcast publisher according to both Podtrac and Triton, with more downloads than the next two podcast publishers combined, has the most recognizable live events across all genres of music, has the number one social footprint among audio players, has the highest-reach and most engaged influencers, and is the only fully integrated audio ad tech solution across broadcast, streaming and podcasts. The company continues to leverage its strong audience connection and unparalleled consumer reach to build new platforms, products and services. Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information. Source: iHeartMedia, Inc.