A fascinating 80s pop success story: best podcasts of the week
Pick of the week
Hit That Perfect Beat: The London Records Story
From Blancmange to Bananarama, London Records stuffed the UK charts with hits in the 80s, says music writer Siân Pattenden. She hosts this five-part series about the label's evolution, featuring interviews with artists and A&Rs. It is a fascinating oral history that covers the queer representation offered by Bronski Beat, All Saints' edgy take on Girl Power, and the goth-pop prowess of Shakespears Sister (pictured above). Widely available, episodes weekly.
Are We Doomed
From nuclear war to climate change, many things could cause humanity's demise. In a series more hopeful than it sounds, US journalist Ben Bradford considers threat levels, beginning with an episode on nukes and whether mutually assured destruction is truly MAD. Widely available, episodes weekly.
Gangster Presents: The Story of Ronnie Biggs
Daniel Mays, who played the Great Train Robber in the 2012 TV series Mrs Biggs, narrates this lively podcast, drawing heavily on archive interviews with the man himself. While six episodes may feel a lot for a story so frequently told, never-before-heard audio and discussion of the era's shifting class politics bring new angles. Widely available, episodes weekly.
Attitude Presents: Out With Suzi Ruffell
Comedian Ruffell has relaunched her podcast, and while there is a surfeit of interview shows, this one is rather lovely. She kicks off by interviewing Attitude's editor-in-chief, Cliff Joannou, before a conversation with Drag Race's Tia Kofi that touches on trans rights and the inherent politics of her chosen artform. Widely available, episodes weekly.
Stateside With Kai and Carter
The Guardian's New York team launch their podcast this week, hosted by journalists Kai Wright and Carter Sherman, with new episodes released three times a week. Arguably, there is scarcely been a better moment for a straight-talking, US-flavoured current affairs show. Says Sherman: There is war, there is authoritarianism, our planet is burning – I could go on. Widely available, episodes three times a week.
