CONGRATULATIONS 2025 PODCAST OF THE YEAR WINNERS AND FINALISTS!

Full Podcast Title: Keresse Thompson, LCSW
Host: Diary of An Empath Podcast
Podcast Link: Listen on Apple Podcasts 

   Full Podcast Title: Wisdom of Age
Host: Stacy Raine
Podcast Link: wisdomofagepodcast.com 

 WINNER
Full Podcast Title: The Art of Crime
Host: Gavin Whitehead
Podcast Link: www.artofcrimepodcast.com

FINALISTS
Full Podcast Title: Rock is Lit
Host: Christy Alexander Hallberg
Podcast Links:
Apple Podcasts | Website

Full Podcast Title: Online for Authors
Host: Teri M Brown
Podcast Link: www.terimbrown.com/online-for-authors.html

Full Podcast Title: NOTES ON A NATIVE SON
Host: Razia Iqbal
Podcast Link: WNYC Studios

 WINNER
Full Podcast Title: Living Ageless and Bold
Host: Christina Daves
Podcast Link: christinadaves.com/living-ageless-podcast

FINALISTS
Full Podcast Title: Getting Rich Together
Host: Syama Bunten
Podcast Links:
Website | Apple Podcasts

Full Podcast Title: Manifesting with Meg: Conversations with Extraordinary People
Host: Meg Nocero
Podcast Link: Apple Podcasts

Full Podcast Title: Let’s Get Haunted
Hosts: Aly Terry, Nat Strawn
Podcast Links:
bit.ly/GetHaunted | Linktree

Full Podcast Title: On the Table with Ashley
Host: Ashley Gould
Podcast Link: Buzzsprout

Full Podcast Title: Birth New Earth
Host: Alana Light
Podcast Link: YouTube

Full Podcast Title: To Live List
Host: Delia Grenville
Podcast Link: tolivelist.com

 WINNER
Full Podcast Title: Larry Wilmore: Black on the Air
Host: Larry Wilmore
Podcast Link: Apple Podcasts

FINALISTS
Full Podcast Title: The Art of Crime
Host: Gavin Whitehead
Podcast Link: artofcrimepodcast.com

Full Podcast Title: Found My Hero Within
Host: Will Lukang
Podcast Link: YouTube

Full Podcast Title: The Michael Finkley Show
Host: Michael D. Finkley
Podcast Links:
Audio Version – Spotify
Visual Version – YouTube

Full Podcast Title: Stories from Real Life
Host: Melvin E. Edwards
Podcast Link: Apple Podcasts

 WINNER
Full Podcast Title: Getting Rich Together
Host: Syama Bunten
Podcast Links:
Website
Apple Podcasts 

 WINNER
Full Podcast Title: Get Comfy with Numbers
Host: Erika Millard
Podcast Link: Apple Podcasts 

 WINNER
Full Podcast Title: Legion of Skanks
Hosts: Big Jay Oakerson, Luis J. Gomez, and Dave Smith
Podcast Link: Apple Podcasts

FINALISTS
Full Podcast Title: Let’s Get Haunted
Hosts: Aly Terry, Nat Strawn
Podcast Link: Bit.ly Link
or Linktree

WINNER     

Full Podcast Title: Lasting Legends: Greek Myths Surround Us
Host: Cole Stopnik
Podcast Link: Apple Podcasts 

 WINNER
Full Podcast Title: Let’s Get Haunted
Hosts: Aly Terry, Nat Strawn
Podcast Link: Bit.ly Link
OR Linktree

FINALISTS
Full Podcast Title: My Imperfect Yellow
Host: Tyran Lee Ingram
Podcast Link: Spotify

Full Podcast Title: The Michael Finkley Show
Host: Michael D. Finkley
Podcast Link:

• Audio Version: Spotify
• Visual Version: YouTube

 WINNER
Full Podcast Title: Freelance Writing Direct
Host: Estelle Erasmus
Podcast Link: Apple Podcasts

FINALISTS
Full Podcast Title: Online for Authors
Host: Teri M. Brown
Podcast Link: Teri M. Brown

Full Podcast Title: Manifesting with Meg: Conversations with Extraordinary People
Host: Meg Nocero
Podcast Link: Apple Podcasts

 WINNER
Full Podcast Title: Online for Authors
Host: Teri M. Brown
Podcast Link: www.terimbrown.com/online-for-authors.html

FINALISTS
Full Podcast Title: Rock is Lit
Host: Christy Alexander Hallberg
Podcast Link: Apple Podcasts
Website

Full Podcast Title: Authors Talking Bookish
Hosts: Donna Norman-Carbone & Hope Gibbs
Podcast Link: RSS Feed

Full Podcast Title: BASEBALL, BOOKS, AND BANTER
Host: Nicole Asselin
Podcast Link: Libsyn

 WINNER
Full Podcast Title: Diary of An Empath Podcast
Host: Keresse Thompson
Podcast Link: Apple Podcasts

FINALISTS
Full Podcast Title: The Plus SideZ: Cracking the Obesity Code
Hosts: Kim Carlos & Kat Carter
Podcast Link: Apple Podcasts

Full Podcast Title: Come On In: AYA Cancer Unfiltered
Host: Marie Sadd
Podcast Link: YouTube Playlist

Full Podcast Title: Found My Hero Within
Host: Will Lukang
Podcast Link: YouTube

Full Podcast Title: Love Your Calm: Mini Meditations
Host: Hannah Castillo
Podcast Link: Buzzsprout

 WINNER
Full Podcast Title: Riches & Power
Host: Alex Doubet
Podcast Link: Apple Podcasts

FINALIST
Full Podcast Title: The Art of Crime
Host: Gavin Whitehead
Podcast Link: The Art of Crime

CHECK OUT OUR NEW LIST OF CATEGORIES!

OFFICIAL 2026 CATEGORIES  

• ADVENTURE & TRAVEL
• ARTS
• BEST FEMALE HOSTED PODCAST
• BEST MALE HOSTED PODCAST
• BUSINESS
• COMEDY
• CRIME
• DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
• DRAMA
• EDUCATION
• ENTERTAINMENT
• FANTASY & SCI-FI
• FICTION
• FINANCE & INVESTING
• FOOD & BEVERAGE
• GAMES AND HOBBIES
• GOVERNMENT AND ORGANIZATIONS
• HEALTH
• HISTORY
• HORROR & PARANORMAL
• HUMOR & SATIRE
• INTERVIEW-STYLE PODCASTS
• KIDS AND FAMILY
• LEISURE
• LGBTQ
• MOTIVATION & SUCCESS
• MUSIC
• PARENTING
• PERSONAL JOURNEYS
• POLITICS AND NEWS
• RELATIONSHIPS & DATING
• RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY
• SCIENCE
• SELF-IMPROVEMENT & WELLNESS
• SOCIETY AND CULTURE
• SPORTS
• TECHNOLOGY
• TV AND FILM

**AMERICANWRITINGAWARDS.COM PODCAST OF THE YEAR AWARD**

 The Podcast of the Year award was created as a means to recognize excellence in independent podcasting. The award is international and open to all shows regardless of country of origin or language (non-English speaking podcasts must be transcribed or translated into English).  

Official Award Timeline

• Registration Deadline February 15, 2026
• Category Prizes and PODCAST OF THE YEAR AWARD announced March 8, 2025

The Podcast of the Year committee and judges reserve the right to disqualify any show they feel violates the spirit of the Awards. The Podcast Awards committee's decision on disqualification will be final. A disqualified show can appeal disqualification in writing within 48 hours to info@americanwritingawards.com. Disqualification will result in the forfeiture of the registration fee.

The Awards committee reserves the right to disqualify any show on the grounds of hate speech and or violence.  While we strongly support freedom of speech we will not tolerate hate speech and or violence against others. 

NOMINATION RULES AND ELIGIBILITY

EASY 2-STEP PROCESS FOR REGISTERING:  

1.  PROCESS ENTRY FEE ONLINE. 

2.  SEND FILLED-OUT ENTRY FORM TO INFO@AMERICANWRITINGAWARDS.COM

Any show podcasting on or before REGISTRATION DEADLINE is eligible to register for the Podcast of the Year.

Submitted Podcasts must have a publicly accessible RSS feed that can be followed/subscribed to.

• Any show wishing to be eligible to be nominated can register via the steps described on the entry form until the nomination closing date and pay the $39 registration fee. Registrations are non-refundable for any reason but shows can be asked to be moved to a different category prior to the judging deadline.
• Shows can register in as many appropriate categories as they want. Each category registration is a separate fee. Just make sure your show is appropriate for each category.
• Shows that do not register are not eligible to participate. A third party can register a show on behalf of another podcast. The registration fee is non-refundable.