Los Angeles Audio Master List
Emma’s favorite podcasts, episodes, and entities about, relating to, and/or produced in Los Angeles!
Podcasts
Check out a list and write-up of my favorite episodes in this edition of Earbuds Collective!
LA Radio Club Presents: LA Radio Club is a nonprofit sponsored project supporting journalists and audio storytellers in Southern California. Check out “LA Radio Club” in the “Other” section below to get involved! The first season of LARC’s podcast LA Radio Club Presents, which I had the pleasure of co-producing, is a showcase of the stories produced as part of our SoCal Reporting Incubator, a hyperlocal reporting project highlighting stories from the margins of Los Angeles. Tune in to hear about everything from a Japanese-American baseball league in Torrance to a gay bar in Studio City, and so much more!
LA Meekly: L.A. Meekly is a monthly podcast that looks into the history of Los Angeles, one subject at a time. Hosted by Los Angeles-born comedians Greg Gonzalez and Daniel Zafran, L.A. Meekly mixes history and humor to get a fresh look at the stories and characters in the history of the city.
This show is so, so great – not only are the hosts a joy to listen to, but the podcast covers interesting LA lore, from the story behind a 22-foot chicken statue on a Highland Park roof to the history of Los Angeles gangs. There’s great information on their website and social media, too, to learn about every facet of LA’s weird and wonderful. In my opinion, this is the Los Angeles podcast you need.
How To LA: We’re here to help curious Angelenos connect with others, discover the new, navigate the confusing, and even drive some change along the way. Host Brian De Los Santos brings you stories about L.A., for L.A., by L.A. — with your help. Like you, we know this city is unique, and that’s why it’s one of the reasons we love it.
I mean, obviously. A must-listen, and the podcast that got me familiar with Los Angeles when I moved here in 2018. From deeper dives into the stories behind LA news, to interviews with interesting Angelenos, to recommendations for where to eat and why, How To LA is an excellent guide to the city.
Imperfect Paradise: Imperfect Paradise is an award-winning weekly narrative podcast showcasing California stories with universal significance, hosted by Antonia Cereijido. Each deeply reported story is driven by characters who illuminate aspects of American identity and underscore California's reputation as a home for dreamers and schemers, its heartbreaking inequality, its varied and diverse communities, its unique combination of dense cities and wild places.
Just… Listen to it. Every season, right now, go do it. Season 2, The Imperfect Revolutionary, is my personal favorite. But as I write that, maybe it’s Season 3, The Sheriff. But then, maybe it’s Season 4, Yoga's "Queen of Conspiracy Theories”…
The Big Burn: As the world enters a new age of wildfires, science reporter Jacob Margolis dives deep into personal stories that illuminate the history of how we got here, why we keep screwing things up, and what we can do to survive and maybe even thrive while the world around us burns.
If you live here, you’ve breathed the ash. This great deep dive from LAist is a character-driven examination of our infamous wildfires, who they affect, and how we got to a place where Los Angeles is known just as much for its fires as it is for its beaches.
Party Crews: The Untold Story: A podcast about coming of age in LA’s teenage underground party scene and what happens when your safe space isn't always safe. Hosted by Janice Llamoca.
From VICE and LAist as part of the My Cultura Network, a limited series podcast about the party crew scene in the 2000s, a space where many young Latine Angelenos came of age in LA amid negative stereotypes of the scene and its participants in the media. The host was part of the party crew scene herself, and balances her own experiences with reporting on the murder of Emmery Muñoz in 2006, and why it remains unsolved. It’s a personal and investigative series with a Y2K feel, and a great listen.
On Our Watch - A Podcast on Police Accountability: For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?
An excellent investigative podcast from KQED and NPR with a focus on California police departments and cases in cities around the state. The series covers case files obtained as part of the California Reporting Project, “a collaboration of 40 newsrooms formed in late 2018 to investigate misconduct and serious use of force that would be unsealed by a new state law.” Easily binge-able, I voraciously zoomed through this one in a few days.
Smogland Radio from LA Public Press: Smogland Radio is a news podcast by and for LA from Los Angeles Public Press. Twice a month, we’ll have reporting that holds powerful people accountable, advice on how to thrive in Los Angeles, and in-depth stories about the issues that affect all of us.
Smogland Radio has quickly become one of my favorite sources of deeply reported LA news. The LA Public Press has done a fantastic job with this one - check out my favorite episode, which deeply speaks to my lived Los Angeles experience: LA Pee Pee (or, why it’s so hard to find a place to pee in Los Angeles). And check out all of the unique multi-media reporting from LA Public Press; truly can’t recommend them enough!
Episodes, Docs, Pieces, and Stories
Leaving Los Angeles: Personal Essay on working odd jobs to get by in Los Angeles, trying to find creative and fulfilling work, getting older, and, finally, leaving Hollywood for the Transom Story Workshop in radio storytelling on Cape Cod.
This wonderful piece from Alison Byrne, produced with Transom.org at the Transom Story Workshop, so perfectly articulates the experience of many audio makers (and, honestly, people in general) trying to find their way in LA professionally, creatively, and personally. Comforting, inspiring, and so, so relatable. I listen to this piece a lot.
Production Houses
Maximum Fun: Maximum Fun is a pioneering podcast network, a home to dozens of shows, some of which we produce and some of which are produced independently. Our shows are about Comedy and Culture, and all of them try to put some good into the world.
Maximum fun is a Los Angeles based, 100% worker-owned co-op of a whole bunch of really cool shows. They’ve got shows about movies, shows about wrestling, shows about video games, about reading, and about writing. Some will help you settle a dispute, or will help you sit with complexity. They have many shows that will teach you cool stuff. Shows about growing up. Shows that help us be grown ups, and a show that will give you grown-up advice. Shows about animals, shows about Star Trek, shows about nothing in particular. There’s a show about the production of beef animals and dairy herds, and shows that create new worlds. Shows that help us appreciate life, and shows that help us interrogate it. They even have three game shows, a show about the best in culture, and a show to put you to sleep. From their business model to their crazy variety of content, Maximum Fun is one of my favorite LA podcast hubs.
Places
Recording Studios/Spaces
Note: Los Audio focuses on recording studios and spaces that are catered to dialog, interview, and other spoken recordings. There are scores of recording studios in Los Angeles, but many are equipped for instrumental, band, and music production, and thus have a lot of what you don’t need, and little of what you do. This list focuses on podcast recording studios that are more reasonably priced and specifically catered to spoken audio recording.
Western Sound: a production company and recording studio in Highland Park. I recorded the entirety of my podcast Gooned at Western Sound, and worked with a former member of their team Victoria Shifflett for mastering. It’s small and no-frills, but fully equipped and nestled in one of my favorite areas. They’re so friendly and responsive, and just generally a lovely group of people! Regular hours (9:00 AM – 6:00 PM) are $125/hour with a dedicated engineer, evenings and weekends available at $150-200 / hour. Discounts for half- and full-day sessions, and multiple day buyouts. Great for vocal sessions, group interviews (up to 6 people comfortably), remote interviews, SFX / foley recording — we can even accommodate small bands. Dedicated, on-site parking is available, and metered street parking as well. Click here for full studio specs.
Stones Throw Studios: The studio of Stones Throw Records, a a Los Angeles-based independent record label founded by Peanut Butter Wolf in 1996. Located in Highland Park, Stones Throw Studios is equipped for not only all kinds of music recording and production, but also for podcast and VO recording! For a 2-hour minimum session, it’s for $150 Per Hour, $200 Per Hour for 1 hour, with a dedicated engineer. The space is roomy and decorated with photos of Stones Throw Record’s claims to fame – think Madlib, Madvillain, J Dilla, Aloe Blacc, Mayer Hawthorne, Dam-Funk, Tuxedo, Karriem Riggins, Guilty Simpson, Homeboy Sandman, 7 Days Of Funk, and more – and the space for podcast and VO recording is gorgeous. Click here for full studio specs. Metered street parking and a paid lot are available.
Octavia Lab at the Los Angeles Central Library: This right here. This is your heaven, your playground, your Roman Empire. The Octavia Lab’s maker space has tools for all types of creators. Whether you’re recording music, editing photos, or 3D printing your gadgets, the lab is filled with endless opportunities for creation and education, as well as LinkedIn Learning, all free with your library card (note: this is an LA City card, not an LA County card. I have both, which is good practice – it’s never clear which branch uses which one.) Octavia Labs has recording studios, digital media stations, a sewing machine, a vinyl cutter, a CNC mill, a photo studio, a VR setup, a laser cutter and engraver, and a 3D printer. Do not sleep on your public library!
PodHead Studios: A recording studio with a hyper-customizable setup and video capabilities in DTLA. Really beautiful setup options for video podcasts, and a great and helpful team. They offer a sound stage, studio furniture, a conference room, make-up room, a kitchen / break room, and a client video village. It’s a little pricier than other studios, but their prices are in line with their offerings, if you need all of that! Check out their rates here – video podcast sessions include two video crew members, a cinematographer with 4 cameras, a sound mixer/recorder with 3 microphones, studio lighting, isolated raw video and audio files, and live edited show with project files.
International List of Tape Syncers & Studios: Spearheaded by the wonderful Sally Herships, this spreadsheet lists, well, studios and tape syncers around the world. Navigate to the U.S. STUDIOS tab to find LA-based studios and syncers, and feel free to add yourself!
Other
LA Radio Club: LA Radio Club is a fiscally-sponsored project that supports emerging audio storytellers with a focus on local engagement. I’ve had the pleasure of volunteering with LARC since 2024, as well as co-producing our podcast, LA Radio Club Presents! Radio Club Collective connects early-career audio storytellers to the resources they need to succeed. We offer free programming including a speaker series, skill-based workshops and a mentorship program. LARC has a fiscal sponsorship through Independent Arts & Media (IAM), which allows us to receive government grants and tax-deductible donations. You can donate at the Donation Portal, and follow the Substack to learn about frequent community events and programming!
DubLab: A community-supported internet radio station and creative collective founded in 1999. Dublab has been broadcasting since the “dot-com era,” and their programming has since expanded to include the production of original art exhibits, films, television, events, and community education projects as well as broadcast on affiliate stations in Germany, Japan, Spain, and Brazil. Each month, dublab showcases over 180 radio shows from some of the world’s most talented DJs, musicians, journalists, and artists. Beyond broadcast, dublab produces and hosts several multimedia projects and exhibits each year. Through local events, international broadcasts, and collaborative multimedia projects, dublab has helped define and connect the next wave of arts, music, and culture across the Los Angeles and international communities. They have podcasts, field recordings, and so much more! Their space is actually a decommissioned LADWP building, and what they’ve done with it is amazing. It’s open to the public, and totally worth checking out in person. Full transparency: parking blows. But if you’re near University Park, definitely pop in. Tune in here, 24/7.
DIY Memory Lab at the Los Angeles Central Library: Located in the Octavia Lab on LL2 at Central Library, the DIY Memory Lab contains archival grade equipment for digitizing personal archival collections. The DIY Digital Memory Lab can digitize compact audio cassette CD and DVD, DV and MiniDV (SP), 3.5” inch floppy disks, Minidisc Reel to reel audio tape, VHS (SP and EP), and vinyl records (LP and 45), as well as documents/photos/slides/negatives, Super 8 and 8mm film (picture only, no audio). If you’re sitting on a cache of archival tape and need a way to listen and convert it, investigate this free and accessible option. I told you: do not sleep on your public library!!
Zebulon Café Concert: I know, I know – you’ve probably gone to Zebulon for a Pancho and Lefty cocktail and one of their 80s dance parties. But maybe you’ve also seen a sick experimental synth show where the audience lies on their back on the ground to feel the reverb, or watched a storied theremin artist who looks like the love child of Bob Ross and Einstein work out some new sounds. Or maybe you’ve been to a sound-centric open mic for unconventional instruments. Zebulon is a bar and performance space with offerings beyond your typical acoustic set or standup comedy, to include instruments and sounds you’ve never even heard of. Many shows are free or cheap, and often there are two per night. Check out their events page here, and you’ll likely find some cool, unique sounds to inspire you in your audio practice! Parking, again, not great, I’d recommend a ride share, carpool, or public transport.
DogBiotic: Their website description is apt: Dogbotic is a collective interested in unconventional sounds and their potential creative applications. We work as a commercial audio studio—producing music, sound, and audio tech for all sorts of clients—and as a research and education outfit—teaching workshops on a variety of niche artistic topics. An audio studio that makes strange and beautiful sounds for strange and beautiful projects. They offer Original Music Composition, Sound Design, Audio Branding, and Creative Engineering. They host amazing, unique, super cool workshops both online and in person in Los Angeles and Berkeley, from “ear retraining” to hacking cassette tapes. Check out the DogBiotic lab, studio, virtual events, and more on their website and follow the fun and the funky on Instagram!
Publications
Good Tape: Based out of Hippo Factory Studios in Mid City, Good Tape is a print magazine about podcasting. The publication features a marriage of journalism and audio storytelling critique, focusing on independent creators, small productions, and all the cool stuff that you might not find on your own. Their visual aesthetic is drool-worthy, and they’ve got a lot of things in store! Order a print issue here, and follow Good Tape on Instagram.
Do you know of (or make!) a podcast about, relating to, or in Los Angeles? Do you know of a great studio, audio outfit, or an especially interesting “other?” Shoot me an email with a link to your show and a blurb about its relevance, and it may end up here!