It has just got much easier to listen to podcasts on your Amazon Echo. This is because you can now ask Alexa to play a podcast from either Apple Podcasts or Spotify. So there's now no excuse not to start listening to podcasts. Unless you find them boring, obviously.

Podcasts Have Entered the Mainstream

While podcasts have been a thing for many years, they have now crossed into the mainstream. Finally. More and more people are listening to podcasts, and many people are even launching their own podcasts. Which is easier than it looks.

If you're new to podcasts, check out our article detailing how to get started listening to podcasts. And if you're a fan of the medium and looking to launch your own, check out our article explaining how to start your own successful podcast.

How to Listen to a Podcast Using Alexa

To listen to a podcast on your Amazon Echo using Alexa, you just need to ask. Say, "Alexa, play [name of podcast] on [name of service]". The two services now supported are Apple Podcasts and Spotify. With an infinite number of podcasts to choose from.

Official support adds useful elements. By making Apple Podcasts or Spotify your default podcast provider in the Alexa app you can pause and resume a podcast, play the next episode, and even pick up listening where you left off in the Spotify/Apple Podcasts app.

To read more about how to listen to Apple Podcasts on your Echo, read this post on Day One. And to read more about how to listen to Spotify podcasts on your Echo, read this post on For the Record. And then crack on with discovering new podcasts worth listening to.

The Best Podcasts, Whatever Your Tastes

Now that you can listen to podcasts on your Echo using Alexa, you're probably looking for recommendations. And there are podcasts about every subject you can think of. Here are the best true crime podcasts and the best podcasts for kids to get you started.