Love and Radio

Love and Radio is one of the most quietly influential podcasts ever made. Created and produced by Nick van der Kolk, the show has been running since 2005, and its approach to audio storytelling sits somewhere between documentary, art installation, and confessional. Van der Kolk has a talent for finding subjects who are fascinating precisely because they defy easy categorization — con artists, recluses, people living double lives — and letting them talk without heavy-handed narration getting in the way. The production style is distinctive. Instead of conventional interview structures, van der Kolk layers audio in ways that create atmosphere and mood. Music, ambient sound, and editing choices serve the emotional arc of each story rather than just conveying information. The result is something that feels more immersive than a typical podcast interview. The show won the Best Independent Nonfiction Audio Award at the 2025 Tribeca Festival for its latest season, Blood Memory, about a man who escaped the Aryan Brotherhood. With around 136 episodes over two decades, Love and Radio releases infrequently but with real care behind each installment. The 4.6 star average from over 2,200 Apple ratings reflects an audience that appreciates the craftsmanship. This is not a background-listening podcast. The stories demand your attention, and they reward it with perspectives you genuinely will not find anywhere else.