Ambies 2026 Nominees Announced: Full List, New Categories & Podcast of the Year Contenders
The Podcast Academy (TPA) has officially revealed the nominees for the sixth Annual Awards for Excellence in Audio, widely known as The Ambies 2026, marking a milestone year for the fast-evolving podcast industry. With a record-breaking 227 nominations across 33 categories, the Ambies 2026 reflect how podcasts are no longer limited to audio storytelling—but are now shaping culture through video, advertising innovation, branded content, and cross-platform engagement.
This year’s awards also introduce six new categories, highlighting the industry’s shift toward visual formats, brand partnerships, and emerging creators. The Ambies 2026 ceremony will take place on February 23, 2026, as part of On Air Fest in Brooklyn, New York—another first in the event’s history.
Since their inception in 2021, The Ambies have grown into one of the most influential honors in the podcast ecosystem. The 2026 edition stands out not only for its expanded scope but also for the diversity of voices, genres, and formats represented.
According to The Podcast Academy, submissions for the 2026 awards reached an all-time high, underscoring the continued growth of podcasting as a dominant force in media and entertainment.
“This year’s Ambies nominees truly reflect the ambition and creativity of today’s podcast creators,” said Christy Mirabal, Chair of The Podcast Academy. “From investigative journalism to comedy, and from audio-first storytelling to video-integrated formats, these creators are redefining what podcasting can be.”
New Categories Signal the Evolution of Podcasting
One of the most notable developments for Ambies 2026 is the introduction of six brand-new award categories, designed to recognize innovation beyond traditional podcasting boundaries.
Newly Introduced Ambies 2026 Categories:
Podcast Advertiser Innovator Award
Best Ad Read
Best Branded Podcast
Best Emerging Podcast
Best Use of Video in a Podcast
Vanguard Podcaster of the Year
These additions reflect how podcasts have evolved into multimedia platforms, blending storytelling, advertising creativity, and audience engagement across YouTube, social media, and live events.
Podcast of the Year: A Star-Studded Lineup
The most prestigious honor at The Ambies—Podcast of the Year—features 10 high-profile nominees, spanning comedy, news, culture, and personal development.
Podcast of the Year Nominees:
Call Her Daddy
Crime Junkie
Pablo Torre Finds Out
Pod Save America
Question Everything
Reveal
SmartLess
The Last Invention
The Mel Robbins Podcast
Wisecrack
Among them, “Wisecrack” leads the pack overall with five nominations, cementing its position as one of the most influential podcasts of the year.
How Winners Will Be Selected
32 award categories will be decided by the full voting membership of The Podcast Academy.
New and eligible members must submit applications by January 23, 2026, to participate in voting.
The Vanguard Podcaster of the Year award will be determined separately by a newly formed Vanguard Jury, whose members will be announced at a later date.
This layered voting system ensures both industry-wide participation and expert evaluation for the most forward-thinking creators.
Complete List of Ambies 2026 Nominees by Category
🎙️ Best Ad Read (Sponsored by Sounds Profitable)
Begin Again with Davina
Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend
Reality Gays with Mattie and Poodle
Revisionist History
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
We Need To Talk
Woo Woo with Rachel Dratch
🏷️ Best Branded Podcast
Moneywise
Oprah’s Book Club: Presented by Starbucks
Sesame Street: Cookie Monster Mysteries
Things Bakers Know
Tomorrow’s Cure
Traveling with AAA
What The Fraud?
💼 Best Business Podcast
Business Wars
Lead Balloon
Masters of Scale
Morning Brew Daily
NerdWallet’s Smart Money Podcast
The Indicator from Planet Money
The Journal
😂 Best Comedy Podcast
Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Murder at the Patel Motel
SmartLess
The Bald and The Beautiful with Trixie and Katya
The Big Pitch with Jimmy Carr
Wisecrack
🎓 Best Documentary Podcast
Al Jazeera Investigates — 36 July: Uprising in Bangladesh
IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody Story
Latino USA
Not a Very Good Murderer
The Con: Kaitlyn’s Baby
The Poppy Day Bomb
What Could Go Wrong?
🌱 Best Emerging Podcast
Crook County
Debt Heads
How Is This Better?
Lawless Planet
Raising Us
This Guy Sucked
This News is So Gay
🎭 Best Fiction Podcast
Murder on Mars
Purple Heart Warriors
Red for Revolution
StanLand
The Good Life
Two Thousand and Late
You Feeling This
🗞️ Best News & Politics Podcast
Consider This
Face Off: The U.S. vs China
Long Shadow: Breaking the Internet
Pod Save America
Radio Atlantic
Reveal
Vibe Check
🕵️ Best True Crime Podcast (Sponsored by CrimeCon)
Aftermath: Hunt for the Anthrax Killer
Bone Valley, Season 2: Jeremy
Corruption Uncovered
Dirtbag Climber
Nobody Should Believe Me
Sea of Lies
Where Is Daniel Morcombe?
🎥 Best Use of Video in a Podcast
Antiques Roadshow Detours
Dark History
Peacemaker: The Official Podcast with James Gunn
Tales Unrolled
The Jamie Kern Lima Show
The Rest Is History
The Wednesday Season 2 Official Woecast
(Additional categories continue to reflect the depth and breadth of modern podcasting, including wellness, sports, kids programming, Spanish-language storytelling, sound design, scriptwriting, and performance.)
Ambies 2026 Joins Forces with On Air Fest
For the first time ever, The Ambies will be presented as part of On Air Fest, a globally recognized celebration of audio storytelling and creative innovation.
The ceremony will be held on: 📍 February 23, 2026 📍 Arlo Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York
Mirabal emphasized that the partnership will bring “fresh energy and expanded visibility” to the awards, aligning perfectly with TPA’s mission to elevate podcasts as a powerful and personal medium.
Why Ambies 2026 Matters to the Podcast Industry
The Ambies 2026 highlight a critical turning point:
Podcasts are no longer audio-only
Video integration is now mainstream
Advertisers are becoming creative collaborators
Independent creators are gaining equal footing with major networks
As podcasts continue to influence politics, pop culture, education, and entertainment, The Ambies serve as both a benchmark of excellence and a roadmap for the future of digital storytelling.
