About the Signal Awards
The Signal Awards recognizes the podcasts that define culture. Our awards body is mission-focused on uplifting the podcast medium by recognizing the most potent, meaningful and unprecedented audio projects being made today. Setting this standard of excellence is The Signal Awards Judging Academy, an esteemed collective made up of the architects, instigators and trailblazers of the medium. Once a year, The Academy collectively listens closely to thousands of hours of audio, selecting the strongest work to be elevated to the status of award-winning.
Signal accepts entries as Shows, Limited Series & Specials, Individual Episodes and Brand Storytelling across a broad spectrum of genre and craft categories including Best Host; Most Innovative Audio Experience; Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion; Best Video Podcast; News & Politics; Best Editing; and many more. You can find a detailed breakdown of our award categories here.
Each fall, The Signal Awards present Gold, Silver and Bronze Winners, and the listening public votes for their favorite Finalists to take home the additional coveted honor of Listener’s Choice Award in each category. Garnering more than 385,000 public votes in just two weeks from nearly 128,000 fans around the world, 2025’s Listener’s Choice Awards drew the largest voting body in The Signal Awards’ history, affirming the growing significance that podcasts and their creators have in listeners’ life patterns and daily routines.
Make Your Podcast Required Listening
Regardless of platform or production budget, we know that listeners are drawn to charismatic voices. Which is why this year at Signal, we are introducing new ways to honor the creators and personalities who have become synonymous with great podcasts.
The podcast landscape is rapidly changing, and we’re excited to share new category offerings to best reflect the current state of the industry. This year, we are introducing new ways to honor the expansive world of audio documentaries with new additions including separate categories for History, Tech and True Crime Documentaries. We’re also welcoming new honors for Best Application of Emerging Technology, Relationships, Love and Dating shows, Travel podcasts, podcasts focusing on Mental Health and a new category for Solopreneurs, recognizing creators who single-handedly run their own operation. This year also marks a new honor for Podcast Agency of the Year, recognizing the branded podcast studio behind the most award-winning work in audio storytelling. Enter the 5th Annual Signal Awards and Make Your Podcast Required Listening.
Our Partners
New this year, The Signal Awards has partnered with industry-leading platforms and publishers including YouTube, Substack, BBC Studios, Dolby, TED, CBC, Good Tape, On Air Fest, AIR, The Podglomerate, Wistia, rss.com and Sounds Profitable. These organizations join a growing cohort of aligned organizations amplifying the award’s honors which include Max, Podcast Movement, The Podglomerate and Pod People.