Are there awards for podcasts?
Absolutely – and if you’ve ever wondered how to submit for podcast awards or how to get nominated for podcast awards, you’re not alone. In fact, we have an entire post dedicated to the subject here.
Whether you’re an independent creator, a branded podcast producer, a journalist, a fiction storyteller, a business podcaster, or a creator serving a specific community, podcast awards can help build credibility, attract new listeners, strengthen your media kit, and give your show something meaningful to promote.
Winning an award is exciting, but even being nominated or shortlisted can be valuable. Award recognition can give you social proof for your website, podcast description, guest outreach, sponsorship conversations, email newsletter, and social channels.
Below, we’ve put together a list of podcast awards, audio awards, and creator recognition programs worth knowing about.
Important note: Deadlines, entry fees, eligibility rules, locations, and categories can change. Before submitting, always check each award’s official website for the latest information.
Upcoming Podcast Awards Still Open in 2026
These awards currently have 2026 deadlines or events that podcasters may still be able to act on.
Signal Awards
The Signal Awards recognize standout podcasts, creators, and digital audio work across a wide range of categories. The awards celebrate shows and creators shaping culture through audio and video podcasting.
Website: https://www.signalaward.com/
Status: 2026 entries are currently open.
2026 deadline: Final Entry Deadline is June 26, 2026.
Independent Podcast Awards
The Independent Podcast Awards celebrate independent creators from the UK and Ireland. These awards are designed for podcasters producing work outside of major network or studio systems.
Website: https://independentpodcastawards.com/
Status: 2026 entries are currently open.
2026 deadline: Entries close June 8, 2026.
2026 event: Winners and nominees will be celebrated November 4, 2026 at Kings Place.
Podcast Tonight Awards
The Podcast Tonight Awards recognize podcasts across categories including new shows and emerging voices, with judging based on criteria such as content quality, creativity, production value, host performance, and audience engagement.
Website: https://www.podcasttonightawards.com/enter
Status: 2026 entries are currently open.
2026 deadline: October 31, 2026.
HigherEd PodCon Awards
The HigherEd PodCon Awards recognize podcasting in the higher education space, including podcasts from colleges, universities, faculty, students, admissions teams, alumni teams, and education-focused creators.
Website: https://www.higheredpodcon.com/
Status: 2026 event upcoming.
2026 date: July 16–17, 2026.
Click here to learn more about podcast hosting for educators, students, and universities.
Sports Podcast Awards
The Sports Podcast Awards recognize excellence across sports podcasting, including commentary, interviews, sports business, fan culture, journalism, and analysis.
Website: https://www.sportspodcastgroup.com/
Status: Watch for 2026 updates.
Click here to learn more about podcast hosting for sports podcasts.
CLUE Awards
The CLUE Awards recognize true crime storytelling across podcasts, television, books, and documentaries. This can be a strong fit for creators producing investigative, documentary, or narrative true crime content.
Website: https://www.clueawards.com/
Status: Watch for 2026 updates.
British Podcast Awards
The British Podcast Awards celebrate standout podcasts from the United Kingdom across a wide range of categories, including genre awards, craft awards, Podcast of the Year, and listener-voted recognition.
Website: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/
Status: Watch for 2026 updates.
Canadian Podcast Awards
The Canadian Podcast Awards recognize excellence in Canadian podcasting and digital audio. Categories typically span genres, production, artwork, performance, storytelling, and more.
Website: https://canpodawards.ca/
Status: Watch for 2026 updates.
Typical timing: November.
Australian Podcast Awards
The Australian Podcast Awards recognize outstanding Australian podcasting across multiple categories, including storytelling, entertainment, journalism, business, comedy, true crime, and more.
Website: https://www.australianpodcastawards.com/
Status: Watch for 2026 updates.
National Podcast Awards Australia
The National Podcast Awards Australia recognize Australian podcast creators and productions across multiple categories.
Website: https://www.nationalpodcastawardsau.com/
Status: Watch for 2026 updates.
Asia Podcast Awards
The Asia Podcast Awards recognize podcast creators across Asia and the Pacific. The awards highlight excellence, innovation, and influence across podcasting categories.
Website: https://radiotoday.awardsplatform.com/page/WQrmAPdX
Status: Watch for the next entry window.
Premios Ondas Globales del Podcast
Premios Ondas Globales del Podcast is one of the leading awards programs for Spanish-language podcasting. It recognizes excellence across storytelling, production, format, performance, and audience impact.
Website: https://podcast.premiosondas.com/
Status: Watch for 2026 updates.
Typical timing: November.
Premios Ondas
Premios Ondas is a broader international awards program recognizing excellence across radio, podcasting, music, and audiovisual work.
Website: https://premiosondas.com/en/home-en-2026/
Status: Watch for 2026 updates.
Latin Podcast Awards
The Latin Podcast Awards celebrate Hispanic, Latinx, and Spanish-language podcast creators, as well as creators who contribute to the growth and visibility of Latin podcasting.
Website: https://latinpodcastawards.com/
Status: Watch for 2026 updates.
Typical timing: October.
Japan Podcast Awards
The Japan Podcast Awards recognize standout Japanese-language podcasting through a jury-selected process. This can be an important recognition opportunity for creators producing work for Japanese-speaking audiences.
Website: https://www.japanpodcastawards.com/
Status: Watch for future award announcements.
Podcast Awards to Watch for Next Year
Some major podcast awards have already closed their 2026 submission windows or held their 2026 events. They are still worth including because many return annually, and podcasters can use this list to prepare for the next submission cycle.
The Ambies
Presented by The Podcast Academy, The Ambies recognize excellence in podcasting and audio storytelling across major categories including Podcast of the Year, documentary, interview, news, fiction, comedy, sports, business, and more.
Website: https://www.ambies.com/
Status: 2026 submissions are closed.
Next step: Watch for the next submission window from The Podcast Academy.
The Webby Awards
The Webby Awards celebrate excellence across the internet, including podcasts, video, social media, apps, websites, and emerging digital formats. Podcast categories recognize both independent and professional productions.
Website: https://www.webbyawards.com/
Status: 2026 awards have already taken place.
Next step: Watch for the next entry window.
People’s Choice Podcast Awards
The People’s Choice Podcast Awards have historically been a listener-driven awards program where fans nominate and vote for their favorite shows.
Website: https://www.podcastawards.com/
Status: Watch for updates before listing as an active awards opportunity.
Next step: Check the official website for the latest award status.
Quill Podcast Awards
The Quill Podcast Awards recognize podcasters and podcast companies through a mix of public nominations, finalist voting, and expert judging.
Website: https://www.quillpodcasting.com/qpa/quill-podcast-awards
Status: 2026 nominations and finalist voting are closed.
Next step: Watch for the next nomination period.
Publisher Podcast Awards
The Publisher Podcast Awards recognize audio work created by publishing companies. The program is especially relevant for media companies, newsrooms, magazine publishers, B2B publishers, and editorial brands producing podcasts.
Website: https://publisherpodcasts.com/
Status: 2026 entries are closed.
Next step: Watch for the 2027 entry window.
Political Podcast Awards
The Political Podcast Awards recognize UK political podcasts, including shows focused on interviews, journalism, commentary, public affairs, and political analysis.
Website: https://politicalpodcastawards.co.uk/
Status: 2026 event has passed.
Next step: Watch for the next awards cycle.
Women’s Podcasters Awards
The Women’s Podcasters Awards recognize women podcasters, producers, guests, and creators while helping build visibility and community within the podcasting space.
Website: https://www.womenpodcasters.com/awards
Status: 2026 event has passed or is no longer actionable after May 25, 2026.
Next step: Watch for the next nomination or voting period.
Click here to see the top podcasts for women.
Black Podcasting Awards
The Black Podcasting Awards celebrate Black podcasters and creators who are shaping the podcast industry, telling important stories, and amplifying diverse voices.
Website: https://blackpodawards.com/
Status: Watch for the next awards cycle.
International Women’s Podcast Awards
The International Women’s Podcast Awards celebrate women and non-binary podcast creators around the world. The awards recognize excellence across multiple roles, genres, and creative contributions.
Website: https://everybody-media.com/awards/
Status: Watch for the next awards cycle.
Audio, Journalism, Advertising, and Social Impact Awards That Include Podcasts
Some awards are not podcast-only programs, but they include podcast, audio, journalism, branded content, or digital storytelling categories. These can be especially valuable for journalists, branded podcasts, audio producers, agencies, nonprofits, and shows with strong production value.
New York Festivals Radio Awards
The New York Festivals Radio Awards recognize audio storytelling, radio, and podcast work from around the world. Categories often include documentary, news, entertainment, narrative, and branded audio.
Website: https://radiohome.newyorkfestivals.com/
Third Coast International Audio Festival Awards
Third Coast recognizes exceptional audio storytelling, including documentary, narrative, experimental, and first-person audio work. Podcasts with strong storytelling, reporting, or documentary craft may be a good fit.
Website: https://www.thirdcoastfestival.org/
Edward R. Murrow Awards
The Edward R. Murrow Awards recognize excellence in journalism and include categories that may apply to digital audio and podcast reporting. These awards are especially relevant for newsroom-backed, investigative, documentary, or public-service journalism podcasts.
Website: https://www.rtdna.org/awards/murrow
Online Journalism Awards
The Online Journalism Awards recognize excellence in digital journalism, including audio storytelling and podcast reporting. This can be a strong opportunity for podcasts produced by journalists, newsrooms, nonprofit media organizations, or independent investigative teams.
Website: https://awards.journalists.org/
The Gracies
The Gracies recognize outstanding programming created by, for, and about women across television, radio, digital media, and podcasts. Podcast categories can include entertainment, news, lifestyle, interview, and storytelling formats.
Website: https://allwomeninmedia.org/gracies/
Anthem Awards
The Anthem Awards recognize purpose-driven work across areas such as health, education, human rights, sustainability, diversity, equity, and community service. Podcasts with a clear social impact, advocacy, education, or mission-driven focus may be a fit.
Website: https://www.anthemawards.com/
Shorty Impact Awards
The Shorty Impact Awards recognize campaigns and content that drive positive change. Podcasts connected to advocacy, nonprofit work, education, public service, or cause-based storytelling may be eligible depending on the category.
Website: https://shortyawards.com/
Cannes Lions
Cannes Lions recognizes excellence in creative marketing and advertising. Branded podcasts, audio campaigns, and podcast-driven brand storytelling may be eligible in relevant audio, entertainment, or branded content categories.
Website: https://www.canneslions.com/
D&AD Awards
D&AD recognizes excellence in design, advertising, and creative communication. Podcast-related work may be relevant when it intersects with branded audio, campaign storytelling, sound design, or creative production.
Website: https://www.dandad.org/
Radio Mercury Awards
The Radio Mercury Awards recognize audio advertising, including radio and audio campaigns. While not a traditional podcast award, this may be relevant for branded podcast campaigns, audio ads, and creative commercial audio work.
Website: https://www.radiomercuryawards.com/
Rolling, Milestone, or Non-Traditional Podcast Recognition
Not every podcast recognition opportunity works like a traditional award with submissions, judging, and deadlines. Some are based on platform data, editorial selection, milestones, or funding support.
Podcasting, Seriously Awards Fund
The Podcasting, Seriously Awards Fund helps independent BIPOC, Queer, and Trans audio producers cover submission fees for media and journalism awards, as well as registration fees for training and professional development.
Website: https://www.podcastingseriously.com/fund
Status: Ongoing / rolling support opportunity.
Best for: Independent creators who need help covering award submission fees.
Apple Podcasts Show of the Year
Apple Podcasts’ Show of the Year is an editorial recognition rather than a traditional open-submission award. Podcasters generally do not enter it the same way they would submit to a judged awards program.
Website: https://podcasters.apple.com/
Status: Platform/editorial recognition.
Best for: Awareness of major industry recognition, not direct submission planning.
Spotify Podcast Recognition
Spotify may recognize podcasts through regional awards, audience data, editorial programs, or milestone-based achievements.
Website: https://creators.spotify.com/
Status: Platform-based recognition.
Best for: Podcasters building strong listenership and engagement on Spotify.
YouTube Creator Awards
YouTube Creator Awards are milestone-based plaques given to channels that reach subscriber thresholds. For video podcasters, these can be useful recognition even though they are not podcast-specific awards.
Website: https://www.youtube.com/creators/awards/
Status: Milestone-based recognition.
Best for: Video podcasters growing on YouTube.
How to Choose the Right Podcast Awards to Enter
Not every award is the right fit for every podcast.
If you want industry credibility, look at major podcast awards, journalism awards, and audio production awards.
If you want to activate your audience, listener-voted awards may be especially useful because they give your community a reason to support and share your show.
If your podcast serves a specific niche, community, or industry, a targeted award may be more valuable than a broad general category.
If your show is independent, look for awards that specifically recognize indie creators so you are not competing directly against large studios, networks, and media companies.
If your podcast is part of a brand, university, nonprofit, newsroom, or campaign, consider awards outside the podcast industry too. Advertising, journalism, education, social impact, and audio production awards may be a better fit than podcast-only competitions.
Tips Before Submitting Your Podcast for an Award
Before entering any podcast award, review the official rules carefully.
Look for:
- Entry deadlines
- Submission fees
- Eligibility dates
- Category requirements
- Geographic restrictions
- Episode requirements
- Audio or video format rules
- Whether listener voting is involved
- Whether you need written summaries, transcripts, artwork, or supporting materials
It’s also a good idea to prepare a short description of your podcast, a few standout episodes, your audience numbers, listener reviews, press mentions, guest highlights, and any measurable impact your show has had.
Awards are not the only measure of a successful podcast, but they can be a powerful way to celebrate your work, build credibility, and introduce your show to new audiences.
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