
Putting the “cult” in culture… Do you think SoulCycle is a cult? What about the Royal Family? What about Disney Adults? Or spiritual influencers? Is Instagram itself a cult? We’re Sounds Like A Cult, an iHeart Radio Award-winning podcast that analyzes a different fanatical group every week to try and answer the big question: This ~sounds~ like a cult, but is it really? Created and hosted by New Yo... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 232 | Founded | 5 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Society & CultureEducation | |||

This week, Reese dives into The Cult of Celebrity Wellness Brands, where skincare, mental health, spirituality, supplements, and good old-fashioned celebrity worship have melted together into one extremely Instagrammable belief system. From Goop and ... more
This week, Amanda is joined by author and travel writer Sheila Yasmin Marikar (@sheilaym) to descend into The Cult of Dark Tourism, the booming travel industry built around vacationing where very, very bad things have happened. From Chernobyl excursi... more
Prepare to be love bombed by a bath bomb. This week, Iman follows her nose into the aggressively fragrant Cult of Lush with the Scam Goddess herself, Laci Mosley (@divalaci) . Beneath the glitter, naked packaging, and promise that an $18 Sleepy Bear ... more
This week, Chelsea, Reese, and Iman dive into The Cult of Sister Wives. Join us as we entice you with a little TLC chatter, before diving a bit deeper into the actual belief system that inspired it. We chat with Calvin Wayman (@calvinwayman), who gre... more
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This used to be one of my favorite shows, but over the past few months it just hasn’t been very good. I’m not sure what happened, but this went from a very funny and informative show to something completely different. Now it’s more of a snark podcast where they pick random topics and mostly insult or make fun of them. And please, Amanda, stop with the sing songy vocal fry…please.
It took longer than usual for me to decide whether “Sounds Like A Cult” is a podcast for me. I typically fangirl passionately, am a bit of a completist (I’m all in or I’m not at all interested), and usually know fairly quickly whether something is for me, but I wasn’t sure about “Sounds Like A Cult” for a while, for a myriad of personal reasons, none having to do with the wonderful hosts. Thankfully, the audio quality is pretty great, which is my baseline for a regular listening podcast! During ... more
I am a longtime listener and fan of Amanda Montell’s work, and I’m very loyal to the few podcasts I listen to, so I am very disappointed by the decline in quality in this show. It seems like Amanda has totally handed over the reigns to the other hosts, and it was her research and unique perspective that really enriched the discussions. It sounds like the hosts are reading straight off a script written by ChatGPT. I have given it several tries in the last few months, and legitimately can’t make i... more
The vibe of this show has evolved over the years..but I’m still very much here for Sounds Like a Cult. I love how not serious many of the episodes are, it’s light, it’s fun & I stay for the girl banter. Also, the recent Lush episode made me remember all my bring-back empty containers, so I immediately went to Lush & stocking up on my favourites. Did it for science, was giving second sphere energy, no bath bombs acquired, don’t judge me okay.
I had to unfollow after the Lish episode. It was just over the top ridiculous.
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Spotify | #43 | |
Apple Podcasts | #146 | |
Apple Podcasts | #120 | |
Apple Podcasts | #181 | |
Apple Podcasts | #181 | |
Apple Podcasts | #81 |
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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A sharp, often witty examination of how groups or communities show cult-like dynamics, using culture and current trends as lenses. Episodes blend personal narratives, scholarly context, and critical analysis to unpack rituals, hierarchies, and belonging in everything from fitness movements to online communities and political movements. The show tends to spotlight firsthand experiences from insiders and researchers, and frequently pairs rigorous critique with accessible storytelling and timely cross-promotions. A standout trait is its willingness to label and analyze mainstream cultural phenomena as potentially cultish, while still acknowledging openness and community within these worlds. This approach makes it useful for listeners curious a... more
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Sounds Like A Cult launched 5 years ago and published 232 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on Sounds Like A Cult include:
1. David Farrier
2. Laci Mosley
3. Calvin Wayman
4. Anna Konkle
5. Molly Burke
6. Timothy Schrader Rodriguez
7. E. Jean Carroll
8. Daniel Kolitz
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