Sounds Like A Cult
Studio71Putting 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 | 235 | Founded | 5 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Society & CultureEducation | |||
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Latest Episodes
Grab your onions, this week, Reese and Iman are entering The Cult of Shrek, a fandom that somehow evolved from a beloved children’s movie into an online religion (or dare we say... cult). Joining them are Bechdel Cast hosts (@bechdelcast) Caitlin Dur... more
This week, Chelsea and Iman investigate The Cult of Bellum Entertainment, the true crime production company whose founder, Mary Carol McDonald, allegedly spent years building a very different kind of crime empire behind the scenes. True crime podcast... more
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
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Reviews
- This used to be a really good show, I’m not sure what happened
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.
Apple Podcasts1MSWESL
United Statesa month ago - Fun, Light Podcast
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
Apple Podcasts3Shalma M.United Statesa month ago - Quality massively declined
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
Apple Podcasts1j.ess.United Statesa month ago - Cult-y but not too Serious
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.
Apple Podcasts5Mandy Day11
Canadaa month ago - Too sensational
I had to unfollow after the Lish episode. It was just over the top ridiculous.
Apple Podcasts1CreateacosmosCanadaa month ago
Listeners Say
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Chart Rankings
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Spotify | #34 | United States/Society & Culture |
Apple Podcasts | #150 | United States/Society & Culture |
Apple Podcasts | #104 | Canada/Society & Culture |
Apple Podcasts | #224 |  United Kingdom/Society & Culture |
Apple Podcasts | #167 |  Australia/Society & Culture |
Apple Podcasts | #44 |  Chile/Society & Culture |
Talking Points
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Audience Metrics
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sounds Like A Cult
What is Sounds Like A Cult about and what kind of topics does it cover?
A show that investigates cult-like dynamics across a wide range of cultural phenomena, from reality TV production and celebrity wellness brands to online subcultures and political movements. Each episode blends investigative storytelling with expert analysis, often featuring firsthand accounts from people with lived experience. Guests range from whistleblowers and survivors to journalists and scholars, offering practical guidance on spotting manipulation, understanding group psychology, and evaluating ethical concerns in contemporary culture. Notably, the hosts bring a sharp, witty, and accessible style that keeps complex topics engaging while maintaining a critical lens on power, labor, and influence in modern groups.
Where can I find podcast stats for Sounds Like A Cult?
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Sounds Like A Cult. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Sounds Like A Cult and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
How many listeners does Sounds Like A Cult get?
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What are the audience demographics for Sounds Like A Cult?
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How many subscribers and views does Sounds Like A Cult have?
To see how many followers or subscribers Sounds Like A Cult has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.
Which podcasts are similar to Sounds Like A Cult?
These podcasts share a similar audience with Sounds Like A Cult:
1. Magical Overthinkers
2. Maintenance Phase
3. American Hysteria
4. You're Wrong About
5. If Books Could Kill
How many episodes of Sounds Like A Cult are there?
Sounds Like A Cult launched 5 years ago and published 235 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
How do I contact Sounds Like A Cult?
Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.
Where can I see ratings and reviews for Sounds Like A Cult?
Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Sounds Like A Cult from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.
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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Sounds Like A Cult?
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What guests have appeared on Sounds Like A Cult?
Recent guests on Sounds Like A Cult include:
1. Jami Rice
2. Dr. Mara Einstein
3. David Farrier
4. Laci Mosley
5. Calvin Wayman
6. Anna Konkle
7. Molly Burke
8. Timothy Schrader Rodriguez
To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.