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Sounds Like A Cult

Studio71
Mental Health
Social Media
Cults
Nostalgia
Consumerism
Feminism
Patriarchy
Tiktok
Celebrity Worship
Reality TV
Pop Culture
Elon Musk
Anti-Vaccine Movement
Friendship Breakups
Covid-19
Synanon
Conspiracy Theories
Reality Television
Spirituality
Body Image Issues

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes232Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureEducation

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Artwork for Sounds Like A Cult

Latest Episodes

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

YouTube

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

YouTube

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

YouTube

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

YouTube

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Recent Guests

David Farrier
Journalist, documentary filmmaker; host of Dark Tourist (Netflix) and Flightless Bird Podcast
Netflix / Dark Tourist
Episode: The Cult of Dark Tourism
Laci Mosley
Host of Scam Goddess, actress and author
Scam Goddess / Scam Goddess Pod
Episode: The Cult of Lush
Calvin Wayman
Grew up in a plural marriage family
Cultured Boy (YouTube), former member of Centennial Park Group
Episode: The Cult of Sister Wives
Anna Konkle
Co-creator and star of Pen15; author of The Sane One memoir
Pen15, The Sane One
Episode: The Cult of Y2K
Molly Burke
Social media content creator, motivational speaker and author
Molly Burke Official
Episode: The Cult of Charity Scams
Timothy Schrader Rodriguez
Conversion Therapy survivor and author of Conversion Therapy Dropout
Conversion Therapy Dropout
Episode: The Cult of Conversion Therapy
E. Jean Carroll
Journalist, author, and plaintiff in Trump defamation case
Not My Type, Elle Advice/Not My Type memoir
Episode: The Cult of Women for Trump
Daniel Kolitz
author of The Goon Squad; journalist and writer
Harper's Magazine
Episode: The Cult of Gooning
Ashton Whitmoyer-Ober
Enneagram educator, speaker, author
Enneagram Ashton / Enneagram Institute context mentioned
Episode: The Cult of Enneagram

Hosts

Amanda Montell
Author and host; leads critical, linguistic perspective on culture and cult dynamics.
Chelsea Charles
Co-host and producer; brings media production experience and cross-cultural analysis.
Reese Oliver
Co-host; rhetoric scholar with background in culture and comparative analysis.
Iman Hariri-Kia
Co-host and producer; brings research and research-assisted perspective to topics.

Reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars from 20.1k ratings
  • 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 Podcasts
    1
    MSWESL
    United States10 days 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 Podcasts
    3
    Shalma M.
    United States13 days 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 Podcasts
    1
    j.ess.
    United States17 days 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 Podcasts
    5
    Mandy Day11
    Canada18 days ago
  • Too sensational

    I had to unfollow after the Lish episode. It was just over the top ridiculous.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Createacosmos
    Canada19 days ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Audience feedback highlights the show's willingness to challenge hype while staying engaging.
Some listeners desire more balance and broader topic coverage beyond familiar themes.
Balanced, playful yet rigorous analysis with strong insider perspectives from researchers and journalists.
A thoughtful, accessible take on culture and cult-like dynamics that's easy to listen to; guests add credibility.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Cult of Dark Tourism
Q: What do you see as the core appeal of dark tourism despite its ethical concerns?
People are drawn to the thrill of witnessing something grave while also trying to understand history, culture, and mortality, but the ethics of exploitation vs education are a constant tension that the field wrestles with.
The Cult of Gooning
Q: Are there real-world harms associated with gooning according to your research?
Yes, there are cases of extreme behavior, including public incidents and coercive online dynamics, plus the potential for addiction and strain on personal relationships, though many participants frame it as a hyper-specific form of sexual expression or fandom.
The Cult of Gooning
Q: What makes the gooning community both communal and solitary at the same time?
The community centers around shared rituals, lingo, and online spaces (like Discord and private channels) where members coordinate, stream, and discuss content, but much of the activity is still solitary masturbation, which creates a paradox of togetherness and personal immersion.
The Cult of Gooning
Q: Can you define gooning for listeners who are new to this culture?
Gooning is a highly specific, porn-centered activity where people consume vast amounts of explicit content, often across multiple screens, and engage in extended edging to maintain a heightened state of arousal with the goal of reaching a peak state known as the goon state.
The Cult of Enneagram
Q: Are there any immediate tells that would signify a new person you're meeting as part of the Enneagram in group?
The quickest tells are simply asking someone if they know their Enneagram type or what type they are, after which people often share their type and discuss wings to reveal where they're coming from.

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 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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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. You're Wrong About
4. American Hysteria
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 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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What guests have appeared on Sounds Like A Cult?

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

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.

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