Submissions Open · 2027
The 11th Annual PopCon Podcast Awards
YOUR PODCAST DESERVES ITS MOMENT.
You’ve put in the hours, found your voice, and built something you’re proud of. Now give your podcast the chance to be recognized at PopCon.
- March 26, 2027 · Indiana Convention Center
- 25 Award Categories
- Winners Honored Live at PopCon Indy
Hear Your Name Called
Not an email. Not another digital badge. A real awards ceremony at PopCon Indy, with your work recognized in front of fellow creators and fans.
Put Your Show Out There
Great podcasts deserve new ears. The PopCon Podcast Awards give your show another reason to be discovered, talked about, and shared.
Make Award-Winning Official
“PopCon Podcast Award Winner” doesn’t disappear when the weekend ends. Put it in your trailer, press kit, show notes, website, and every pitch that comes next.
The Feed Doesn't Applaud. This Is The Room That Does.
Publish. Refresh the stats. Start the next episode. Repeat. The PopCon Podcast Awards give your work something the algorithm can’t: a real moment of recognition.
Big show. Small show. Same shot.
Network-backed or self-produced, brand new or long-running, audience size doesn’t decide your chances. Your work does.
The work gets judged, not the hype
Judges actually listen to your submission. No popularity contest. No advantage for having the biggest following. Your episode has to earn it.
A weekend, not a webpage
The awards live inside PopCon Indy, with creators, fans, panels, conversations, and a real ceremony. It’s more than a result, it’s something you can actually be part of.
Not just another internet award
Real judging. Real categories. A real ceremony. The goal is simple: make recognition at PopCon something worth earning.
17 Categories. More Ways to Stand Out
Your show may fit one category…or several. Browse the 17 entry categories below, then choose the ones that fit best when you enter your podcast.
8 Additional Awards. No Extra Entry.
Once you submit, eligible podcasts are automatically considered for these additional honors. No extra category to choose. No separate submission.
Audio Drama Awards
- Best Acted
- Best Sound Design
- Best Overall Drama
Craft Awards
- Best Intro
- Best Editing / Mixing
- Best Artwork
Top Honors
- Best Overall
- Best New Podcast
Enter in Three Easy Steps
Pick Your Categories
Choose the genre category or categories that fit your show best. Enter one or enter several; each category is a separate shot at recognition.
Link Your Best Episode
Link one episode from the past year that shows your podcast at its best. That’s what our judges hear.
Pay & You're In
Pay your per-category fee securely right here. No redirect. No separate site. You’ll get confirmation immediately, and your entry is officially in the running.
Yes and many shows do. Each category you add is a separate shot at recognition. Add your main genre, then any craft or top categories that fit.
No. But nominees are invited into the weekend and the ceremony, and it’s a lot more fun to hear your name called in the room.
Entry is priced per category, so you only pay for the categories you actually enter. You’ll see your running total before you pay, with nothing hidden at checkout.
One episode you choose, ideally from the last 12 months and representative of your show at its best. You paste that link in the form. Plus the best 5 minutes your episode has to offer.
The awards are hosted during PopCon Indy, on Friday, March 26, 2027, at the Indiana Convention Center. We’ll email nominees with exact ceremony details.
Any podcast that has published at least five episodes, big or small, independent or network-backed, brand new or long-running. There’s no download minimum and no ceiling. If your show is fairly new, you can also enter Best New Podcast.