The Groove Radio, the long-running independent mixtape podcast created and hosted by podcasting pioneer and New York City-based DJ Suzy Chase, has been named one of The Best Independent Podcasts of 2026 in the Best Music Podcasts category by Ear Worthy.
Founded in 2005, The Groove Radio marked 20 years as the first mixtape podcast, launching years before playlists, algorithms, and optimization reshaped how audiences discovered music. Over two decades, the show has surpassed 8 million lifetime downloads, quietly establishing itself as one of podcasting's earliest pioneers and the original mixtape podcast.
Ear Worthy highlighted the show's distinctive approach to music discovery, writing: "The Groove Radio, created and hosted by radio DJ Suzy Chase, focuses on curating soul, R&B, and yacht rock playlists, offering themed mixtapes and deeper dives into music that scores life's moments, featuring guest artists and personal stories, aiming to provide good soul music often missed on mainstream radio. Don't miss TGR Unplugged, celebrating the show's 20th anniversary, a limited series of nine songs/nine stories that looks back at how music found us before the algorithm, before listening became something optimized rather than felt."
Listen at TheGrooveRadio.com, Apple Podcasts, or TuneIn.
