More Perfect

This article is about the podcast. For the song, see More Perfect (song).

More Perfect
Presentation
Hosted by	Jad Abumrad (Seasons 1–3) Julia Longoria (Season 4)
Genre	History Political Law
Language	American English
Updates	Weekly
Length	30–60 Minutes
Production
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	31
Publication
Original release	June 2, 2016 – December 4, 2018 [1]
Provider	WNYC Studios
Related
Related shows	Throughline [2] Slow Burn [3] Pod Save America [4] Still Processing [4] Revisionist History [5] American History Tellers [5]
Website	www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolabmoreperfect/

More Perfect, sometimes stylized as Radiolab Presents: More Perfect, is a podcast about American history and politics provided by WNYC Studios. Its first three seasons were hosted by Jad Abumrad. In July 2022, WNYC announced it would return in 2023 for a fourth season, with a new host in Julia Longoria.

Background

The podcast debuted as a spinoff of WNYC's Radiolab on June 2, 2016, with an episode entitled "Cruel and Unusual", which was dedicated to the legal history of the death penalty in the United States. ^{[6] [7]} The podcast was developed to focus on the history of decisions made by the Supreme Court. ^{[8] [9] [10]} Elie Mystal was the legal editor for the podcast. ^[11]

On July 14, 2022, WNYC Studios announced that it would return for a fourth season with new host Julia Longoria. ^[12] The show ended in 2023. ^[13]

27: The Most Perfect Album

The podcast's third season was built around 27: The Most Perfect Album, an album dedicated to the Constitution of the United States, with at least one song about each of its amendments. ^{[14] [15]} Artists contributing to the project include Cherry Glazerr, who focused on the 1st Amendment; They Might Be Giants with the 3rd Amendment; Dolly Parton's anthem on the 19th Amendment; and Kevin Morby's song for the 24th Amendment. ^{[16] [17]}

Reception

The Atlantic included the podcast on their list of "The 50 Best Podcasts of 2016". ^[18] In 2016, Business Insider listed the podcast as one of "The 50 Best Podcasts for Tech, Science, Entertainment, and Politics". ^[19] The New Yorker listed the podcast as one of the "Best Podcasts of 2017". ^[20]

The show won the 2018 Webby award for "Best Sound Design/Original Music Score". ^[21]

Academic and legal impact

The series has gained significant recognition within legal and educational sectors for its ability to "humanize" complex jurisprudence. It is frequently utilized as a pedagogical tool in higher education, including:

• Legal Education: The podcast is a recommended resource in Constitutional Law syllabi at institutions such as the Vermont Law and Graduate School and the University of Utah, where it is used to illustrate the "human side" of cases like District of Columbia v. Heller and Baker v. Carr . ^{[22] [23]}
• Law Reviews: Academic journals, such as the Kentucky Law Journal, have published articles specifically analyzing the podcast's impact on public understanding of the peremptory challenge and the thirtieth anniversary of Batson v. Kentucky . ^[24]
• Professional Guidance: The series is listed as an essential resource for prospective law students by the Beasley School of Law at Temple University for its exploration of legal ethics and technology. ^[25]

References

1. Douglas, Nick (March 13, 2019). "I'm Jad Abumrad, Founder and Co-Host of Radiolab, and This Is How I Work". Lifehacker. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
2. Pia (August 9, 2021). "Top 15 History Podcast Shows to Get a Blast From the Past". Robots.net. Archived from the original on August 11, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
3. Debczak, Michele (July 18, 2017). "15 Podcasts That Will Make You Feel Smarter". Mental Floss . Minute Media. Archived from the original on March 16, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
4. Gillies, Craille Maguire (January 18, 2017). "Pod Save America: 12 Podcasts to Get You Through the Trump Presidency". The Guardian . Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
5. Hildebrandt, Eleanor; Hernandez, Daisy (August 20, 2020). "The 24 Best Podcasts for Every History Fan". Popular Mechanics . Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on June 4, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
6. Barone, Joshua (June 2, 2016). "'More Perfect,' a Spinoff of 'Radiolab,' Comes to WNYC". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on September 7, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
7. "What We Are Downloading: It's Summertime and the Downloadin' Is Easy …". Eugene Weekly . August 2, 2018. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
8. Hale, Whitney (November 12, 2018). "NPR's Jad Abumrad Explores a 'More Perfect' Supreme Court". UKNow. University of Kentucky. Archived from the original on September 7, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
9. Quah, Nicholas (September 28, 2017). "11 Great Podcasts to Check Out This Fall". Vulture . Vox Media. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
10. Brice, Jessica (August 19, 2018). "10 Top Podcasts for Future Law Students". University Magazine. AMG Brands Network. Archived from the original on June 4, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
11. Fabrizio, Doug (June 27, 2016). "Radiolab Presents: More Perfect". KUER-FM . Archived from the original on July 4, 2016. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
12. "More Perfect Is Coming Back". WNYC Studios . July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2022. More Perfect has been dark for four years now. But next year, hosted by Julia Longoria, we're coming back!
13. "New York Public Radio's Layoffs Are Worse Than You Think". October 9, 2023.
14. Blais-Billie, Braudie (August 23, 2018). "Dolly Parton, Kevin Morby, Devendra Banhart, More Write Songs About Constitutional Amendments". Pitchfork . Condé Nast. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
15. Drown, Michelle (September 11, 2018). "'27: The Most Perfect Album': Songs Inspired by Constitutional Amendments". Independent.com. Santa Barbara Independent. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
16. "27: The Most Perfect Album | WNYC Studios". project.wnyc.org. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
17. Roberts, Christopher (August 24, 2018). "Kevin Morby Shares New Song "24th Amendment" as Part of 27 Amendments Compilation Album". Under the Radar . Archived from the original on April 26, 2020. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
18. Standley, Laura Jane; McQuade, Eric (December 18, 2016). "The 50 Best Podcasts of 2016". The Atlantic . Emerson Collective. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
19. Letzter, Rafi (August 22, 2016). "These are the best podcasts you should be listening to right now". Business Insider . Axel Springer SE. Archived from the original on November 22, 2020. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
20. Larson, Sarah (December 14, 2017). "My Best Podcasts of 2017". The New Yorker . Condé Nast. Archived from the original on January 24, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
21. "Radiolab Presents: More Perfect". Webby Awards. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
22. "Constitutional Law Spring Term 2024 Professor Johnson Syllabus" (PDF). Vermont Law School. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
23. "COMM 5300: Mass Communication Law Syllabus" (PDF). University of Utah. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
24. Marder, Nancy S. (2016). "Batson v. Kentucky: Reflections Inspired by a Podcast". Kentucky Law Journal. 105 (4).
25. "LAW 5007: Law and Technology: Introduction to Legal Podcasting". Temple University. Retrieved December 25, 2025.

External links

• Official website