The Podcast Academy has officially opened submissions for the 2027 Ambies®, with the seventh annual Awards for Excellence in Audio expanding to recognize even more of the creativity, talent, and collaboration shaping the podcasting industry.
Submissions opened Monday, August 17, 2026, with early bird pricing available through Friday, September 4.
For 2027, the Ambies have expanded to a total of 35 categories, including two new awards recognizing excellence in music-focused podcasting and individual podcast episodes. The awards will also introduce Listener’s Choice winners in two existing categories, giving podcast audiences a direct voice in the Ambies for the first time.
Two New Ambies Categories for 2027
The 2027 Ambies introduce Best Music Podcast and Episode of the Year under Show Recognition.
Best Music Podcast
The new Best Music Podcast category recognizes podcasts that explore music, the artists who create it, and the culture surrounding the music industry.
Eligible podcasts must have music, artists, the music industry, or music culture as a primary focus. The category recognizes programs demonstrating elevated craft, impact, and originality, whether their approach centers on artist interviews, journalism, storytelling, or other forms of music-focused podcasting.
Episode of the Year
The Ambies are also adding Episode of the Year, a category designed to recognize the exceptional work that can happen within a single podcast episode.
The award recognizes an individual episode demonstrating outstanding achievement in journalism, storytelling, production, and creative execution. According to The Podcast Academy, the winning episode should stand apart through its impact, compelling narrative, originality, craft, and ability to engage and resonate with listeners.
The addition of Episode of the Year gives individual episodes an opportunity to receive recognition on their own merits rather than solely as part of a larger series.
Fans Will Get Their Own Ambies Ballot
One of the biggest changes for the 2027 Ambies is the introduction of Listener’s Choice winners in two existing categories:
- Best Podcast Host (or Hosts)
- Podcast of the Year
The Ambies Jury will continue selecting the nominees for both categories. Once the nominees are announced, however, the public will get the opportunity to vote for their favorite.
The Podcast Academy’s members will continue to vote for the official Ambie winners.
“We’re excited to expand The Ambies this year with new categories and fan involvement,” said Christy Mirabal, Chair of The Podcast Academy. “Listener’s Choice hands fans a ballot of their own to crown their favorite shows and hosts. By adding Best Music Podcast, we’re recognizing a corner of podcasting that’s become an exciting world of its own, and Episode of the Year, because sometimes one episode is the whole reason someone falls in love with this medium.”
Advertising Recognition Gets Its Own Tier
The 2027 Ambies will also introduce a new Advertising Recognition tier.
The category grouping brings together:
- Best Ad Read
- Best Branded Podcast
- Podcast Advertiser of the Year
Podcast Advertiser of the Year was previously known as the Podcast Advertiser Innovator Award.
The new structure joins Advertising Recognition with the Ambies’ existing Show Recognition and Talent Recognition groupings.
2027 Ambies Submission Details
Submissions for the 2027 Ambies are now open.
The awards will accept submissions across three submission periods, with early bird pricing available through September 4, 2026.
Early bird submission pricing is:
- The Podcast Academy members: $160
- Non-members: $210
Additional information regarding eligibility, categories, submission requirements, dates, and deadlines is available through the official Ambies website.
Visit Ambies.com for submission information
The Podcast Academy also offers members a discount on submissions. Members will vote on the 2027 Ambies winners after nominees are announced in January. Podcasters interested in participating in the member voting process must join The Podcast Academy by January 15, 2027.
The Ambies Continue to Expand Recognition Across Podcasting
The 2027 Ambies mark another expansion of the awards’ effort to recognize the many disciplines and formats contributing to podcasting.
With the addition of Best Music Podcast, the awards acknowledge the increasingly diverse ecosystem of music-focused audio programming. Episode of the Year puts the spotlight on individual pieces of podcast storytelling and production, while Listener’s Choice gives audiences a new opportunity to participate in the awards process.
The changes also continue to separate recognition across different areas of the industry, with advertising now receiving its own dedicated recognition tier.
For podcasters considering an Ambies submission, the expanded category lineup creates additional opportunities to have specific areas of creative work recognized.
About the Ambies
The Ambies®, the Awards for Excellence in Audio, celebrate outstanding achievement in podcasting and elevate awareness and the status of podcasts as a unique and personal medium for entertainment, information, storytelling, and expression.
Presented by The Podcast Academy, the Ambies recognize excellence across the podcast industry, celebrating the shows, talent, and professionals whose work continues to shape the medium.
About The Podcast Academy
Founded in February 2020, The Podcast Academy is a not-for-profit professional membership organization that celebrates excellence in podcasting and elevates awareness of podcasts as an indispensable medium for entertainment, information, and creative expression.
The Podcast Academy provides community, professional development, and industry connections through inclusive and dynamic programming.
