The storytelling techniques space keeps producing fresh voices and long-running favorites. This list rounds up 34 of the best, including MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories, This American Life, and Criminal.

  1. MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories
    MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories
    MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark and Mysterious Stories is a true crime and mystery podcast that presents strange, dark and mysterious content deliv...
    Content:
    Black Women True CrimeFolk TalesMystery PodcastsMystery StorytellingSerial KillersStorytelling Techniques
    +4
    Audience:
    EngineersTrue Crime Fans
    When:
    Weekend Deep Dive
  2. This American Life
    This American Life
    Each week we choose a theme. Then anything can happen. This American Life is true stories that unfold like little movies for radio. Personal storie...
    Content:
    Ageing WellArtsChristian LivingCultureElder CareStorytelling Techniques
    +16
    Audience:
    College StudentsDog ParentsOlder WorkersParentsRecent Graduates
    +2
    Goal:
    Discovering New IdeasEmotional ResilienceFollowing A StoryMental Health TipsUnwinding And Laughing
    Style:
    DocumentaryEducationalInterviewInvestigativeNarrative Storytelling
    +1
    When:
    At The GymAt WorkBackground NoiseCommutingDoing Chores
    +4
  3. Criminal
    Criminal
    Criminal is the first of its kind. A show about people who’ve done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle. Hosted by Phoebe ...
    Content:
    Bizarre CrimesCold Case InvestigationsCultureDark FictionElder CareStorytelling Techniques
    +13
    Audience:
    College StudentsNight Shift WorkersOlder WorkersRetireesStudents
    +1
    Goal:
    Following A Story
    Style:
    DocumentaryIn-Depth InterviewsInterviewInvestigativeNarrative Storytelling
    +1
    When:
    Background NoiseBefore BedCommutingDoing ChoresLong Drive
    +1
  4. Radiolab
    Radiolab
    Radiolab is on a curiosity bender. We ask deep questions and use investigative journalism to get the answers. A given episode might whirl you throu...
    Content:
    BiologyComp Neuro SciCultureEducationLocal StoriesStorytelling Techniques
    +8
    Audience:
    College StudentsDoctorsEducatorsNight Shift WorkersStudents
    +1
    Goal:
    Discovering New IdeasFollowing A StoryGetting Expert InsightsLearning New SkillsMarriage Support
    +5
    Style:
    DebateDocumentaryEducationalIn-Depth InterviewsInterview
    +3
    When:
    At The GymAt WorkBackground NoiseBefore BedCommuting
    +5
  5. The Moth
    The Moth
    On Tuesdays and Fridays The Moth’s podcast feed presents episodes of the Peabody-Award Winning Moth Radio Hour and original episodes of The Moth Po...
    Content:
    ArtsBarroom StoriesComedyCultureEducationStorytelling Techniques
    +18
    Audience:
    FreelancersNight Shift WorkersOlder WorkersRemote WorkersRetirees
    Goal:
    Discovering New IdeasFollowing A StoryImproving Public SpeakingSleeping BetterTo Fall Asleep To
    Style:
    DocumentaryNarrative Storytelling
    When:
    At The GymAt WorkBackground NoiseBefore BedCommuting
    +4
  6. Serial
    Serial
    Our newest podcast, “The Last 12 Weeks” is out now. Search for it wherever you get your podcasts. Serial Productions makes narrative podcasts that ...
    Content:
    Cold Case InvestigationsCourtroom DramasMystery PodcastsMystery StorytellingNewsStorytelling Techniques
    +10
    Audience:
    LawyersNight Shift WorkersStudentsTrue Crime Fans
    Goal:
    Following A StorySolving Problems
    Style:
    DocumentaryInterviewInvestigativeNarrative StorytellingQ And A
    When:
    CommutingDoing ChoresLong DriveQuick ListenWeekend Deep Dive
  7. Modern Love
    Modern Love
    For more than 20 years, the Modern Love column has given New York Times readers a glimpse into the complicated love lives of real people. Since its...
    Content:
    CultureDating AdviceDating PlatformDating With PurposeEmpowerment StorytellingStorytelling Techniques
    +12
    Audience:
    CouplesNewlyweds
    Goal:
    Following A StoryImproving My MarriageMarriage Support
    Style:
    Narrative Storytelling
    When:
    Background NoiseCommutingLong DriveQuick Listen
  8. Planet Money
    Planet Money
    Wanna see a trick? Give us any topic and we can tie it back to the economy. At Planet Money, we explore the forces that shape our lives and bring y...
    Content:
    American Industry TransformationBusinessCareer ChangeDebt PayoffDurable EntrepreneurshipStorytelling Techniques
    +26
    Audience:
    Ambitious Women CareersAspiring EntrepreneursCareer ChangersCEOsCollege Students
    +11
    Goal:
    Artist Financial LiteracyBuilding A BusinessDiscovering New IdeasFollowing A StoryGetting Expert Insights
    +5
    Style:
    DocumentaryEducationalIn-Depth InterviewsInterviewInvestigative
    +2
    When:
    At The GymAt WorkCommutingDoing ChoresFocused Learning
    +3
  9. Heavyweight
    Heavyweight
    Maybe you’ve laid awake and imagined how it could have been, how it might yet be, but the moment to act was never right. Well, the moment is ...
    Content:
    Chronic IllnessCultureEmpowerment StorytellingEntertainmentExperience Of LifeStorytelling Techniques
    +13
    Audience:
    Audio Content Creators
    Goal:
    Burnout RecoveryDiscovering New IdeasEmotional ResilienceEmotional WellnessFollowing A Story
    +2
    Style:
    DocumentaryNarrative StorytellingVoicemail Podcast
    When:
    At WorkCommutingDoing ChoresLong DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  10. American History Tellers
    American History Tellers
    The Cold War, Prohibition, the Gold Rush, the Space Race. Every part of your life - the words you speak, the ideas you share - can be traced to our...
    Content:
    American HistoryHistoryVisual StorytellingWartime StoriesStorytelling Techniques
    Audience:
    History Buffs
    Goal:
    Following A Story
    Style:
    DocumentaryNarrative Storytelling
    When:
    Background NoiseCommutingLong Drive
  11. Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy
    Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy
    Conversations with the best investors and business leaders in the world. We explore their ideas, methods, and stories to help you better invest you...
    Content:
    BusinessDay TradingInvestingLived ExperienceMarketingStorytelling Techniques
    +12
    Audience:
    Aspiring EntrepreneursCEOsChristian EntrepreneursEntrepreneursFemale Entrepreneurs
    +4
    Goal:
    Building A BusinessDiscovering New IdeasGetting Expert InsightsImproving My MarriageLearning New Skills
    +3
    Style:
    In-Depth InterviewsInterviewNarrative StorytellingQ And A
    When:
    Doing Chores
  12. Snap Judgment
    Snap Judgment
    Snap Judgment mixes real stories with beats to produce cinematic, dramatic audio. Snap’s raw, musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see ...
    Content:
    ArtsBarroom StoriesEntertainmentExperience Of LifeLived ExperienceStorytelling Techniques
    +6
    Goal:
    Discovering New IdeasFollowing A Story
    Style:
    DocumentaryInvestigativeNarrative Storytelling
    When:
    At WorkLong DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  13. RISK!
    RISK!
    If you like The Moth, This American Life or Snap Judgment, take a walk on the wilder side with RISK! Your colorful host Kevin Allison (of the legen...
    Content:
    Barroom StoriesErotic StorytellingEroticaExperience Of LifeLived ExperienceStorytelling Techniques
    +9
    Goal:
    Following A Story
    Style:
    Narrative Storytelling
    When:
    At The Gym
  14. Writing Excuses
    Writing Excuses
    Fifteen minutes long, because you're in a hurry, and we're not that smart.
    Content:
    Creative AttentionFantasy WritingPublishing IndustryRomance WritingWriting CraftStorytelling Techniques
    Audience:
    Book LoversCreatorsFantasy FansFreelancersHorror Creators
    +1
    Goal:
    Writing A Book
    When:
    Quick Listen
  15. Scriptnotes Podcast
    Scriptnotes Podcast
    Screenwriters John August and Craig Mazin discuss screenwriting and related topics in the film and television industry, everything from getting stu...
    Content:
    EntertainmentFilm AnalysisIndie FilmmakingMovie ReviewsStory AnalysisStorytelling Techniques
    +2
    Audience:
    CreatorsWriters
    Goal:
    Writing A Book
    Style:
    Narrative Storytelling
  16. The Story Collider
    The Story Collider
    Whether we wear a lab coat or haven't seen a test tube since grade school, science is shaping all of our lives. And that means we all have science ...
    Content:
    Personal StorytellingPublic SpeakingStorytelling Techniques
    Goal:
    Following A Story
    Style:
    Narrative Storytelling
  17. Meditative Story
    Meditative Story
    Meditative Story combines extraordinary human stories with meditation prompts embedded into the storylines — all surrounded by breathtaking music. ...
    Content:
    Adventure StorytellingAging PositivelyConsciousness ExplorationCreative AttentionCreative Life MentoringStorytelling Techniques
    +53
    Audience:
    Career ChangersDoctorsHighly Sensitive PeopleIntrovertsPeople With Anxiety
    +5
    Goal:
    Burnout PreventionBurnout RecoveryDiscovering New IdeasEmotional RegulationEmotional Resilience
    +13
    Style:
    Narrative Storytelling
    When:
    At WorkBackground NoiseBefore BedDoing ChoresFocused Learning
    +3
  18. Beautiful Stories From Anonymous People
    Beautiful Stories From Anonymous People
    1 phone call. 1 hour. No names. No holds barred. Thats the premise behind Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People, hosted by comedian Chris Gethard...
    Content:
    ComedyExperience Of LifeIntimate ConversationsLived ExperiencePersonal MemoirsStorytelling Techniques
    +5
    Goal:
    Following A StoryUnwinding And Laughing
    Style:
    InterviewNarrative StorytellingVoicemail Podcast
    When:
    CommutingLong Drive
  19. Grown, a podcast from The Moth
    Grown, a podcast from The Moth
    Grown is a podcast about the in-between: the nebulous, the liminal, the just plain weird time between those awkward teenage years and full-on adult...
    Content:
    Cross-Cultural CommunicationGrit StoriesMental HealthStorytelling Techniques
    Style:
    Narrative Storytelling
  20. Short Cuts
    Short Cuts
    Short documentaries and adventures in sound presented by Josie Long.
    Content:
    Poetic StorytellingReal-Life StoriesStory AnalysisStorytelling Techniques
    Goal:
    Following A Story
    Style:
    DocumentaryNarrative Storytelling
    When:
    Quick Listen
  21. Speak Up Storytelling
    Speak Up Storytelling
    Learn to tell better stories from the producers of Speak Up, a Hartford-based storytelling organization. Bestselling author, 53-time Moth StorySLAM...
    Content:
    Public SpeakingStorytelling Techniques
    Goal:
    Improving Public Speaking
  22. Everything is Alive
    Everything is Alive
    Everything is Alive is an unscripted interview show in which all the subjects are inanimate objects. In each episode, a different thing tells us it...
    Content:
    ArtsCollecting CultureImprov ComedyKids StorytellingReflective ConversationStorytelling Techniques
    +1
    Audience:
    CreatorsDesigners
    Goal:
    Discovering New IdeasEmotional WellnessFollowing A StoryUnwinding And Laughing
    Style:
    InterviewNarrative StorytellingQ And A
    When:
    At The GymAt WorkBackground NoiseCommutingDoing Chores
    +3
  23. Story Grid Writing Podcast
    Story Grid Writing Podcast
    Helping you become a better writer. Join Shawn Coyne, author of Story Grid and a top editor for 30+ years, and Tim Grahl, struggling writer, as the...
    Content:
    Personal MemoirsWriting CraftStorytelling Techniques
    Audience:
    Writers
    Goal:
    Writing A Book
  24. Longform
    Longform
    Interviews with writers, journalists, filmmakers, and podcasters about how they do their work. Hosted by Aaron Lammer, Max Linsky, and Evan Ratliff.
    Content:
    CultureWriting CraftStorytelling Techniques
    Audience:
    Book LoversCreatorsFreelancersWomen WritersWriters
    Goal:
    Writing A Book
    Style:
    In-Depth InterviewsInterview
    When:
    CommutingWeekend Deep Dive
  25. Business Made Simple
    Business Made Simple
    Tim and Chrystal Mansour share knowledge from over 50 years of combined business experiences, challenges and passion for success! Building and oper...
    Content:
    BusinessBusiness Growth CoachingSmall Business MarketingStorytelling For BusinessStorytelling Techniques
    Audience:
    Christian EntrepreneursSmall Business Owners
    Goal:
    Building A BusinessProfessional Development
  26. Anecdotally Speaking
    Anecdotally Speaking
    Welcome to our podcast, Anecdotally Speaking. Each week we tell a business story, talk about why it works and discuss where you might tell it at wo...
    Content:
    Storytelling Techniques
  27. The Stoop Storytelling Series
    The Stoop Storytelling Series
    The Stoop showcases the extraordinary true stories of “ordinary" people, told in front of live audiences as large as 1,400. Stoop stories are weird...
    Content:
    Storytelling Techniques
  28. Storytelling School
    Storytelling School
    One significant change in business and the world-at-large in the past couple of decades is the rise of the storyteller. Join International Speaking...
    Content:
    Storytelling Techniques
  29. UNTHINKABLE
    UNTHINKABLE
    Unthinkable is a podcast about the aftermath of incidents causing catastrophic injury or death, the experts who are called to serve when these acci...
    Content:
    Brand StrategyInfluencer TipsMarketingPodcast MarketingPodcast StrategyStorytelling Techniques
    +2
    Audience:
    CreatorsMarketers
    Goal:
    Following A Story
    Style:
    Narrative Storytelling
  30. Visual Storytelling Today
    Visual Storytelling Today
    Content:
    Visual StorytellingStorytelling Techniques
  31. Artesanía Literaria: el arte de contar historias. Relatos
    Artesanía Literaria: el arte de contar historias. Relatos
    Para escritores y personas que les guste el arte de contar historias. Narrativa y relatos
    Content:
    ArtsWriting CraftStorytelling Techniques
    Audience:
    Writers
  32. Telling Stories
    Telling Stories
    A school for sharing ideas and inspiration around good storytelling. “What makes a good story?”, “What excites us most about stories?”, “How can we...
    Content:
    Storytelling Techniques
  33. Tooth & Claw
    Tooth & Claw
    VOLUME 1 OF AN 11 ISSUE AUDIO-COMIC BOOK. AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE AT https://toothclaw.bandcamp.com/releases From the beaches of Sydney and the marsh...
    Content:
    Outdoor StorytellingStorytelling Techniques
    Goal:
    Following A Story
    Style:
    Narrative Storytelling
    When:
    Long Drive
  34. The Story Engine Podcast
    The Story Engine Podcast
    The Story Engine Podcast where we teach you how to make marketing easier, more powerful and fun through storytelling. Each week we learn from top e...
    Content:
    Storytelling For BusinessStorytelling Techniques