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100 Best Documentary Podcasts (2026)

Curated by PodSEO

This list focuses on documentary podcasts — 100 shows picked because they embrace the format and do it well. The Daily, Rotten Mango, and Casefile True Crime set the tone.

  1. The Daily
    The Daily
    This is what the news should sound like. The biggest stories of our time, told by the best journalists in the world. Hosted by Michael Barbaro, Rac...
    Content:
    Audio BlogCultureDaily MicrotipsDemocratic PartyEducation
    +15
    Audience:
    College StudentsEducatorsFirst Time ParentsGen ZInvestors
    +11
    Goal:
    Discovering New IdeasGetting Expert InsightsLearning New SkillsSleeping BetterStaying Informed
    Style:
    EducationalInterviewInvestigativeMorning News ShowNarrative StorytellingDocumentary
    +4
    When:
    At the GymAt WorkBackground NoiseCommute ListeningCommuting
    +5
  2. Rotten Mango
    Rotten Mango
    Rotten but still a little sweet! Rotten Mango is a true crime + all things spooky podcast. We love doing deep dives into the darkest crimes and we ...
    Content:
    ComedyCultureEntertainmentLesser-Known CrimeTrue Crime
    +1
    Audience:
    Gen ZTrue Crime Fans
    Goal:
    Following a Story
    Style:
    Narrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    At WorkDoing ChoresWeekend Deep Dive
  3. Casefile True Crime
    Casefile True Crime
    Fact is scarier than fiction. Subscribe to Casefile Premium to receive ad-free episodes released one week early, along with access to bonus Q&A’s, ...
    Content:
    Bizarre CrimesCold Case InvestigationsLesser-Known CrimeMissing PersonsMystery Podcasts
    +5
    Audience:
    RunnersTrue Crime Fans
    Goal:
    Following a Story
    Style:
    InvestigativeNarrative StorytellingSolo CommentaryDocumentary
    When:
    Long DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  4. Dateline NBC
    Dateline NBC
    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the ...
    Content:
    Cold Case InvestigationsEntertainmentMissing PersonsMystery PodcastsNews
    +4
    Audience:
    True Crime Fans
    Style:
    InvestigativeDocumentary
    When:
    CommutingLong DriveQuick ListenWeekend Deep Dive
  5. The Rest Is History
    The Rest Is History
    Take a deep dive into History’s biggest moments with Tom Holland & Dominic Sandbrook. Explore the stories of History’s most brutal rulers, deadly b...
    Content:
    Ancient TextsCultureEducationExecutive LeadershipHistory
    +5
    Audience:
    CEOsCollege StudentsHistory BuffsStudents
    Goal:
    Discovering New IdeasFollowing a StoryGetting Expert InsightsLearning New SkillsUnwinding and Laughing
    Style:
    EducationalNarrative StorytellingSolo CommentaryDocumentary
    When:
    At the GymAt WorkCommutingDoing ChoresFocused Learning
    +2
  6. In The Dark
    In The Dark
    In the Dark, hosted by Madeleine Baran, is an award-winning investigative-journalism podcast that started in 2016. Its first season looked at the m...
    Content:
    Cold Case InvestigationsCourtroom DramasDark HistoryFemale SleuthsForensic Science
    +18
    Audience:
    True Crime Fans
    Goal:
    Following a Story
    Style:
    InvestigativeNarrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    Doing ChoresLong DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  7. Stuff You Should Know
    Stuff You Should Know
    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look n...
    Content:
    Asian and AAPIComedyCreative AttentionCultureEducation
    +32
    Audience:
    Christian WomenCollege StudentsCreative EntrepreneursCreatorsEngineers
    +14
    Goal:
    Curiosity MindsetDiscovering New IdeasEmotional WellnessGetting Expert InsightsImproving Health
    +7
    Style:
    EducationalInterviewInvestigativeLive InterviewsQ and ADocumentary
    When:
    At the GymAt WorkBackground NoiseCommute ListeningCommuting
    +5
  8. 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 WellArtsAudio BlogChristian LivingCulture
    +30
    Audience:
    College StudentsDog ParentsNight Shift WorkersOlder WorkersParents
    +7
    Goal:
    Discovering New IdeasEmotional RegulationEmotional ResilienceEmotional WellnessFollowing a Story
    +3
    Style:
    EducationalInterviewInvestigativeNarrative StorytellingQ and ADocumentary
    When:
    At the GymAt WorkBackground NoiseCommute ListeningCommuting
    +5
  9. Criminal
    Criminal
    Criminal is the first of its kind. A show about people who’ve done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in...
    Content:
    Bizarre CrimesCold Case InvestigationsCultureDark FictionDark History
    +21
    Audience:
    Book LoversCollege StudentsNight Shift WorkersOlder WorkersRetirees
    +2
    Goal:
    Following a StoryPreparing for Job Interviews
    Style:
    EducationalIn-Depth InterviewsInterviewInvestigativeNarrative StorytellingDocumentary
    +1
    When:
    Background NoiseBefore BedCommutingDoing ChoresLong Drive
    +1
  10. 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:
    Academic PodcastingAudio BlogBiologyCognitive OptimizationComp Neuro Sci
    +20
    Audience:
    College StudentsDoctorsEducatorsNight Shift WorkersRemote Workers
    +3
    Goal:
    Curiosity MindsetDiscovering New IdeasFollowing a StoryGetting Expert InsightsImproving My Marriage
    +8
    Style:
    DebateEducationalIn-Depth InterviewsInterviewInvestigativeDocumentary
    +2
    When:
    At the GymAt WorkBackground NoiseBefore BedCommute Listening
    +7
  11. Hidden Brain
    Hidden Brain
    Why do I feel stuck? How can I become more creative? What can I do to improve my relationships? If you’ve ever asked yourself these questions, you’...
    Content:
    Academic PodcastingAging PositivelyArtsAttention ManagementBehavioral Psychology
    +71
    Audience:
    College StudentsCouplesHR ProfessionalsIntrovertsMarketers
    +8
    Goal:
    Burnout PreventionCuriosity MindsetDiscovering New IdeasEmotional Intelligence ToolsEmotional Regulation
    +15
    Style:
    EducationalInteractive Kids PodcastsInterviewQ and ADocumentary
    When:
    At the GymAt WorkBackground NoiseCommute ListeningCommuting
    +6
  12. I’m Not a Monster Presents… Where is Austin Tice?
    I’m Not a Monster Presents… Where is Austin Tice?
    Josh Baker enters a dangerous world of fear, greed and betrayal as he sets out to uncover the truth behind one of the biggest missing-person cases ...
    Style:
    InvestigativeDocumentary
    When:
    Weekend Deep Dive
  13. Freakonomics Radio
    Freakonomics Radio
    Freakonomics co-author Stephen J. Dubner uncovers the hidden side of everything. Why is it safer to fly in an airplane than drive a car? How do we ...
    Content:
    Behavioral PsychologyBook ClubBusinessCultureData Science
    +27
    Audience:
    CEOsCollege StudentsEducatorsFreelancersInvestors
    +6
    Goal:
    Curiosity MindsetDiscovering New IdeasGetting Expert InsightsGetting MotivatedGraduate School Success
    +4
    Style:
    EducationalInvestigativeNarrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    At WorkBackground NoiseCommute ListeningCommutingDoing Chores
    +4
  14. Behind the Bastards
    Behind the Bastards
    There’s a reason the History Channel has produced hundreds of documentaries about Hitler but only a few about Dwight D. Eisenhower. Bad guys (and g...
    Content:
    Authoritarian RegimesBizarre HistoryCultureDark HistoryEducation
    +5
    Audience:
    History BuffsStudentsYoung Adults
    Goal:
    Learning New SkillsUnwinding and Laughing
    Style:
    EducationalSolo CommentaryDocumentary
    When:
    Doing ChoresFocused LearningLong Drive
  15. 99% Invisible
    99% Invisible
    Design is everywhere in our lives, perhaps most importantly in the places where we've just stopped noticing. 99% Invisible is a weekly exploration ...
    Content:
    African UrbanismArt History StorytellingArtsAudhd SupportAudio Blog
    +31
    Audience:
    College StudentsCreatorsDesignersEngineersFreelancers
    +7
    Goal:
    Curiosity MindsetDiscovering New IdeasFollowing a StoryGetting Expert InsightsImproving Health
    +7
    Style:
    EducationalIn-Depth InterviewsInterviewInvestigativeNarrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    At the GymAt WorkBackground NoiseBefore BedCommute Listening
    +6
  16. Sword and Scale
    Sword and Scale
    Sword and Scale is a weekly true crime podcast covering the dark underworld of crime and the criminal justice system’s response to it. The first ep...
    Content:
    Bizarre CrimesMature ThemesMystery PodcastsSerial KillersTrue Crime
    +2
    Audience:
    True Crime Fans
    Goal:
    Following a Story
    Style:
    InvestigativeSolo CommentaryDocumentary
    When:
    Commuting
  17. 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:
    Adventure StorytellingArtsAudio BlogBarroom StoriesComedy
    +33
    Audience:
    College StudentsCouplesFreelancersNight Shift WorkersOlder Workers
    +4
    Goal:
    Curiosity MindsetDiscovering New IdeasEmotional RegulationEmotional ResilienceEmotional Wellness
    +4
    Style:
    Narrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    At the GymAt WorkBackground NoiseBefore BedCommute Listening
    +5
  18. The Why Files: Operation Podcast
    The Why Files: Operation Podcast
    The Why Files covers mysteries, myths and legends. We tell stories and seek the truth in a fun and lighthearted way. Our content is heavily researc...
    Content:
    Audio FictionBusiness OperationsConservative Conspiracy TheoriesConspiracy TheoriesConspiracy Theory
    +10
    Style:
    Serialized FictionDocumentary
    When:
    Long Drive
  19. The Documentary Podcast
    The Documentary Podcast
    The best documentaries from the BBC World Service. Hear the voices at the heart of global stories. Where curious minds can uncover hidden truths an...
    Content:
    EducationReal Life StoriesStory Analysis
    Goal:
    Staying Informed
    Style:
    Documentary
    When:
    Long Drive
  20. 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:
    Audio BlogChronic IllnessCreative ProcessCultureEmotional and Physical Lifestyle
    +24
    Audience:
    Audio Content CreatorsThirtysomethings
    Goal:
    Burnout RecoveryDiscovering New IdeasEmotional RegulationEmotional ResilienceEmotional Wellness
    +5
    Style:
    InterviewInvestigativeLive InterviewsNarrative StorytellingVoicemail PodcastDocumentary
    When:
    At WorkCommute ListeningCommutingDoing ChoresLong Drive
    +1
  21. Dark Downeast
    Dark Downeast
    Dark Downeast: Maine and New England's True Crime Podcast digs into the decades-old and modern day cases that prickle the history of Vacationland a...
    Content:
    Cold Case InvestigationsMystery PodcastsTrue Crime
    Audience:
    True Crime Fans
    Style:
    InvestigativeDocumentary
  22. Dateline Originals
    Dateline Originals
    Dateline Originals – your podcast destination to discover and binge more than a dozen true crime mini-series told as only Dateline can. Includes aw...
    Content:
    True Crime
    Style:
    Documentary
  23. Small Town Murder
    Small Town Murder
    Two comedians look at a small town, what makes it tick, and a murder that took place there. In depth research, horrible tragedy, and the hosts' com...
    Content:
    Bizarre CrimesComedySerial KillersTrue CrimeTrue Stories
    Audience:
    True Crime Fans
    Goal:
    Following a StoryUnwinding and Laughing
    Style:
    InvestigativeNarrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    At the GymCommutingDoing ChoresLong DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  24. Pablo Torre Finds Out
    Pablo Torre Finds Out
    Follow Pablo down the rabbit hole, beyond the game — every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday — on his Pulitzer-winning video podcast, part of The Athlet...
    Content:
    Consumer TechEntertainmentSportsTechnology
    Goal:
    Discovering New Ideas
    Style:
    Documentary
  25. The Mile Zero Murders from Uncover
    The Mile Zero Murders from Uncover
    The Mile Zero Murders investigates the baffling wave of disappearances and murders in the small town of Dawson Creek, B.C., a community struggling ...
    Content:
    EntertainmentTrue Crime
    Style:
    Solo CommentaryDocumentary
  26. 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 ChangeCareer Growth StrategiesDebt Payoff
    +37
    Audience:
    AccountantsAmbitious Women CareersAspiring EntrepreneursCareer ChangersCEOs
    +14
    Goal:
    Artist Financial LiteracyBuilding a BusinessDiscovering New IdeasFollowing a StoryGetting Expert Insights
    +6
    Style:
    EducationalIn-Depth InterviewsInterviewInvestigativeNarrative StorytellingDocumentary
    +1
    When:
    At the GymAt WorkBackground NoiseCommute ListeningCommuting
    +5
  27. Lost Hills: Dark Canyon
    Lost Hills: Dark Canyon
    About Examined: Overlooked cases that never got the real investigation they deserved. Each season features deeply reported stories about crime, pun...
    Content:
    True CrimeUnsolved Mysteries
    Style:
    Documentary
  28. Revisionist History
    Revisionist History
    Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell's journey through the overlooked and the misunderstood. Every episode re-examines something from the past&m...
    Content:
    American HistoryCultureEducationHistoryHuman Behavior
    +15
    Audience:
    College StudentsEducatorsHistory BuffsNeurodiverse MusiciansRetirees
    +1
    Goal:
    Discovering New IdeasFollowing a StoryGetting Expert InsightsLearning New SkillsSolving Problems
    +2
    Style:
    EducationalInterviewNarrative StorytellingSolo CommentaryDocumentary
    When:
    At WorkCommutingDoing ChoresFocused LearningLong Drive
    +2
  29. Bear Brook
    Bear Brook
    Bear Brook, hosted by Jason Moon, is the critically-acclaimed true crime podcast from New Hampshire Public Radio. Season 1 - Two barrels. Four Bodi...
    Content:
    Cold Case InvestigationsForensic ScienceLesser-Known CrimeMissing PersonsMystery Podcasts
    +6
    Audience:
    True Crime Fans
    Goal:
    Following a Story
    Style:
    InvestigativeNarrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    Long DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  30. British Scandal
    British Scandal
    In a country obsessed with gossip, the great and the good fear one thing more than any other - scandal.British scandals change the course of histor...
    Content:
    Credentialing ScandalsPolitical Crime
    Audience:
    History Buffs
    Style:
    InterviewInvestigativeDocumentary
    When:
    Background NoiseDoing Chores
  31. Careless | Tortoise Investigates
    Careless | Tortoise Investigates
    When she was 12, the actor Nkechi Simms' mother handed her over to Camden Council and she was placed in foster care. Now she wants to find out ...
    Content:
    Minimalism
    Style:
    InvestigativeDocumentary
  32. This Is Actually Happening
    This Is Actually Happening
    What if you were trafficked into a cult...or were mauled by a grizzly bear...or were stabbed 27 times by a serial killer - what would you do? ...
    Content:
    Experience of LifeHuman StoriesLife TransitionsLived ExperienceMiracle Stories
    +5
    Audience:
    Women Over 40
    Goal:
    Emotional ResilienceFollowing a Story
    Style:
    InterviewDocumentary
    When:
    At Work
  33. True Crime All The Time
    True Crime All The Time
    Hosts Mike Ferguson and Mike Gibson guide you through the most interesting true crime stories. This is a true crime podcast that spares none of the...
    Content:
    Cold Case InvestigationsMartial Arts NewsMotherhood SkillsParentingResilience Stories
    +5
    Audience:
    First Time ParentsParentsTrue Crime Fans
    Goal:
    Parenting Hacks
    Style:
    Documentary
    When:
    Focused Learning
  34. Up and Vanished
    Up and Vanished
    Host Payne Lindsey heads to the edge of the arctic circle to investigate two mysterious disappearances from Nome, Alaska. Up and Vanished investiga...
    Content:
    Alaska MysteriesBizarre CrimesCold Case InvestigationsLesser-Known CrimeMissing Persons
    +9
    Audience:
    True Crime Fans
    Goal:
    Following a Story
    Style:
    InvestigativeNarrative StorytellingQ and ASolo CommentaryDocumentary
    When:
    Weekend Deep Dive
  35. National Park After Dark
    National Park After Dark
    Hosted by two friends who share a passion for public lands and a fascination with what can go wrong there, each week hosts Danielle and Cassie expl...
    Content:
    Adventure StorytellingEducationGarden and LandscapingHaunted PlacesLake Superior National Parks
    +8
    Style:
    Documentary
    When:
    Doing ChoresLong DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  36. COLD
    COLD
    COLD is a narrative podcast series focused on missing persons cases. Investigative journalist and host Dave Cawley takes on a single story with eac...
    Content:
    Cold Case InvestigationsMissing PersonsSerial KillersTraveler CrimeTrue Crime
    +1
    Audience:
    True Crime Fans
    Goal:
    Following a Story
    Style:
    InvestigativeSerialized FictionDocumentary
    When:
    Long DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  37. American Scandal
    American Scandal
    Every scandal begins with a lie. But the truth will come out. And then comes the fallout and the outrage.Scandals have shaped America since its fou...
    Content:
    American HistoryCredentialing ScandalsHistoryPolitical CrimeWhite Collar Crime
    Audience:
    History Buffs
    Style:
    InvestigativeSolo CommentaryDocumentary
    When:
    Long Drive
  38. The Girlfriends: Flight or Fight
    The Girlfriends: Flight or Fight
    In the golden age of air travel, flying was sold as glamorous, luxurious, and effortlessly chic. But for the young women working the aisles at 30,0...
    Content:
    Pro Wrestling AnalysisProfessional WrestlingTrue CrimeWWE Analysis
    Audience:
    True Crime Fans
    Style:
    InvestigativeDocumentary
    When:
    Doing Chores
  39. Something Was Wrong
    Something Was Wrong
    Something Was Wrong is an award-winning docuseries about survivors' discovery, trauma, and recovery from crime and abuse.
    Content:
    Audio FictionChurch HurtCredentialing ScandalsReal Life StoriesRelationships & Dating
    +3
    Audience:
    True Crime Fans
    Style:
    InvestigativeDocumentary
    When:
    Long Drive
  40. The Telepathy Tapes
    The Telepathy Tapes
    The Telepathy Tapes is a podcast that explores the origins of consciousness and the unexplained abilities of ESP through science, verifiable experi...
    Content:
    Energy HealingInvestingNear-Death ExperiencesPsychic AbilitiesScience
    +4
    Audience:
    Young Adults
    Goal:
    Intuition Development
    Style:
    EducationalInvestigativeDocumentary
    When:
    Weekend Deep Dive
  41. Darknet Diaries
    Darknet Diaries
    Explore true stories of the dark side of the Internet with host Jack Rhysider as he takes you on a journey through the chilling world of hacking, d...
    Content:
    Blockchain SecurityConsumer TechCrypto & Web3CybersecurityDark History
    +17
    Audience:
    DevelopersEngineersIt Security ProfessionalsNight Shift WorkersRecent Graduates
    +1
    Goal:
    Discovering New IdeasFollowing a StoryGetting Expert InsightsLearning to CodeSolving Problems
    +1
    Style:
    InvestigativeNarrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    CommutingDoing ChoresLong DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  42. Bone Valley
    Bone Valley
    Behind every Bone Valley season is a conviction: the right story, told with purpose, humanity, and craft, can have an enormous impact. Award-winnin...
    Content:
    Cold Case InvestigationsReal Life StoriesSerial KillersTrue CrimeUnsolved Mysteries
    +1
    Audience:
    True Crime Fans
    Goal:
    Following a Story
    Style:
    InvestigativeNarrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    Long DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  43. Lore
    Lore
    The award-winning podcast (also a TV show & book series) about dark historical tales. Each episode explores the mysterious creatures, tragic events...
    Content:
    Bizarre CrimesBizarre HistoryCryptid FolkloreDark FantasyDark Fiction
    +27
    Audience:
    Fantasy FansHistory BuffsNight Shift WorkersStudents
    Goal:
    Following a StoryLearning New SkillsRelaxingSleeping BetterTo Fall Asleep To
    Style:
    Narrative StorytellingSolo CommentaryDocumentary
    When:
    Background NoiseBefore BedCommute ListeningCommutingDoing Chores
    +3
  44. Chameleon
    Chameleon
    We are living in a golden age of deception. It feels like everyone has an angle and that, everywhere you turn, someone’s trying to scam you. Chamel...
    Style:
    InvestigativeDocumentary
    When:
    Long Drive
  45. Dr. Death
    Dr. Death
    Dr. John Schneider rode into town like a character out of a Western: an outsider on a Harley-Davidson, in trademark cowboy boots. He promised relie...
    Content:
    Credentialing ScandalsMedical ThrillerRoad Trip StoriesSerial KillersSupernatural Horror
    +1
    Audience:
    Healthcare ProfessionalsTrue Crime Fans
    Goal:
    Emotional WellnessFollowing a Story
    Style:
    InvestigativeNarrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    At the GymDoing ChoresLong DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  46. In Our Time
    In Our Time
    A world-class seminar, every week. In Our Time explores the ideas, people and discoveries that have shaped our world, spanning history, philosophy,...
    Content:
    Academic PodcastingAncient TextsArchaeology BooksArt ArchaeologyCulture
    +10
    Audience:
    College StudentsHistory BuffsStudents
    Goal:
    Discovering New IdeasFollowing a StoryGetting Expert InsightsLearning New SkillsProfessional Development
    +2
    Style:
    EducationalInterviewPanel DiscussionDocumentary
    When:
    At WorkBackground NoiseBefore BedDoing ChoresFocused Learning
    +1
  47. 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:
    Audio BlogCold Case InvestigationsCourtroom DramasFemale SleuthsHuman Stories
    +16
    Audience:
    LawyersNight Shift WorkersRecent GraduatesStudentsTrue Crime Fans
    Goal:
    Following a StorySolving Problems
    Style:
    InterviewInvestigativeNarrative StorytellingQ and ASerialized FictionDocumentary
    When:
    At the GymCommute ListeningCommutingDoing ChoresLong Drive
    +2
  48. Crime Scene
    Crime Scene
    From The Binge, Crime Scene is a weekly show that plunges you into cases you can’t stop thinking about.    Join Jonathan Hirsch, host of ...
    Style:
    Documentary
  49. 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 HistoryHistoryRoad Trip HistoryStorytelling TechniquesVisual Storytelling
    +1
    Audience:
    History Buffs
    Goal:
    Following a Story
    Style:
    Narrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    Background NoiseCommutingLong Drive
  50. Someone Knows Something
    Someone Knows Something
    Someone Knows Something is the investigative true crime series by award-winning documentarian David Ridgen. Each season tackles an unsolved case, u...
    Content:
    Cold Case InvestigationsLesser-Known CrimeMissing PersonsMystery PodcastsMystery Storytelling
    +3
    Audience:
    True Crime Fans
    Goal:
    Following a Story
    Style:
    InvestigativeDocumentary
  51. HistoryExtra podcast
    HistoryExtra podcast
    The HistoryExtra podcast brings you gripping stories from the past and fascinating historical conversations with the world's leading historical exp...
    Content:
    Dark HistoryHistory
    Audience:
    History Buffs
    Style:
    EducationalDocumentary
    When:
    Commuting
  52. THIS IS HISTORY — A DYNASTY TO DIE FOR
    THIS IS HISTORY — A DYNASTY TO DIE FOR
    Historian Dan Jones returns with This Is History: The Tudors. Season one gives you the extraordinary origin story of England’s most iconic royal fa...
    Content:
    Near-Death ExperiencesRoad Trip HistoryTravelTTRPG Actual Play
    Style:
    Documentary
  53. The Dropout
    The Dropout
    Money. Romance. Tragedy. Deception. The story of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos is an unbelievable tale of ambition and fame gone terribly wrong. Ho...
    Content:
    Credentialing ScandalsMedical ThrillerMystery StorytellingReal Life StoriesTrue Crime
    +1
    Audience:
    True Crime Fans
    Goal:
    Following a StoryGetting Expert InsightsSolving Problems
    Style:
    InvestigativeNarrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    CommutingDoing ChoresLong DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  54. Your Own Backyard
    Your Own Backyard
    A documentary podcast series investigating the 1996 disappearance of Cal Poly student, Kristin Smart.
    Content:
    Cold Case InvestigationsMissing PersonsSerial KillersTrue CrimeUnsolved Mysteries
    Audience:
    True Crime Fans
    Goal:
    Following a Story
    Style:
    InvestigativeDocumentary
    When:
    Long DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  55. PRETEND
    PRETEND
    PRETEND is an investigative true crime podcast about real people who lie for a living — con artists, scammers, and the victims caught in their web....
    Content:
    Credentialing ScandalsLesser-Known Crime
    Style:
    Documentary
  56. The Audio Long Read
    The Audio Long Read
    Three times a week, The Audio Long Read podcast brings you the Guardian’s exceptional longform journalism in audio form. Covering topics from polit...
    Content:
    Nostalgia
    Goal:
    Following a Story
    Style:
    Documentary
    When:
    Commute ListeningCommutingLong DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  57. Embedded
    Embedded
    NPR's home for audio documentaries brings untold stories to light through deeply reported narrative series. We go to hidden corners of the headline...
    Content:
    Hardware Engineering
    Audience:
    Engineers
    Goal:
    Discovering New IdeasFollowing a StoryGetting Expert InsightsStaying Informed
    Style:
    InvestigativeNarrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    Weekend Deep Dive
  58. DISGRACELAND
    DISGRACELAND
    DISGRACELAND is an award-winning music and true crime podcast about musicians getting away with murder and behaving very badly. Jerry Lee Lewis's 5...
    Content:
    Dark HistoryDead Celebrity BiographiesEntertainmentIndependent ArtistsIndie Music
    +6
    Audience:
    History BuffsTrue Crime Fans
    Goal:
    Following a Story
    Style:
    InvestigativeDocumentary
    When:
    Long DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  59. The Slow Newscast
    The Slow Newscast
    The Slow Newscast from The Observer takes the news slowly. We investigate, and every week we focus on stories that really matter in the UK and arou...
    Content:
    MinimalismTruth Seeking
    Goal:
    Staying Informed
    Style:
    Documentary
    When:
    Background NoiseDoing Chores
  60. 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 LifeHuman Stories
    +10
    Audience:
    Students
    Goal:
    Discovering New IdeasFollowing a Story
    Style:
    InvestigativeNarrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    At the GymAt WorkLong DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  61. Ongoing History of New Music
    Ongoing History of New Music
    Ongoing History of New Music looks at things from the alt-rock universe to hip hop, from artist profiles to various thematic explorations. It is Ca...
    Content:
    Ghost StoriesMusicMusic MeaningPop Music HistoryRock N Roll Stories
    Style:
    Documentary
  62. The Plot Thickens
    The Plot Thickens
    Our seventh season is Stanley, an 11-episode exploration of Stanley Kubrick created in partnership with Criterion. Stanley traces Kubrick’s jo...
    Content:
    Digital CultureEntertainmentMovie Reviews
    Goal:
    Following a Story
    Style:
    Documentary
    When:
    Weekend Deep Dive
  63. Throughline
    Throughline
    Throughline is a time machine. Each episode, we travel beyond the headlines to answer the question, "How did we get here?" We use sound and stories...
    Content:
    American HistoryCultureEducationHistoryHumanity Podcasts
    +7
    Audience:
    College StudentsHistory BuffsStudentsTeachers
    Goal:
    Curiosity MindsetDiscovering New IdeasFollowing a StoryGetting Expert InsightsLearning New Skills
    +1
    Style:
    EducationalNarrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    At WorkFocused LearningLong DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  64. Drilled
    Drilled
    Drilled is a true-crime climate change podcast exposing how corporate corruption and political operatives built decades of climate denial and delay...
    Content:
    Climate ChangeClimate EducationConservation AdvocacyEnvironmental PolicyHuman Impact
    +3
    Style:
    InvestigativeDocumentary
    When:
    Long Drive
  65. Articles of Interest
    Articles of Interest
    Articles of Interest is a show about what we wear.Produced and Hosted by Avery Trufelman
    Content:
    ArtsCollecting CultureComedyCultureFashion Industry
    +4
    Audience:
    College StudentsDesignersHistory Buffs
    Goal:
    Discovering New Ideas
    Style:
    Narrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    Commuting
  66. Paper Trail
    Paper Trail
    Investigative reporters at ProPublica chase down evidence of wrongdoing and bring it to light. That evidence can be on paper — or on thumb drives, ...
    Content:
    Analog ProductivityChildren'S Book PublishingReal Life StoriesSerial KillersStationery Collecting
    Style:
    InvestigativeNarrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    Weekend Deep Dive
  67. Lives Less Ordinary
    Lives Less Ordinary
    Introducing a new season of five remarkable true stories in which love rises above prejudice, waits decades, crosses oceans and survives war. From ...
    Content:
    Human StoriesLived ExperienceMinimalismReal Life StoriesTrue Stories
    Style:
    InterviewNarrative StorytellingDocumentary
  68. Timesuck with Dan Cummins
    Timesuck with Dan Cummins
    Jump down new rabbit holes with Timesuck, the weekly podcast that takes you on a fascinating and bizarre journey through history’s darkest corners,...
    Content:
    Bizarre HistoryDark FantasyDark HistoryHistorySerial Killers
    +2
    Style:
    InvestigativeSolo CommentaryDocumentary
    When:
    CommutingLong Drive
  69. Twenty Thousand Hertz
    Twenty Thousand Hertz
    The stories behind the world's most recognizable and interesting sounds. Whether you're a professional audio engineer with decades of experience, a...
    Content:
    ArtsAudhd SupportAudio BlogAudio TechnologyEntertainment
    +8
    Audience:
    Audio Content CreatorsCollege StudentsDesignersMusic CreatorsStudents
    +1
    Goal:
    Discovering New IdeasGetting Expert InsightsLearning New Skills
    Style:
    EducationalDocumentary
    When:
    Background NoiseCommutingFocused LearningLong DriveQuick Listen
    +1
  70. Stuff You Missed in History Class
    Stuff You Missed in History Class
    Join Holly and Tracy as they bring you the greatest and strangest Stuff You Missed In History Class in this podcast by iHeartRadio.
    Content:
    Antarctica ExplorationBizarre HistoryChristian LivingEducationEntertainment
    +9
    Audience:
    College StudentsHistory BuffsOlder WorkersRetireesRunners
    +3
    Goal:
    Discovering New IdeasLearning New SkillsUnwinding and Laughing
    Style:
    EducationalQ and ADocumentary
    When:
    At the GymCommutingFocused LearningLong DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  71. Reality Life with Kate Casey
    Reality Life with Kate Casey
    Daily podcast about unscripted television. Kate Casey interviews the talent, producers, and directors of reality shows, documentaries, and docuseri...
    Content:
    Bravo TVCelebrity GossipReality CompetitionReality TV AnalysisReality TV Commentary
    +2
    Style:
    Documentary
  72. Blink | Jake Haendel's Story
    Blink | Jake Haendel's Story
    Jacob Haendel has been handed a death sentence. He has a terminal progressive disease that's eating away at the white matter of his brain. In six m...
    Content:
    True Crime
    Style:
    Documentary
  73. You're Wrong About
    You're Wrong About
    Sarah is a journalist obsessed with the past. Every week she reconsiders a person or event that's been miscast in the public imagination.
    Content:
    American HistoryConspiracy TheoriesCultureEducationFandom History
    +14
    Audience:
    College StudentsHistory BuffsRunnersStudentsThirtysomethings
    +2
    Goal:
    Discovering New IdeasLearning New SkillsStaying InformedUnwinding and Laughing
    Style:
    EducationalInterviewNarrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    At WorkBackground NoiseCommute ListeningCommutingDoing Chores
    +3
  74. Hunting the Suicide Salesman
    Hunting the Suicide Salesman
    Following the critically acclaimed series Hunting Warhead, Season 2 follows host Daemon Fairless as he takes us inside another dark corner of the i...
    Content:
    Human Side SalesSales TechniquesSerial KillersTrue Crime
    Audience:
    True Crime Fans
    Goal:
    Following a Story
    Style:
    InvestigativeDocumentary
    When:
    Long DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  75. Voices for Justice
    Voices for Justice
    Voices for Justice is a true crime podcast hosted by Sarah Turney, sister of missing teen Alissa Turney. Every episode ends with a call to action. ...
    Content:
    Cold Case InvestigationsLesser-Known CrimeMissing PersonsReal Life StoriesSerial Killers
    +1
    Audience:
    True Crime Fans
    Goal:
    Getting Motivated
    Style:
    InvestigativeDocumentary
  76. Dolly Parton's America
    Dolly Parton's America
    In this intensely divided moment, one of the few things everyone still seems to agree on is Dolly Parton—but why? That simple question leads to a d...
    Content:
    EntertainmentMusicPop Music HistorySocietal Issues
    Style:
    Narrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    Long DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  77. BBC Inside Science
    BBC Inside Science
    A weekly programme that illuminates the mysteries and challenges the controversies behind the science that's changing our world.
    Content:
    Science
    Style:
    Documentary
    When:
    Before Bed
  78. Burden of Proof: Luigi Mangione
    Burden of Proof: Luigi Mangione
    Luigi Mangione will soon be in a Manhattan courtroom, standing trial for the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was shot dead on a...
    Content:
    Healthy EatingNutritionTrue CrimeWeight LossWellness Coaching
    Audience:
    True Crime Fans
    Style:
    InvestigativeDocumentary
    When:
    Weekend Deep Dive
  79. 30 for 30 Podcasts
    30 for 30 Podcasts
    Original audio documentaries from the makers of the acclaimed 30 for 30 film series, featuring stories from the world of sports and beyond. 30 for ...
    Content:
    SportsSports Commentary
    Audience:
    Athletes
    Style:
    Documentary
    When:
    At the GymLong DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  80. What I survived
    What I survived
    What I Survived is a true survival podcast featuring extraordinary first-hand stories from people who survived kidnapping, hostage situations, disa...
    Content:
    CultureSurvival Skills
    Style:
    Documentary
  81. Scamanda
    Scamanda
    Amanda is a wife. A mother. A blogger. A Christian.A charming, beautiful, bubbly, young woman who lives life to the fullest.But Amanda is dying, wi...
    Content:
    Credentialing ScandalsEntertainmentMystery PodcastsRoad Trip StoriesTrue Crime
    Audience:
    True Crime Fans
    Style:
    InvestigativeDocumentary
    When:
    Long DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  82. American Greed Podcast
    American Greed Podcast
    CNBC's longest-running primetime original series, "American Greed" takes you inside the amazing real-life stories of how some people will do anythi...
    Style:
    Documentary
  83. You Must Remember This
    You Must Remember This
    You Must Remember This is a storytelling podcast exploring the secret and/or forgotten histories of Hollywood’s first century. It’s the brainchild ...
    Content:
    Arthouse FilmsCelebrity GossipCine SeriesCultureDead Celebrity Biographies
    +11
    Audience:
    History BuffsOlder WorkersRetirees
    Goal:
    Following a StoryRelaxing
    Style:
    Narrative StorytellingSolo CommentaryDocumentary
    When:
    At the GymBefore BedDoing ChoresLong DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  84. Ear Hustle
    Ear Hustle
    Ear Hustle is prison slang for eavesdropping, and that’s what listening to the show feels like: a raw, often funny, and always surprising peek into...
    Content:
    Addiction RecoveryCultureExperience of LifeGrit StoriesHuman Stories
    +13
    Audience:
    LawyersPeople in RecoveryRetirees
    Goal:
    Following a StoryLearning New Skills
    Style:
    Narrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    Commute ListeningDoing ChoresFocused LearningLong DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  85. To Live and Die in LA
    To Live and Die in LA
    In Feb 2018, an aspiring actress vanished from her Hollywood apartment. Rolling Stone journalist Neil Strauss was asked to help the family get answ...
    Content:
    Cold Case InvestigationsEnd-Of-Life PlanningEntertainmentMissing PersonsMystery Storytelling
    +3
    Audience:
    True Crime Fans
    Goal:
    Following a Story
    Style:
    InvestigativeNarrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    Weekend Deep Dive
  86. Code Switch
    Code Switch
    What's CODE SWITCH? It's the fearless conversations about race that you've been waiting for. Hosted by journalists of color, our podcast tackles th...
    Content:
    Black Political AnalysisCross-Cultural CommunicationCultureDiversity and InclusionEducation
    +14
    Audience:
    First-Gen Bipoc StudentsTherapists
    Goal:
    Discovering New IdeasEmotional WellnessFollowing a StoryLearning New SkillsMental Health Tips
    +1
    Style:
    EducationalInterviewNarrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    Long DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  87. Adrift
    Adrift
    It’s the early 1970s, and a young British family is attempting to sail around the world when catastrophe strikes.The Robertsons have sold everythin...
    Style:
    Documentary
    When:
    Weekend Deep Dive
  88. A Very British Cult
    A Very British Cult
    The sinister life coaching company that takes over your life. Catrin Nye investigates. In early 2019 Jeffrey Leigh-Jones from Portsmouth got a life...
    Content:
    Mystery Podcasts
    Style:
    InvestigativeDocumentary
  89. The Con: Kaitlyn's Baby
    The Con: Kaitlyn's Baby
    Kaitlyn Braun, a pregnant young woman in crisis, takes dozens of birth workers through an escalating series of disasters – rape, baby loss, and eve...
    Style:
    Documentary
  90. The Shrink Next Door
    The Shrink Next Door
    Veteran journalist Joe Nocera’s neighbor in the Hamptons was a therapist named Ike. Ike counted celebrities and Manhattan elites as his patients. H...
    Content:
    Credentialing ScandalsMental HealthRoad Trip StoriesTrue Crime
    Goal:
    Following a Story
    Style:
    InvestigativeNarrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    Long DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  91. OnlyFantasy
    OnlyFantasy
    Leon Neyfakh is a journalist and podcaster best known as the co-creator and host of Slow Burn, Fiasco, and Backfired. He has been a reporter for Sl...
    Style:
    InvestigativeDocumentary
  92. Sold a Story
    Sold a Story
    Millions of kids can't read well. Scientists have known for decades how children learn to read, but many schools don’t know about the research. The...
    Content:
    Creative TeachingEarly Elementary TeachingEducationEntertainmentHomeschooling
    +1
    Audience:
    EducatorsTeachersWriters
    Goal:
    Following a Story
    Style:
    EducationalInvestigativeDocumentary
    When:
    Long DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  93. Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
    Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
    In "Hardcore History" journalist and broadcaster Dan Carlin takes his "Martian", unorthodox way of thinking and applies it to the past. Was Alexand...
    Content:
    Archaeology BooksCultureEducationHistoryRoad Trip History
    +2
    Audience:
    History BuffsMilitary EnthusiastsMilitary VeteransTruck Drivers
    Goal:
    Following a StoryGetting Expert InsightsLearning New Skills
    Style:
    EducationalSolo CommentaryDocumentary
    When:
    At the GymFocused LearningLong DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  94. Unexplained
    Unexplained
    Unexplained is a haunting and unsettling bi-weekly podcast about strange and mysterious real life events that continue to evade explanation. A stor...
    Content:
    Bizarre HistoryCryptid FolkloreDark FantasyDark FictionGhost Stories
    +16
    Goal:
    Following a StoryTo Fall Asleep To
    Style:
    Narrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    Before BedDoing ChoresWeekend Deep Dive
  95. Aaron Mahnke's Cabinet of Curiosities
    Aaron Mahnke's Cabinet of Curiosities
    From Aaron Mahnke, the creator of the hit podcast Lore, Cabinet of Curiosities is an audio tour of the unbelievable, the unsettling, and the bizarr...
    Content:
    Midwest StoriesStrange History
    Style:
    Narrative StorytellingDocumentary
    When:
    Quick Listen
  96. The Trial
    The Trial
    The Trial goes behind the headlines of some of the biggest trials in the world. We take you into the courtroom, bringing you the detail as the evid...
    Content:
    Cold Case InvestigationsTrue Crime
    Style:
    InvestigativeDocumentary
  97. Focus: We Keep Us Safe
    Focus: We Keep Us Safe
    New Season "We Keep Us Safe" starting September 21, 2026. In the summer of 2020, sixteen-year-old Antonio Mays Jr. traveled a thousand miles to joi...
    Content:
    CultureTrue Crime
    Style:
    InvestigativeDocumentary
  98. Decoder Ring
    Decoder Ring
    Decoder Ring is the show about cracking cultural mysteries. In each episode, host Willa Paskin takes a cultural question, object, or habit; examine...
    Content:
    CultureDigital CultureEntertainmentHistoryKissing History
    +4
    Audience:
    History Buffs
    Goal:
    Learning New SkillsSolving Problems
    Style:
    Q and ADocumentary
    When:
    CommutingLong Drive
  99. S-Town
    S-Town
    S-Town is a podcast hosted by Brian Reed from Serial Productions, a New York Times company. The story follows a man named John who despises his Ala...
    Content:
    Audio BlogAudio FictionCold Case InvestigationsFictionHuman Stories
    +13
    Audience:
    True Crime Fans
    Goal:
    Following a Story
    Style:
    InterviewInvestigativeNarrative StorytellingSerialized FictionDocumentary
    When:
    Doing ChoresLong DriveWeekend Deep Dive
  100. West Cork
    West Cork
    In West Cork, it’s simply known as ‘the murder’. In 1996 French film producer Sophie Toscan du Plantier is found dead near her holiday home. There ...
    Content:
    Lesser-Known CrimeMissing PersonsMystery PodcastsTraveler CrimeTrue Crime
    +1
    Audience:
    True Crime Fans
    Style:
    InvestigativeDocumentary
    When:
    Long DriveWeekend Deep Dive