Documentary podcasts
1The Telepathy TapesKy DickensIn a world that often dismisses the extraordinary as mere fantasy, The Telepathy Tapes dares to explore the profound abilities of non-speakers with autism—individuals who have long been misunderstood and underestimated.
2Easy Money: The Charles Ponzi StoryApple TV+ / AT WILL MEDIA
In 1920, a broke immigrant in Boston became one of America’s richest, most infamous men—practically overnight.
3What It Was LikeJulian MorgansConversations with people who have lived through extreme events.
4Dark DowneastaudiochuckDark Downeast: Maine and New England's True Crime Podcast digs into the decades-old and modern day cases that prickle the history of Vacationland and beyond – the unsolved homicides, undetermined deaths, unexplained disappearances and other dark stories of New England.
5FirebugSony Music and truth.mediaFor ten years, a serial arsonist terrorized Southern California, burning down businesses in broad daylight.
6#1 DadBig Money PlayersAs kids, most of us look up to our Dads.
75CAST w/ Andrew CallaghanAndrew CallaghanThis is the official audio feed of Andrew Callaghan's weekly broadcast '5CAST' featuring a wide cast of illustrious guests.
8A Place of YesBright Sighted Media“A Place of YES” is a podcast about using your grief to create something good.
9Admissible: Shreds of EvidenceiHeart13 wrongful convictions all tied to one forensic analyst.
10After Broad and MarketThe WNET GroupIn 2003, WNET journalist Jenna Flanagan reported on the murder of 15-year-old Newark native Sakia Gunn.
11Afterlives: Marsha P. JohnsoniHeartPodcastsMarsha P.
12All the Buried WomenBeth Allison Barr and Savannah LockeHosted by Beth Allison Barr and Savannah Locke, All the Buried Women uncovers stories of women that are hidden in the Southern Baptist Convention’s archives.
13America: A HistoryLiam HeffernanFrom George Washington to Donald Trump, and from the Star-Spangled Banner to the Super Bowl, this is your ultimate guide to the history of the United States of America.
14American Greed PodcastCNBCCNBC's longest-running primetime original series, "American Greed" takes you inside the amazing real-life stories of how some people will do anything for money.
15An Army of Normal FolksiHeartOur country’s problems will never be solved by a bunch of fancy people in nice suits talking big words on CNN and Fox, but by An Army of Normal Folks just deciding “hey, I can help.” Hosted by Coach Bill Courtney from the Oscar-winning Undefeated, this podcast is building the Army and celebrating its extraordinary members.
16Architecture of AbuseAlyssa Grenfell and Tim KosnoffArchitecture of Abuse explores the widespread issue of child sexual abuse in Utah, with a particular focus on how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has historically responded to reports of abuse within its community.
17Before We GoPodcast NationBefore We Go follows the personal and emotionally charged journey of Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider, a physician and science journalist, Oscar-nominated documentary film producer, producer and host of TED Health, and founder of End Well, a nonprofit organization committed to reshaping society's perception and approach to the end of life.
18BEING GoldenBEING Studios Audio RealityWelcome to BEING Studios Audio Reality®: reality TV for your ears.
19Big EnvelopesAudible
20Big TimeCampside Media and Piece of Work Entertainment
Fake kidnappings.
21BlindspotThe HISTORY® Channel and WNYC StudiosHIV and AIDS changed the United States and the world.
22Blindspot: The Road to 9/11WNYC Studios - Ursula SommerHIV and AIDS changed the United States and the world.
23Camp ShameiHeartPodcastsCamp Shane—one of America’s longest running weight loss camps for kids—promised extraordinary results.
24Campus FilesAudacyCollege holds a mythic place in American culture—hailed as the best four years of your life and revered as a beacon of integrity and excellence.
25Cement CityCement City Productions*Named one of The New York Times Best Podcasts of 2024* Two journalists stumble into a dying town with a Smog Museum and a mayor named Piglet… and not a whole lot else.
26Chameleon: The Michigan PlotThe BingeA wellness center some called Miracle Ranch, nestled in the scenic mountains of Southern California, promised a luxurious escape and a path to wellness through clean, alkaline living.
27Chess Piece: The Elián González StoryMy Cultura and iHeartPodcastsAt the turn of the millennium, a five-year-old boy from Cuba found off the Florida coast on Thanksgiving became the most talked about child in America.
28City of the RailsiHeartWhen journalist Danelle Morton’s daughter skips town to hop trains, she follows her into the train yard, and across America.
29Classy with Jonathan MenjivarPineapple Street Studios*** Named one of the best podcasts of 2023 by The New Yorker, Time, The Atlantic, Apple, Vogue, the CBC, and Lifehacker.
30ColdWonderyCold is a narrative podcast series focused on missing persons cases.
31Computer FreaksInc. MagazineThis is the untold history of how the internet almost didn’t happen.
33Dark ArenasaudiochuckHave you ever thought about whose job it is to track international fugitives, hunt child abductors, conduct espionage, or pull human remains from concealed mass graves?
34Dark Side of the Ring: UnheardVICEThe podcast from the creators of the hit VICE TV show Dark Side of the Ring and the The Lapsed Fan is back for an all-new season.
35Day XThe New York TimesThis story began with a mysterious gun in an airport bathroom and led to a German military officer facing trial on terrorism charges.
36Death on the LotThe BingeWe’re getting into 1950s Hollywood, ground zero for a cultural transformation that would upend every aspect of Americans’ lives.
37Debt HeadsJamie Feldman & Rachel WebsterA narrative podcast turning the concept of debt upside down.
38Decoder RingSlateDecoder Ring is the show about cracking cultural mysteries.
39Devil TownImperativeFear and hysteria grip the small town of Gilmer, Texas, when the search for missing teenager Kelly Wilson takes a series of bizarre and shocking turns.
40Digital FolkloreRealmDigital Folklore is an immersive audio adventure that takes place inside a fictional universe, but explores the real-world truths behind various expressions of internet culture and how each holds up a mirror to the society from which they emerge.
41Division Street RevisitedMary Schmich
Pulitzer Prize winner Mary Schmich traces the lives of seven people in Studs Terkel’s first book of oral history: A Black public school janitor; a Lithuanian tavern owner; an Appalachian mother of 15; a closeted gay actor; a Native American activist; a Black labor leader; and a prominent white woman in Chicago high society.
42Donor 9623Audible
44DrilledCritical FrequencyA true-crime podcast about climate change.
45Drowning CreekWavlandIn the early morning hours of November 2, 2007, Justin Gaines walked out of a popular nightclub on the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia and was never seen again.
46Dumpster FyreBilly McFarland
47Ear HustleEar Hustle, Radiotopia
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 the reality of life inside prison. Hosts Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods co-created the show that launched in 2017 while Earlonne was incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison, where Nigel was a volunteer teaching photography.
48Even If It Kills MeFANG workshopThis is the story of the band that almost was.
49ExileLeo Baeck Institute – New York | Berlin and Antica ProductionsWelcome to Exile, a podcast about Jewish lives under the shadow of fascism.
50False Profits: HillsongiHeartA personal journey into the heart of a global megachurch.
The best Documentary podcasts
These podcasts explore history, science, politics, and more through in-depth storytelling and investigations.Top Creators and Investigations
National Geographic and The History Channel produce high-quality shows like Blindspot: The Road to 9/11. Wondery brings Frozen Head, a look at biotechnology, and Flipping the Bird: Elon vs. Twitter.Crime, Scandals, and Exposés
Lionsgate Sound’s Scamanda uncovers online deception, while The Retrievals from The New York Times investigates fertility and medical neglect. American Greed (CNBC) explores fraud and corruption, and False Profits: Hillsong (iHeart) exposes misconduct in a religious group.Independent and Science-Focused
Digital Folklore examines internet culture, Drilled reports on climate change, and Hell or High Water covers natural disasters.These podcasts offer deep dives into real events, uncovering facts and hidden stories.