Over the past year, I have spent countless hours listening to podcasts. I don’t like sitting in silence, and since I live alone, I use podcasts to fill the silence. There are so many different podcasts out there, so choice paralysis and an oversaturated market can make finding one for you difficult. If you are looking for a new show to try out, I will be going through some of my favorite podcasts that are completely binge-worthy!
1. The Lovecraft Investigations—BBC Radio 4
There are not enough words in the English language that can express my love for this podcast. This was the first podcast I listened to that I could NOT turn off until I finished the first season. I recommend this podcast to just about everyone I know, and I even got my parents hooked. The Lovecraft Investigations describes itself as “an investigation into witchcraft, the occult and secret government operations. From H.P. Lovecraft.” However, it is so much more than that. This show will take you on wild journeys all around the world, pulling from real-life events and lore from the H.P. Lovecraft universe. I recommend listening to this podcast with headphones, so you don’t miss any of the small details in the background.
2. In the Dark—APM Reports
In the two seasons of In the Dark host, Madeline Baran takes the listeners on an eye-opening investigation into two different real-life cases. The first season focuses on the Jacob Wetterling case, and how the police mishandled the investigation into his disappearance and death. The second season takes a look into the life of Curtis Flowers and his time spent behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit. The podcast’s team is incredibly thorough in their research and investigation. I learned so much from listening to this show, and I am still astounded by some of their findings.
3. The Clearing—Pineapple Street Media/Gimlet
The life of April Balascio was not normal by any means, and when she was 40, she finally got some answers. April’s father Edward Wayne Edwards was arrested for murder in 2009. The Clearing follows investigator and host Josh Dean as he works with April to connect some of the dots and look more into the dark past of her father. There are certain rabbit holes that the podcast will take you down, but all of them will have you hanging on every word. Listener discretion, this podcast talks about some very heavy subjects and violent crimes.
4. Bear Brook—New Hampshire Public Radio
Throughout this podcast, the host and listeners follow a cold case from 1985 as it continued to be updated as recently as June of 2019. The cold case itself is one of intrigue that I think the team with the podcast put it best as, “Two barrels, four bodies and an enigmatic killer. The cold case that changed the way murders will be investigated forever.” Development in DNA evidence has helped investigators solved a number of cold cases, but this podcast explores the developments in technology that have expanded on the use of DNA evidence.
5. The Magnus Archives—Rusty Quill
The Magnus Archives is such an amazing podcast that it has acquired somewhat of a cult following. It’s a horror fiction show with over 150 episodes out right now. The show is on its third and last act, which is set to end on March 25. The show was initially presented as a horror anthology, but as the plot developed, more complex storylines and interconnecting webs were revealed. The lead character, Jonathan Sims, also has an amazing voice, so that doesn’t hurt.
There are a plethora of podcasts on all different platforms, but these are just the ones that I happen to love. If you are looking for something new to listen to, I recommend giving one of these five a try. Some of the podcasts I have listed are a big-time investment, like The Magnus Archives, but others are more digestible, like The Clearing. I hope you find a new podcast to spend hours listening to! Happy podcasting!
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