As Halloween quickly approaches and my podcast obsession grows, I’ve found myself listening to some creepy/unnerving shows. I’m a very visual person, so I personally am not a fan of horror films. With podcasts, I’ve found a way to get the thrill of scary movies while not being too scared to leave my room. Here are a few really good ones to check out!
1. Lore
This is my personal favorite podcast. Lore covers a large array of urban myths and legends from around the world. Aaron Mahnke, the creator of this podcast, not only has a lovely velvety voice, but also has a way of humanizing even the craziest of people, creatures, and situations. He is able to tie together loose ends and make connections between different stories to make the lore seem even more real. 10/10 would massively recommend.
2. Myths and Legends
Not as creepy as Lore, Myths and Legends deals mostly with different myths from cultures around the world. I prefer the Greek myths because of my affinity for Classics. I pride myself on my mythology knowledge and I always learn something new from this podcast. This is a really great break from listening to traditionally creepy podcasts. I’d give it a 7/10.
3. Cults
This is a relatively new podcast all about the psychology behind cult leaders and their followers. It is perfectly creepy and makes you question how strong your moral values are. It also makes you really wary of overly charismatic people. I am particularly fond of the Manson Family episodes because of how well the creators of the podcast go into detail about not only the inner workings of their group, but also the life and background of Charles Manson. Overall I give it an 8/10.
4. Serial Killers
This is by far the scariest of all of my podcast recommendations, and is not for the faint of heart, which to be honest, includes me. This is created by the same people who make Cults, so again they go into the psychology behind serials killers as well as their motives and, unfortunately, pretty detailed descriptions of their crimes. There is actually a listener discretion warning because it truly gets pretty graphic. But if you’re into that sort of thing it is really a great podcast and I give it an 8.5/10 only because it is SO graphic. Otherwise it would be straight tens.
5. Welcome to Night Vale
So, if after all of these scary podcasts you find yourself wanting to wind down with some dark, unnerving, and somehow kind of cute humor, definitely check out Welcome to Night Vale. It follows a radio announcer, Cecil, as he reports on the daily goings on in his small desert town, and it oddly reminds me of home. I admit I have fallen behind on these episodes since this does have an actual plot line as opposed to the other stand alone shows on this list. This is a really great option if you are easily scared but want to get into that spooky mood. I give it a 9/10.
All of these podcasts are easily accessible on the iPhone podcast app as well as online. If you don’t actively listen to podcasts, I cannot suggest enough that you get into them. They’re so great for long car rides, tedious work, or cleaning your dorm room. Also, if you end up listening to any of these, let me know so we can talk about them together and I don’t feel crazy for enjoying a serial killer podcast.
Image Credit: Feature, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5