It’s impossible to miss the “true crime” category while looking for your next podcast obsession. True crime podcasts are everywhere, trying to keep you on the edge of your seat while you’re on the subway, in the car, or at work. They’re like an addiction for people who love murder mysteries. These shows are more than just entertainment, though. They’re also a way for people to learn about the criminal justice system and how it works (or doesn’t). It’s easy to forget that these cases aren’t just fictional stories; they occurred in real life, and real people were affected by them.
I personally love true crime podcasts because they give me an inside look in a completely different way. Sometimes I’m horrified by what I hear, but other times it’s fascinating to listen to the details of these cases unfold.
If you too want some help finding the best true crime podcasts, here are some suggestions from us! There’s something for everyone: from unsolved murders and missing person cases to the stories of serial killers and the worst criminals ever to walk the earth.
#1 Crime Junkie
“If you can never get enough true crime… Congratulations, you’ve found your people.” The premise of Crime Junkie is pretty accurate, as it’s hosted by childhood friends Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat, true crime addicted since forever! Every week, they’ll tell you all about whatever crime they’ve been obsessing about in a way that sounds like you’re sitting around talking crime with your best friends.
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#2 Morbid: A True Crime Podcast
Looking for a criminal podcast with just the right amount of humor? Alaina Urquhart and Ash Kelley are an aunt-niece duo, but they claim to have been basically raised as sisters. One an autopsy technician, the other a hairstylist, together they dive into the world of true crime and spooky histories, always with a pinch of comedy that ended up becoming their trademark.
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#3 Serial
Hosted and produced by journalist Sarah Koenig, Serial could be described as the OG true crime podcast. It narrates a crime story throughout the whole season, starting with the 1999 murder case of Hae Min Lee, an 18-year-old Korean-American student at Woodlawn High School in Baltimore County. As of September 2018, episodes of seasons 1 and 2 have been downloaded over 340 million times, establishing itself as one of the best podcasts of all time.
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#4 My Favorite Murder
Lifelong fans of true crime stories and born comedians, Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark share their favorite true crime stories in bi-weekly episodes filled with comedic moments. Starting in 2016, the podcast’s episodes regularly land within the top ones in the comedy and true crime categories. Karen and Georgia co-wrote a book titled Stay Sexy and Don’t Get Murdered (a reference to the podcast’s catchphrase), a dual memoir framed by their signature focus on true crime worth checking out.
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#5 Dateline NBC
Dateline has been going strong on television since 1992, but its podcast is helping the brand reach a larger audience of true crime podcast junkies. Twice a week, this easy-to-follow podcast will guide you through captivating true crime mysteries, powerful documentaries, and in-depth investigations like only Dateline can do.
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#6 Casefile
Casefile is an award-winning podcast that has been narrating mystery stories since 2016. Just the facts, presented unemotionally through the voice of its anonymous host, every episode is based on original police or mass-media documents, eyewitness accounts, and interview or public announcement recordings. What started as a one-person side project has grown to be the work of an entire team based across multiple continents. The podcast has been a staple among the best crime podcasts. Talk about a must-listen!
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#7 And That’s Why We Drink
The name has nothing that could make you think we’re talking about a true crime podcast, but trust us on this. This show is perfect if you’re a fan of both horror and comedy podcasts and want something that can effortlessly blend such otherwise disparate genres. And That’s Why We Drink invites you to grab your favorite drink and join the hosts every Sunday for some chilling stories that will keep you up all night, laugh after laugh.
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#8 Southern Fried True Crime
Southern Fried True Crime has been running since 2017, and the only thing we can suggest is to go for it! The brainchild of Tennessee native Erica Kelley, this podcast promises to be the next obsession of everyone curious about historical and contemporary crime cases in the Deep South. Every episode is a fascinating analysis of intriguing cases that shocked this part of the US.
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#9 Root Of Evil
Root Of Evil covers the story of Elizabeth Short, later known as the Black Dahlia, the victim of America’s most infamous unsolved murder. It’s a peculiar murder podcast, hosted by the great-granddaughters of George Hodel, the main suspect in the crime! Together, sisters Rasha and Yvette go deep into their family’s history to try and figure out what really happened and reveal how the family changed after the Black Dahlia case.
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#10 Criminal
For those who are fans of Criminal Minds and Law and Order, this one is an unmissable gem. Criminal, hosted by journalist Phoebe Judge, narrates the stories of people who’ve done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle. It goes deep into the world of criminal psychology and sociology, exploring the minds of offenders and victims alike. It’s surely one of the most interesting investigative podcasts around.
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#11 Counterclock
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#12 Dr. Death
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#13 Loose Units
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#14 Crimetown
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#15 Anatomy Of Murder
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#16 Up And Vanished
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#17 The Apology Line
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#18 Swindled
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#19 The Vanished Podcast
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#20 The Trail Went Cold
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#21 Redhanded
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#22 Dirty John
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#23 Down The Hill: The Delphi Murders
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#24 Death In Ice Valley
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#25 Wrongful Conviction Podcast
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#26 Unsolved Murders: True Crime Stories
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#27 In The Dark
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#28 The Shrink Next Door
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#29 Lady Killers With Lucy Worsley
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#30 Supernatural With Ashley Flowers
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#31 The Orange Tree
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#32 Conspiracy Theories
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#33 Mafia
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#34 Women & Crime
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#35 Undisclosed
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#36 Crime Countdown
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#37 The Dating Game Killer
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#38 88 Days: The Jayme Closs Story
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#39 Paper Ghosts
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#40 Real Crime Profile
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#41 Somebody
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#42 Atlanta Monster
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#43 Accused
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#44 Someone Knows Something
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#45 You Must Remember This: Charles Manson’s Hollywood
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#46 Heaven’s Gate
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#47 The Dropout
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#48 Man In The Window
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#49 Disappearances With Sarah Turney
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#50 International Infamy With Ashley Flowers
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