Podcasts don’t always have to be about current events or boring topics such as pens.
Fortunately, the world of podcasts has a weird and supernatural corner where spooky stories both true and imaginary are discussed. True crime fans and fiction lovers alike are able to indulge their macabre interests with experiences and stories from around the world with this list of five murderous and scary podcasts.
Image from My Favorite Murder Facebook page
1. My Favorite Murder
This is a podcast for horror and true crime fans. The podcast is co-hosted by comedians Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff, both of whom are excellent at making the macabre subjects of their episodes humorous and attention-grabbing.
Each episode runs a little over an hour in length. The hosts’ interpretation and commentary on each story is engaging and usually hilarious. The first few episodes aren’t structured, but later episodes have themes such as unsolved murders or hometown murders.
There is a lot of listener interaction and a section at the end of each episode where fans are able to email and message in their own stories of true crime.
Not for the faint of heart, but if you are into that kind of subject matter it can make for an interesting listen.
As Georgia and Karen would say: Stay sexy. Don’t get murdered.
Image from GPAC website
2. Night Vale
This podcast is about a fictional desert town named Night Vale. The bi-monthly episodes consist of community updates of the towns events. Nefarious government forces, UFO’s, research projects, and mysterious events often beleaguer the town and its inhabitants.
The episodes run about 30 minutes in length and are created by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor. They are narrated by Cecil Baldwin and occasional guest stars.
If you have always wanted to hear about séances held to contact the ghost of Taylor Swift, trash talk about neighboring towns, or rules on dog parks (1. Dogs are not allowed in the dog park, 2. People are not allowed in the dog park, 3. Only hooded figures are allowed in the dog park, and 4. Shut up about the dog park.) then this show is for you.
Eerie and funny, this show is an out-of-this-world take on America’s strangest southwest town.
Image from Night Vale Presents website
3. Alice Isn’t Dead
Written by Joseph Fink (the creator of Night Vale) and narrated by Jasika Nicole, this show is a suspenseful narration of a truck driver driving across the country to find her vanished wife. She believes her wife to be still alive even though she hasn’t seen her for over a year. Along the way, the narrator encounters terrifying and bizarre creatures and events in small towns across America.
Each 20-minute ride gives you a story of crazy and supernatural happenings that are goose-bump worthy. The voice acting, soundtrack, and inflection increase the sense of spookiness.
If you are thinking about taking a long road trip or just want to feel like you are on the (rather creepy) road then give this show a listen.
Image from lorepodcast.com
4. Lore
Lore’s creator and host, Aaron Mahnke, explores on a biweekly basis the urban legends, myths, and folklore that shape traditions and beliefs in hometowns and cities around the world.
Mahnke explores how these tales becomes so believable and the cultural context and history of each. In each episode, he offers an interesting glimpse into the human capacity to create and accept outlandish fears.
The show is educational in that Mahnke gives psychological interpretation on how popular myths come into being and how they shape cultures and communities.
While using science and common sense to debunk many of the stories, he leaves the door open to the possibility of the frightening tales also being true.
Varying in length, the episodes cover a broad range of fantastical and disturbing subjects and Mahnke’s take on them keeps them fresh and interesting.
Image from xfdrmag.net
5. The NoSleep Podcast
According to the shows website, this horror fiction podcast originated from a subreddit where posters would share scary and frightening stories. Eventually, the podcast’s creator Matt Henson, developed the idea of narrating the top-rated stories and NoSleep was created.
David Cummings took on the role of narrator and every Sunday a new episode is released.
Listening to NoSleep is a surefire way to get completely creeped out while doing mundane tasks such as cleaning out the bathroom or rearranging your kitchen cabinets. But be careful, because, like its name suggests, this show is exactly what is needed if you wish to be plagued by irrational fears, a racing heart, and anxiety.