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Culture > Entertainment

The Ultimate True Crime Podcast List to Start and Fuel an Obsession

Madelaine Phillips
Bailey McBride
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at PSU chapter.

Podcasts have undeniably become one of the defining media modes of the last five years. 

Why? Some might attribute their booming success to the wide array of sub-genres, which cover common interests to the most niche categories. Many podcasts reel in listeners through hilarious conversations between friends or interesting storytelling. What is my podcast obsession? What incompasses all my free time? Thank you for asking — my podcast love is true crime.

So if you are like me and have an inclination for the sinister, mysterious and altogether bizarre, then look no further. You have found the true crime podcast list to end them all. 

 

10. Counter-Clock. 

Coming in hot at number ten is the pilot episode of Counter-Clock. This podcast is fairly new, with episodes coming out every week. I recommend the entire podcast, but trust me when I say the first episode will hook you into this unsolved mystery. 

 

9. The Clearing — Solved At Last!

Cold cases often make for the best stories. This podcast follows April Balascio’s journey into uncovering something we all fear — could someone we love be capable of the unthinkable? If you believe the truth always wins in the end, this is a must-listen!

 

8. Dateline — Mystery on the Mississippi 

Dateline is a true crime podcast legend. If you’d like to skip past the commentary and delve into the nitty-gritty details, then dive straight into Dateline’s library of true crime. “Mystery on the Mississippi” had all the twists and turns that still has me questioning what happened to the Lovelace family that fateful night.

 

7. My Favorite Murder — 146 Dawna’s Skinny Lighter 

On the other hand, if the humorous commentary that accompanies horror is what pulls you into the true crime world, Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark’s friendship that shines through in their podcast is a can’t-miss. Each of their episodes covers two murders. Episode 146 is a hilarious yet astoundingly deep commentary on two awful crimes. 

 

6. Casefile — 122 Leeann Lapham

I’ve already established my love for true crime by now, but I won’t lie — sometimes episodes can be hard to follow, especially when it comes to intricate details. Though casefile never fails to hold my attention, maybe it’s the anonymous host’s knack for storytelling. Or, it could be the Australian accent. Leeann Lapham’s story is one that should not be forgotten.

 

5. Dr. Death 

Close your eyes and imagine the face of a murderer. Are you looking at a psychopath with a distorted face? Maybe you saw the charming eyes of Ted Bundy. But, I can bet you didn’t imagine a trusted figure such as a doctor. “Dr. Death” follows the disturbing story of how one man betrayed the hippocratic oath in an unthinkable matter. 

 

4. Female Criminal — The Black Widow of England 

Are you tired of the same damsel in distress story painting women as the victim in every story? Me too. Well, this podcast illustrates that evil knows no gender. The Black Widow of England is a sinister reiteration that tops all other female crime stories. 

 

3. Crime Junkie — MURDERED Lindsay Buziak

I might be biased but no one does true crime better than Ashley Flowers and Brittany Prawat. Every Monday morning, I rush to Spotify to get my weekly dose of crime junkie. Lindsay Buziak’s story captured me because by the end of the episode, I felt as though her murder was personal, like I knew Lindsay.

 

2. Unsolved Murders – The Beaumont Children 

Crimes against children hold a special place in my heart. They’re stories that should be retold and studied until the people behind these evil acts are caught. “Unsolved Murders” does a fantastic job of retelling a tragic unsolved abduction of three children, which has haunted a town for over 45 years. 

 

1. Dateline – The Music Box

Yes, Dateline has made my list twice. I truly debated this coveted spot for a while, but what can I say? I’m a sucker for their devotion to uncovering the truth. “The Music Box” is a special episode to me because as you listen, you’ll learn how communities are brought together by the same thing that made me love true crime — passion for justice and the closure it brings to victims and their loved ones. 

 

 

I am currently studying media effects at PSU, I moved to The United States from England when I was 14 and I love spending time with my Weimaraner Maya and listening to true crime podcasts!
Bailey McBride is a Senior at Penn State University pursuing a Broadcast Journalism degree with minors in Political Science and Digital Media Trends & Analytics. She is a sister of Delta Gamma. She enjoys making hyper-organizational lists and looking at future pups to adopt. Her dream job is to be Press Secretary of the White House.