Recently, my friends came through when I asked them about their favorite podcasts. I have only been into podcasts for the past year. Didn’t care for them at first, but now I regularly listen to a few. I received so many recommendations that I am breaking them down into a series of posts. Good problem to have, huh? So, I’ll break the list up to avoid a never-ending single post. The categories are Trashy Fun, Comedy, Murder and True Crime, Spooky and Supernatural, Racial Injustice, History, Book Reviewers, Film, and Dolly Parton’s America.
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Podcast definition
Simply put, a podcast is an audio programme, just like Talk Radio, but you subscribe to it on your smartphone and listen to it whenever you like. In a little more detail, a podcast is a series of spoken word, audio episodes, all focused on a particular topic or theme, like cycling or startups. You can subscribe to the show with an app on your phone and listen to episodes whenever you like on your headphones, in the car, or through speakers.
Source: What is a Podcast by the podcasthost.com
Our fourth category: Spooky and Supernatural
Credit to: Amazon Prime and Lore
“Sometimes the truth is more frightening than fiction.”
Aaron Mahnke is the creator, writer, producer, and host of Lore. My teen and I enjoy listening to his stories about the strange, bizarre, and scary things about people and legends versus reality. Lore covers everything from the Jersey Devil to the dark origins of fairy tales, hidden underground history of old cities, aliens outside your house to things that walk in the woods. You can listen to his podcasts or catch the Amazon Prime series. One truly disturbing Prime episode was Hinterfaiceck: Ghosts in the Attic from Season Two. If you've ever heard or researched the Villisca Ax Murder House, then this is the episode for you. Don't say you weren't warned!
“Lore is an award-winning, critically-acclaimed podcast about true life scary stories. Lore exposes the darker side of history, exploring the creatures, people, and places of our wildest nightmares.”
Source: Lorepodcast.com
Apple podcast link
Facebook link
Credit to: Amazon Prime and Lore
I must admit I haven't sampled more than a couple of episodes of this podcast. My friend, Sarah P., recommended it to me. It's a combination of spookiness and comedy. Through research, I've found that it's pretty popular.
Em Schulz and Christine Schiefer are the h osts of the popular podcast And That's Why We Drink.
Credit to: And That's Why We Drink
And That's Why We Drink is a paranormal and true crime podcast hosted by Christine Schiefer, Em Schulz, and boxed wine. With over 80 million lifetime downloads, And That’s Why We Drink is consistently featured in the top 20 on the comedy podcast charts and winner of the 2019 “People’s Voice” Webby Award for Best Comedy Podcast. Join us every Sunday for some chilling ghost stories and downright terrifying true crime stories.
The world's a scary place. And that's why we drink!
Source: AndThat'sWhyWeDrink.com
Apple podcast link
Facebook link
Credit to: Radio Rental
Radio Rental has become a favorite of ours while on the road. It is centered in a fictional video store narrated by a clerk Terry Carnation (voiced by Rainn Wilson) as he selects “rentals” or stories off the shelves. Creepy, horror stories as told by people who experienced them in real life. Co-founder Payne Lindsey tracked down these stories to the people themselves and his team did their best to verify details. Some stories had more concrete facts and others he had to go with the storyteller's accounts and their sometimes reluctance to share them, which added to the weight of the tale.
“I wanted to build a universe that was just more fun, based on the idea of sharing your personal scary experiences with other people,” he said, noting that the stories don’t revolve around murder or gore, but rather close calls that keep you on the edge of your seat. In other words, “the brighter side of the scary stuff.”
Payne Lindsey from A Sneak Peek at Radio Rental, a Scary Podcast to Listen to in the Dark in a 2019 Vanity Fair article.
Apple podcast link
Credit: DeepNerdMedia and Old Gods of Appalachia Podcast
Saved the flat-out spookiest for last. Seriously, if you're traveling on a country road with fields around you, this will freak you out. Happened to me on more than one occasion. I can't recall which of my friends recommended this one, but they came through on the scary part. I've only listened to 5 or so episodes and had to parse them out a bit. Creepy as all get out. It's the one you want if you're in a darkened room or driving on a deserted highway.
“In the mountains of central Appalachia, blood runs as deep as these hollers and just as dark. Since before our kind knew these hills, hearts of unknowable hunger and madness have slumbered beneath them. These are the oldest mountains in the world. How dare we think we can break the skin of a god and dig out its heart without bringing forth blood and darkness? Old Gods of Appalachia is a horror-anthology podcast set in the shadows of an Alternate Appalachia, a place where digging too deep into the mines was just the first mistake.”
Source: Old Gods of Appalachia podcast
Apple podcast link
Good luck with these podcasts if you choose to listen. Turn down the lights at home or turn up your car stereo and dive in. You might also enjoy our other podcast posts: True Crime Podcasts My Friends Like, Trashy Fun Podcasts My Friends Like, and the last Humorous Podcasts My Friends Like.
