Who’s ready to be spooked? Turn out the lights and tune in to the best horror podcasts of all time…
It’s officially the perfect time of year to dive into all things eerie, supernatural and unexplained. From urban legends to true crime, here is a list of the 20 best spooky podcasts to listen to this Halloween.
20 Spooky Podcasts – The 20 Best Horror Podcasts for Halloween
1) The NoSleep Podcast
“The NoSleep Podcast” is a horror anthology series that takes inspiration from the NoSleep subreddit. Host David Cummings creates the feeling of gathering around a campfire and sharing scary stories, while convincing voice actors and immersive soundscapes truly bring the tales to life.
If you’re looking for a podcast that features horror fiction and chilling tales, this is definitely worth a listen.
2) The Black Tapes
This serialized docudrama follows investigative journalist Alex Reagan as she looks into the unsolved cases of Dr. Strand, a paranormal investigator set on debunking all things supernatural. These cases are referred to as the ‘The Black Tapes’.
Narrated in a first-person documentary style, it is easy to forget this is a fiction podcast! Expect paranormal activity, haunted houses and things that go bump in the night.
3) The Last Podcast on the Left
Hosted by Ben Kissel, Marcus Parks, and Henry Zebrowski, this podcast covers horrors of all kinds while remaining full of light hearted banter. From true crime stories, to werewolves and aliens, this is undoubtedly a favourite of those who love scary podcasts.
According to their official website, “whether it’s cults, killers, or cryptid encounters, Last Podcast on the Left laughs into the abyss that is the dark side of humanity.” Horror fanatics will not want to miss this crowd favourite.
4) Lore
This bi-weekly podcast is hosted by Aaron Mahnke and dives head first into dark historical tales. Exploring the frightening history behind common folklore, Mahnke uncovers the truth behind the scariest sides of human nature. This show truly lives up to it’s tagline – “SOMETIMES THE TRUTH IS MORE FRIGHTENING THAN FICTION”.
Named the “Best History Podcast” by the Academy of Podcasters and iTunes “Best of 2015” award, these spooky stories are sure to have listeners hooked!
5) Morbid: A True Crime Podcast
“It’s a lighthearted nightmare in here, weirdos!”. Autopsy technician, Alaina Urquhart, and her hairstylist niece, Ash Kelley, uncover the true horror stories of serial killers and true crime mysteries while throwing in a much needed dose of lighthearted laughter.
As far as true crime podcasts go, “Morbid” does an amazing job of paying respect to the victims and researching each case in remarkable detail. There is added enjoyment in ‘palette cleanser’ episodes to break up the more disturbing topics. “Listener Tales” are a particular favourite, sharing true stories from listeners that feature real life spooky encounters. A top choice when Halloween is just around the corner!
6) Limetown
“Limetown” is an award winning audio drama often compared to “The X-Files” for it’s supernatural themes. The podcast follows the story of investigative reporter Lia Haddock, as she recounts the disappearance of over 300 people at a neuroscience research facility called Limetown.
This 6 part miniseries is an ideal listen for those who love the paranormal side of the horror genre.
7) Welcome to Night Vale
Presented in the form of community radio broadcasts, this podcast takes you to the fictional desert town of Night Vale, where the strange and supernatural are part of everyday life. Expect news, announcements and advertisements that will transport you to the eerie reality of living among the paranormal.
Creator Joseph Fink said that he “came up with this idea of a town in the desert where all conspiracy theories were real, and we would just go from there with that understood”. Tune in for every day cosmic horror, an uncanny blend of the macabre and the mundane.
8) Chilling Tales for Dark Nights
Fans of spine-tingling storytelling will relish “The Chilling Tales for Dark Nights Podcast”. This show features expertly narrated horror fiction and creepy tales, with a focus on atmospheric audio to enhance the chilling experience.
From classic tales to original horror stories, this podcast features the work of several talented horror authors. Author and Creator, Craig Groshek, has stated it was his goal is to bring audio theatre “back from the dead’. A must listen this spooky season!
9) Jim Harold’s Campfire
Gather round the campfire, it’s time for the scariest true ghost stories you will hear this year! With topics ranging from UFOs and Bigfoot, to cryptids and the afterlife, Jim Harold is the ideal narrator to share these chilling real life anecdotes.
Den of Geek said, “Jim Harold’s Campfire is perhaps the best tool we have currently in existence to hear real-life scary stories from other human beings since the actual campfire was invented.”
10) Horror Hill: A Horror Anthology and Scary Story Podcast
“Horror Hill” is a spin off from the previously mentioned “Chilling Tales for Dark Nights”. Featuring a list of the best independent horror authors in the game, expect some of the best scary narratives you will hear this year.
Voice actor Erik Peabody uses his expertise to bring each character to life, while haunting soundscapes work their magic to encapsulate all things horror.
11) Unexplained Podcast
Get ready to examine the nature of truth, reality and the human nature with “Unexplained”, a haunting story-based podcast sure to have listeners questioning whether we can ever truly be certain of anything.
Expect stories of time-slips, the occult and unexplained deaths. This podcast has been an international success reaching #2 in the US, UK and Canadian Apple Podcast charts with over 50 million streams to date.
12) Something Scary Podcast
Looking for a horror podcast that is both short and spooky? “Something Scary” might be the perfect choice! Hosts Blair and Steffany offer 30 minute servings of all things creepy, where many horror podcasts prefer a long form approach, these ladies get to the point.
With topics ranging from urban legends to disturbing history, this show is sure to satisfy any spooky cravings.
13) Disturbed: True Horror Stories
“Disturbed” caters to those who have a fascination with the darker aspects of reality and are drawn to narratives that provoke fear, curiosity, and a sense of the unknown.
Often including accounts of murders, disappearances, metaphysical experiences, and other unsettling events, this is a platform for listeners to explore such incidents; often sparking conversations and debates
14) Ghosts in The Burbs
Ghosts in the Burbs is a podcast about the people of Wellesley, Massachusetts and the ghosts (or monsters) who haunt them. Each episode tells a tale of the unknown in the style of interviews and monologues. While the stories are fictional, they are presented in a way that makes them feel very real and relatable, adding to the sense of suspense and intrigue.
The podcast’s unique format and storytelling style have earned it a dedicated following among fans of the horror and supernatural genres,
15) Horror Tales
Sit back and listen to “Horror Tales”, a selection of fictional spooky stories to get you in the mood for Halloween! With only 14 episodes available, this series is sure to see you through October.
Each episode is narrated and produced by Max Ablitzer with original music and custom sound effects to bring the story to life.
16) Spooked
“Spooked” takes a unique approach to the paranormal by presenting real people’s personal ghost stories and supernatural encounters. The podcast features compelling, first-hand accounts that will leave you wondering if the unknown is closer than you think.
Glynn Washington, the host, skilfully guides the stories, making “Spooked” a captivating and eerie listen.
17) Ghoul Guide with Rachel Fairburn
In this podcast Rachel Fairburn stays in famous haunted locations around the UK. Each episode she hears three stories of hauntings in the area, the twist is only one of these is true! Rachel’s task is to visit these locations, spend the night alone and guess which one is real.
This immersive podcast allows the listener to join in the task – which is real folklore and which were written by Britain’s best horror writers?
18) Dr. Death
Part horror, part real life, “Dr. Death” follows 3 true cases of gross medical malpractice. Season 1 focuses on former neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch, nicknamed “Dr. Death”, after multiple patients died or were severely injured on his operating table.
As the show states, “we’re at our most vulnerable when we go to our doctors. We trust the person at the other end of that scalpel. We trust the hospital. We trust the system.” These stories highlight what happens when this trust is abused.
19) Haunted Places: Ghost Stories
This weekly podcast covers some of the scariest, most hair-raising ghost stories ever imagined. Featuring accounts from all over the world, this show dives into stories from the past and present to offer heart-racing retellings, sure to have listeners spooked.
Host Alastair Murden sets the scene with enthusiastic storytelling.
20) Alice Isn’t Dead
“Alice Isn’t Dead” is a fictional series that follows a truck driver across America in search of her presumed dead partner, Alice. The episodes are told in the form of audio diaries; recording encounters of not-quite-human serial murderers, towns lost in time, and a conspiracy that goes way beyond her missing wife.
Written by Joseph Fink, “Alice Isn’t Dead” has since been released as a novel, this is due to the success of the podcast.
We hope these 20 spooky podcasts have you covered this Halloween! Dim the lights and lets get listening…
