History podcasts have emerged as one of the most enduring and popular genres in digital audio, captivating millions of listeners worldwide with deep dives into the past. From Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History, which launched in 2006 with its distinctive long-form approach, to contemporary hits like The Rest Is History, which recently won Apple Podcasts’ 2025 Show of the Year, the genre continues to thrive. According to industry data from Edison Research and Buzzsprout, history podcasts maintain a strong presence in podcast charts, with top shows drawing substantial listenership and the genre experiencing significant growth.
The Rest Is History exemplifies this success, attracting millions of monthly listeners and earning prestigious recognition including the British Academy’s President’s Medal in 2023, making it the first podcast to receive the honor. Additionally, the show won a Webby Award People’s Voice Winner in the History category in 2025 and garnered nominations for The Lovie Awards and iHeart Awards, demonstrating the mainstream appeal of historical storytelling in audio format.
Why History Podcasts Resonate With Audiences
Emily Ross, creator and host of the popular Why Wars Happened podcast, offers insight into the genre’s appeal. She explains that her fascination with history has driven her for over a decade, and her goal is to teach people about history by conveying concepts rather than overwhelming them with names and dates. This approach addresses a fundamental gap in traditional education.
However, formal history education often falls short of providing genuine understanding. Most nations teach history throughout their education systems, yet students frequently struggle with broad topics like The History of Western Civilization, which can cover thousands of years in just a few months. The result is history reduced to memorization rather than comprehension, where students might recall that the Glorious Revolution occurred in 1688 without understanding its profound impact on parliamentary supremacy and democratic development.
Meanwhile, history podcasts provide the depth and context that classroom instruction cannot. Ross’s Why Wars Happened dedicates an entire season to the American Revolution, beginning the narrative almost 200 years before 1776. This comprehensive approach allows listeners to understand the complex forces that shaped historical events rather than simply memorizing dates and outcomes.
Uncovering Hidden Historical Narratives
Philip Gibbons, creator and host of Byte Sized Biographies, notes that the eddies and flow of history are complex, sometimes contradictory, and often presage future events. He emphasizes that history encompasses not only what happened but why it happened, requiring deeper exploration than surface-level facts.
In contrast to official historical narratives, many history podcasts focus on stories that have been hidden, neglected, or intentionally altered. Michael Washington’s Echoes in the First Person reclaims overlooked narratives, highlighting contributions like those of Black physician Charles Richard Drew, whose work on blood transfusions saved countless lives, or the thousands of Latino men who fought in the Revolutionary War, comprising about 12 percent of the colonial army despite being frequently omitted from history books.
Additionally, these podcasts humanize complex historical events through engaging narratives, making learning accessible and enjoyable while filling gaps left by formal education. They build strong communities around shared interests, with hosts gaining celebrity status and selling out live events similar to musicians.
The Business of History Podcasting
History represents a major business segment within the podcast industry, rivaling institutional audio brands and fostering dedicated fandoms. According to publishing statistics, approximately 25 percent of all books sold are history books, demonstrating the widespread appetite for historical content across media formats.
Furthermore, podcasting’s strength lies in its ability to niche-cast, even within broad topics like history. Trapped History with Oswin Baker and Carla O’Shaughnessy focuses on the interstices of history, presenting stories that challenge conventional narratives. Co-host O’Shaughnessy notes that the podcast sometimes presents heroes as villains and villains as heroes, offering alternative perspectives on established historical figures.
Another example is America: A History on the Mercury Podcast Network, hosted by British narrator Liam Heffernan. The show works precisely because of the host’s distance from American culture, maintaining objectivity that domestic historians might struggle to achieve. This addresses the widely attributed phrase from Winston Churchill that “history is written by the victors,” acknowledging how winners control historical narratives.
History Podcasts Contributing to the Historical Record
Unless someone majors in history at university, most people end their academic careers with limited historical knowledge beyond dates, names, and famous phrases like “Give me liberty or give me death.” Traditional education systems rarely provide the comprehensive understanding necessary to grasp the full scope of historical events and their implications.
However, curiosity remains a powerful human emotion, and history offers context for understanding the present while teaching lessons from past successes and failures. It builds identity and offers compelling stories of human drama, struggles, and triumphs, connecting us to the collective human experience and helping us understand our origins and future direction.
History podcasts have become formidable resources because of their ability to explore historical crevasses, harness the power of audio narrative, and leverage the intellectual resolve of entrepreneurial podcasters. As President Harry S. Truman once observed, “The only thing new in the world is the History we do not know,” a sentiment that continues to drive the popularity and importance of history podcasts in contemporary media.
The history podcast genre shows no signs of slowing, with new shows continuing to launch and established programs expanding their reach through live events, merchandise, and multimedia partnerships. Industry observers expect the genre to maintain its strong position as audiences seek deeper understanding of historical events and their relevance to contemporary issues.
