These 31 Scary Podcasts Are Spookier than the Thought of Losing Just One AirPod
Proceed with caution.
Summer may be the time for all things sunshiney, warm, and fun—especially if you're one of those fellow poor unfortunate souls who only gets actual nice weather for a couple months of the year—but sometimes there's only so much poolside lounging you can do before you need to take the relaxation vibes down and kick the adrenaline up. And the best way to do that, without having to change out of your swimsuit or even leave your lounge chair ofc, is throwing on a terrifying podcast that's guaranteed to scare the bikini bottoms off of you!
I personally don't recommend listening to any of these pods before bed (unless you're freaky like that—if so, go off). Ruining your night and your ability to sleep is totally up to you, but it's better to play it safe and queue up an episode during a *daytime* walk through your neighborhood or road trip to the beach before heading home to whip up a yummy cocktail with all the lights on and all the doors and windows locked. Whether you're looking for true crime, zombie stories, or old-fashioned ghost tales, there's something for everyone on this list. So don't be shy. Pick up your phone, grab your headphones, and listen to one of the best horror podcasts...if you dare.
Campfire Radio Theatre
Campfire Radio Theatre only puts out a few episodes a year but when they do, OMG they are so worth the wait. The horror anthology will have you transported right back to sitting around the campfire swapping different scary stories, only, like, 100x better.
Archive 81
This story may be fictional, but it uses a found footage technique that makes it feel totally real. It tells the story of an audio archivist who is working on a project in a remote bunker where he has to listen to some, uh, unsettling interview tapes. This is that kind of podcast that hooks you right in and has you wildly guessing theories after the first episode.
The Horror of Dolores Roach
This may be an Amazon Prime series now, but before that, it was a podcast (and before that, it was a one-woman play). If Sweeney Todd is your thing, then you're really going to love this. Delores has just been released from 16 years in prison and heads back to her New York City neighborhood to restart her life. But things have changed and it's proving to be nearly impossible, until an old friend helps her set up a massage business. And, well, it doesn't take long before things take a deadly turn.
Limetown
A fictitious show that feels uber real is just what the scary doctor ordered. In Limetown, Tennessee, over 300 people went missing at neuroscience research facility, and an American Public Radio investigative reporter is on the case, looking into exactly what happened there.
Unraveled
There's nothing more scary than true horror stories. If you've been hearing about the catching of the Long Island Serial Killer in the news and aren't totally sure on the backstory, this series from journalists Alexis Linkletter and Billy Jensen will catch you up.
Scare You To Sleep
For those of you who need a spooky bedtime story, this podcast is perfection. From supernatural encounters to '90s serial killers, every episode covers something that'll scare you right to sleep (or keep you awake until the sun starts to come up, who's to say!).
Nighty Night
Host Rabia Chaudry is serving up some perfectly terrifying original stories mixed in with a few lesser known scary story classics in this anthology series that'll chill you right to the bone. Hopefully you've got a warm sweater!
The Last Podcast on the Left
If there is something spooky to discuss, The Last Podcast on the Left guys will chat about it. These best-friend comedians are down to cover everything from cults to demons. It’s delightfully horrifying, and according to Spotify, it’s officially the spookiest podcast out there.
Dark House
For true crime junkies who also love a good ghost story, Dark House shines the spotlight on America’s most notorious homes. From infamous crime scenes to abandoned mansions, hosts and House Beautiful editors Hadley Mendelsohn and Alyssa Fiorentino unpack the twisted history of a different house in each episode. They research who lived (and died) there and share the creepy stories that suggest their spirits never left. Run, don’t walk.
My Favorite Murder
There’s a pretty solid chance that if you’re perusing a list of spooky podcasts, you already identify as a Murderino. If not, start streaming this Exactly Right podcast right away (yep, correct, they have their own podcast network now), and let Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark tell you all about their very favorite murders.
Parcast Presents: Halloween
Every episode of Parcast Presents: Halloween is dedicated to a different freaky topic: ghosts, ghouls, urban legends, serial killers, and more. From stories about Marie Antoinette to your classic babysitting-gigs-gone-wrong, there’s plenty of yikes-inducing content to go around.
Dr. Death
You know what's scarier than ghosts and zombies and vampires? A neurosurgeon who brutally botches spinal surgeries, resulting in permanent injuries and even death. The stuff of real-life nightmares, tbh. Oh, and it's even been turned into a Peacock series that you can watch after binging all the episodes of the Wondery podcast.
Small Town Dicks
The premise of Small Town Dicks is so clever. It’s all about crazy crimes that happen in the smallest towns in America. Hosted by Yeardley Smith (the voice of Lisa Simpson, LOL) and identical twin detectives Dan and Dave, every episode features the local detectives who actually worked on each case.
The No Sleep Podcast
If you’re too afraid to listen to true-crime podcasts because they’re all about things that actually happened, you should give The No Sleep Podcast a try. Showrunner David Cummings describes it as telling spooky stories around a virtual campfire. Do you have chills yet?
Lore
Want to hear all about effed-up historical events that prove humans can be total monsters? Of course you do! You're going to want to listen to this indie podcast immediately.
And That’s Why We Drink
If you’ve ever listened to a regular true-crime podcast and wished it included more paranormal sh*t like aliens and ghosts, then And That’s Why We Drink was made for you. Plus, they love boxed wine. We can all relate.
Murder in Oregon
If you binged Making a Murderer, you need to listen to Murder in Oregon from iHeartRadio. It’s about the murder of Michael Francke, the director of Oregon’s Department of Corrections, who was brutally stabbed to death in 1989. Though a drug dealer was convicted for the crime, investigators are now convinced—thirty years too late—that someone else actually killed Michael. This podcast seeks to find out the truth.
Morbid
You can probably guess by the name of this podcast, but Morbid is about anything and everything creepy. Whether it’s a conspiracy theory or a cold case, if it’s deeply unsettling, they’ll discuss it.
The Black Tapes
Everyone has skeletons in their closet, but for this serialized docudrama, hosted by journalist Alex Reagan, people are followed by ghosts—figuratively and literally. Alex and her subject dive into their mysterious pasts and by the end of the episode, you'll need to sleep with the lights on.
Unwell
The little Midwestern town of Mt. Absalom, Ohio is haunted by dark secrets. After moving to care for her estranged mother, Lillian Harper discovers that the boarding house run by her mom is fraught with suspicious residents. This fiction podcast will give "small-town America" an entirely new meaning.
Hannah Chambers is an entertainment editor at Cosmopolitan. She loves Little Mix, true crime, and blaming literally everything on Mercury Retrograde.
Paulina is the Weekend Editor at Cosmopolitan.com. When she isn’t covering celeb and pop culture news, she can be found listening to Taylor Swift, watching a teen drama (One Tree Hill is her favorite), or perfecting her skincare routine.
Jasmine is a journalist struggling to adult by day... and pretty much the same at night. She is a summer child with a penchant for all things beachy, bright, and yellow, and thinks Timothée Chalamet is the most beautiful boy on this earth (pun intended).
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