Best History Podcasts 2026: Top 20 Ranked by Data: Ranked by Real Chart Data
Updated September 2026 · Based on CastFox data covering 26 Apple Podcasts chart snapshots in 78 countries (2026-02-24 to 2026-09-25) and 5M+ indexed podcasts
Search best history podcasts 2026 and you get the same famous names in a different order on every list. This one is assembled from chart data instead of taste. CastFox scrapes the Apple Podcasts charts daily in 78 countries, and the 20 shows below are the ones that held the top of the US History chart across all 26 snapshots taken between February 24 and September 25, 2026, scored on consistency, average rank, and how many countries they reach.
History podcasting in 2026 has split into recognizable formats, and knowing which one you want matters more than knowing which show is biggest. There are narrative flagships that turn one event into a week of listening (The Rest Is History, Dan Snow's History Hit, Short History Of..., Throughline, History Daily). There is a deep ancient and medieval bench (The Ancients, In Our Time, Gone Medieval, Not Just the Tudors, The History of Rome). There are long-form epics that treat a single subject like a season of television (Dan Carlin's Hardcore History, Revolutions, Empire: World History). There is American history told through scandal and correction (American Scandal, You're Wrong About), a fast-growing espionage cluster (The Rest Is Classified, John Kiriakou's Dead Drop), a dark-history corner (Lore, After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal), and one sleep show that has quietly become a top-20 history charter (Sleepy History).
Every card below shows the real cover art, the publisher, what the show is, why it earned its place in 2026, who it is best for, and the chart record behind the ranking: how many of the 26 US snapshots it appeared in, its average US rank, its best position, and how many countries it charted in on the latest scrape. Click through to CastFox for the full profile with chart history in every country, audience estimates, reviews, and contact details.
The 20 best history podcasts of 2026 at a glance
| # | Podcast | Hosted by | Avg US rank | Best rank | Countries charting | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Rest Is History | Goalhanger | 1.2 | #1 | 78 | 721 |
| 2 | The Ancients | History Hit | 5.6 | #4 | 74 | 655 |
| 3 | Dan Snow's History Hit | History Hit | 10.2 | #5 | 72 | 1,000 |
| 4 | Dan Carlin's Hardcore History | Dan Carlin | 12.7 | #4 | 63 | 12 |
| 5 | Short History Of... | NOISER | 13.9 | #4 | 62 | 282 |
| 6 | Throughline | NPR | 8.4 | #3 | 55 | 460 |
| 7 | In Our Time | BBC Radio 4 | 23.2 | #16 | 72 | 1,000 |
| 8 | Empire: World History | Goalhanger | 25.6 | #12 | 72 | 406 |
| 9 | The Rest Is Classified | Goalhanger | 25.9 | #12 | 71 | 208 |
| 10 | Gone Medieval | History Hit | 20.4 | #14 | 61 | 556 |
| 11 | Sleepy History | Slumber Studios | 15.3 | #10 | 54 | 116 |
| 12 | American Scandal | Audible | 5.4 | #3 | 36 | 163 |
| 13 | Lore | Aaron Mahnke | 10.5 | #6 | 35 | 500 |
| 14 | After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal | History Hit | 31 | #10 | 59 | 310 |
| 15 | Not Just the Tudors | History Hit | 33.2 | #26 | 57 | 559 |
| 16 | History Daily | History Daily | 19.7 | #13 | 40 | 365 |
| 17 | John Kiriakou's Dead Drop | John Kiriakou & Alan Katz | 17.9 | #4 | 36 | 51 |
| 18 | You're Wrong About | Sarah Marshall | 20.7 | #10 | 39 | 269 |
| 19 | Revolutions | Mike Duncan | 21.9 | #13 | 40 | 402 |
| 20 | The History of Rome | Mike Duncan | 33.4 | #21 | 53 | 193 |
Jump to a Show
- #1. The Rest Is History
- #2. The Ancients
- #3. Dan Snow's History Hit
- #4. Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
- #5. Short History Of...
- #6. Throughline
- #7. In Our Time
- #8. Empire: World History
- #9. The Rest Is Classified
- #10. Gone Medieval
- #11. Sleepy History
- #12. American Scandal
- #13. Lore
- #14. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal
- #15. Not Just the Tudors
- #16. History Daily
- #17. John Kiriakou's Dead Drop
- #18. You're Wrong About
- #19. Revolutions
- #20. The History of Rome
Rising this month · How we ranked these · How to pick the right show · FAQ
The 20 Best History Podcasts to Listen To in 2026
Narrative Flagships
#1. The Rest Is History
Hosted by Goalhanger
About this show: Historians Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook take one of history's biggest moments and stay with it for a week of episodes, from the rise and fall of the Roman Empire to the Norman Conquest, the French Revolution, the sinking of the Titanic, and the Nazi conquest of Europe. Goalhanger produces it and releases new episodes constantly.
Why it made the list in 2026: The most complete chart record of any history podcast we track: it has never dropped out of the US top 100 in 2026 and it charts in every country CastFox scrapes. Chart record: 26 of 26 US snapshots, average US rank 1.2, best #1, charting in 78 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Anyone who wants one subject explained properly by two people who clearly enjoy arguing about it.
#3. Dan Snow's History Hit
Hosted by History Hit
About this show: Historian Dan Snow travels to the places where history happened, from the Colosseum and the Great Wall of China to the battlefields of Waterloo and the tomb of Tutankhamun, and explains how and why the event mattered. Twice weekly, with a back catalogue of a thousand episodes.
Why it made the list in 2026: One of the widest country footprints in the genre and a decade of chart presence behind it. Chart record: 26 of 26 US snapshots, average US rank 10.2, best #5, charting in 72 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who want the site, the object, and the story rather than a studio discussion.
#5. Short History Of...
Hosted by NOISER
About this show: NOISER's weekly narrative show takes one extraordinary event or person and tells the whole story in a single episode, with the research summarized rather than argued over. New episodes every Monday.
Why it made the list in 2026: A top-five peak on the US chart and the most reliable single-episode entry point in the category. Chart record: 26 of 26 US snapshots, average US rank 13.9, best #4, charting in 62 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: People who want a complete history story on a commute, with no series commitment.
#6. Throughline
Hosted by NPR
About this show: NPR's history show, hosted by Peabody Award winner Rund Abdelfatah, asks how we got here and answers with archival sound, reporting, and immersive production, moving from ancient civilizations to forgotten figures.
Why it made the list in 2026: The best-ranked public radio history show on the chart and one of only a handful here with a top-three peak. Chart record: 26 of 26 US snapshots, average US rank 8.4, best #3, charting in 55 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who care about how a story is built as much as what it is about.
#16. History Daily
Hosted by History Daily
About this show: Every weekday, host Lindsay Graham, who also makes American Scandal and American History Tellers, takes one momentous event that happened on that date and tells its true story, from December 7th, 1941 to the moon landing.
Why it made the list in 2026: The most consistent daily show in the category, with a top-15 peak and a full year of chart presence. Chart record: 26 of 26 US snapshots, average US rank 19.7, best #13, charting in 40 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who want a short history habit attached to a specific time of day.
Ancient, Classical and Medieval
#2. The Ancients
Hosted by History Hit
About this show: History Hit's antiquity show, hosted by Tristan Hughes, covers a single theme from the distant past per episode with historians and archaeologists as guests, from Neolithic Britain through to the fall of Rome. New episodes twice a week.
Why it made the list in 2026: The strongest specialist show on this list and the only single-era podcast to rank near the top of the general history chart. Chart record: 26 of 26 US snapshots, average US rank 5.6, best #4, charting in 74 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who want ancient history from the people doing the digging and the reading.
#7. In Our Time
Hosted by BBC Radio 4
About this show: BBC Radio 4's long-running discussion program, hosted by Misha Glenny, puts three academics around a table for forty-five minutes on one subject spanning history, religion, culture, science, and philosophy, from Napoleon to the Sack of Rome to the Russian Revolution.
Why it made the list in 2026: A thousand episodes in and still charting in more than seventy countries, which is the widest reach of any panel-format show in the genre. Chart record: 26 of 26 US snapshots, average US rank 23.2, best #16, charting in 72 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who want experts talking to each other rather than a narrator talking to them.
#10. Gone Medieval
Hosted by History Hit
About this show: History Hit's middle ages show covers Europe and far beyond, from lost Viking ships and kings buried in unexpected places to murders, power politics, myth, religion, and the lives of ordinary people. New episodes every Tuesday and Friday.
Why it made the list in 2026: The only dedicated medieval show to hold a top-100 US place in every snapshot this year, with a top-15 peak. Chart record: 26 of 26 US snapshots, average US rank 20.4, best #14, charting in 61 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who found the ancient world covered and want the next thousand years.
#15. Not Just the Tudors
Hosted by History Hit
About this show: Professor Suzannah Lipscomb covers the early modern world and its edges with historians and experts as guests, from the Aztecs and witches to Velazquez, Shakespeare, Mughal India, and the Mayflower, and yes, the Tudors. New episodes Wednesdays and Sundays.
Why it made the list in 2026: A top-100 US place in every snapshot of 2026 for a show built on one period, which is rare outside the flagships. Chart record: 26 of 26 US snapshots, average US rank 33.2, best #26, charting in 57 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Anyone who came for Anne Boleyn and stayed for the rest of the sixteenth century.
#20. The History of Rome
Hosted by Mike Duncan
About this show: Mike Duncan's completed weekly series traces the Roman Empire from the arrival of Aeneas in Italy to the exile of Romulus Augustulus, the last emperor of the West, across nearly two hundred episodes.
Why it made the list in 2026: Finished more than a decade ago and still charting in more than fifty countries, the longest afterlife of any show on this list. Chart record: 26 of 26 US snapshots, average US rank 33.4, best #21, charting in 53 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Anyone who wants the whole of Rome in order, from the beginning, with an end.
Long-Form Epics and Revolutions
#4. Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
Hosted by Dan Carlin
About this show: Dan Carlin applies an unorthodox, deliberately non-academic way of thinking to the past, usually across multi-hour episodes that treat one conflict or civilization as a single long story. Carlin is a journalist and broadcaster rather than a historian, and says so.
Why it made the list in 2026: Episodes arrive rarely, and it still holds a top-15 average and a top-five peak on the US chart, which almost nothing else on this list manages on that release schedule. Chart record: 26 of 26 US snapshots, average US rank 12.7, best #4, charting in 63 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who want four hours on one subject and will wait months for the next one.
#8. Empire: World History
Hosted by Goalhanger
About this show: William Dalrymple and Anita Anand trace the rise and fall of empires and the revolutions, imperial wars, and people behind them, from the British Empire to the Ottomans to ancient India, always circling back to how it still shapes the present.
Why it made the list in 2026: Goalhanger's second entry in the top ten by reach, with a top-15 peak and a footprint in more than seventy countries. Chart record: 26 of 26 US snapshots, average US rank 25.6, best #12, charting in 72 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Readers of serious history books who want the same material in conversation form.
#19. Revolutions
Hosted by Mike Duncan
About this show: Mike Duncan spent twelve seasons on the real revolutions that reshaped the world and now applies the same repeating arcs, characters, and patterns to a fictional account of the Martian Revolution of 2247, written as a historian looking back.
Why it made the list in 2026: A completed back catalogue that keeps charting in the US top 100 every week, which almost no finished series manages. Chart record: 26 of 26 US snapshots, average US rank 21.9, best #13, charting in 40 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who want to understand why revolutions keep going the same way.
American History, Scandal and Correction
#12. American Scandal
Hosted by Audible
About this show: Audible's narrative series works through the scandals that have shaped America since its founding, from business and politics to sport and society, following each one from the first lie through the fallout to who was left holding it.
Why it made the list in 2026: The best average US rank on this list outside the top three, sustained across the whole year. Chart record: 26 of 26 US snapshots, average US rank 5.4, best #3, charting in 36 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who like their American history with a documented villain.
#18. You're Wrong About
Hosted by Sarah Marshall
About this show: Journalist Sarah Marshall reconsiders one person or event per week that the public remembers wrongly, unpicking the coverage at the time against what the record actually shows.
Why it made the list in 2026: A top-ten US peak and a place in every snapshot, sustained largely on a domestic audience. Chart record: 26 of 26 US snapshots, average US rank 20.7, best #10, charting in 39 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who enjoy finding out that the story they grew up with was the press release.
Espionage and Intelligence
#9. The Rest Is Classified
Hosted by Goalhanger
About this show: Former CIA analyst and spy novelist David McCloskey and security correspondent Gordon Corera work through real intelligence operations, from Cold War espionage to the modern CIA, MI6, and Mossad, and the double agents and classified missions inside them.
Why it made the list in 2026: The fastest riser inside this top 20 by recent chart movement, and the newest Goalhanger show to break into the history top ten. Chart record: 26 of 26 US snapshots, average US rank 25.9, best #12, charting in 71 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Thriller readers and true crime listeners who want the documented version.
#17. John Kiriakou's Dead Drop
Hosted by John Kiriakou & Alan Katz
About this show: Former CIA officer John Kiriakou, who blew the whistle on the agency's torture program and served twenty-three months in federal prison for it, examines what makes a spy tick, with Alan Katz.
Why it made the list in 2026: A top-five US peak this year for a show only about fifty episodes old, one of the sharpest debuts in the genre. Chart record: 26 of 26 US snapshots, average US rank 17.9, best #4, charting in 36 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who want intelligence history from someone who worked inside it.
The Dark Side of the Past
#13. Lore
Hosted by Aaron Mahnke
About this show: Aaron Mahnke's award-winning show, which became a television series and a book series, explores the dark corners of the historical record: the creatures, tragic events, and unusual places behind the folklore.
Why it made the list in 2026: Ten years old and still holding a top-15 US average, with the strongest staying power of any independent show in the genre. Chart record: 26 of 26 US snapshots, average US rank 10.5, best #6, charting in 35 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who want history told as a ghost story that happens to be sourced.
#14. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal
Hosted by History Hit
About this show: Historians Anthony Delaney and Maddy Pelling take the spookiest, strangest, and most sinister stories in the record, from haunted pubs and Houdini to witch trials and reported UFO sightings, twice a week for History Hit.
Why it made the list in 2026: A top-ten peak this year and a place in every snapshot, which is unusual for a show this young. Chart record: 26 of 26 US snapshots, average US rank 31, best #10, charting in 59 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who want the paranormal handled by people with history training.
History for Sleep
#11. Sleepy History
Hosted by Slumber Studios
About this show: Slumber Studios narrates history's more intriguing stories, people, places, and mysteries in a deliberately calming register, designed so that losing the thread and falling asleep is the intended outcome.
Why it made the list in 2026: A top-ten peak on the US History chart and a place in every snapshot this year, which makes sleep audio one of the most durable formats in the genre. Chart record: 26 of 26 US snapshots, average US rank 15.3, best #10, charting in 54 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Insomniacs with a curious mind who find narrative history shows too engaging at bedtime.
Rising This Month: History Podcasts Climbing the Charts (September 2026)
These are the history shows moving up fastest in CastFox rankings. We compare each show's average US chart position across the 3 most recent snapshots (2026-09-08 to 2026-09-25) with the 3 snapshots before that. A show that was outside the top 100 in the prior window is marked as new to the top 100. This section is refreshed every month; the main list above changes more slowly because it rewards consistency.
History's Greatest Mysteries New to the top 100
Hosted by The HISTORY Channel | Rewind Studios. History's Greatest Mysteries new to the US top 100, now averaging #35, with a best US rank of #12 so far in 2026 and a top-100 position in 20 countries on the latest snapshot.
Gunfighters New to the top 100
Hosted by MeatEater. Gunfighters new to the US top 100, now averaging #52.7, with a best US rank of #29 so far in 2026 and a top-100 position in 5 countries on the latest snapshot. Author Bryan Burrough exhumes the gritty history of Old West gunfighters. From Billy the Kid to Wyatt Earp to John Wesley Hardin and dozens more, this collection of stories proves how very violent America's nineteenth...
Plagues with Dr. Keith
Hosted by Keith Sumey, MD. Plagues with Dr. Keith moved from an average of #71 to #29 (up 42 places), with a best US rank of #7 so far in 2026 and a top-100 position in 0 countries on the latest snapshot.
Hot History
Hosted by Ainslie Harvey. Hot History moved from an average of #92 to #72 (up 20 places), with a best US rank of #46 so far in 2026 and a top-100 position in 45 countries on the latest snapshot. Hot History is the podcast for all the things in history you probably should know, but don't.
Real Dictators
Hosted by NOISER. Real Dictators moved from an average of #58.3 to #40 (up 18.3 places), with a best US rank of #24 so far in 2026 and a top-100 position in 63 countries on the latest snapshot. Real Dictators is the award-winning podcast that explores the hidden lives of history's tyrants. Hosted by Paul McGann, with contributions from eyewitnesses and expert historians. New episodes available two weeks early...
How We Ranked These: CastFox Methodology
CastFox scrapes the Apple Podcasts charts every day in 78 countries and stores every position in the top 200 of every genre. For this list we took the 26 2026 snapshots of the US History chart between 2026-02-24 and 2026-09-25, and scored every show that appeared in the top 100 of any of them.
- Consistency (50% of the score): the number of snapshots in which the show appeared in the US top 100. Every show on this list scored 26 out of 26, which is the filter that removes one-week spikes.
- Average US rank (30%): the mean of the show's US chart positions across those snapshots. Lower is better.
- Global reach (20%): the number of tracked countries in which the show was in the genre top 100 on the most recent snapshot. This is what separates a show with a large US following from a show with a global one.
There are no paid placements and no editorial overrides. A few shows on this list would not be our personal picks; they are here because the chart data put them here, and we would rather show you what people are actually listening to than what we think they should be. Chart position is not the same as audience size, so treat the ranking as a measure of sustained popularity rather than a download count. For a deeper look at what chart data can and cannot tell you, read how podcast audience demographics are calculated.
How to Pick the Right History Podcast for You
Which are the best history podcasts for beginners?
Start with Short History Of..., which gives you one complete story per week with no prior reading required, or History Daily, which is a single event in about fifteen minutes every weekday. The Rest Is History is the other easy entry point: Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook explain as they go, so you can start on any series.
What are the best ancient history podcasts?
The Ancients is the specialist, covering antiquity from Neolithic Britain to the fall of Rome with historians and archaeologists as guests, and it is the second highest ranked show on this list. The History of Rome is the completed narrative to binge from episode one, and In Our Time supplies the academic panel version of the same material.
What are the best military and war history podcasts?
Dan Carlin's Hardcore History is the obvious first pick for conflict told at length. Dan Snow's History Hit visits the battlefields themselves, from Waterloo outward, and Empire: World History covers imperial wars and the power struggles behind them. The Rest Is History regularly devotes whole series to brutal rulers and decisive battles.
What are the best American history podcasts?
American Scandal is the strongest performer here, working through corruption and cover-ups from business, politics, and sport with the fallout traced to the end. History Daily, hosted by the same creator, does the on-this-day version, and You're Wrong About revisits the American stories the public remembers incorrectly.
What are the best narrative history podcasts?
Throughline is the most produced of them, building each episode out of sound and reporting to answer how we got here. Short History Of... and Lore are the other two to try first, and Revolutions is the long-form version, one revolution per season.
You want spies, intelligence and the recent secret past
The Rest Is Classified pairs a former CIA analyst with a veteran security correspondent on real operations, and it is the fastest riser inside this top 20. John Kiriakou's Dead Drop is the first-person version from an ex-CIA officer.
You want history to fall asleep to
Sleepy History narrates genuinely interesting stories in a deliberately calming register, and it charts in the history top 20 all year. Boring history for sleep is a real format now, and this is the history-first entry in it.
Want the next 180 history podcasts?
This list is the top 20. The CastFox History chart page shows the top 50 updated daily, and PodcastGPT can find shows on any specific topic across 5M+ podcasts.
See the daily top 50 → Search by topic →Frequently Asked Questions About the Best History Podcasts
What is the best history podcast in 2026?
By CastFox's chart-consistency score, The Rest Is History is the best history podcast of 2026. It appeared in all 26 US History chart snapshots between February and September, held an average US rank of 1.2 with a best position of #1, and charted in all 78 countries CastFox tracks. The Ancients and Dan Snow's History Hit rank second and third.
What is the most popular history podcast in 2026?
The Rest Is History, hosted by Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook, is the most popular history podcast in 2026 on every chart measure CastFox records: the highest average US rank in the genre, a top-100 place in every one of the 26 snapshots, and the widest country footprint at 78. By reach the next tier is The Ancients at 74 countries and Dan Snow's History Hit at 72.
How is this list ranked?
Each show's score combines three things from CastFox's daily Apple Podcasts chart data: how many of the 26 US History chart snapshots between February 24 and September 25, 2026 it appeared in the top 100 of (50% of the score), its average US rank across those appearances (30%), and how many of the 78 tracked countries it charted in on the latest scrape (20%). No paid placements and no editorial overrides.
Which history podcasts are growing fastest right now?
The Rising This Month section above is generated from the same chart data, comparing each show's average US rank across the three most recent snapshots with the three before them. Inside the main top 20, The Rest Is Classified has moved up the most. Outside it, History's Greatest Mysteries and Gunfighters are new to the US top 100.
Are these history podcasts free?
Yes. Every show on this list is free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and the other major apps. Several of them, including The Rest Is History, Empire: World History, and the History Hit shows, also sell paid tiers with ad-free listening, early access, or bonus episodes.
How do I find history podcasts about one specific era or event?
Use PodcastGPT Podcast Finder and describe what you want in plain English, for example podcasts about the Byzantine Empire or podcasts about the Dust Bowl. It searches 5M+ shows and 114M+ episodes by topic rather than by category label, and topic search finds the individual episodes inside shows you already follow.