True Crime Podcasts, and Other Gems to Listen to in 2025

When my Spotify wrap up played this year the kids were shocked to find I had listened to 131,000 minutes of podcasts!

But podcasts are my ‘me’ time. Whether I’m cooking dinner, cleaning, doing the washing, grocery shopping or walking I like the company of a podcast keeping my brain occupied!

So, what have those many hours taught me about podcast? That these are my top ones and why!

The Best Idea Yet

Ever wondered how Lego was invented or who came up with Tamagotchi? Did you know that siracha sauce was started in a basement? All the amazing stories behind ideas we love are outlined in this podcast. I really enjoy finding out one interesting fact each episode that I go on to share with people – like did you know that the Michelin Star food guide was originally started by the Michelin tyre company after WW2 to entice people to leave their houses and drive to restaurants that were being showcased. therefore wearing down their tires and creating a need for new ones?

American Criminal

Host Jeremy Schwartz shares the stories behind American criminals you didn’t know. From assassins, killers, gangsters, and con artists, you’ll hear stories like the Menendez brothers & Crypto King Sam Bankman-Fried. I find he has a wonderful grungy story-telling voice and style.

Business Movers

Each story is told in 4-part series and narrator Lindsay Graham has an amazing way of keeping you engaged through the storytelling. Telling the successful business stories behind identities like Coca Cola, Walt Disney, Stan Lee, and George Lucas. These stories draw you in from the start with their clever storytelling.

If you like Business Movers, then Business Wars is a perfect companion telling the rival stories of competing brands such as Estee Lauder vs L’Oreal or Hasbro vs Mattel.

The Big Flop

TikTok superstar Misha Brown is joined by a comedic co-host(s) each week to chronicle the biggest flops in history. Google Glass, Crystal Pepsi and the ill-fated Cats movie are just some of the ideas that get dissected and rated.

Last Days

This is a TMZ podcast bringing us the life stories of stars we lost throughout the year in a 30-minute tribute.

The Beautiful Nightmare

Our favourite Aussie mums sharing the daily hilarious stories behind motherhood and being a woman in general! Shanelle and Tamara are those mums you hang out with at the school drop off and laugh until tears run down your legs.

Big Mad True Crime

Heather Ashley tackles big crime by getting straight into it and not being afraid to pull punches and call people out on being the scum they are. She gets big mad over true crime and starts each episode with “small talk sucks, so let’s dive in.” A good one if you like the facts and someone who isn’t afraid to call out those that make us big mad in the world of true crime.

True Crime Obsessed

Recapping favourite true crime documentaries such as Dirty John, Ruby Franke, Murdaugh Murders – basically if it’s a documentary series, they’re covering in. The hilariously sassy friendship of the two hosts Patrick Hinds and Gillian Pensavalle makes this an ongoing favourite of many years!

I Think Not

Broadway besties Ellyn Marsh and Joey Taranto (and the extra characters they spontaneously invite from their imagination into the episode) tell true crime TV stories you never knew you needed! From life after lockdown and the phenomenon of phrogging, (people living inside your walls!) they are incredibly funny and quite likely to break into an impromptu song about the case.

Redhanded

Continually winning UK podcasts awards year after year, Hannah Maguire and Suruthi Bala deliver their macabre tales of serial killers, hauntings, and mysteries, taking us inside stories we never knew about with all the creepy details.

Bitchslap

Desi Jedeikin and Rachel Fisher take us back to our Melrose Place days by recapping each episode from the start, complete with their comedic views and character voices. Was Billy always that sad and pathetic?!

British Scandal

Scandals are about sex, money, leadership, and an array of other stories and the UK have a library of them to pull from. Alice Levine and Matt Forde deliver such British stories as Liz Truss, phone hacking, and the Sex Pistols with a funny tone and storytelling style that play off each other well.

American Scandal

Lindsay Graham has the true voice of a storyteller, and I can binge many episodes listening to him. American Scandals looks at such stories as Lou Pearlman (behind the boybands), Theranos, Boeing, and Jimmy & Tammy Faye Bakker

Even the Rich

Sharing the stories of some of the biggest dynasties in history like the Murdochs, Carters (Beyonce of course!) and the Royals, Brooke Siffrinn and Aricia Skidmore-Williams pull back the curtain and share all the details because even the rich have problems just like us. They also have a weekly ‘Rich and Weekly’ which showcases the latest celebrity news and scandals.

The First Degree

All the stories told on The First Degree have a guest sharing how they were one degree separated from the story itself, like being friends with a murderer, or escaping a kidnapping! Jac Vanek and Alexis Linkletter take us through the story and the events leading up to it.

Note: The girls also release their deep dive episodes which lead to some interesting listening such as the 7-part deep dive on Diddy.

Badlands/Disgracelands

A hypnotic style of storytelling, Badlands started out as the true crime podcast about disgraced pop culture icons, hence the name change to Disgracelands. These are the stories you haven’t heard about the famous, and the dark side of entertainment. Jake tells them expertly and takes you on an addictive journey.

Scamfluencers

Scams are becoming more and more sophisticated and common. These are the stories of the most insidious scammers covering the world of social media, fashion, finance, dating, wellness, and more. Scaachi Koul and Sarah Hagi tell these amazing stories of the cons costing millions and the victims left behind.

My Favourite Murder

Launched in 2016 this is a podcast staple! Hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark have since launched the exactly right podcast network that hosts others like the below SVU podcast.

My Favourite Murder starts with a little catch up between the girls and then it’s into each of them presenting a crime to the other. Majestically told, there is a reason the ladies are the top of the podcast game!

That’s Messed Up: An SVU Podcast

If you are a Law and Order SVU fan then this is the podcast for you. Each week Liza Treyger and Kara Klenk break down a Law and Order episode, then the true crime case it was based on, followed by a guest actor from that episode. They have managed to secure some top stars from the show too.

Special mention also to These Are Their Stories where husband and wife team Kevin Flynn and Rebecca Lavoie are joined by a weekly guest to talk about a ‘ripped from the headlines’ episode of Law and Order Original Recipe, SVU or CI, and the case it was based on. The hilarious jingles throughout the episode like ‘Bring in Wong’ make this a laugh out loud favourite.

Hollywood Crime Scene

Desi Jedeikin and Rachel Fisher are hilarious friends who share the tales of crime and scandal from Hollywood. They’re not afraid to get down and dirty and tell the stories with all the fun facts you’d expect from listening to a podcast with 2 friends.

I Catch Killers

You may remember Gary Jubelin as the key detective in the case of missing toddler William Tyrell. After Gary’s time with the police and the adversities when they turned their back on him, he launched one of Australia’s most successful podcasts sitting down with fellow detectives, criminals, addicts, victims, and lawyers to share the true stories behind the criminal and justice system.

Watch What Crappens

If you are a Bravo fan then this is the only podcast you need to listen to. Ben Mandelker and Ronnie Karam are a hilarious duo recapping every episode of Housewives, Traitors, Below Deck, Southern Charm etc. You can’t watch an episode of Bravo now without following it straight up with their podcast recap!

Smartless

If you haven’t listened to an episode of Smartless yet then what are you waiting for? One of the most popular podcasts in the US, Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett have an incredible friendship that translate so well as podcasts hosts, plus each week, they invite one of their A-list friends! They have had award winner actors, singers, presidents, and the most iconic rock bands (nod to Radiohead!)