15 Best Narrative Nonfiction Podcasts

1. Snap Judgment

Play Watch Video
Website Apple Spotify YouTube
Snap Judgment mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's raw, musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. It's storytelling... with a BEAT.MORE Host Glynn Washington
Producer/Network Snap Judgment and PRX
Email ****@snapjudgmemt.org
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.7/5Apple Reviews 12.3KFacebook 117.1KTwitter 25.2KInstagram 8.2K Avg Length 48 min Format Long form Get Email Contact Get access to full database of 2.7M podcastsCreate podcast lists, export in spreadsheet or CSV file with email contacts and start your podcast outreach in minutes.Sign Up for Free with Email Continue with Google

2. What Was That Like - True Stories. Real People.

Play
Website Apple Spotify YouTube
A storytelling podcast, with first-hand amazing stories presented by Scott Johnson and Meredith Hackwith Edwards. Each storyteller tells their own personal true story, with all the details of what happened. Animal attacks, plane crashes, mass shootings, and more you'll hear what happened directly from the person who experienced it, and the inspirational outcome of how they came out on the other side. MORE Hosts Scott Johnson, Meredith Hackwith Edwards
Producer/Network Scott Johnson & Glassbox Media.
Email ****@whatwasthatlike.com
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.7/5Apple Reviews 1.9KFacebook 2.1KTwitter 768 Avg Length 58 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

3. Hear-Tell

Play
Website Apple Spotify
Hear-Tell: a podcast about telling true stories from the Low-Residency MFA in Narrative Nonfiction program at the University of Georgia.
Producer/Network heartell
Email ****@gmail.com
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.7/5Apple Reviews 14Facebook 145Instagram 164 Avg Length 42 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

4. Narratively Out Loud

Play
Apple Spotify
The diverse human storytelling of Narratively.com, spoken out loud. www.narratively.com
Producer/Network Narratively
Email ****@substack.com
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.9/5Apple Reviews 25 Avg Length 37 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

5. The Creative Nonfiction Podcast with Brendan O'Meara

Watch Video
Website Apple Spotify YouTube
The Creative Nonfiction Podcast with Brendan O'Meara is a weekly podcast that showcases leaders in narrative journalism, essay, memoir, documentary film, radio and podcasts about the art and craft of telling true stories.   Follow the show @creativenonfictionpodcast on Instagram and Threads and visit patreon.com/cnfpod to support!MORE Host Brendan OMeara
Producer/Network Brendan O'Meara
Email ****@yahoo.com
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.9/5Apple Reviews 172Twitter 2.5K Since Mar 2013 Get Email Contact

6. Nirantar radio: Audio Documentaries

Play
Apple
The recorder is not merely a tool of documentation, but rather a creative instrument that demands we rethink, re-listen, and reflect on our listening patterns. In asking who the recorder is placed in front of, what it catches that we miss, and what we weave together that it cannot pick up, our team at The Third Eye deepens its obsession with the recording of knowledge. Our 'Audio Documentaries' are sound-and-narrative explorations voiced from the field. These nonfiction narratives are held in a feminist recitation that moves through the personal, the collective and the political...MORE Email ****@gmail.com
Estimated listeners
Avg Length 22 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

7. Chronicles of the Old West

Play
Apple Spotify
Chronicles of the Old West is a narrative history podcast that dives deep into the true stories of the American frontier. Each episode explores the people, places, and pivotal events that defined the era—from legendary Native leaders and frontier battles to forgotten figures and untold struggles. While the storytelling brings drama and cinematic pacing, every tale is rooted in real history. Whether you're a history buff or just love a good story, Chronicles of the Old West invites you to step into the dust and shadow of a time that shaped a nation.MORE Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 5/5 Avg Length 38 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

8. International Narratives

Play
Apple
Welcome to 'International Narratives,' your comprehensive guide to the rich histories and current political landscapes of countries around the world. Our channel is dedicated to educating viewers about the pivotal moments, influential leaders, and significant events that have shaped nations across the globe.Join us as we delve into the founding stories, key historical milestones, and contemporary political issues of various countries...MORE Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 5/5 Avg Length 26 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

9. The Last Diagnosis

Play
Apple
The Last Diagnosis is a narrative nonfiction podcast about real medical cases where science reached its limits. Symptoms mislead, patterns fail, and decisions are often made before understanding arrives. These stories don't end with resolution or relief. They end when medicine does.MORE Email ****@lastdiagnosis.com
Estimated listeners
Avg Length 12 min Format Short form Get Email Contact

10. Dedication: A Centennial Story

Play
Apple Spotify
A unique Seattle history showing Reverend Mary Baker Eddy's influence. Nonfiction narrative about the people who built some of Seattle's most iconic architectural landmarks. A 130-year journey, a true story of cooperation, innovation, and transformation, read by author Cindy Safronoff.MORE Producer/Network Cindy Safronoff
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.7/5Apple Reviews 16 Avg Length 24 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

11. Ghost Frame

Play
Apple Spotify
The animation podcast that's.. not really about animation. Ghost Frame is a narrative nonfiction podcast exploring the creative industry through storytelling, sound-rich scenes, and personal reflection—all framed by one creator's career crossroads.MORE Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.9/5 Avg Length 53 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

12. Paint the Sun: A Boy's Journey

Play
Apple Spotify
When Chris was born, the youngest of seven sons, his father (Joel) was 64 years old. Joel was the child of immigrants and grew up poor in a cement factory town in western Pennsylvania. He was a bomber pilot in World War II. Then an ad man who went by another name. Then, when Chris was 16, Joel died of brain cancer.Paint the Sun: A Boy's Journey tells the story of Chris's quest to discover who his father really was, reconstruct his life and reflect on his long lingering grief...MORE Estimated listeners
Avg Length 26 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact