History and Storytelling
From Podcastpedia
This is a topic article.
History and Storytelling
History and storytelling is a major podcast genre that has seen significant growth, driven primarily by The Rest Is History reaching the global top 5. The genre bridges education and entertainment, using narrative techniques to make historical events accessible and engaging.
How shows cover it
| Show | Approach |
|---|---|
| The Rest Is History | Two historians (Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook) take irreverent deep dives into historical topics, structured as multi-part series |
| The Joe Rogan Experience | History comes through guests like Ken Burns and historians who appear for one-off long conversations |
| Dateline NBC | True crime as a form of contemporary history and investigative storytelling |
Sub-topics
- Ancient and medieval history (Roman Empire, French Revolution, Hundred Years' War)
- Military history and conflict
- Biographical storytelling (historical figures as characters)
- Documentary filmmaking and craft
- History as entertainment vs. academic rigor
Emerging vs. established
History podcasting is well-established but experienced a notable audience surge in 2024-2025. The Rest Is History's success demonstrated that serious historical content could compete with celebrity-interview formats in global charts. The show's multi-part series structure (e.g. 17-part French Revolution) rewards loyal listeners in a way that mirrors television prestige drama.
Related topics
- True Crime, which shares narrative techniques
- Long-form Interviews
See also
- Ken Burns, documentary filmmaker who brings historical storytelling to podcast audiences
- Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook
What links here
- Ken Burns (guest)