These were the top podcasts of 2024

What Aussies are listening to

It's no secret Australians love their podcasts, but which shows are they tuning into most? We've rounded up our favourites from Apple’s just-released list of the top podcasts of 2024. 

Podcasts are a great way to relax, learn, and build new habits, and there’s now data to prove it.

Researchers from the University of South Australia reviewed 38 studies and found that podcasts ‘could be an effective medium for health information and behaviour change interventions.’

The team concluded that people want to listen to health podcasts to ‘gain information, better understand mental health issues, and seek entertainment’ in an accessible, reliable and conversational format.

So what are Aussies most excited to learn about? According to Apple’s top podcasts of the year, health, motivation and true crime podcasts are coming out on top, but the data shows we also enjoy having a laugh. 

Here are our top picks of the podcasts that topped the chart this year – plus, if you aren't already an avid listener you can plug into the Body+Soul Healthy-ish podcast here. 

The top health and motivational podcasts of 2024. Image: Getty

The top health and motivational podcasts

Huberman Lab

Apple’s seventh top show of 2024 in Australia follows neuroscientist Andrew Huberman as he discusses how our brain works, and ways you can improve its function for better health and wellbeing.

The Imperfects

Apple’s number one top show and most shared show of 2024 in Australia sees founder of The Resilience Project Hugh van Cuylenburg, his brother Josh and friend Ryan Shelton chat to experts, stars and other big names about their struggles and best advice for overcoming adversity.

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

Entrepreneur and former CEO Steven Barlett sits down with celebrities and experts in medicine, tech, business, politics and more to give listeners a deep insight into their stories and life changing tips.

It was Apple’s sixth top show, third most followed and ninth most shared show of 2024 in Australia.

Australians are loving health, motivational and crime podcasts. Image: iStock

Crime and investigative podcasts

The Mushroom Cook

Investigative journalists from the Herald Sun delve into the case of Australian woman Erin Patterson, who was accused of murdering and attempting to murder her relatives by serving them a meal laced with poisonous mushrooms in 2023.

Patterson is currently facing trial in Victoria, and host Brooke Grebert-Craig reports on the court hearings as they happen in Apple’s second top new show in 2024 in Australia.

Witness: William Tyrrell

News Corp Australia’s Editorial Director Dan Box looks back on the inquest into the 2014 disappearance of three-year-old boy William Tyrrell from his foster grandmother’s Kendall home, and explores potential case theories.

The deep dive into one of Australia’s most well known missing person cases was Apple’s fifth top new show of 2024 in Australia.

Casefile True Crime

An anonymous Australian host takes listeners through solved or cold criminal cases from around the world. It’s a favourite of the serial killer fanatics, and Apple’s third top show of 2024 in Australia.

Ghost Story

Ghost sceptic Tristan Redman’s childhood home was next door to the house where his wife’s great-grandmother was murdered in the 1930s. He and those who lived in the home after him reported weird things happening in the house, and seeing the ghost of a woman. Redman takes listeners along with him as he investigates.

It was Apple’s third most shared show of 2024 in Australia, and the 10th most followed show.

Podcasts delving into true crime are popular with Aussie listeners. Image: iStock

Feel good chatty podcasts

Hamish and Andy

National treasures Hamish Blake and Andy Lee chat about news, stories and what’s going on in their lives with their co-host, Jack Post. You can’t listen without laughing as the trio play out stunts, recount career moments, and test listeners on their funny and sometimes unimpressive ‘special skills’.

The podcast was the ninth Top Show of 2024 in Australia on Apple, and their 240th episode was the fifth Top Episode of 2024 in Australia.

The Louis Theroux Podcast

Our favourite documentarian Louis Theroux gets the biggest names, including Barry Keoghan, Nick Kyrios, Sharon Stone and Paul Mescal to open up about everything and anything during in-depth interviews. It was Apple’s sixth top new show of 2024 in Australia.

Listeners are also fans of lighthearted, conversational podcasts. Image: Pexels

History podcasts

The Rest is History

The history buffs are loving Apple’s eighth top show and second most followed and shared show of Australia in 2024.

Perfect for people wanting to learn about history in a way that’s actually engaging and interesting, British historians Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook chat about key historical moments and their links to current events.

Keen to keep listening? Check out the most recent episodes from the Body+Soul Healthy-ish podcast here. 

Originally published as These were the top podcasts of 2024