BBC Sounds reveals the top 10 most popular podcasts of the year, with 2.3 billion total plays of radio, music and podcasts in 2024

BBC Sounds today reveals its most popular podcasts of 2024, showcasing a wide range of top titles that have entertained millions of listeners across the UK throughout the year.

With more than 2.3 billion plays of radio, music, and podcasts in 2024 (from January to November), and a 12% increase for on demand speech content, BBC Sounds continues to be the ultimate destination for high-quality audio, ad-free and on demand. From news and current affairs to history, sport, comedy, and star-studded drama, BBC Sounds is the place for content that makes you laugh, think, and keeps you company - wherever you are.

So, if you’re searching for your next listen, look no further! We’ve rounded up the top titles across a range of genres below so you don’t miss a thing, and you can enjoy our ‘Best of 2024’ collection on BBC Sounds now.

Top ten most popular BBC Sounds podcasts of 2024 in the UK

(Based on BBC Sounds plays between January and November 2024)

1. Newscast: The BBC’s daily news podcast
2. Limelight: Fiction and drama serials you won’t want to miss, including Central Intelligence
3. Americast: The latest insights and analysis from the US
4. Uncanny: Danny Robins investigates real life stories of paranormal encounters
5. Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley: Scientifically proven tips to change your life
6. You’re Dead to Me: Greg Jenner and guests learn and laugh about the past
7. Sliced Bread: Greg Foot investigates wonder products with bold claims
8. Intrigue: Dramatic true stories that reveal how the world really works, including Worse Than Murder and To Catch a Scorpion
9. Mark Steel’s in Town: Stand-up comedy tailored to towns across the UK
10. Lady Killers / Swindlers with Lucy Worsley: Lucy Worsley investigates the crimes of Victorian women from a contemporary, feminist perspective

Jonathan Wall, Director of BBC Sounds, says: “2024 has been a fantastic year for BBC Sounds. We delivered round-the-clock coverage of the biggest national moments including the elections at home and in the US, an action-packed summer of sport, and a record-breaking BBC Proms season. We launched bold new podcasts with big names, including Miss Me? with best friends Lily and Miquita, Off the Telly with Natalie Cassidy and Joanna Page, and Joanne McNally Investigates which saw the comedian pursue a new role as an investigative journalist.

“Looking to the wider audio landscape, we acquired popular titles from podcast partners across the nation, including Tortoise Media, Noiser and Goalhanger, as well as from independent producers, supporting our peers across the industry and ensuring there’s always something fresh and exciting for our audience to discover on the platform.

“Plus, we made it easier than ever to find the content that matters to you. In the BBC Sounds app, we grouped content into ‘Collections’, we created a ‘Latest News Playlist’, and we implemented a new 24/7 ‘Live News’ stream, making it easier to discover a range of live and on-demand titles. In 2025 we will continue to deliver what listeners want, where they want and how they want, and we’re already planning our next wave of on demand commissions.”

Mohit Bakaya, BBC Director of Speech, says: “I’m delighted to see such a wide range of genres making the BBC Sounds top ten list, demonstrating the incredible speech offering we have for listeners. There truly is something for everyone from news and investigative journalism to comedy, drama, and history. It’s been another strong year for audio, with our teams winning 29 awards at the British Podcast Awards and launching major new series like Intrigue: To Catch a Scorpion and CIA drama Central Intelligence starring Kim Cattrall and Ed Harris. We’ve increased plays of on demand speech content by 12% on BBC Sounds over the past year and we will continue to bring listeners the very best engaging, entertaining and creative podcasts.”

Top five titles on BBC Sounds by genre

(Including podcasts and on-demand radio programmes)

Comedy

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 kept listeners entertained all year with a laugh-out-loud lineup of shows poking fun at the week’s events. Other rib-tickling top titles included Mark Steel’s in Town, in which the comedian delivered tailored stand-up sets to towns across the UK; Just a Minute, where contestants spoke for one minute on a given title without deviation; It’s a Fair Cop, where former police officer turned stand-up comedian Alfie Moore let the audience make the policing decisions; and The Unbelievable Truth, in which comedians tried to smuggle nuggets of truth past their opponents in David Mitchell’s comedy panel game. Plus, those looking for a warm dose of heartfelt comedy-drama tuned into Conversations from a Long Marriage**,** starring Joanna Lumley and Roger Allam as a long-married couple, amusingly exploring the ups and downs of life together.

Drama and Audiobooks

The Archers remained the most popular audio drama for listeners this year, regularly topping the list of most-listened-to on-demand programmes for all ages, including under 35s. One of the year’s most gripping storylines saw George Grundy put behind bars, and fans were also treated to an extra helping of Ambridge life in brand new companion podcast, The Archers Podcast. This year also marked a significant moment in the history of The Archers as the BBC paid tribute to the show’s longest-serving cast member, June Spencer, who passed away in November at the age of 105 having portrayed Peggy Woolley since the programme’s inception over 70 years ago. Other top audio dramas included the Limelight strand of unmissable serials, including major new CIA drama Central Intelligence starring Kim Cattrall and Ed Harris, and The Lovecraft Investigations into witchcraft and the occult. In the audiobooks category, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and You Are Here by David Nicholls kept listeners turning the virtual pages.

Entertainment

Desert Island Discs was the top entertainment title on BBC Sounds this year, and castaways Cillian Murphy and Greg Davies were the most-played interviews of the year. Listeners also loved the fresh new-look podcast from award-winning presenters Elis James and John Robins, who treated fans to two weekly episodes of their eponymous show. Another popular double-act was Lily Allen and Miquita Oliver, who settled in for transatlantic chats in new series Miss Me? and also featured a special guest appearance from singer Billie Eilish. For arts enthusiasts, This Cultural Life brought listeners closer to the leading minds in arts, theatre, music, dance, film and more. And in Young Again, broadcasting legend Kirsty Young asked fascinating people what advice they would give to their younger selves, including Miranda Hart and Nigel Slater.

History

Listeners may be looking forward to the new year, but for those who like to look back we offered a first-class passport to the past. In Our Time ranked top of the history pods, as Melvyn Bragg and guests explored the history of ideas. In You’re Dead to Me, Greg Jenner learned and laughed about the lives of historical figures, with Mozart and Catherine the Great being the most-played episodes. The show also celebrated its 100th episode with the story of the Bloomsbury Group, a collection of artists and intellectuals in 1920s London. Lady Killers / Swindlers with Lucy Worsley returned with a fresh twist, swapping corpses for capers and delving into the stories of female swindlers who thieved, hoaxed and deceived their way into history. Noiser’s The History Podcast returned with new series, including a gripping re-examination into the mysterious disappearance of Lord Lucan, and a fresh investigation into the 1984 Brighton bombing which coincided with the 40th anniversary of the attack. Also acquired from Noiser, Short History Of… bore witness to history’s most incredible moments and remarkable people.

Investigative Journalism

It’s been a year of gripping stories and edge-of-your-seat journalism on BBC Sounds, with Intrigue topping the investigative journalism chart. The series delivered groundbreaking investigations including Worse Than Murder, which revisited the tragic disappearance of Muriel McKay and coincided with a new police search, and To Catch a Scorpion which followed Sue Mitchell and Rob Lawrie on a dramatic hunt for one of Europe’s most-wanted people-smugglers. Things Fell Apart joined Jon Ronson as he explored bizarre and unexpected stories from the history of the culture wars, and The Coming Storm followed Gabriel Gatehouse as he delved deeper into the unsettling world of American conspiracy culture. World of Secrets delivered several new series investigating the consequences of power in the wrong hands, including Al Fayed: Predator and Harrods, Finding Mr Fox, and recently-released The Bad Guru. And we teamed up with Tortoise Media to launch a new Tortoise Investigates feed, featuring not one, not two but three acquired titles: Hoaxed, Sweet Bobby, and Pig Iron.

Music

Coinciding with the news of a 2025 Oasis reunion, music fans tuned into The Rise and Fall of… where Jo Whiley and Steve Lamacq delved into the complex relationship between brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher. Sidetracked offered an authentic and light-hearted take on the week in music with Annie Macmanus and Nick Grimshaw. Eras explored the evolution of music legends including ABBA and Sting, diving deep into the BBC archive and speaking to those who were there. Music Uncovered transported listeners back to the 90s and 00s when Garage music took the UK by storm. And in Pop Top 10, Scott Mills and Rylan joined forces to unofficially rank iconic music and pop culture moments.

Music Mixes

With music to suit every occasion, BBC Sounds saw a total of 52.3 million plays across all music mixes (January – November). Those looking for a soothing end to the day drifted off to the Sleeping Forecast, which featured guest appearances from Gabby Logan, Chris Packham, and Charlotte Church. For those seeking peace of mind, the Mindful Mix was a top choice, while those gearing up to super-charge their workouts turned to Pace Setter, including a special mix from Paddy McGuinness as he completed his ultra-endurance chopper challenge for Children in Need. Other popular mixes included Piano Focus and Essential Classics Mix, ensuring there was a perfect soundtrack for every moment.

News and Current Affairs 

Newscast and Americast topped the news and current affairs category on BBC Sounds this year, offering listeners in-depth analysis and expert insights during a year of intense election debates in the UK and the US. This year also saw the launch of The Today Podcast, with Amol Rajan and Nick Robinson providing exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the UK’s most influential radio news programme. Meanwhile, The World Tonight and Radio 4’s Six O’Clock News covered all the major breaking news at home and across the globe.

Science, Maths and Consumer

This year, we celebrated the legacy of much-loved broadcaster and colleague, Michael Mosley. As a tribute to Michael and his impact, the BBC hosted Just One Thing Day in July, and Michael was also commemorated with the British Podcast Awards’ Hall of Fame Award. Just One Thing was beloved by listeners, topping this category and firmly placing within the top ten most-listened to podcasts this year. This reflects the influence Michael had on people’s lives and his talent for making complex topics engaging and accessible. Michael’s series was the cornerstone of a thriving genre, which also included in its top five titles: The Infinite Monkey Cage with Brian Cox and Robin Ince; Sliced Bread, which celebrated its 100th episode; Curious Cases with Hannah Fry and Dara Ó Briain; and Uncharted with Hannah Fry.

Sport

Football Daily topped the sport table this year, keeping footy fans updated with the latest news, analysis, and highlights from the pitch. Rugby Union Weekly followed closely, delivering rugby enthusiasts their weekly fix of the latest action. Test Match Special was a hit with cricket fans, offering expert insights and interviews with top talent. 606 allowed callers to have their own say on the action, as part of the football hotline show. And Match of the Day Top 10 saw Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards discuss and debate their major footballing moments.

True Crime

Topping the list of bone-chilling true crime titles, Crime Next Door got a little too close for comfort, sharing stories from neighbourhoods across the UK. Gangster pulled listeners into the gritty world of organised crime, with series including Catching the Kingpins which told the inside story of the biggest organised crime bust in British policing history. Murder They Wrote with Laura Whitmore and Iain Stirling saw the true-crime loving couple explore jaw-dropping crime cases together. Award-winning podcast Assume Nothing from BBC Radio Ulster examined crime cases through fresh eyes. And blending sport with true crime, Sport’s Strangest Crimes plunged listeners deep into the dark side of the sporting world, featuring shocking confessions from a match-fixer, and a brutal attack on a Paris Saint-Germain player that divided the women’s team and turned teammates into the bitterest enemies.

Acquisitions

This year we’re proud to spotlight some of our top-performing acquired titles which found a new home on BBC Sounds. As part of our commitment to supporting our peers across the UK podcast industry, we partnered with the likes of award-winning production company Noiser, from who we acquired a range of titles including Short History Of…, Real Dictators, and Real Survival Stories, which were some of our most-played acquisitions in 2024. We also teamed up with Tortoise Media to launch a new Tortoise Investigates feed which included Hoaxed, Sweet Bobby and Pig Iron. And from QI Ltd, we proudly share award-winning podcast, No Such Thing as a Fish, in which the writers of QI discuss the best things they’ve learnt during the week.

Catch up on all this and more now, with our Best of 2024 collection on BBC Sounds.