Are you a skeptic or a believer? After President Obama claimed that “aliens are real” on No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen, we’re not entirely sure. One thing we do know is that aliens, UFOs, and other otherworldly phenomena are great content fodder for some of our favorite podcasts.
But just how deep are you on alien lore? Did you watch Joe Rogan’s interview with Area 51 whistleblower Bob Lazar? Have you saved MonsterTalk’s episode on Bad UFOs for repeat listening? Not to worry. Whether you’re Mulder or Scully, we’ve curated a selection of podcasts about aliens that will appeal to every stage of believer.
From the case of Betty and Barney Hill to the Rendlesham Forest incident, Strange Arrivals is a documentary-style podcast that takes an investigative approach to charting the most famous UFO cases. Hosted by Toby Ball and produced by the team at Grim & Mild, the show doesn’t just examine “encounters” as oddities, but as totems of wider social and cultural trends.
As fans of TV series like Ancient Aliens will attest, many history buffs are also alien-curious. Strange Arrivals takes advantage of this natural intersection by incorporating real research techniques with stranger-than-fiction stories of UFOs. With its high production value and strong analytical lens, Strange Arrivals is our pick for investigations into the folklore and culture that surround stories of extraterrestrial contact.
Since its 2024 launch, Sightings has redefined the paranormal genre by blending cinematic audio drama with expert analysis. Hosted by director Brian Siegele and narrator Macleod Andrews, the show moves beyond casual “basement” chat, offering high-production immersions into the world’s most enduring mysteries.
The podcast excels in its exploration of alien encounters and supernatural phenomena. Approaching UFO sightings and ghostly hauntings with a “skeptical yet open” mind, Siegele and Andrews transform classic encounters into thought-provoking narratives. From stories of alien encounters to the mystery of Roswell, the show’s dramatic retellings evoke the immersive terror of Orson Welles’ The War of the Worlds.
By focusing on the “unanswered questions” that keep us up at night, Sightings provides a sophisticated, campfire-style experience. It’s a hauntingly perfect companion for a midnight drive, designed for those who find the unexplained impossible to ignore.
Do you want to believe? The host of High Strange, Payne Lindsey (Up and Vanished), breaks the stigma around UFOs and alien encounters. On this investigative true crime-style podcast from Tenderfoot TV, Lindsey takes the approach of a newbie to the UFO community. He interviews a range of witnesses, from government officials to airline pilots, in an effort to separate real evidence from “tinfoil hat” conspiracy theories.
High Strange, much like Strange Arrivals, is an excellent gateway podcast into the world of extraterrestrial and alien lore, and will appeal to true crime enthusiasts who seek “out of this world” stories. Literally.
This is a rewatch podcast with an extraterrestrial twist. More Like Ancient FAILiens debunks theories from the iconic History Channel show Ancient Aliens, which ran for twenty seasons with over 200 episodes. The podcast provides impressive evidence to refute the pseudo-science of the series with real archeology and… well, common sense. No offence, Ancient Aliens fans.
More Like Ancient FAILiens is another alien podcast from Tony Ball (Strange Arrivals) with the addition of Brandon R. Reynolds. The show is a funny, lighthearted take on UFO-skepticism that celebrates the real people who did all of those impressive feats. You know, like building the pyramids. Seriously, give the ordinary folk some credit.
Full Disclosure with Danny Sheehan
Danny Sheehan, a litigator famous for his work on the Pentagon Papers, Watergate, and the Iran-Contra affair, is also the founder of the New Paradigm Institute. His podcast, Full Disclosure, is about the processes behind breaking huge stories to the public. Sheehan uses his legal expertise to lift the veil on the mechanisms of government secrecy, including the nuances behind declassification laws and the impact of non-human intelligence on society.
Full Disclosure is the perfect choice for political junkies and advocates for large-scale disclosures. Unlike many of the shows on this list of alien podcasts, Full Disclosure approaches alien phenomena as a constitutional crisis and a matter of urgent public interest.
Hosted by Stephen Diener, the Unidentified Alien Podcast (UAP) is exactly what believers need: regular updates on the latest news and developments in UFO sightings, including government disclosures and revelations in historical cases. The show has a knack for highlighting leaked information and technical discrepancies, the implication being that these errors reveal UFO cover-ups. Make no mistake, this is one for the hardcore alien encounter enthusiasts.
We couldn’t resist adding a spooky fiction podcast to this list. As big fans of sci-fi and audio dramas, we couldn’t wait to binge all episodes of Gabriel Urbina‘s Wolf 359, a story set in the U.S.S. Hephaestus, a ship orbiting a star called Wolf 359. The series begins with communications officer Doug Eiffel on Day 448 of the mission scanning for signs of alien life. The crew are highly isolated. The radar picks up strange recordings of classical music. Who is out there — and why is the crew afraid they were never meant to leave this mission?
The series, which runs for over sixty episodes, starts as a sitcom before transforming into a high-stakes sci-fi thriller. The story is a treat for fans of Danny Boyle’s Sunshine or fiction podcast The White Vault.
On his “quest to get smarter,” Danny Jones became famous for his long-form, Joe Rogan-style interviews that often run for hours. Though not exclusively about aliens, the podcast often probes (pun intended) NASA physicists, CIA historians, and whistleblowers commenting on the subject, alongside guests who discuss the occult, politics, and conspiracy theories. There aren’t many limits here. Little of the content is fact checked, if any. But that’s part of the extraterrestrial fun.
For a casual listen, Aliens! Yes? But Maybe No is an easygoing conversation between two friends, Travis and Josh, who discuss a range of topics relating to UFO sightings. From “the Mothman” to the “Hollow Moon,” the show encapsulates that familiar vacillation most of us feel when we hear stories about aliens: this is cool, but I find it hard to believe. Being undecided about extraterrestrials is an okay state of being. You know, a bit Mulder and a bit Scully. Aliens! Yes? But Maybe No takes your hand without judgement, helping listeners embrace the unexplained while retaining healthy skepticism.
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Alice Florence Orr is the Managing Editor of Podcast Review and Daylight. Sightings and Danny Jones Podcast are part of the Daylight network.