
Bob Crawford (The Avett Brothers) & Dr. Ben Sawyer (MTSU History) share conversations with great thinkers from a variety of backgrounds – historians, artists, legal scholars, political figures and more –who help us uncover the many roads that run between past and present. For more information, visit TheRoadToNow.com If you'd like to support our work, join us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheRoadToNow
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 477 | Founded | 10 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Society & CultureHistory | |||

The Declaration of Independence has a story that is much bigger than July 4th, 1776. From its origins in enlightenment thought to its evocation by modern politicians, the document has had a life that can teach us a lot about who we are and have been.... more
The suburbs have long been a symbol of American prosperity in the post-WWII era. Yet the contrast between suburban wealth and "inner city" poverty overlooks the stories of those living in suburbia who were unable to reach "the good life." In this epi... more
Washington D.C. in the 1850s was a tale of two cities. It was the Capitol city of a rapidly expanding new nation while at the same time ground zero for a politically fractured and divided nation hurtling toward disunion. Standing in the middle of it ... more
May 18, 2026 marks exactly ten years since Bob Crawford and Ben Sawyer launched the first episode of The Road to Now, so we decided to get together for a conversation reflecting on our first conversation, the unexpected places the show has taken us, ... more
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This show is thoughtful, measured, informative and always interesting
Always well researched, informative guests.
I love the intriguing topics and unique ideas I get from the conversations on this podcast. Keep up the good work.
I’ve been listening ever since Ben was on the Nate land podcast. This pod is good easy listening full of great information. That is actually interesting.
I have been looking for a good podcast on history that helps explain some of the famous stories a little better but this was not it. Instead it’s just them putting their political spin on everything and that’s not what I was looking for. I just want to hear about the story not why you think all republicans are awful. If you love hearing why being a liberal is right with a little history sprinkled in this is the podcast for you.
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Apple Podcasts | #173 |
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A history- and culture-focused talk show that blends deep-dive conversations with historians, authors, journalists, and policy experts. Episodes frequently center on historical events and figures, civics education, and how the past informs present-day politics, media, and culture. Noteworthy traits include a conversational, narrative style that often weaves personal anecdotes and modern-day context into scholarly topics, and regular guests who are leading scholars or writers in history, politics, and the arts. The show appears to attract listeners who enjoy thoughtful historical analysis that connects to current events, media, and civic life, with a strong emphasis on storytelling and education for a broadly curious audience.
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These podcasts share a similar audience with The Road to Now:
1. History That Doesn't Suck
2. History Unplugged Podcast
3. My History Can Beat Up Your Politics
4. American History Hit
5. We the People
The Road to Now launched 10 years ago and published 477 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on The Road to Now include:
1. Ted Widmer
2. Robert O'Harrow Jr.
3. Kristin Jorgensen
4. Dean Kinzer
5. Eugene Rogan
6. Tony Parker
7. Vanessa S. Williamson
8. Erik Ewers
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