Throughline
NPRThroughline is a time machine. Each episode, we travel beyond the headlines to answer the question, "How did we get here?" We use sound and stories to bring history to life and put you into the middle of it. From ancient civilizations to forgotten figures, we take you directly to the moments that shaped our world. Throughline is hosted by Peabody Award-winning journalist Rund Abdelfatah. Support p... more
| Publishes | Twice weekly | Episodes | 511 | Founded | 8 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | HistoryDocumentarySociety & Culture | |||
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Latest Episodes
The Moomins have been a beloved children’s series around the world for decades. And now these bright, whimsical, and colorful Finnish characters are starting to gain steam in America. Today on Throughline, the story of their creator and the tragic ci... more
Looksmaxxing, weight loss, and muscle building have fueled a massive craze for injectable peptides. Some natural and some synthetic. These injectables have unleashed a multi-billion-dollar gray-market industry online and a high-stakes frontier for th... more
From dating shows to police interrogation rooms, the polygraph test has long been marketed as a way to detect deception. But can it really? And who decided we needed a truth machine in the first place? In this episode, a Throughline listener sends us... more
The Eighth Amendment. What is cruel and unusual punishment? Who gets to define and decide the amendment's boundaries? And how did the Constitution's authors imagine it might change? In this hour, the shifting definition of cruel and unusual punishmen... more
Key Facts
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Reviews
- Too Antisemitic for me
Too biased & there is very little information about the history of Israel. I’ve been a life long Dem, but with the direction of today’s Democratic Party, for the first time ever, me, my family, and other Democratic voters, are going for the GOP. Specifically bc of all the hate being directed at us here in the USA. Please, stop propagating misinformation & one sided episodes.
Apple Podcasts3Shwolfe
United States12 days ago I appreciate the variety of Through line topics, and their balanced and factual reporting. I rarely miss an episode. Please keep up the great work.
Podcast Addict513 days agocampenberger- Informative & Insightful
Throughline provides informative, interesting, and thoughtful episodes. I have Throughline on my weekly rotation, often listening to it in the wee hours of the night while rocking my baby. Thankful for this show!
Apple Podcasts5Stefanie34United States18 days ago - Leaving Throughline
Love the show but you won’t sever ties with Ramtin
I just can’t tolerate listening to him, his music or ideas. It really bothers me that the producers/creators are so insensitive
Apple Podcasts1pcdishUnited Statesa month ago - Once brilliant story telling
Used to be great story telling… but starting to sound more like an al jazeera side channel.
Apple Podcasts2josh21012
Australiaa month ago
Listeners Say
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Spotify | #19 | United States/History |
Apple Podcasts | #11 | United States/History |
Apple Podcasts | #28 |  Canada/History |
Apple Podcasts | #82 |  United Kingdom/History |
Apple Podcasts | #52 | Australia/History |
Apple Podcasts | #82 |  Germany/History |
Talking Points
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Audience Metrics
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Throughline
What is Throughline about and what kind of topics does it cover?
Throughline offer a historically grounded, story-driven approach to current events and long-running cultural debates. Episodes explore how past forces and decisions shape today's headlines, blending archival research, expert interviews, and narrative storytelling to illuminate complex topics—from technology and economics to politics, race, and social change. Notable strengths include rigorous historical context, diverse guest voices, and a clear emphasis on how historical memory informs modern policy and public life. The show frequently features historians, journalists, and subject-matter experts, often tying big ideas to human-centered stories that help listeners see the throughline from past to present.
Where can I find podcast stats for Throughline?
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Throughline. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Throughline and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
How many listeners does Throughline get?
Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Throughline, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.
What are the audience demographics for Throughline?
Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Throughline, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.
How many subscribers and views does Throughline have?
To see how many followers or subscribers Throughline has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.
Which podcasts are similar to Throughline?
These podcasts share a similar audience with Throughline:
1. Radiolab
2. This American Life
3. Fresh Air
4. Code Switch
5. Up First from NPR
How many episodes of Throughline are there?
Throughline launched 8 years ago and published 511 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
How do I contact Throughline?
Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.
Where can I see ratings and reviews for Throughline?
Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Throughline from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.
View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.
How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Throughline?
Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Throughline. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.
What guests have appeared on Throughline?
Recent guests on Throughline include:
1. Grant Maltman
2. Alison Li
3. Ken Alder
4. Carol Steiker
5. John Bessler
6. Roger Gilbert
7. Kyle Buchanan
8. Anas Baba
To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.