October 1, 2024
UPDATE
Apple Podcasts highlights narrative series
A new chart, category and celebration of essential series launches today only on Apple Podcasts
Today, Apple Podcasts is elevating series (narrative shows with episodes meant to be listened to in order) that captivate listeners across multiple genres. Apple Podcasts is launching a new continually updated top series chart featuring the top 100 series, making it the first series show chart ever created. Plus, a new Series category will help listeners explore and discover shows they’ll love. Finally, Apple Podcasts editors will introduce Series Essentials, recognizing and celebrating the series that best defines the category each month, starting with ghost storyan original limited series from Wondery and Audacy’s Pineapple Street Studios.
“Serialized podcasts are some of the most impactful podcasting shows, with engaging hosts and best-in-class writing and sound design. They are stories we can’t stop thinking about and continue to talk about even years later,” said Ben Cave, Apple’s global director of Podcasts. “We’re thrilled to celebrate this incredible catalog with a new Top Series Chart, Series Category, and Series Essentials on Apple Podcasts, making it easier for listeners to discover their next favorite show.”
“I live for stories in any form: books, television segments, documentaries, movies, graphic novels… any story, any form. But I never get more into a story than when I’m hooked on a podcast series,” said Rachel Maddow, host of the MSNBC show. Rachel Maddow presents: The Man with the Bag and Rachel Maddow presents: Ultra. “There is something in a single story: a voice, a sustained narrative that builds from episode to episode and then to an end. We are programmed not only to learn things this way, but also to feel them. for my series Ultra and bag manI have heard from many people that these great historical and political stories became not only relatable to them, but also emotional. I truly believe that most of the best stories take more than one sitting to tell, and that the best stories in the world right now are told in podcast series.”
“Making a short series requires such a monumental amount of work and dedication that I have to bow to the audio producers of the world who are still doing it,” said Jad Abumrad, creator of radio laboratory, more perfectand Dolly Parton’s America. “I’m glad to know that Apple Podcasts supports these critical shows and the producers who make them. I can’t wait to explore their selections and find inspiration.”
Main series chart
Apple Podcasts features a top series chart, making it the industry’s first serialized show chart. This new graphic offers listeners a dedicated space to discover their next favorite series, while celebrating the creators who have developed some of the most popular and trending shows on Apple Podcasts. Series make up the majority of the most shared and featured new shows each year. As with all other Apple Podcasts charts, Top Series will be continually updated.
Series Essentials
Series Essentials will highlight the pinnacle of podcasting, celebrating the best storytelling and greatest achievements in the medium. Each month, Apple Podcasts editors will recognize a show that captivates listeners and demonstrates masterful storytelling, artistic excellence, the voice and vision of a distinctive creator, and exceptional artistry. In its featured month, each Series Essentials selection will be presented completely ad-free on Apple Podcasts.
ghost storyPresented by seasoned journalist Tristan Redman, it was chosen as the first Essential Series selection for its compelling and timeless story, which interweaves Redman’s personal family history with his own desire for truth. The show spans multiple genres, including true crime, personal narrative, and historical accounts, and captivates a wide range of audiences.
“Limited series shows like ghost story Give Wondery the opportunity to work with some of the best journalists and storytellers, finding new voices and stories to advance this medium,” said Jen Sargent, CEO of Wondery. “Apple Podcasts’ Essentials series is incredibly exciting and innovative as it illuminates and celebrates these compelling stories, driving greater visibility and engaging new audiences.”
“We are delighted that Apple Podcasts has chosen ghost story “Being the first Essential Series,” Redman said. “After just one year, Being considered for this collection is special. We all look for stories that attract us. Long series podcasts do that; They deserve to be celebrated.”
This gripping story begins with a haunting in a childhood bedroom, evolves into an investigation into a 1930s murder, and concludes with a meditation on the risks and rewards of unearthing family history. The story features homicide detectives, ghost hunters and even psychic mediums, as well as those closest to the investigation (members of the Dancy family, including Tristan’s brother-in-law, actor Hugh Dancy) who speak for the first time about the murders.
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Olivia DeJesse
Apple
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Apple
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