In "Hardcore History" journalist and broadcaster Dan Carlin takes his "Martian", unorthodox way of thinking and applies it to the past. Was Alexander the Great as bad a person as Adolf Hitler? What would Apaches with modern weapons be like? Will our modern civilization ever fall like civilizations from past eras? This isn't academic history (and Carlin isn't a historian) but the podcast's unique blend of high drama, masterful narration and Twilight Zone-style twists has entertained millions of listeners.
Chart trend
Position in the History chart (US), last 90 days.
#1#11#21JunJulAugSep
#1
all-time peak
47
days in the top 3 since Nov 2024
Latest episodes
Showing 13 · updated from the feed
Show 74 - Mania for Subjugation IV
#7 trending · History
The stage is set for an in-person showdown between Alexander and Persia's Great King. The resulting Battle of Issus, although often ignored by Hollywood, is one of the mo
Jul 31 4 h 01 min
Show 73 - Mania for Subjugation III
#31 trending · History
Attacking the largest empire the world had ever seen is a huge endeavor at any age, but try doing it at 21. Alexander, fusing the qualities of a Napoleon with a gladiator
Dec 22 2025 4 h 14 min
Show 72 - Mania for Subjugation II
#44 trending · History
Is it safe to hand control of the deadliest army in the world to a 20-year old? If you are Thracian, Triballian, Illyrian or Theban, the answer is definitely no. Alexande
Jan 3 2025 3 h 51 min
Show 71 - Mania for Subjugation
#39 trending · History
What's the recipe for making a historically world-class apex predator? In the case of Alexander the Great, it might be the three Ns: Nature, Nurture, and Nepotism.
Jun 7 2024 4 h 11 min
Show 70 - Twilight of the Aesir II
Pagan Viking Sea Kings spend the 10th and 11th centuries morphing into Christian monarchs. But with rulers like Harald Bluetooth and Svein Forkbeard it's debatable whethe
Nov 19 2023 6 h 23 min
Show 69 - Twilight of the Aesir
This show picks up where Dan's Thor's Angels show left off. In the early Middle Ages Pagan Germanic-language speakers like the Vikings are a dying breed. Many of their co
Jan 15 2023 5 h 10 min
Show 68 - BLITZ Human Resources
The Atlantic Slave Trade mixes centuries of human bondage with violence, economics, commerce, geo-political competition, liberty, morality, injustice, revolution, tragedy
Mar 7 2022 5 h 39 min
Show 67 - Supernova in the East VI
When do spirit, tenacity, resilience and bravery cross into madness? When cities are incinerated? When suicide attacks become the norm? When atomic weapons are used? Japa
Jun 8 2021 5 h 45 min
Show 66 - Supernova in the East V
Can suicidal bravery and fanatical determination make up for material, industrial and numerical insufficiency? As the Asia-Pacific conflict turns against the Japanese the
Nov 14 2020 3 h 32 min
Show 65 - Supernova in the East IV
Coral Sea, Midway and Guadalcanal are three of the most famous battles of the Second World War. Together they will shift the momentum in the Pacific theater and usher in
Jun 3 2020 3 h 58 min
Show 64 - Supernova in the East III
Japan's rising sun goes supernova and engulfs a huge area of Asia and the Pacific. A war without mercy begins to develop infusing the whole conflict with a savage vibe.
Oct 25 2019 4 h 53 min
Show 63 - Supernova in the East II
Deep themes run through this show, with allegations of Japanese war crimes and atrocities in China at the start leading to eerily familiar, almost modern questions over h
Jan 12 2019 4 h 01 min
Show 62 - Supernova in the East I
The Asia-Pacific War of 1937-1945 has deep roots. It also involves a Japanese society that's been called one of the most distinctive on Earth. If there were a Japanese ve
Jul 14 2018 4 h 28 min
Chart positions
Where Dan Carlin's Hardcore History ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 12, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
My go to podcast for history. Amazing storyteller and tireless researcher. Love it!
Pastormjr · Aug 2026
Absolutely fascinating, no ads, long form education that isn’t only not boring, but absolutely entertaining and interesting!
Anonymous Fan (AF) · Aug 2026
It turns out sometimes when you pioneer something, you master it, even to an extent that nobody will ever match your abilities.
Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History was one of the first proper history podcasts, and easily the best I’ve ever heard.
Toastyopian · Jul 2026
Ive listened to every single episode multiple times, truly the gold standard of historical storytelling
Greg-reviews · Jun 2026
I lost everything I had bought over the years. Well over $100, because they can’t be bothered to track their purchases like a real business.
Anyone “purchasing” older episodes should be warned that you are actually just buying a subscription for access to your purchase for a few years. They will (in their exact words) “purge the system of older purchases” rather than bother to do standard bookkeeping.
Their excuse is “Now most outlets don’t allow free unlimited re-downloads forever anyway.” Which is funny because I can still download other things (like games) I bought even before my Hardcore History purchases.
Guys, be more professional, and screw up less.
Rtf32fkgt · Jan 2026
Yeses ago, I thought this was a decent podcast that I would tune into occasional. The issue is when you delve into some of the claims he talks about, you realize he’s littering it with his own personal bias and opinions. I can’t stand his voice and his forced over dramatics. People shouldn’t take what he says as factual. He’s interjecting his own narrative.
ZosoVenom · Mar 2023
We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.
Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of Dan Carlin's Hardcore History, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.
