Throughline 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 public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including sponsor-free listening for Throughline.
Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
How two swing states changed American voting
#2 trending · History
Today on the show, the balance of Congressional power is up for grabs in this midterm election. It could be determined by a small number of voters in a few battleground s
Sep 17 50 min
How baseball got its beat
Major League Baseball’s postseason is just a few weeks away, and here on Throughline we know the power of a good walk-up song. But how did baseball become such a musical
Sep 10 32 min
Is it time for a Luddite Renaissance?
Calling someone a "Luddite" is usually an insult – shorthand for someone who is behind the times. But the real Luddites weren't just afraid of change; they were a labor m
Sep 8 16 min
The school report that changed public education
In 1966, the federal government commissioned a massive survey aimed at solving educational inequality. Instead, the explosive Coleman Report unleashed a 60-year debate ov
Sep 3 36 min
The SAT's 100-year grip on higher ed
For generations, the SAT has loomed large in the lives of teenagers. The quest for a perfect or near-perfect score has filled many test takers with dread. In this episode
Sep 1 18 min
The pillage that fueled America's tech booms
Cobalt mining is one of the world's most dangerous jobs. And it's also one of the most essential: cobalt is what powers the batteries in your smartphone, your laptop, the
Aug 27 52 min
How Korean culture went global
This year, K-pop Demon Hunters picked up a couple of Oscars, the pop group BTS made its triumphant return to sold out crowds, and K-pop took center stage at the World Cup
Aug 20 48 min
The blatant betrayal that erased the Tupperware queen from history
Brownie Wise revolutionized how we store our food. She was one of the first female corporate executives in U.S. history. But she’s not a household name. This week on our
Aug 13 49 min
Lies, theft, and cover-up: the history of Monopoly you've never heard
Monopoly is one of the best-selling board games of all time. It heralds free market economics and celebrates the American dream. That's a far cry from the original intent
Aug 6 49 min
The song that fueled protests and a legacy of hope
In our final installment of AP250, how We Shall Overcome became the anthem of generations of protestors. Today on the show, we revisit an episode from the NPR archives ab
Aug 4 19 min
The lightbulb conspiracy is both real and everywhere
Over the next few episodes, we present Hidden Histories: stories that will make you rethink how the world works. First up, the conspiracy behind the lightbulb—and how it
Jul 30 31 min
The license to be funny in America
One of the most fundamental aspects of American democracy has been the public’s ability to critique power, whether that’s through protest, legislation, or a really funny
Jul 28 20 min
The architect of modern China
From impoverishment to global superpower, China’s supremacy happened at a breakneck speed thanks to the visionary strategy of the man who took power in 1978. Over the nex
Jul 23 37 min
The Chinafication of Walmart
We think of Walmart as ultra-American, but its business relationship with China has fundamentally changed how American retail operates.
In this episode, how one retaile
Jul 21 17 min
Listen to "We Keep Us Safe" on NPR's Embedded podcast
In the summer of 2020, teenager Antonio Mays Jr. traveled a thousand miles to join a racial justice movement after the killing of George Floyd. Less than a week after he
Jul 19 3 min
Route 66 and the quest to connect America
Route 66 turns 100 this year. It's considered America’s most nostalgic road trip. With wide open road, sunsets that fill the whole sky, dirt-kissed Chevy trucks, and revv
Jul 16 50 min
How wheelchairs, a river, and a spaceship challenged the status quo
Stories of resistance from three places: Denver, Colorado where the Gang of 19 put their bodies on the line for the right to use public transportation. Montgomery, Alabam
Jul 14 19 min
The ongoing battle over asylum in America
The U.S. has long professed to be a country where people can seek refuge. That's the promise etched into the base of the Statue of Liberty. But it's never been that clear
Jul 9 53 min
American history through song
There are many ways to look at and understand American history. In this series, we’ve shared stories about how this country was founded and how it continues to evolve ove
Jul 7 22 min
The story of July 4th is messier than you remember
Devastating compromises. Midnight rides. A nailbiter vote. Statue toppling riots… and the very real possibility of death. This July 4th, we're taking you inside the makin
Jul 2 34 min
What listeners say
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
I have never written a podcast review before but I felt compelled to share my love for the podcast, Throughline. It is thoughtful, in-depth and ventures into topics most outlets wouldn’t. I find myself looking forward to the next episode and I’ve recommended it to so many friends. It’s the one podcast that I can confidently refer to as a source of historical and current events insights. Thanks for tackling the subjects no one else is.
NuovaItaliana · Jul 2026
I wanted to offer one recommendation, but first I would like to express how much I love this podcast: I love it a lot. Every episode packs a punch. Even if an episodes centers on topic that does not particularly interest me, Throughline still draws me in. I have learned a lot from this podcast and it always introduces me to topics or new perspectives. My one recommendation to the Throughline Team: it would be great if you could list the books that are referenced in the episodes. Ezra Klein does this, and it is very helpful for someone like me who listens while driving. Thank you!
Frankiegut · Jul 2026
I’m happy to make this show a part of my weekly podcast rotation. I look forward to new episodes and even going back to listen to their catalog where I am sure to find something worthy! Thank you for doing what you do!
E. Harvey16 · Jul 2026
Today I see that Throughline is replaying its 2022 conversation with Viet Thanh Nguyen about how the way we remember and selectively forget the ravages of war has the power to reshape our future. This episode is exceptional, adding to a long list of other Throughline episodes that remain in my memory to this day. I want to thank you for continuing your excellent journalism.
bailindsey · May 2026
I occasionally try to listen to this show because their topics and perspectives are very interesting to me.
But the direction and audio design are amateurish, bordering on bizarre. Listen to just the recent Dickens episode. Every voice has been post-processed in a different way, and sometimes one character’s voice changes from moment to moment; nothing makes sense; it’s distracting and baffling, and it makes me wonder how people working professionally in a storytelling medium which has existed for more than a century can have so like competency.
Some of the actors are capable and natural, and some are not. I’m not someone who easily blames actors for bad performances. Performing artists need to be given tools to succeed, and it’s clear that nobody who is part of this show has ever recognized that good acting requires good direction.
I don’t know why they insist on creating flimsy dramatizations of history when that’s not the wheelhouse of anyone on the staff.
I also can’t conceive of any reason why experience hasn’t made them better at the format they’ve chosen. They’re still terrible at it, and their listeners need to let them know that they are falling short.
From what I can tell they are mostly journalists and historians, and those jobs are important. But artists and creative technicians are important too, and there don’t seem to be any artists or creative technicians on Throughline’ staff.
Mostly they just record what seem like single-takes of undercooked and underdirected readings of different pieces of old texts, and they believe that by getting someone to do a British accent and adding lots of reverb in post that they’ve done their job.
I could go on and on. Please at least hire a proper director for one of your shows. Great theatre and audio directors are actually all over the place, and the most shocking thing about Throughline is that your producers haven’t stumbled upon even one before now.
The ineptitude is staggering!
No DRM · Dec 2024
Usually, the audio quality of “Throughline” is impeccable. But the latest episode - in Througline+ no less! - had periodic audio drops that took out so many words that it made it unlistenable. Obviously, this isn’t what I’m paying extra for.
cydwel · Aug 2024
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 Throughline, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.
