History Unplugged Podcast

History Unplugged

World War II

Immigration

Winston Churchill

Theodore Roosevelt

Septuagint

Russian Jews

Anglo-Saxon Warfare

World War I

Christianity

Second Temple Judaism

Military Deception

British Army

Benedict Arnold

Translation

Hebrew Bible

Bible

Elizabeth Varon

James Longstreet

Pogroms

Jacob Schiff

For history lovers who listen to podcasts, History Unplugged is the most comprehensive show of its kind. It's the only show that dedicates episodes to both interviewing experts and answering questions from its audience. First, it features a call-in show where you can ask our resident historian (Scott Rank, PhD) absolutely anything (What was it like to be a Turkish sultan with four wives and twelve... more

5k ratings

Publishes	Daily	Episodes	1057	Founded	9 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	HistorySociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Guests Host Reviews Charts Talking Points

Latest Episodes

The Man Who Sold the War: Tom Paine's Journey from Common Sense to Global Firebrand

Most of us only know Thomas Paine for one thing: writing Common Sense in 1776, which helped kickstart the Revolution by selling hundreds of thousands of copies. But he was far more than a writer. Paine actively served with George Washington's army du... more

5 Feb 2026 • 44 min

The Original Body Builders: How Greek Halteres and Celtic Gabal Stone Lifts Built the World's First Strongmen

Fad workouts have been with us for decades, but they go back much further than we realize. Long before CrossFit, Zumba, P90X, Tae Box, Jazzercise or Jack LaLanne, we had 19th century strongmen. These mustachioed showmen were the first global fitness ... more

3 Feb 2026 • 48 min

Truman’s Deep Regret at the Atomic Age He Created

In the eight decades since the United States deployed the most destructive weapon ever used, conventional wisdom has held that American leaders were faced with a difficult choice: Invade Japan, which would have cost millions of Japanese and Allied li... more

29 Jan 2026 • 57 min

How Soccer Created African and Latin American Nations

National pride often comes from shared heritage—like a common language or ethnic background. Religious Nationalism can be seen in historical Russia, where being part of the Orthodox Church was considered key to being Russian, even if you spoke a diff... more

27 Jan 2026 • 46 min

Key Facts

Accepts Guests

Contact Information

Podcast Host

Number of Listeners

Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

American History HitHistory Hit

Key Battles of American HistoryKey Battles of American History

This American PresidentThis American President

History That Doesn't SuckProf. Greg Jackson

Ben Franklin's WorldLiz Covart

Recent Guests

Alex Wellerstein

Historian and author of The Most Awful Responsibility, Truman and the Secret Struggle for Control of the Atomic Age

Episode: Truman’s Deep Regret at the Atomic Age He Created

Jonathan Wilson

Author of 'The Power and the Glory, A History of the World Cup'

Episode: How Soccer Created African and Latin American Nations

Jaime Davila

Author of 'Forgotten, How One Man Unlocked the Modern World'

Episode: The Sawmill – Along With Gunpowder and the Printing Press – Created the Modern World

Saifedean Ammous

Author of 'The Gold Standard, An Alternate Economic History of the 20th Century'

Episode: Gears, Gold, and Global Peace: A Steampunk Bitcoin Journey Through an Alternate 20th Century

Victoria Zhuravleva

Author of Distant Friends and Intimate Enemies, A History of American-Russian Relations

Episode: Before the Cold War, Russia and America Were the Closest of Distant Friends

John Bacon

Author of 'The Gales of November, The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald'

Episode: The Horrifying Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, the Titanic of the Great Lakes

Bob Wyss

Author of 'Black Gold, The Rise, Reign, and Fall of American Coal'

Episode: Manifest Destiny, Powered by Coal: How “Black Gold” Conquered the American Continent

Terry Bourcious

Author of Democracy Without Politicians and former politician

Episode: Ancient Athens Picked Its Leaders by Lottery for Over 200 Years. Some Think This System Should Replace Electoral Democracy

Harvey Simon

Author of The Madman Theory, exploring alternate historical scenarios in U.S. foreign policy

Episode: How Would Nixon Have Handled the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Host

Scott Rank

Host of extensive discussions focusing on varied historical themes and significant events. Engages with listeners through Q&A sessions and interviews with authors, facilitating a deep exploration of history.

Reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars from 5k ratings

Weird prayer adds
Why am I getting adds for a scripture app. I don’t get these adds for any other history podcasts that I listen to. The content of the podcast is fine but the weird scripture adds make it unlistenable to me. They make my skin crawl.
Apple Podcasts
2
WhyIsANicknameNeededzxzx
Canada2 months ago
Lives vs canapés
I only listened to the ‘life savers’ on the Titanic episode. I was hugely disappointed to find that the episode focused more on canapés and cocktails than it did on the actions taken to save lives the night the Titanic sank, which was supposed to be the subject of the episode. Given that so many of those that dies were steerage passengers who would never have encountered a canapé in their lives, this seems to add insult to injury to me.
Apple Podcasts
1
XXX off
United Kingdom2 months ago
Goodish
This podcast is great if you thing Fox News is fair and balanced. As long as you understand the history you are listening to is consistently from a very right bias, with no breath to consider this from the author, it's a pretty good podcast.
I am very surprised this isn't a Hoover Institute funded show.
Pandering to PragerU type crowd, without the lack of success or daddy's money.
Not a bad podcast once that's considered.
Apple Podcasts
1
viponswole
United States2 months ago
It’s Leadville (like pencil lead)
Long time listener & fan and not trying to be a nag. In “The Real Deadwood”, Leadville was not pronounced correctly. It’s Leadville, like pencil lead - not “Leedville”. It’s just sounds wacky and wanted the correction to get to your guest, so he knows. Not a complaint just letting you know.
Apple Podcasts
5
JMFT IND.
United States2 months ago
Conspiracy not history
Maga losers. Don't waste your time
Apple Podcasts
1
Tripp Hart
United States2 months ago

Embed These Reviews on a Website

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the informative and eclectic nature of discussions, often finding them insightful and engaging.

The interactive call-in segments are a highlight for many, fostering community engagement and personal connection to historical queries.

Some criticisms center on perceived biases in content and guest selections, particularly in relation to political subjects.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts	#59	United States/History
Apple Podcasts	#138	Canada/History
Apple Podcasts	#180	United Kingdom/History
Apple Podcasts	#155	Australia/History
Apple Podcasts	#75	Norway/History
Apple Podcasts	#102	South Africa/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Sawmill – Along With Gunpowder and the Printing Press – Created the Modern World

Q: What do you think are the implications of thinking about bottleneck inventions like the sawmill?

Jaime suggests that identifying these bottleneck inventions can help us find what could lead to future breakthroughs, such as in nuclear fusion or quantum computing, much like how the sawmill cleared the way for modern financial systems and global trade.

The Sawmill – Along With Gunpowder and the Printing Press – Created the Modern World

Q: Why do you think all those other suggestions like steam engines and printing presses aren't quite it?

Jaime explains that while those inventions were crucial, the sawmill predates them and was a central spark that enabled many of these technologies to become effective, illustrating the interconnectedness of technological development.

Truman’s Deep Regret at the Atomic Age He Created

Q: Can you describe the understanding of the decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan?

There are two popular narratives: the Orthodox narrative says it was necessary to drop the bomb; the revisionist narrative says it wasn't necessary and was used to intimidate the Soviet Union.

Truman’s Deep Regret at the Atomic Age He Created

Q: What do you make of these recent discussions to start off with, whether it's depictions like this in the movies or their recent relitigation of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II?

It's interesting; we seem to relitigate them every about 20 years. It's a moral parable about when it is appropriate to do things that might be uncomfortable, like killing a whole lot of civilians all at once with a science fiction weapon.

How Soccer Created African and Latin American Nations

Q: What does it mean if a nation wins the World Cup?

Wilson argues that winning signifies a well-functioning football system, but the implications vary, reflecting the nation's political context and often becoming a propaganda tool.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About History Unplugged Podcast

What is History Unplugged Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Content revolves around engaging discussions that bridge various historical topics and analyze significant events across time. Noteworthy are the long-form interviews with renowned historians, authors, and experts, providing deep insights into pivotal events and figures throughout history. The podcast distinguishes itself by combining call-in segments, allowing listeners to inquire about specific historical curiosities, creating a dynamic and interactive experience. The blend of expert narrative and listener participation caters to history enthusiasts seeking both entertainment and education, ensuring that discussions are not only informative but also thought-provoking and accessible.

Where can I find podcast stats for History Unplugged Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for History Unplugged Podcast. 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 History Unplugged Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does History Unplugged Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for History Unplugged Podcast, 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 History Unplugged Podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for History Unplugged Podcast, 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 History Unplugged Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers History Unplugged Podcast 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 History Unplugged Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with History Unplugged Podcast:

1. American History Hit
2. Key Battles of American History
3. This American President
4. History That Doesn't Suck
5. Ben Franklin's World

How many episodes of History Unplugged Podcast are there?

History Unplugged Podcast launched 9 years ago and published 1057 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 History Unplugged Podcast?

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 History Unplugged Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for History Unplugged Podcast 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 History Unplugged Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of History Unplugged Podcast. 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 History Unplugged Podcast?

Recent guests on History Unplugged Podcast include:

1. Alex Wellerstein
2. Jonathan Wilson
3. Jaime Davila
4. Saifedean Ammous
5. Victoria Zhuravleva
6. John Bacon
7. Bob Wyss
8. Terry Bourcious

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.

Try it free for 7 days