From murders to kidnappings, people love to dive into the gruesome genre that is true crime. The true crime genre consists of stories portraying real-life instances of horrific crimes that occur. People turn to true crime through many media platforms. Yet, the three most popular ways to get a taste of true crime are through podcasts, movies, and shows. Today’s media has created an appeal to this horrible side of the world. 

The appeal of true crime dates back to the 16th century. Yet, the modern-day true crime genre  started in 1965 when authors began to cover murders through novels. As crime increases, so does the genre’s popularity.  

YouGov surveyed 1,000 U.S. citizens 18 and older from August 29 to September 5, 2022, on their consumption of and views toward true crime content. The survey found people view true crime in many different ways.

For instance, 52 percent watch TV shows, 39 percent watch films, 23 percent read books, 20 percent watch online videos, 17 percent listen to podcasts, and 15 percent view online articles or forums. Also, this survey found that women are more interested in true crime. Some believe this is because true crime covers more cases where the victims are women. 

Media has impacted the growth of true crime. Many people share true crime cases on TikTok. Short two-minute videos are made describing different cases. This piques many viewers’ interest to dive deeper into a certain case. 

Furthermore, many people turn to podcasts. Kaitlyn Saba, a senior, described her interest in true crime due to podcasts. “Whenever I can, I turn on a true crime podcast. I find every case so interesting. I like learning about true crime because I can learn about every worst-case scenario.”

Popular podcasts such as Murder With My Husband and Crime Junkie are popular podcasts that cover cases in hour-long episodes. “The quick episodes allow me to learn about certain cases very easily, making it so engaging,” states Kaitlyn. Podcasts have quickly become a trendy way to follow and learn about true crime. 

Of course, the most popular way to get a taste of true crime is through shows and movies. Recently, a new show, Monsters, came out on Netflix. This show covers the case of Lyle and Erik Menendez, two brothers who brutally murdered their parents.

Maddie Moeller, another CCHS senior, watched the new show recently: “After watching the show, I had to learn more about the case. I have never been very interested in true crime, but after watching Monsters, I now want to know more.” This show, and many others of similar nature, have piqued the interest of many viewers, leading to them wanting to learn more about true crime. 

Through different media outlets, the genre of true crime continues to grow dramatically. Whether it be from the gory details or wanting to learn about every worst-case scenario, many people want to learn more about these real-life mysteries.