Alabama podcast makes TIME’s ‘The 100 Best Podcasts of All Time’ list

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — “S-Town,” a podcast that put Woodstock, Alabama on the map and became one of the most popular limited-series podcasts in history, has been celebrated by TIME magazine as one of the best podcasts of all time.

The podcast, hosted by reporter Brian Reed, delved into the life of John B. McLemore, a horologist and local eccentric, as well as the people within his orbit, such as his mother, his friend Tyler Goodson and Woodstock Mayor Jeff Dodson.

“Initially pitched as a murder mystery, ‘S-Town’ quickly pivots to a more intimate story about the life—and death—of a singular but troubled man named John B. McLemore,” TIME correspondent Eliana Dockterman wrote in the list, dissecting the 100 best podcasts in history. “McLemore lives in a tiny town, which he dubs ‘Sh-t Town,’ hence the title of the show. Host Brian Reed develops an obsession with McLemore only to find out partway through reporting his podcast that the man has passed away. It turns out McLemore harbored many secrets.”

“S-Town” ran for seven episodes that were released on March 28, 2017. The show immediately found an audience and became wildly popular, winning a Peabody Award the following year and at one point was being optioned as a feature film.

While many critics praised the show for the colorful people that made up Woodstock, others took issue with Reed disclosing certain aspects of McLemore’s personal life after his death. It’s a theme Reed explored in the first episode of his new podcast, “Question Everything,” which puts a unique lens on how the media covers stories in the digital age.

Although “S-Town” was a limited series, many of the people featured in the show had their own stories long after the show. In 2017, Goodson pleaded guilty to taking different things off McLemore’s property that he claimed were left to him after he died. Goodson was killed in a standoff with police in 2023.

In 2018, McLemore’s estate sued “S-Town” over claims that they profited off him and used his likeness without his consent since he had died by the time the show premiered. The case was later settled out of court.

As of Wednesday, the show has been downloaded over 100 million times.