By Ed Nite in Creativity & Curiosity — 10 Nov 2025

10 Classic Sci-Fi Audiobooks & Radio Dramas That Still Hit

Old radios, new earbuds. Here are 10 timeless sci-fi listens, vintage radio dramas and classic audiobooks that still hit hard, plus a modern bonus (Project Hail Mary). Expect links to Audible, BBC, LibriVox, and the Internet Archive.

Science Fiction Radio: vintage OTR compilations [Listen free on Internet Archive].

A blast-from-the-past listen list (plus one modern banger)

Some stories are best heard. Tubes hum, doors whoosh, narrators whisper about impossible machines, and suddenly you’re time-traveling on the bus. This is my personal list of old-school sci-fi that still slaps in audio form: a mix of vintage radio dramas and classic novels that are great as audiobooks. At the end, I toss in a modern masterpiece for balance.

How I picked

Iconic & influential: Helped define sci-fi as we know it.
Aged well in audio: Strong narration, soundscapes, or pacing.
Accessible: Most are easy to find; many are public domain or widely available via library apps.
Community: Cross-checked with popular Reddit threads and listening samples.

The List

1) The War of the Worlds: H.G. Wells (Mercury Theatre on the Air, 1938)

Orson Welles at a press conference in 1938 explaining the panic caused by the “War of the Worlds” radio broadcast — Photo of Orson Welles meeting with reporters in an effort to explain that no one connected with the *War of the Worlds* radio broadcast had any idea the show would cause panic.

Why listen: The infamous Orson Welles broadcast that blurred fiction and reality. Tight, terrifying, beautifully paced.
Vibe: News bulletin from the end of the world.

2) The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy : BBC Radio Series (1978+)

BBC Radio 4 cover for The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy with neon lettering reading “Primary Phase” — *The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy*: BBC Radio 4 Original Series, Primary Phase

Why listen: The original radio version is peak absurdist sci-fi. Perfect timing, perfect towel jokes.
Vibe: Deadpan cosmic chaos with British tea energy.

3) X Minus One: Radio Anthology (1955–58)

Cover art for X Minus One old-time radio program showing two astronauts on a rocky alien landscape with a launch countdown; classic NBC science-fiction anthology from 1955–1958. — *X Minus One.* Classic NBC radio sci-fi anthology (1955–1958).

Why listen: Weekly blasts of classic short stories (Asimov, Bradbury, more) adapted with clever sound design.
Vibe: Twilight-Zone-in-space.
Free/Alt: Internet Archive complete run (singles)

4) Dimension X: Radio Anthology (1950–51)

Dimension X radio anthology cover featuring vintage dial and “Volume 1”: NBC’s 1950–51 science-fiction broadcasts — *Dimension X:* NBC’s pioneering sci-fi radio anthology (1950–1951), restored collection.

Why listen: The predecessor to X Minus One, with the same pulpy wonder, atomic age anxieties included.
Vibe: Rockets, ray guns, and moral dilemmas.
Free/Alt: Internet Archive collection

5) The Day of the Triffids: John Wyndham

BBC Radio Drama Collection of John Wyndham stories including The Day of the Triffids and The Kraken Wakes — John Wyndham BBC Radio Drama Collection: includes *The Day of the Triffids*, *The Kraken Wakes*, *The Chrysalids* and more.

Why listen: Post-apocalyptic botanical horror that’s eerily grounded. Radio versions nail the creeping dread.
Vibe: Quiet streets, rustling leaves, don’t go outside.
Free/Alt: Internet Archive: 1957 BBC serial

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6) The Time Machine: H.G. Wells

Cover art for H. G. Wells’ The Time Machine, a classic science-fiction novel often enjoyed as an audiobook — *The Time Machine* by H. G. Wells : classic sci-fi novel, popular in audiobook and radio adaptations.

Why listen: Short, sharp, and surprisingly modern in its social bite. Works beautifully as a single-sitting listen.
Vibe: Elegant doomscrolling through the future.
Free/Alt: LibriVox (public domain)

**7) Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas : Jules Verne**

Cover for Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea with a giant squid attacking the Nautilus submarine, classic adventure sci-fi — Jules Verne’s *Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea:* Captain Nemo’s undersea adventure, unabridged audiobook.

Why listen: Nautical sci-fi adventure with a melancholy Captain Nemo. Great for full-cast or single-narrator takes.
Vibe: Bioluminescent wonder plus Victorian swagger.
Free/Alt: LibriVox (public domain)

8) The Martian Chronicles: Ray Bradbury

Audiobook cover for Ray Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles showing a red Martian landscape and moon, modern classic science-fiction — Ray Bradbury’s *The Martian Chronicles:* lyrical Mars tales in a modern unabridged audiobook.

Why listen: Poetic, eerie vignettes about colonizing Mars. The language sings in audio.
Vibe: Haunting lullabies from a red desert.

9) I, Robot : Isaac Asimov

Cover art for Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot featuring a silhouetted robot with glowing red typography, classic science-fiction short-story collection — Isaac Asimov’s *I, Robot:* classic robot ethics and the Three Laws, a foundational sci-fi audiobook.

Why listen: Interlocking stories that invented half of pop-culture robotics. Logical puzzles with addictive listening.
Vibe: Ethicists and engineers walk into a bar…

10) Childhood’s End: Arthur C. Clarke

Audiobook cover for Arthur C. Clarke’s Childhood’s End featuring a glowing UFO over the ocean, classic first-contact science fiction — Arthur C. Clarke’s *Childhood’s End*: classic first-contact sci-fi, unabridged audiobook.

Why listen: Big-canvas speculation done quietly, mystery, transcendence, and a final image you won’t shake.
Vibe: Sublime melancholy with cosmic scale.
Free/Alt: BBC radio adaptation appears in curated Internet Archive bundles.

Bonus (Modern): Project Hail Mary : Andy Weir

Audiobook cover for Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary showing a lone astronaut inside a spacecraft; narrated by Ray Porter — *Project Hail Mary* by Andy Weir: award-winning sci-fi audiobook narrated by Ray Porter.

Why listen: A near-perfect audio experience with science puzzling, heart, and an unforgettable friend. If you only add one new title, make it this.
Vibe: MacGyver in space meets unexpected bromance.

Where to listen (legally & easily)

Public domain gems: LibriVox, Internet Archive (for many Wells/Verne and vintage radio).
BBC productions: BBC Sounds often rotates classics; some also on major audiobook platforms.
Library apps: Libby/OverDrive, Hoopla, free with a library card.
Retailers: Audible, Kobo, Apple Books have multiple productions of the big hitters.

Quick playlist by mood

Need a tight, thrilling commute: War of the Worlds, The Time Machine.
Cozy weekend weirdness: Hitchhiker’s, The Martian Chronicles.
Late-night existential: Childhood’s End, I, Robot.
Anthology snacking: X Minus One, Dimension X.
Old-meets-new joy: Project Hail Mary.

If you’ve got a favorite episode or a narrator I should hunt down, drop it in the comments, I’ll update this list over time.

Stay curious, stay nerdy, stay tuned @ same nerd time, same nerd channel.

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Disclaimer: Image credits belong to their respective rights holders; source links are provided in the captions or near each image. Some outbound links are affiliate links, if you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.Thank you for reading!

A blast-from-the-past listen list (plus one modern banger)

How I picked

The List

Where to listen (legally & easily)

Quick playlist by mood

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