MrBallen, also known as Jonathan B. Allen, writes two or three times per week about “strange, dark, and mysterious stories” for his millions of followers. In Spotify’s true-crime podcast chart, former Navy SEAL MrBallen ranks number one.
Former US Navy Seal’s Podcast Tops The Spotify Charts
MrBallen is a retired US Navy SEAL and a fan of mystery and crime stories. He is one of the biggest content creators and YouTube personalities as of now. The content creator currently lives in Pennsylvania with his wife Amanda and their two children.
His podcast has earned Spotify’s top spot in the true-crime chart. On Monday, February 14, The Mr. Ballen Podc ast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories debuted, beating out popular shows like Crime Junkie and Murder, Mystery & Makeup.
The series will feature two episodes each week, as MrBallen narrates spine-chilling true crime cases and highlights the most popular moments on YouTube. The original episodes will be released on Mondays, and a special highlight will be released on Thursdays.
The first podcast in the series is titled “The Plot,” which tells the story of Washington teenager Rachel Burkheimer in a real-life murder case. Since he was a child, sitting around a campfire in the summer telling strange, dark, and mysterious stories has always been one of his favorite pastimes. He has explored all sorts of crazy stories on his YouTube channel. However, he has always aspired to get more detailed, complex, and intriguing. Moreover, he hopes to delve deeply into the tales that scare him most with his new podcast.
Additionally, the podcast episodes will be available on podcasting platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and others.
Mrballen – A Little Insight
Born in Quincy, Massachusetts, he served between 2012 and 2017 as a Navy SEAL. During his deployment, he was hit by grenades on his shoulder, which resulted in shrapnel hitting his hips and legs. He called his medics “all-stars” for saving his life. Post his retirement, he co-founded two successful organizations that assist former operatives in obtaining employment.
The TikTok video about the Dyatlov Pass incident that he posted went viral after he gained mass traction online. Despite his success, he did not feel that he was able to support himself by focusing on TikTok alone, so he uploaded YouTube videos of similar content. He has also covered reputable eyewitness accounts for several murders and disappearances on his channel.
Currently, the content creator has nearly 5.4 million subscribers on YouTube and 8 million followers on TikTok.