Spotify announced on Wednesday its intention to broaden access to audiobooks across more than 180 markets globally, encompassing regions in Europe, the Americas, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. The rollout commenced today and is set to continue over the upcoming months. This initiative will enable over 750 million users to access audiobooks, positioning Spotify to compete more effectively with both music streaming services and audiobook platforms such as Audible.
Previously, audiobooks were primarily available in English-speaking regions, including the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as in Germany. The audio streaming service revealed that it now offers more than 350,000 titles for its newly targeted markets and has expanded its collection to encompass over 120 languages. In Spain, for instance, users will have access to more than 45,000 titles in Spanish.
Spotify is collaborating with over 300 publishers worldwide, including Planeta and Mondadori, to enhance the variety of titles available in different regions. Users with a Premium subscription can enjoy 12 hours of audiobook listening in eligible countries such as Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Poland, Chile, Norway, and Peru. Additionally, individuals can opt for an Audiobook+ standalone subscription, which provides access to titles with a 15-hour allowance. Alternatively, users have the option to purchase individual titles directly.
Furthermore, Spotify plans to introduce an Audiobook+ add-on for student plans in select regions in November. The company reported that since its launch last year, Audiobook+ has attracted over 1 million subscribers and generated more than $100 million in annual recurring revenue for the platform. In February, Spotify unveiled a “Page Match” feature that allows users to scan a page of a physical book and locate the corresponding point in the audiobook for listening. The company noted that since its introduction, 1 million users have been utilizing this feature monthly.
Spotify indicated that over the past year, the number of monthly listeners of audiobooks surged by 40%, while listening hours increased by 30%. This year, the company launched Audiobook Charts to facilitate the discovery of popular titles. It also introduced an AI-driven tool for authors to convert their books into audiobooks using models from ElevenLabs. Additionally, Spotify has begun experimenting with the physical sale of books through its audiobook platform in select markets, including the U.S. and the U.K.
