Spotify Starts Selling Audiobooks in U.S., With Catalog of 300,000-Plus Titles
variety.comTodd Spangler NY Digital Editor Spotify wants to give Audible, Amazon’s market-leading audiobook marketplace, a run for its money.
Starting Tuesday, Spotify users in the U.S. are able to purchase and listen to more than 300,000 audiobook titles. The streamer is introducing a new user interface designed specifically for audiobook listening, alongside Spotify’s features for music and podcasts.
At launch, Spotify is selling audiobooks à la carte, without any ads. But the company is exploring new business models that could include subscriptions or ad-supported formats, according to Nir Zicherman, Spotify’s VP and global head of audiobooks and gated content.
Spotify plans to roll out audiobook sales in additional markets following the initial U.S. debut. Spotify’s entry into the audiobook market comes after closing its acquisition for audiobook distributor Findaway in June, paying about $119 million in cash for the company. “We’ve always believed that the potential for audio is limitless, and have been saying for a while now that our ambition is to be the complete package for everyone’s listening needs,” Zicherman said in a statement. “Audiobooks are next to come into the picture because we see a substantial untapped market.” Per Spotify’s estimates, audiobooks represent just a 6%-7% share of the wider book market, but the category is growing by 20% year over year.
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