Spotify’s Audiobook Boom: What’s Working and What’s Next

Eighteen months after revamping its audiobook program, Spotify is reflecting on its rapid growth and looking ahead to new innovations. At this year’s London Book Fair, Duncan Bruce, Spotify’s director of global publishing partnerships & licensing, shared key insights into the platform’s success while remaining tight-lipped about author royalties.

A Growing Catalog & Expanding Audience

Since its 2023 relaunch, Spotify has expanded its English-language audiobook catalog from 150,000 to 400,000 titles according to Publishers Lunch. Audiobook listening hours have surged by 35% in the US, UK, and Australia, with 60% of listeners between 18-34 years old—a demographic shift that aligns with Spotify’s dominance in the music and podcasting world.

What’s Selling? Podcasters, Backlists & Genre Favorites

Bruce was joined by Richard Lennon (PRH UK) and Sam Halstead (Bloomsbury UK), both of whom shared insights into what’s driving audiobook sales:

📖 Podcaster-turned-authors are a major success story, with their existing fanbases translating into strong audiobook sales.
📚 Backlist titles are thriving, with users diving deep into catalogs—7 of the top 10 audiobooks in the UK last year were backlist titles.
🔮 Sci-fi, fantasy, and nonfiction continue to perform well, but a surprising winner has emerged—literary fiction is gaining unexpected traction on the platform.

What’s Next for Spotify Audiobooks?

Looking forward, Bruce outlined Spotify’s plans to improve book discovery and maximize marketing efforts for publishers and authors:

📌 Countdown pages for highly anticipated releases.
📢 More genre-focused campaigns to boost discovery.
📊 Spotify Wrapped for Authors, offering personalized stats on listener engagement that can be shared on social media.

With its expanding catalog, strong listener engagement, and an eye on the future, Spotify is solidifying its role as a major player in the audiobook industry. The question remains: Will it be a sustainable model for authors and publishers? Only time—and royalty transparency—will tell.