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Spotify is now expanding its audiobook offerings to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, providing eligible Premium subscribers the opportunity to explore an extensive selection of 350,000 audiobook titles as part of their current subscriptions. This German-speaking expansion features around 60,000 titles in German, alongside works in English, French, and Italian. The broad catalog includes beloved titles from local authors such as Caroline Wahl as well as international bestsellers by writers like Rebecca Yarros and Sarah J. Maas.
David Kaefer, the Vice President of Audiobooks Business at Spotify, expressed excitement about the initiative, stating that the company aims to enhance listener experiences by bringing an even richer array of stories to consumers through the new catalog.
Starting today, Spotify’s expansion follows its initial foray into the audiobook market in 2022, which has since included launches in ten additional markets, including the United States. Premium subscribers in these newly added regions will enjoy 12 hours of audiobook listening each month at no extra cost, with an option to purchase additional listening hours in 10-hour blocks for €9.99. Users without a Premium subscription can buy individual titles through Spotify’s a la carte model.
When questioned about the choice to expand into German rather than a language like Spanish, which boasts a larger demographic, Kaefer noted the longstanding interest in spoken-word content within these markets. He mentioned the popularity of “Hörspiele,” or voice-acted radio plays, which have a notable following across various age groups in German-speaking countries. He emphasized that audiobooks offer a more cohesive and organized listening experience, contrasting with the often fragmented nature of shorter segments in radio plays. “By building a user experience tailored for audiobooks, we can now provide a valuable service along with a substantial catalog,” Kaefer stated.
The new service introduces features such as a dedicated Audiobooks tab, editorial curation, personalized recommendations through algorithms, and resume points that maintain user listening progress.
Investment in Non-English Audiobooks
In a related announcement last week, Spotify unveiled a €1 million initiative aimed at boosting audiobook production in languages beyond English, starting with French and Dutch. Kaefer explained the company’s plans to collaborate with both established publishers and independent authors in order to lower the costs of expanding their catalog.
“This million-euro fund is designed to support the audiobook sector’s growth,” he added. “In France, although it is a widely spoken language globally, the market has struggled to scale effectively enough to create a larger selection of titles. Our investment is intended to change that.”
The fund will facilitate the production process, utilizing both professional narrators and advanced AI narration technology. Kaefer highlighted the financial obstacles associated with producing high-quality audiobooks, noting that the cost can range from five to eight thousand dollars, particularly hindering growth in smaller language markets.
All audiobooks generated through this collaborative funding will remain non-exclusive, allowing publishers the flexibility to distribute them across various platforms.
Challenging Incumbents
When discussing how Spotify competes with established audiobook services like Audible in Germany, Kaefer pointed out the company’s vast subscriber base. “Spotify connects with tens of millions of users in these regions, effectively enhancing the value of their existing Premium subscriptions,” he said. He also underscored the company’s advanced recommendation system and its ability to promote across different formats as distinctive competitive advantages.
“Few can match our recommendation capabilities,” he noted. “For instance, if an author is on a book tour or a podcast, we integrate their book into our ‘now playing’ views, allowing listeners to save or immediately dive into it.”
Spotify’s statistics reveal that almost 50% of its audiobook listeners are under 35, indicating that the platform is attracting a younger demographic to this literary format. In France, where audiobooks were introduced last October, an impressive 60% of listeners fall within the 18 to 34 age bracket, and this age group accounts for over half of total listening hours.
“We believe we play a significant role in the audiobook format’s growth,” Kaefer remarked. “This growth paves the way for innovation and makes it easier to engage new publishers.”
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