Tag: audiobooks

Spotify Premium Will Include Instant Access to 150,000+ Audiobooks

October 3, 2023

Last year we announced that users would be able to purchase and listen to hundreds of thousands of audiobooks on Spotify, advancing our vision for making Spotify the seamless one-stop destination for all things audio. Listeners in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand jumped on the opportunity to sink into sonic worlds created by some of their favorite authors and narrators.

Today we’re starting an entirely new chapter for our audiobooks offering by making more than 150,000 audiobooks available as part of Spotify Premium subscriptions. To start, we’re offering each Premium individual, as well as plan managers for Family and Duo accounts, 15 hours of listening per month—giving them the ability to enjoy as many titles as they want within that monthly allocation.

What’s more, this means eligible users are now getting even more from their Premium subscriptions: an on-demand catalog of more than 100 million tracks, 5 million podcasts, and over 150,000 audiobooks.

This feature will be available for Premium users in the U.K. and Australia starting tomorrow, with the U.S. following later this year.

We believe that offering personalized music, podcasts, and audiobooks on a single platform gives you a superior way to connect with your favorite artists, podcasters, creators, and authors—all in one spot. Not only can you listen to some of your favorite authors’ works, but you can also tune into podcasts where fans dissect the most minor details of a story and find the hidden meaning in every sentence, without leaving the app.

How to find Audiobooks on Spotify Premium

Any book that’s marked “Included in Premium” is available within our Premium catalog, one of the largest of any subscription-based audiobook-streaming platforms currently on the market. Our catalog currently encompasses upwards of 70% of bestselling books, with titles from major publishers including Hachette, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, and RB Media, as well as independent authors and publishers globally, including Bolinda, Dreamscape, and Pushkin.

To listen to the first book on your list, simply type in the title in Search and hit play on the first chapter (or listen to the preview to make sure it’s exactly what you’re looking for!). You can also explore audiobook recommendations easily from our Home feed. Or, head to our audiobooks hub to find an editorially curated selection of top titles.

How to listen to Audiobooks on Spotify

Ready to listen?

Fifteen monthly hours means that you can listen the way you want. Will you explore multiple titles from the evolving regularly refreshed selection or stick with one and listen from start to finish? For those super audiophiles who use up their 15 hours before their monthly billing cycles refresh, you can purchase a 10-hour top-up to finish that series. Not sure how many hours you have left? Check it at any time in your in-app settings.

One note: You must have a Premium individual account or be the plan manager for your Family or Duo account in order to take advantage of this feature. We’ll be working on more ways to unlock access to Premium audiobooks in the future, but for now, primary account holders on Family and Duo plans will receive the monthly audiobooks allocation.

You can also take audiobooks wherever you go, with Spotify available on over 2,000 devices from more than 200 brands. Users with Premium audiobook access can download audiobooks for offline listening as well.

As you listen, our automatic bookmarking feature will save your place so you can easily pick up where you left off. Make sure to utilize the “end of chapter” feature within Spotify Sleep Timer so you can fall asleep to your favorite stories without having to rewind (and lose listening hours) in the morning.

Our full catalog, including titles available on Spotify Premium, is still also available for a la carte purchases.

From beach-friendly bestsellers to riveting memoirs to the latest fantasy series, you’ll be able to find amazing reads on Spotify Premium. And whether you’re in the car running errands or doing chores around the house, audiobooks will transport you to new worlds of stories and sound.

Find your new favorite read—er, listen—on Spotify.

9 Audiobooks To Start You on Your Literary Journey

September 29, 2023

Spotify Premium Audiobooks Start Your Literary Journey. Personal walking into the distance with a dog

With elaborate storytelling, immersive worlds, and an enthusiastic fandom hyping it up, getting into a new book can be an exciting and fun moment. And with the rich, vivid narration of audiobooks (some even with a full cast), you can sink ever deeper into that experience. But with so many audiobooks and so little time, knowing where to start can be tricky.

From high-fantasy adventures and gripping thrillers to works from masters of horror and science, here are nine audiobooks to start you on your literary listening.

The Fifth Season

Written by N. K. Jemisin

Narrated by Robin Miles

The first book in the highly acclaimed Broken Earth Trilogy, N. K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season takes readers to the Stillness, a land long familiar with catastrophe, where the power of the Earth is wielded as a weapon.

Three terrible things happen in a single day. Essun, a woman living an ordinary life in a small town, comes home to find that her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. Meanwhile, the mighty empire Sanze collapses, and most of its citizens are murdered to serve a madman’s vengeance. And worst of all, across the heart of the vast continent known as the Stillness, a great red rift has been torn into the heart of the earth, spewing enough ash to darken the sky for years or even centuries.

Now Essun must pursue the wreckage of her family through a deadly, dying land. Essun doesn’t care if the world falls apart around her. She’ll break it herself, if she must, to save her daughter.

Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization

Written and narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson

Bringing his cosmic perspective to civilization on Earth, Neil deGrasse Tyson’s Starry Messenger shines new light on the crucial fault lines of our time—war, politics, religion, truth, beauty, gender, and race—in a way that stimulates a deeper sense of unity for us all.

In a time when our political and cultural views feel more polarized than ever, Tyson provides a much-needed antidote to what divides us, while making a passionate case for the twin chariots of enlightenment: a cosmic perspective and the rationality of science.

With crystalline prose, Starry Messenger walks us through a scientific palette that sees and paints the world differently. From insights on resolving global conflict to reminders of how precious it is to be alive, Tyson reveals an array of brilliant and beautiful truths that apply to us all, informed and enlightened by knowledge of our place in the universe.

The Fellowship of the Ring

Written by J.R.R. Tolkien

Narrated by Andy Serkis

J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved Lord of the Rings trilogy comes to life in this unabridged recording, with its first installment, The Fellowship of The Ring, narrated by acclaimed actor, director, and author Andy Serkis, who played the creature Gollum in Peter Jackson’s film adaptation.

In a quiet village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins is about to receive a gift that will change his life forever.

Thought to be lost centuries ago, the One Ring, an object of terrifying power once used by the Dark Lord Sauron to enslave Middle-earth, has been found. Now darkness is rising, and Frodo must travel deep into the Dark Lord’s realm of Mordor to the one place the Ring can be destroyed: Mount Doom.

And so starts an incredible journey through Middle-earth that will test Frodo’s courage, his friendships, and his heart. But the Ring corrupts all who bear it. Can Frodo destroy it, or will it destroy him?

The Hate U Give

Written by Angie Thomas

Narrated by Bahni Turpin

Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, Angie Thomas‘ searing debut about an ordinary girl in extraordinary circumstances addresses issues of racism and police violence with intelligence, heart, and unflinching honesty.

The Hate U Give introduces us to 16-year-old Starr Carter as she moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend, Khalil, at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterward, his death becomes a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. But what everyone wants to know is: What really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does or doesn’t say could upend her community and even endanger her life.

Demon in the Wood

Written by Leigh Bardugo

Narrated by Ben Barnes, Benjamin Valic, Cassandra Morris, Eason Rytter, James Fouhey, Mary McCartney, Matt Leisy, Salli Saffioti, Sean Gormley, and Tom Bromhead

In Leigh Bardugo’s Demon in the Wood, discover the origin story of one of the most memorable characters in the Shadow and Bone trilogy in this fully cast, first-ever Grishaverse graphic audiobook.

Before he led Ravka’s Second Army, before he created the Fold, and long before he became the Darkling, he was just a lonely boy burdened by an extraordinary power.

Eryk and his mother, Lena, have spent their lives on the run. But they will never find a safe haven. They are not only Grisha—they are the deadliest and rarest of their kind. Feared by those who wish to destroy them and hunted by those who would exploit their gifts, they must hide their true abilities wherever they go. But sometimes deadly secrets have a way of revealing themselves.

The Alchemist

Written by Paulo Coehlo

Narrated by Jeremy Irons

With more than 2 million copies sold worldwide, Paulo Coelho‘s The Alchemist tells the magical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure as extravagant as any ever found.

The narrative of the treasures Santiago does find along the way teaches us about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, learning to read the omens strewn along life’s path, and above all, following our dreams.

Pet Sematary

Written by Stephen King

Narrated by Michael C. Hall

Pet Sematary is the bone-chilling classic from master of horror Stephen King that brings with it the lesson that sometimes dead is better.

When Dr. Louis Creed takes a new job and moves his family to the idyllic rural town of Ludlow, Maine, the new beginning seems just a little too good to be true. But despite Ludlow’s tranquility, there’s an undercurrent of danger that lingers from the graveyard in the woods near Creed’s home, where generations of children have buried their beloved pets.

Behind the “pet sematary,” there is another burial ground, one that lures people to it with seductive promises…and ungodly temptations.

Then She Was Gone: A Novel

Written by Lisa Jewell

Narrated by Helen Duff

From New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell, Then She Was Gone is a chilling novel that delves into the lingering aftermath of a young girl’s disappearance.

Fifteen-year-old Ellie Mack was the perfect daughter. She was beloved by her parents, friends, and teachers. She and her boyfriend made a teenaged golden couple. She was days away from summer vacation with her whole life ahead of her.

And then she was gone.

Now, 10 years since her daughter disappeared, seven years since her marriage ended, and only months since the last clue in Ellie’s case was unearthed, her mother, Laurel Mack, is trying to put her life back together. So when she meets an unexpectedly charming man in a cafe, she is surprised at how quickly their flirtation develops into something deeper. Before she knows it, she’s meeting Floyd’s daughters—and his youngest, Poppy, takes her breath away. Looking at her is like looking at Ellie.

And now, the unanswered questions she has tried so hard to put to rest haunt her anew . . . as well as some new ones about Floyd and Poppy.

The Lion’s Game

Written by Nelson DeMille

Narrated by Scott Brick

Filled with unrelenting suspense and surprising plot twists at every turn, The Lion’s Game is a heartstopping race against time and one of Nelson DeMille‘s most riveting thrillers.

Detective John Corey now faces his toughest assignment yet: the pursuit and capture of the world’s most dangerous terrorist—a man known as “The Lion” who has baffled a federal task force and shows no signs of stopping in his quest for revenge against the American pilots who bombed Libya and killed his family.

Eligible Spotify Premium users in the U.K. and Australia can now look forward to 15 hours of audiobook listening per month on any audiobook marked “Included in Premium.” Learn all about it.

Start Your Day Off Right With 9 Audiobooks for Your Morning Commute

September 29, 2023

Whether you like to begin your day the moment you get out of bed or ease gently into it with a cup of coffee, you can count on audiobooks to boost your mornings and kickstart those cognitive functions. Immersing yourself in a well-narrated book might just help wake you up, make your commute more entertaining, and set a positive tone for the day ahead. And a book is definitely better than the sleep-shattering buzz of an alarm clock.

From words of wisdom and truth courtesy of Oprah Winfrey, to laughs and enlightening insights from Rainn Wilson, to a number of titles that are fresh for 2023, here are a few of our favorite audiobooks for your morning commute.

What I Know For Sure

Written and narrated by Oprah Winfrey

After film critic Gene Siskel asked her, “What do you know for sure?” Oprah Winfrey began writing the What I Know For Sure column in O, The Oprah Magazine. Citing that the question offered her a way to “take stock of her life,” Oprah has penned one column a month over the last 14 years, during which time she retired The Oprah Winfrey Show (the highest-rated program of its kind in history), launched her own television network, became America’s only Black billionaire, was awarded both an honorary degree from Harvard University and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, watched friends and colleagues come and go, lost beloved pets and adopted new ones, and celebrated milestone birthdays.

Now, for the first time, these thoughtful gems have been revised, updated, and collected in What I Know For Sure, a beautiful audiobook packed with insights and revelations from Oprah. Organized by theme—joy, resilience, connection, gratitude, possibility, awe, clarity, and power—these essays offer a rare and powerful glimpse into the mind of one of the world’s most extraordinary women.

All the Gold Stars: Reimagining Ambition and the Ways We Strive

Written by Rainesford Stauffer

Narrated by Jess Nahikian

All the Gold Stars looks at how cultural, personal, and societal expectations around ambition are driving the burnout epidemic by funneling our worth into productivity, limiting our imaginations, and pushing us further apart. Through her own devastating personal narrative, Rainesford Stauffer reveals the common factors driving us all, peeling back layers of family expectations, capitalism, and self-esteem that she believes dangerously tie up our worth in our output.

Interviews with students, workers, psychologists, and more provide a new definition of ambition and the tools Stauffer believes we can use to reframe our lives. All the Gold Stars offers possible ways to reject current reality and reconceive ambition as more collective, imaginative, and rooted in caring for ourselves and one another.

The 5AM Club: Own Your Morning. Elevate Your Life.

Written by Robin Sharma

Narrated by Adam Verner

Legendary leadership and elite performance expert Robin Sharma introduced The 5AM Club concept over 20 years ago. It’s based on a morning routine that has helped his clients with their productivity, health, and serenity in what he calls “this age of overwhelming complexity.”

Now, in this captivating audiobook to boost your morning, you can discover the early-rising habit that has helped so many people accomplish epic results while upgrading their happiness, helpfulness, and feelings of being alive. Part manifesto for mastery, part playbook for genius-grade productivity and part companion for a life lived beautifully.

Creative Quest

Written by Questlove

Narrated by Questlove, Fred Armisen, Dion Flynn, Norm MacDonald, Robin Thede, and Tariq Trotter

In Creative Quest, Questlove—musician, bandleader, designer, producer, culinary entrepreneur, professor, and all-around cultural omnivore—synthesizes all the creative philosophies, lessons, and stories he’s heard from the many creators and collaborators in his life. He then reflects on his own experience to advise listeners and fans on how to consider creativity and where to find it. He addresses many topics—like what it means to be creative, how to find a mentor and serve as an apprentice, the wisdom of maintaining a creative network, coping with critics and the foibles of success, and the specific pitfalls of contemporary culture—all in the service of guiding admirers who have followed his career and newcomers not yet acquainted with his story.

Whether discussing his own life or channeling the lessons he’s learned from forefathers such as George Clinton, collaborators like D’Angelo, or like-minded artists including Ava DuVernay, David Byrne, and Björk, Questlove speaks with his resident candor and enthusiasm. Creative Quest is many things, but above all, it’s a wide-ranging conversation around the eternal mystery of creativity.

(Un)Stuck

Written and narrated by Dr Sophie Mort

Do you feel stuck in a rut and that you keep getting in your own way? Or maybe you have an idea of the version of yourself you want to be—self-assured, happy, and thriving—but getting there seems impossible?

Drawing on her expertise as a clinical psychologist with a master’s in neuroscience, in (Un)Stuck, Dr Sophie Mort shares the science of habit formation to help you understand your patterns of behavior and start living the life you want.

Packed with practical tips, exercises, real-life examples, and “unsticking points,” Dr Sophie breaks down five reasons you’re stuck and offers you tools to do something about it.

The Power Code: More Joy. Less Ego. Maximum Impact for Women (and Everyone)

Written by Katty Kay, Claire Shipman

Narrated by Katty Kay, Claire Shipman, and Sandy Rustin

Power is not working—for women, for men, or for the world. We don’t need to remake women. We need to remake power.

In The Power Code, journalists and New York Times bestselling authors Katty Kay and Claire Shipman are on a mission to reclaim power for women. In the wake of sweeping changes in the way we work, these veteran journalists challenge preconceived notions of what power is and what it’s good for, along with the insidious, mostly hidden structures of the status quo that hold women back.

What started as a straightforward examination of best practices becomes a manifesto offering a new form of power, a distinctly female version that they believe is already emerging in workplaces, in politics, and on the home front. It’s a version that is more appealing to women (and most men as well). It offers women a blueprint for shaping their own professional futures, maximizing their impact for the benefit of others, and experiencing the real joy that comes from taking the reins and influencing outcomes.

Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution

Written and narrated by Rainn Wilson

Rainn Wilson, comedic actor and author of Soul Boom, explores the problem-solving benefits of spirituality in an increasingly challenging world.

The trauma that our world has experienced in recent years—as a result of both the pandemic and societal tensions that threaten to overwhelm us—has been unprecedented. To Wilson, it is clear that existing political and economic systems are not enough to bring the change that the world needs. He explores the possibility and hope for a spiritual revolution, a “Soul Boom,” in order to address today’s greatest issues: mental health, racism, sexism, climate change, and economic injustice.

The Seven Decisions: Understanding the Keys to Personal Success

Written and narrated by Andy Andrews

In this revised and repackaged version of Mastering the Seven Decisions, master storyteller and life coach Andy Andrews has fast-forwarded the concept of success and what it takes to make it stick. Seeking out what separates the ordinary life from the extraordinary, Andrews has spent much of his life dissecting countless biographies and spending time with some of the most successful people on the planet in an effort to understand the principles that propel them toward greatness.

The result? Seven simple principles that, when applied consistently, render extraordinary lives. Through his entertaining, down-to-earth style, Andrews introduces these principles and offers all the tools he believes are necessary to make lasting changes in your life.

You Were Born for This: Astrology for Radical Self-Acceptance

Written and narrated by Chani Nicholas

From beloved astrologer and Spotify Cosmic Playlist curator Chani Nicholas comes an essential guide for radical self-acceptance.

Your weekly horoscope is merely one crumb from astrology’s cake. In her first book, You Were Born for This, Nicholas shows how your birth chart—a snapshot of the sky at the moment you took your first breath—can reveal your unique talents, challenges, and opportunities. Marrying the historic traditions of astrology with a modern approach, You Were Born for This explains the key components of your birth chart in an easy-to-use, choose-your-own-adventure style with journal prompts, reflective questions, and affirmations personal to your astrological makeup.

Eligible Spotify Premium users in the U.K. and Australia can now look forward to 15 hours of audiobook listening per month on any audiobook marked “Included in Premium.” Learn all about it.

9 Trending-On-Social Audiobooks To Appeal to Your Inner Influencer

September 29, 2023

Spotify Premium Audiobooks Audiobooks to Appeal to Your Inner Influencer. Illustration of Woman in red bathing suit laying on a striped towel at the beach

Sometimes you might notice a thoughtful review from a friend on your feed, or stumble upon a flash summary straight out of your favorite social influencer’s mouth. Either way, it’s great to end up with a good book recommendation. From modern reimaginings of Greek mythology to fantastical worlds, twisted mysteries, or steamy romances, there’s no shortage of audiobooks out there to live rent-free in our heads.

So get that like button ready: Here are nine audiobooks trending on social media.

A Touch of Darkness

Written by Scarlett St. Clair

Narrated by Meg Sylvan

In Scarlett St. Clair’s new take on Greek mythology, A Touch of Darkness tells the story of a Persephone who is the Goddess of Spring by title only. Truth be told, flowers have shriveled at her touch since she was little. So, after moving to New Athens, she disguises herself as a mortal journalist in the hopes of leading a normal, unassuming life.

Meanwhile, Hades, God of the Dead, has built a gambling empire on the mortal world. His favorite bets, it’s rumored, are of the impossible kind. After a chance encounter with Hades, Persephone finds herself in a contract with the God of the Dead, and the terms are impossible: She must create life in the Underworld or lose her freedom forever.

The bet does more than expose Persephone’s failure as a goddess, however. As she struggles to sow the seeds of her freedom, love for the God of the Dead grows—and it’s forbidden.

Red, White & Royal Blue: A Novel

Written by Casey McQuiston

Narrated by Ramon de Ocampo

What happens when America’s First Son falls in love with the Prince of Wales? In Red, White & Royal Blue, author Casey McQuiston imagines what that might look like.

When his mother became president, Alex Claremont-Diaz was promptly cast as the American equivalent of a young royal. Handsome, charismatic, genius—his image is pure millennial-marketing gold for the White House. There’s only one problem: Alex has a beef with an actual prince, Henry, who lives across the pond. And when the tabloids get hold of a photo involving an altercation between the two, U.S. and British relations take a turn for the worse.

In response, heads of family and state, and other handlers, devise a plan for damage control: staging a truce between the two rivals. What starts out as a fake, Instragramable friendship, however, grows deeper and more dangerous than either Alex or Henry could have imagined. Soon Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret romance with a surprisingly unstuffy Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations, which begs the question: Can love save the world after all?

The Cruel Prince: The Folk of the Air, Book 1

Written by Holly Black

Narrated by Caitlin Kelly

The Folk of the Air, Book 1 is the first entry in Holly Black’s Cruel Prince series, centered around a mortal girl who finds herself caught in a web of royal faerie intrigue.

Just seven years old when her parents were murdered, Jude and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. As civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters . . . and the land of Faerie itself.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

Written by V. E. Schwab

Narrated by Julia Whelan

France, 1714: In a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore who remembers her name.

Thus begins The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, a dazzling adventure by V. E. Schwab that plays out across centuries and continents as a young woman learns just how far she’ll go to leave her mark on the world.

They Both Die at the End

Written by Adam Silvera

Narrated by Michael Crouch, Robbie Daymond, Bahni Turpin

With his novel They Both Die at the End, author Adam Silvera reminds us that there’s no life without death and no love without loss in this devastating yet uplifting story about two people whose lives change over the course of one unforgettable day.

On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today.

Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day.

Neon Gods

Written by Katee Robert

Narrated by Zara Hampton-Brown and Alex Moorcock

In this reimagining of Greek mythology, author Katee Robert’s Neon Gods brings a modern retelling of Hades and Persephone that’s as sinful as it is sweet.

Society darling Persephone Dimitriou plans to flee the ultra-modern city of Olympus and start over, far away from the backstabbing politics of the Thirteen Houses. But all of that is ripped away when her mother ambushes her with an engagement to Zeus, the dangerous power behind their glittering city’s dark facade. With no options left, Persephone flees to the forbidden undercity and makes a devil’s bargain with a man she once believed a myth… a man who awakens her to a world she never knew existed.

Hades has spent his life in the shadows, and he has no intention of stepping into the light. But when he finds that Persephone can offer a little slice of the revenge he’s spent years craving, it’s all the excuse he needs to help her—for a price.

Yet every breathless night spent tangled together has given Hades a taste for Persephone, and he’ll go to war with Olympus itself to keep her close.

The Paris Apartment: A Novel

Written by Lucy Foley

Narrated by Clare Corbett, Daphne Kouma, Charlie Anson, Julia Winwood, Sofia Zervudachi, and Sope Dirisu

In The Paris Apartment, Lucy Foley’s new locked-room mystery, everyone’s a neighbor, everyone’s a suspect, and everyone has something to hide.

Jess needs a fresh start. She’s broke, alone, and just left her job under less than ideal circumstances. Her half-brother Ben didn’t sound thrilled when she asked if she could crash with him for a bit, but he didn’t say no, and surely everything will look better from Paris. Only, when she shows up to find an almost too nice apartment (could Ben really have afforded this?), he’s not there.

The longer Ben stays missing, the more Jess starts to dig into her brother’s situation, and the more questions she has. Ben’s neighbors are an eclectic bunch, and not particularly friendly. Jess may have come to Paris to escape her past, but it’s starting to look like it’s Ben’s future that’s in question.

The Kiss Quotient

Written by Helen Hoang

Narrated by Carly Robins

A heartwarming and refreshing debut for Helen Hoang, The Kiss Quotient sets out to prove one thing: There’s not enough data in the world to predict what will make your heart tick.

Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases—a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with . . . but she has way less experience in the dating department than the average 30-year-old.

It doesn’t help that French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. She decides that she needs lots of practice—with a professional—which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese-Swedish stunner can’t afford to turn down Stella’s offer, and he agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan.

Before long, Stella learns not only to appreciate his kisses but also to crave the other things he’s making her feel. Their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges convinces Stella that love is the best kind of logic.

The Lost Apothecary: A Novel

Written by Sarah Penner

Narrated by Lorna Bennett, Lauren Anthony, and Lauren Irwin

The Lost Apothecary is Sarah Penner’s subversive and intoxicating debut novel of secrets, vengeance, and the remarkable ways women can save one another despite the barrier of time.

Hidden in the depths of eighteenth-century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientele. Women across the city whisper of a mysterious figure named Nella who sells well-disguised poisons to use against the oppressive men in their lives. But the apothecary’s fate is jeopardized when Nella’s newest patron, a precocious 12-year-old, makes a fatal mistake that sparks a string of consequences that echo through the centuries.

Meanwhile, in present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, running from her own demons. When she stumbles upon a clue to the unsolved apothecary murders that haunted London two hundred years ago, worlds collide in a stunning twist of fate, one where not everyone will survive.

Eligible Spotify Premium users in the U.K. and Australia can now look forward to 15 hours of audiobook listening per month on any audiobook marked “Included in Premium.” Learn all about it.

Level Up With These 12 Motivational Audiobooks for a Productive Workday

September 29, 2023

There are times when the daily grind might not leave you feeling the most inspired. But it doesn’t always have to be like that. Words of wisdom may be just the thing you need to boost your confidence, shift your 9-to-5 mindset, and motivate you. Does your workload also have you feeling like you don’t have any time to read? Have you blown through your Daily Wellness playlist and all the motivational podcasts? Tune into an audiobook.

Featuring titles from Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Jenn Lim, Ben McKenzie, and Gary Vaynerchuk, these 12 motivational audiobooks range from blueprints for success to tales about the inner workings of the business world. So find a selection that inspires you and start listening on Spotify.

Beyond Happiness: How Authentic Leaders Prioritize Purpose and People for Growth and Impact

Written and narrated by Jenn Lim

The cofounder and CEO of Delivering Happiness updates its namesake model with the aim of showing organizations of every kind how to cultivate a culture that can adapt to change, be highly profitable, and support all its people.

Over the course of Beyond Happiness, author Jenn Lim sets out to show how bringing your whole self to work allows you to do your best work every day, no matter what role you play at your company, or what crisis might come at you next. Making the argument that true happiness comes from living your true purpose, Lim points to case studies that show how companies can help individuals align their purpose with the company mission.

Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud

Written by Ben McKenzie and Jacob Silverman

Narrated By Ben McKenzie

At the height of the pandemic, TV star Ben McKenzie says he was the perfect mark for cryptocurrency: a dad stuck at home with some cash in his pocket, worried about his family, armed with only the vague notion that people were making heaps of money on something he—despite having a degree in economics—didn’t entirely understand. Lured in by the promise of taking power from banks, possibly improving democracy, and a touch of FOMO, McKenzie dove deep into blockchain, Bitcoin, and the rest of the cryptocurrency world.

But after scratching the surface, he started to question if it was all a scam. In Easy Money, McKenzie enlists the help of journalist Jacob Silverman for a caper and exposé that points to what he says are the climactic final days of cryptocurrency now upon us. Weaving together stories of average traders and victims, colorful crypto “visionaries,” Hollywood’s biggest true believers, anti-crypto whistleblowers, and government agents searching for solutions at the precipice of a major crash, Easy Money delivers an on-the-ground look into cryptocurrencies’ inner workings.

The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure

Written and narrated by Grant Cardone

In the eyes of author Grant Cardone, extreme success lies beyond the realm of normal action. He believes it requires breaking from the status quo and removing luck and chance from the business equation. And with The 10X Rule, he wants to show you how.

With step-by-step guidance on how to achieve phenomenal success, this audiobook explains the amount of effort needed to achieve and sustain success. Cardone says that four degrees of action exist, and in order to achieve your dreams, you must learn to operate at the fourth degree of action: massive action. The 10X Rule aims to help you dissolve fear, increase your belief in yourself, eliminate procrastination, and provide you with an overwhelming sense of purpose.

Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less

Written by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang

Narrated by Alex Sims

Overwork is the new normal. Rest is something to do when the important things are done, but it seems like they are never done. Looking at different forms of rest, from sleep to vacation, Silicon Valley futurist and business consultant Alex Soojung-Kim Pang dispels the myth that the harder we work the better the outcome.

Combining rigorous scientific research with a rich array of examples of writers, painters, and thinkers—from Darwin to Stephen King—Rest challenges our tendency to see work and relaxation as antithetical. “Deliberate rest,” as Pang calls it, is the true key to productivity and will give us more energy, sharper ideas, and a better life. This audiobook offers a roadmap to rediscovering the importance of rest in our lives, and a convincing argument that we need to relax more if we actually want to get more done.

Reset: Powerful Habits to Own Your Thoughts, Understand Your Feelings, and Change Your Life

Written by Debra Fileta and Christine Caine

Narrated by Debra Fileta

Want to break free from unhealthy habits and replace them with positive patterns? Finding yourself returning to old behaviors? With Reset, author and professional counselor Debra Fileta wants this time to be different for you.

Guiding listeners through 31 powerful and sustainable practices, this audiobook aims to help you transform your thought patterns. Instead of focusing on external actions, you’ll work on reshaping the default settings of your heart and mind so that you’re able to accomplish the growth you want to see in yourself. You’ll get to the bottom of why you do what you do, and then you’ll learn how to do it better. Discover invaluable lessons you can return to again and again, and begin your journey of changing from the inside out. Get ready to reset.

100 Things Productive People Do: Little lessons in getting things done

Written by Nigel Cumberland

Narrated by Qarie Marshall

100 Things Productive People Do will help you boost your productivity and get things done. Packed with great ideas for achieving more and creating success, author Nigel Cumberland explores the habits, tools, techniques, and mentalities of highly productive people and reveals how to effortlessly take on your to-do list. Every chapter in this audiobook features a new idea that will help you work smarter rather than harder. Mixing simple explanations with activities and exercises, you’ll learn the optimal mindset and habits you need to succeed.

Can’t Stop Thinking: How to Let Go of Anxiety and Free Yourself from Obsessive Rumination

Written by Nancy Colier and Stephan Bodian

Narrated by Kitty Hendrix

Are you stuck in your head? In today’s world, it’s easy to get stuck in an endless loop of negative thoughts. And if you’re like many people, you’ve maybe tried to think your way out of one of these thought cycles, leading to anxiety, self-criticism, resentment, catastrophizing, and hopelessness. Now it’s time to learn how to stop obsessing and start living with the help of Can’t Stop Thinking.

Using a powerful blend of mindfulness and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), psychotherapist and spiritual counselor Nancy Colier offers a solution for breaking free from repetitive and obsessive thinking. In this audiobook, you’ll learn how to surrender your thinking mind, freeing you up to discover a life of self-compassion, presence, peace, and joy.

We Should All Be Millionaires: A Woman’s Guide to Earning More, Building Wealth, and Gaining Economic Power

Written and narrated by Rachel Rodgers

We Should All Be Millionaires offers a step-by-step path to help you create the support, confidence, and vision you need to own your success.

In this book, Rachel Rodgers—a Black woman, mother of four, attorney, business owner, and self-made millionaire—shares the lessons she’s learned both in her own journey to wealth and in coaching hundreds of women through their own journeys to seven figures. Whatever is stopping you from financial success, this book will help you clear every obstacle in your way, show up, and glow up.

Rodgers says it’s time to construct an entirely new attitude about money so you can stop just surviving, and start thriving.

Unlearn: 101 Simple Truths for a Better Life

Written and narrated by Humble the Poet

Rapper, spoken-word artist, poet, blogger, and influencer Humble the Poet has traditionally shared his message of self-discovery, creativity, and empowerment with his fans through music and written word. That message has now been extended to Unlearn, offering insights and wisdom that challenge conventional thinking and help you tap into your best, most authentic self.

In Unlearn, Humble wants to open listeners’ eyes to their own lives, helping them recognize the possibilities that await and the challenges that stand in the way of dreams. By shedding the problematic lessons we’ve learned throughout our lives that limit us—from sabotaging habits to fixed mindsets to past regrets—Humble believes we can relearn new, unconventional ways of moving through life.

Best Self: Be You, Only Better

Written by Mike Bayer

Narrated By Mike Bayer and Phil McGraw

If you dream of a better life, author Mike Bayer believes now is the time to turn your dream into reality. The tools you need are within your grasp to design a life that is fulfilling on the deepest levels. Best Self will show you how.

By working through each of the seven SPHERES of life—social, personal, health, education, relationships, employment, and spiritual development—Best Self offers listeners an accessible and interactive audiobook that distills all of Bayer’s wisdom into a compact, focused guide designed to ignite anyone’s desire for change. With a foreword from Dr. Phil McGraw, Best Self asks listeners to embrace their authenticity, acknowledge what is holding them back, and break through to live a passionate life to the fullest.

Crushing It!: How Great Entrepreneurs Build Their Business and Influence—and How You Can, Too

Written by Gary Vaynerchuk

Narrated By Gary Vaynerchuk, Rich Roll, and Amy Schmittauer

Four-time New York Times bestselling author Gary Vaynerchuk offers new lessons and inspiration drawn from the experiences of dozens of influencers and entrepreneurs who rejected the predictable corporate path in favor of pursuing their dreams by building thriving businesses and extraordinary personal brands.

In Crushing It!, Vaynerchuk explains why that’s even more true today, offering his perspective on what has changed and what principles remain timeless. He also shares stories from other entrepreneurs who have grown wealthier—and not just financially—than they ever imagined possible by following Crush It principles. According to Vaynerchuk, the secret to their success has everything to do with their understanding of social media platforms, and their willingness to do whatever it took to make these tools work to their utmost potential. That’s what Crushing It! teaches listeners to do as it dissects every current major social media platform so that anyone can learn how to amplify their personal brand.

Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

Written by Cal Newport

Narrated by Jeff Bottoms

According to Deep Work author Cal Newport, deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. It’s a skill that allows you to quickly master complicated information and produce better results in less time. Newport says deep work can make you better at what you do and provide the sense of true fulfillment that comes from craftsmanship.

Instead of arguing distraction is bad, he instead celebrates the power of its opposite. Dividing this book into two parts, he first makes the case that in almost any profession, cultivating a deep work ethic will produce massive benefits. He then presents a rigorous training regimen, presented as a series of four “rules,” for transforming your mind and habits to support this skill.

A mix of cultural criticism and actionable advice, Deep Work takes listeners on a journey through memorable stories, ranging from Carl Jung building a stone tower in the woods to focus his mind, to a social media pioneer buying a round-trip business-class ticket to Tokyo to work on a book from the air. For anyone seeking focused success in a distracted world, this is a must-listen audiobook for a motivated workday.

Eligible Spotify Premium users in the U.K. and Australia can now look forward to 15 hours of audiobook listening per month on any audiobook marked “Included in Premium.” Learn all about it.

10 Great Musical Biographies That Tell the Stories Behind Your Favorite Artists

September 29, 2023

Spotify Premium Audiobooks Music Biography

You might know all the songs and albums of your favorite musicians, but do you know the experiences and inspirations behind their work? Luckily, you can find out by listening to some great musical biographies on Spotify.

With picks that include memoirs from legendary stars including Dave Grohl, Billie Eilish, Gucci Mane, and Dolly Parton, you can discover all the wisdom these greats have to share.

The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music

Written and narrated by Dave Grohl

Dave Grohl’s autobiography, The Storyteller, sheds light on what it’s like to be a kid from Springfield, Virginia, who goes on to live out his craziest dreams as a musician. The rock icon reflects on everything from hitting the road with Scream at 18, to his time in Nirvana and the Foo Fighters. He remembers jamming with Iggy Pop and dancing with AC/DC and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. He tells stories about drumming for Tom Petty and meeting Paul McCartney at Royal Albert Hall. Grohl even recounts unexpected moments like bedtime stories with Joan Jett to a chance meeting with Little Richard.

The Sporty One: My Life as a Spice Girl

Written and narrated by Melanie Chisholm

After five women answered a newspaper ad, the Spice Girls were born. They recorded their first single, “Wannabe,” and nearly overnight, Melanie “Melanie C” Chisholm went from small-town girl to Sporty Spice.

The Sporty One follows the meteoric rise of Melanie C and The Spice Girls, from the incredible highs of playing at Wembley, conquering the BRITs, and closing the 2012 Olympics, to the difficult lows. For the first time ever, Melanie C talks about the pressures of fame, the shaming and bullying she experienced, the struggles she has had with her body image and mental health, and the difficulty of finding herself when the whole world knew her name.

Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics

Written by Dolly Parton, Robert K. Oermann

Narrated by Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton, Songteller goes beyond the glitz, glamor, and rhinestones to the warmth, heart, and soul of a treasured pop culture icon. In this autobiography, 10-time Grammy Award–winning artist Dolly Parton weaves her words with music and memories to give listeners the stories behind her most cherished songs.

How close did Parton come to singing “I Will Always Love You” as a duet with Elvis Presley? How did she become an actress? And exactly who was “Jolene”? This one-of-a-kind audio experience answers the most burning questions that Parton’s fans have.

The Autobiography of Gucci Mane

Written by Gucci Mane and Neil Martinez-Belkin

Narrated by Guy Lockard

For the first time, hip-hop legend Gucci Mane tells the story of his rise, fall, and redemption in The Autobiography of Gucci Mane. With a string of influential mixtapes and street anthems that pioneered the sound of trap music in the 2000s, the rap icon inspired and mentored a new generation of artists and producers including Migos, Young Thug, Nicki Minaj, Zaytoven, Mike WiLL Made-It, and Metro Boomin.

Taking listeners back to his roots in Alabama, the streets of East Atlanta, and the studio where he found his voice, Gucci Mane reflects on his successes while also confronting his dark past, which included drug addiction, murder charges, and a prison sentence.

But Gucci Mane has changed, and in this music bio, he provides an intimate glimpse into his radical transformation following his 2016 prison release—one that saw the rapper emerge sober, smiling, focused, and positive. This is one of music’s great comeback stories.

Born to Run

Written and narrated by Bruce Springsteen

In 2009, Bruce Springsteen performed at the Super Bowl halftime show. The experience was so exhilarating that he decided to write about it, which then inspired him to tell the story of his entire life.

Vividly recounting his relentless drive to become a musician, his early days as a bar band king in New Jersey, and the rise of The E Street Band, Springsteen fills the pages of Born to Run with humor, originality, and disarming candor. For the first time, the superstar rocker shares the personal struggles that inspired his best work, and shows us why the song “Born to Run” reveals more than we previously realized. This isn’t just a legendary rock star’s memoir. This is a book for anyone who has ever wanted to be baptized in the holy river of rock and roll.

Billie Eilish: In Her Own Words

Written by Billie Eilish

Narrated By Billie Eilish, Maggie Baird, Patrick O’Connell

In this special audiobook companion piece, global pop phenomenon Billie Eilish walks fans through the personal highlights and special moments of her life and career, both on and off the stage.

Billie Eilish: In Her Own Words is full of exclusive and unique content, including memories shared by her parents. Capturing the essence of Billie inside and out, listeners get personal glimpses into her childhood, her life on tour, and more, making this audio edition essential for any fan.

It’s a Long Story: My Life

Written by Willie Nelson and David Ritz

Narrated by Christopher Ryan Grant

It’s a Long Story is the complete, unvarnished story of Willie Nelson‘s life. Told in his distinct voice and leaving no moment or experience unturned, the country legend takes listeners on a ride from Texas and Nashville to Hawaii and his legendary tour bus.

Nelson shines a light on all aspects of his life, including his drive to write music, the women in his life, his biggest collaborations, his lowest lows, and his highest highs—from his bankruptcy to the founding of Farm Aid.

Talking to My Angels

Written and narrated by Melissa Etheridge

Following the success of her first memoir, award-winning rocker and trailblazing LGBTQIA+ icon Melissa Etheridge returns to take stock of her life in the years that have followed.

Talking to My Angels is a profoundly honest look into Etheridge’s inner life as a woman, an artist, a mother, and a survivor. With characteristic wit and courage, Melissa delves into how numerous tragedies served as a catalyst for growth, and what the past two decades have taught her about the value of music, love, family, and life in the face of death. This audiobook also features live, stripped-down performances of many of Melissa’s songs, including “Talking to My Angel” and “Here Comes the Pain.”

Chronicles of the Juice Man: A Memoir

Written by Juicy J and Soren Baker

Narrated by Adam Lazarre-White

The hustle still continues for hip-hop OG Juicy J in Chronicles of the Juice Man, where he shares his invaluable story as an unwavering force in the music industry. Jordan Houston’s rise to stardom was never easy. Beginning with his journey on the streets of Memphis in the ’80s, Juicy J was always inspired by music and had big dreams of becoming a superstar rapper. The Three 6 Mafia member stuck to his plan with determination, rising from a young, poor, ambitious kid to an Academy Award–winning and Grammy-nominated recording artist and entrepreneur. A never-before-seen look into one of the most influential tastemakers in the game, Chronicles of the Juice Man offers Juicy J’s wisdom as a respected industry veteran.

Tell It Like It Is: My Story

Written and narrated by Aaron Neville

Tell It Like It Is shares the trials and tribulations of legendary singer and songwriter Aaron Neville through the lens of his faith, family, and music.

Scoring his first number-one hit in 1966 with “Tell It Like It Is,” the artist went on to form the Neville Brothers with his siblings Art, Charles, and Cyril. Aaron was the breakout star, and over the next six decades, he’s enjoyed four platinum albums, three number-one songs, and entry into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

But few people know the challenging and circuitous road Aaron took to fame. Born in a housing project in New Orleans, he struggled as a teenage father working to raise a family while building his career as a musician, surviving a stint in jail for car theft and battling heroin addiction for many years. Now for the first time, fans can discover the inside story.

Eligible Spotify Premium users in the U.K. and Australia can now look forward to 15 hours of audiobook listening per month on any audiobook marked “Included in Premium.” Learn all about it.

Turn Up the Volume on LGBTQIA+ Authors This Summer

July 11, 2023

Looking for your next great summer read? This season, we are raising the volume on books by LGBTQIA+ authors, celebrating their stories and helping even more listeners access audiobooks on Spotify.

Starting today, and for a limited time, we’re giving away a very limited amount of audiobook copies of five books that celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community, including All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson, This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson, Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo, Real Life by Brandon Taylor and Ace by Angela Chen. Learn more here.

Spotify Celebrates Black History Month With the Launch of Frequency Zine

February 13, 2023

Black voices continue to be left out of the cultural narrative. So in 2021, we launched Frequency—what’s become our year-round global initiative to celebrate Black art, entertainment, creativity, and community. Its mission is brought to life by programs like the Ripple Effect Sunday dinner series and the Free Studio creator residency. Frequency is the home for Black expression as it shapes how the future sounds.

This Black History Month, we’re continuing our support by unveiling Frequency Zine, a new social series focusing on dynamic artists who embody the boundless future of Black music. Throughout the series, we’ll highlight six Black artists across Frequency’s genre-specific playlists, including Indie, Dance/Electronic, Rock, Pop, and more. The first artists to be featured in Frequency Zine include Austin Millz, Bree Runway, Chiiild, Connie Constance, Foggieraw, and Kelela.

Along with the playlists, each edition will feature a digital cover, custom photoshoot, and interview videos. Fans can follow Frequency on Instagram and Twitter to check out Frequency Zine as soon as it drops.

Frequency is a part of our ongoing commitment to support creators from historically marginalized communities and foster equity in the audio space. Read on for some more ways Spotify is highlighting Black creators across our platform this February.

Black authors step into the spotlight with Audiobooks

There’s always more to learn about Black history and culture, so this month, some of our listeners will also receive recommendations for Audiobooks they can sink their ears into, like The 1619 Project developed by Nikole Hannah–Jones, Son of Elsewhere by Elamin Abdelmahmoud, We Over Me by Devale Ellis and Khadeen Ellis, and Finding Me by Viola Davis, which has been nominated for a Spoken Word Grammy.

The Audiobooks Hub will also be taken over with five curated shelves highlighting titles by Black authors within some of our most popular genres. These shelves consist of The Classics, Mystery & Thriller, Editor’s Picks, Lost in Love, and Be Inspired. Some of the titles you’ll find include:

More Myself by Alicia Keys: A book for fans of Alicia Keys with great music tie-ins and full-cast narration from Alicia Keys herself, as well as America Ferrera, Bono, Clive Davis, Craig Cook, DJ Walton, Jay-Z, Krucial, Leigh Blake, Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Swizz Beats, and Terri Augelo.
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson: This multigenerational story was in President Barack Obama’s reading list picks for 2022.
All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson: A series of personal essays from a prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist.
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert: This brand-new rom-com from a popular British author is sure to be a hit for lovers of YA novels.

Black podcast creators continue to set the tone

In addition to the Frequency Zine and our curated Audiobooks shelves, we’re also proud to showcase thought-provoking conversations from some of Spotify’s top Black podcast creators.

The Unbothered Network is a groundbreaking podcast and production company created by award-winning journalist Jemele Hill. Unbothered seeks to elevate the voices, stories, agency, and nuance of Black women by producing high-quality audio experiences on Spotify. The slate of shows including Jemele Hill is Unbothered, Sanctified, and The Black Girl Bravado offers conversation that builds community, all through the power and intimacy of podcasting.

We Said What We Said with Rickey and Denzel recently returned for its fourth season exclusively on Spotify in all video. Each week, longtime best friends Rickey Thompson and Denzel Dion dish on all things pop culture, sex, partying, struggle, love, and more. We Said What We Said is a show with bold advice, hot takes, and risqué storytelling.

On The Ringer’s Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay, the hosts dissect the biggest topics in Black culture, politics, and sports. Two times per week, they will wade into the most important and timely conversations, frequently inviting guests on the podcast and occasionally debating each other.

Spotify is committed to creating space for Black creators and fans to express themselves year-round, and as we move forward in 2023, we will continue our support on and off our platform.

Looking for more on the diverse and exciting sounds coming from Black artists around the globe? Check out our playlist This Is Frequency.

2022 Saw Even More Advancements, Acquisitions, and Excitement at Spotify

December 27, 2022

Earlier this month, we all had a chance to revisit what we listened to most in 2022 with Wrapped. From the year’s top artist (congrats on the three-peat, Bad Bunny) to identifying our listening personalities (where the “Deep Divers” at?), fans worldwide shared their listening habits. But that’s only the icing on the cake. The year also saw new content offerings such as audiobooks and more programs to support diverse and underrepresented voices, all designed to bring the best experience to listeners and creators.

Ring in 2023 by reliving Spotify’s highlights from 2022.

Commitment to platform safety

At the start of the year, we shared several actions we’re taking to balance creator expression with safety, including publishing our Platform Rules and taking steps to ensure creators and users alike understand what’s permitted on Spotify. This summer, we unveiled the Spotify Safety Advisory Council, an interdisciplinary group of experts that are providing our teams with an outside-in view of the safety landscape and helping us ensure that our products and policies address the needs and concerns of our users, creators, and artists around the world.

Acquisitions expand our offerings

Early in the year, we acquired two podcast technology companies: Podsights, a podcast advertising measurement service, and Chartable, a podcast analytics platform. This move helped us uplevel measurement for podcast advertising and give publishers a new way to grow their business through insights and promotions tools.

Over the summer, we closed on the acquisition of Findaway, a global leader in digital audiobook distribution. Findaway works across the audiobook ecosystem with a platform and offerings that serve authors, publishers, and consumers. Their technology and know-how helped accelerate Spotify’s entry into audiobooks earlier this fall.

As the world’s leading audio streaming platform, it made perfect sense to bring Heardle, the beloved interactive music game to Spotify. It has provided a fun and innovative way to help fans discover new songs and artists.

We also acquired Kinzen, a global leader in protecting online communities from harmful content. Our partnership with the Dublin-based company, which began in 2020, has been critical to enhancing our approach to platform safety. The company’s technology and unique approach helps Spotify better understand, prepare for, and prevent abuse trends from emerging on our platform.

Frequency carves out a spot for Black creators

We expanded Frequency, our global initiative and holistic destination for celebrating Black art, entertainment, creativity, culture, and community both on- and off-platform, with even more opportunities for Black creators. In addition to on-platform hubs and playlists, we hosted The Free Studio, a four-day residency that brought together nine Black musicians and creators. Spotify’s popular playlist Ripple Effect continued the Frequency Sunday Dinner series in Houston, as well as cities across California.

Helping diversify the voices of podcasting

Programs like Sound Up, the Creator Equity Fund, and RADAR for Podcasters help underrepresented voices and emerging talent in the audio space. From education and workshops to on-platform amplification, these initiatives give creators the tools they need to tell their story. In October, we introduced the Africa Podcast Fund, a first-of-its-kind initiative to support burgeoning podcasters through financial grants, workshops, and networking opportunities. In December, we launched Elevate for Podcasters in partnership with the Inevitable Foundation. The program empowers professional podcasters with disabilities, providing the funding, mentorship, equipment, and accommodations they need to level up their careers.

Introducing User Choice Billing with Google

Our multi-year agreement with Google represents a first-of-its-kind option in payment choice with opportunities for both consumers and developers. Users who’ve downloaded Spotify from the Google Play Store are presented with the choice to pay with either Spotify’s payment system or Google Play Billing. These two options living side-by-side in the app give users the freedom to subscribe and make purchases, using the payment option of their choice. With this announcement and our partnership, Google is allowing more choice and competition—decisive steps that demonstrate how platforms should work.

Blend it up

Blend combines the best of Spotify’s personalization capabilities and collaborative playlist functionality into a single shared playlist. In 2022, we took Blend to a whole new level. Users can now Blend with up to 10 people or they can Blend with artists like Lizzo, Post Malone, and Charli XCX. Fans also have the opportunity to shop artist merch from the Blend experience. Blend represents another way we can give artists a new oportunity to interact with fans, and to bring added personalization to a listener’s music experience.

Playing with video

In 2022 we expanded video podcasting to Anchor creators in over 180 global markets. Podcasters love having the option to accompany their audio with visual components, and fans get the opportunity to deeply connect with the content. We also introduced Spotify Podcast Subscriptions for video podcasts, an integration with Riverside (the go-to platform for remote recording), embeddable video, video bulk-replace, video-specific analytics, and interactive podcast features, such as polls and Q&A.

Celebrating EQUAL’s first anniversary

Since its launch, EQUAL has spotlighted women artists through global partnerships, activations, new content experiences, and on- and off-platform support. April marked the program’s one year anniversary. Among EQUAL’s major accomplishments: listeners streamed more than 13 million hours of program artists in the first month of joining.

Reimagining with Roblox

We entered the virtual universe Roblox to create Spotify Island, an audio paradise where fans and artists from all over the world can connect and explore exclusive sounds, quests, and merch. We enhanced the experience during the year with K-Park and Planet Hip-Hop.

Spotify and FC Barcelona team up on the field

In July, we kicked off a partnership with FC Barcelona, becoming the Main Partner of the Club as well as the Official Audio Streaming Partner. We joined the team in Miami during the club’s preseason tour and brought artists like Ovy on the Drums, Piso 21, and Mau y Ricky along for the fun. Through the in-stadium LEDs and our other marketing channels, we promoted artists of all sizes from around the world including BLACKPINK, Fireboy DML, Megan Thee Stallion, Aitch, Pomme, Feid, and Rigoberta Bandini. For FC Barcelona’s October El Clásico showdown—one of the most iconic events in all of sport—we celebrated Drake’s 50 billion streams by creating a limited-edition kit. Get more details on this multiyear partnership on our Spotify: For the Record podcast.

Upping the ante with audiobooks

This fall, we introduced audiobooks to listeners in the U.S., the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. With more than 300,000 titles on the platform, we are giving book lovers a new way to enjoy storytelling on Spotify.

Time to play fair

We believe everyone benefits when competition is fair. Unfortunately, Apple does not, and they’ve consistently abused their dominant position to favor their own services, stifle innovation and hurt consumers. This year, we continued to urge policymakers to take significant action to protect competition and consumers from Apple’s anticompetitive behavior. For more on this fight, listen to Spotify: For the Record, where entrepreneurs, U.S. senators, and Spotify CEO Daniel Ek discuss the importance of consumer choice.

Listen to U2 Frontman Bono Reflect On His Life as an Artist and Activist in His New Memoir ‘Surrender’

November 4, 2022

Earlier this year we launched audiobooks on Spotify so that alongside music and podcasts, we can give fans another way to enjoy audio in one convenient place. Now, we’re thrilled that Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story, the new memoir from U2 frontman Bono, is available on Spotify as an audiobook.

As the lead singer of one of the most iconic rock bands ever, Bono has led a whirlwind life touring the world to perform for millions of fans. But with the release of his new memoir, the artist, activist, and musician is taking a moment to pause and reflect on his experiences.

Narrated by Bono himself, each of the 40 chapters in Surrender is named after a U2 song. The book takes readers on a journey that looks back at how Bono’s friends, family, and faith have shaped his upbringing in Dublin, the global success of U2, and his decades of work fighting AIDS and poverty.

That’s why, for fans who want to go deeper into the life of Bono, we’ve created a special U2 destination that showcases the audiobook and U2’s catalog of albums all in one place. On top of that, listeners will also find the playlist This Is U2, with select songs that showcase the 40 featured songs in Surrender.

Bono said that his creative process for the memoir allowed him to express himself in a different way.

“When I started to write this book, I was hoping to draw in detail what I’d previously only sketched in songs. The people, places, and possibilities in my life. Surrender is a word freighted with meaning for me,” Bono said. “Growing up in Ireland in the seventies with my fists up (musically speaking), it was not a natural concept. A word I only circled until I gathered my thoughts for the book. I am still grappling with this most humbling of commands. In the band, in my marriage, in my faith, in my life as an activist. Surrender is the story of one pilgrim’s lack of progress . . . with a fair amount of fun along the way.”

Fans in search of even more background on the creation of Surrender can also check out our most recent episode of Discover This, which features an interview with Dan Zitt, who is the Senior Vice President of Content Production at Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group. In the episode, Dan not only talks about his experiences working in the audiobook industry, but also shares a few stories about working with Bono on the recording sessions for Surrender.

To help listeners discover the audiobook and the new U2 destination, the mobile version of Spotify will feature a banner on Home that will take listeners directly to the hub until November 10. Listeners will also be directed to the audiobook from the U2, Bono, and This Is U2 pages between November 7 and November 27.

Catch up with all of Bono’s greatest hits with our playlist This Is U2:

With Audiobooks Launching in the U.S. Today, Spotify Is the Home for All the Audio You Love

September 20, 2022

*Update as of Tuesday, March 21, 2023: Audiobooks are also now available for purchase on Spotify in Canada.

*Update as of Tuesday, November 22, 2022: Audiobooks are also now available for purchase on Spotify in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.

The Spotify you know and love is getting a lot bigger with the addition of a catalog of content that users have been requesting for years: audiobooks.

Starting today, Spotify listeners in the U.S. will be able to purchase and listen to more than 300,000 audiobook titles—making our platform a true all-in-one destination for everyone’s listening needs. And we’re excited to launch audiobooks with a brand-new user interface that’s geared specifically for listening to audiobooks and fits them seamlessly alongside the music and podcasts you already listen to and love.

This is just the beginning of Spotify’s audiobooks journey. We’ve been working to create a seamless audiobooks experience, and we’ll continue to build and innovate on this in the future. For the Record sat down with Nir Zicherman, Spotify’s Vice President and Global Head of Audiobooks and Gated Content, to discuss today’s announcement and our vision for audiobooks in the future.

Today, we’re announcing that 300,000 audiobooks are available on Spotify in the U.S. Why are audiobooks the next frontier for us as a company?

We’ve always believed that the potential for audio is limitless, and we’ve been saying for a while now that our ambition is to be the complete package for everyone’s listening needs. Audiobooks are next to come into the picture because we see a substantial untapped market: While audiobooks represent just a 6%–7% share of the wider book market, the category is growing by 20% year over year.

But what we’re really excited about is providing a great new experience for listeners—introducing audiobooks to an audience of people who may never have tried them otherwise. By bringing audiobooks to Spotify, we have the opportunity to both grow the space as a whole and enrich listeners’ lives.

What can listeners expect today?

Starting today, users in the U.S. can easily find audiobooks on Spotify alongside music and podcasts as a section in their library, in search, and in their curated recommendations on Home.

Audiobooks will show up with a lock icon on the play button, signaling that they need to be purchased in order to listen. Users who discover audiobooks in the Spotify app will be able to purchase them on a web page. Upon returning to Spotify, the book will be automatically saved in their library and available to listen to whenever they want.

Once listening, there are a number of features that we know from user research are essential for a seamless experience. Listeners can download content for offline listening, and our automatic bookmarking feature saves their place so they can easily pick up where they left off. Speed control is also included, with a variety of options to speed up or slow down the pace. And for listeners who want to share their opinion after listening to a book, we’ve also included a rating feature, which will publicly display the aggregate rating of the book.

What makes Spotify ready and equipped to make a positive impact in the audiobooks space?

Adding an entirely new content format to our service is no small feat. But we’ve done it before with podcasts, and we’re excited to now do the same with audiobooks. We’ve been testing, researching, and listening to figure out how to create the most seamless experience on Spotify. Our hope is that users who find audiobooks in their apps starting today feel that the user experience is obvious—that audiobooks fit in perfectly with how they already use Spotify.

We also have the opportunity to apply our learnings around creators to uplift the authors and publishers whose content is now on Spotify. It’s important for us to deliver a great experience for the people behind the audiobooks we all love, and you can expect that we’ll start providing some exciting creator-facing features soon.

The offering available today in the U.S. is just the first iteration of audiobooks on Spotify. We’ll learn a lot through this launch and leverage those learnings as we enhance the experience with new features, plan for launches in additional markets, and innovate on the format to benefit listeners, authors, and publishers.

What are some of the opportunities for us as a company around this offering?

We are running faster and are more focused than anyone else in audio. And we believe that audio and long-form content is a much bigger business than what many would have thought. Our expansion into audiobooks is a significant proof-point in that belief. And this is just the beginning.

Just as we did with podcasting, this will introduce a new format to an audience that has never before consumed it, unlocking a whole new segment of potential listeners. This also helps us support even more kinds of creators and connect them with fans that will love their art—which makes this even more exciting.

What have been some of the challenges in creating and implementing this offering?

As I mentioned earlier, audiobooks are a completely new format for us. While we have substantial learnings around how people want to listen to music and podcasts, we wanted to offer an experience that feels unique to the book format. So it took a lot of research and fine-tuning to build that experience in a way that also feels intuitive to what users expect on Spotify.

We also recognize that there are a lot of features on Spotify, and we had our work cut out for us adding an entirely new content type without making the platform feel crowded. We believe that the solution we came to feels seamless, but we’ll always continue to iterate on the product to address users’ needs.

What is one audiobook you’re particularly excited to listen to?

Liberation Day by George Saunders. George is one of my all-time-favorite writers, and his newest collection of short stories is due to come out only a few weeks after launch.

George typically narrates his own audiobooks, but this one is particularly exciting because, in addition to his own voice, it will feature a variety of really amazing narrators: Tina Fey, Stephen Root, Michael McKean, and others. I can’t wait to hear it!

Spotify is committed to being the world’s most popular audio streaming service, and the introduction of audiobooks marks yet another milestone in that commitment. Click here to visit our audiobooks hub and discover top titles and authors from our amazing catalog.

Plus, check out the Spotify: Discover This episode going deeper inside the world of audiobooks, featuring interviews with Spotify Global Head of Audiobooks Nir Zicherman, author of NYT bestseller The Atlas Six Olivie Blake, audiobook producer, Grammy winner, and SVP of Content Production at Penguin Random House Audio Dan Zitt, prolific audiobook narrator Julia Whelan, and award-winning audiobook narrator Bahni Turpin.

Spotify Closes Acquisition of Findaway, a Global Leader in Audiobooks

June 16, 2022

Today, we’re excited to share that Spotify has closed the acquisition of Findaway, a global leader in digital audiobook distributions. As our CEO, Daniel Ek, said at our 2022 Investor Day last week, “We believe that audiobooks, in their many different forms, will be a massive opportunity.” Now, with Findaway officially part of the band, we are looking forward to innovating, growing, and rethinking what the audiobooks market can be—together.

Findaway works across the entire audiobook ecosystem with a platform and offerings that serve authors, publishers, and consumers. Their technology will help propel Spotify into the rapidly growing audiobooks industry with substantial market opportunity: the audiobooks market is expected to grow from $3.3 billion to $15 billion by 2027. Our global head of audiobooks, Nir Zicherman, said in his 2022 Investor Day presentation, “We believe this presents a unique opportunity to introduce music and podcast listeners around the world to audiobooks and drastically expand that market.”

In addition to offering the largest catalog of distributed titles, Findaway has actively worked to democratize audiobooks through leading technology tools that independent authors can use to publish and distribute their stories to new audiences. We plan on accelerating the growth of these tools, with the goal of scaling and expanding the audiobooks market overall.

Findaway’s technology infrastructure will enable Spotify to quickly scale its audiobook catalog and innovate on the experience for consumers, simultaneously providing new avenues for publishers and authors to reach audiences around the globe. Chapter one begins today . . .