Spotify audiobook listeners jump 36% in second year

Spotify celebrated the two-year anniversary of its audiobook service by reporting a 36% increase in listeners and a 37% rise in listening hours over the past year, with more than half of eligible Premium subscribers having tried audiobooksbloomberg+1.
The streaming company has tripled its English-language catalog to over 500,000 titles across 14 markets since launching in October 2023, with 52% of its global audiobook audience aged 18-34newsroom.spotify.
Major publishers including Bloomsbury and HarperCollins have credited Spotify for contributing to significant audio sales growth, with UK audiobook revenue hitting a record £268 million in 2024, up 31% year-over-yearnewsroom.spotify+1.
Spotify simultaneously announced a partnership with Netflix to bring select video podcasts from Spotify Studios and The Ringer to the streaming platform starting in early 2026techcrunch+1.

Spotify marked the two-year anniversary of its audiobook service with impressive growth metrics, reporting a 36% increase in listeners and 37% rise in listening hours over the past year. The milestone comes as the streaming giant simultaneously announced a new partnership with Netflix to bring video podcasts to the platform starting in early 2026.bloomberg+3

More than half of eligible Premium subscribers have now tried audiobooks on Spotify, with the majority of listeners under age 35. The company has tripled its English-language catalog to over 500,000 titles across 14 markets since launching the service in October 2023.newsroom.spotify+1

Publishers Credit Spotify for Industry Growth

The growth extends beyond Spotify's platform, with major publishers attributing recent revenue increases to the streaming service's entry into audiobooks. UK publisher Bloomsbury reported audio sales grew 57% in fiscal 2025 "in part driven by our new commercial relationship with Spotify," while HarperCollins cited 13% audiobook growth partly due to Spotify's market entrance.publishersweekly+1

Industry-wide data supports this trend. UK audiobook revenue hit a record £268 million in 2024, up 31% year-over-year, while US digital audio sales grew 14% for adults and 48% for children and young adults in the first half of 2025. The Audio Publishers Association reported total US audiobook sales reached $2.22 billion in 2024, representing 13% growth.newsroom.spotify+1

Legal Challenges and Competition Heat Up

Despite the growth, Spotify faces ongoing legal battles over its audiobook bundling strategy. The Mechanical Licensing Collective secured court approval in September to file an amended complaint alleging Spotify underpays music royalties by classifying its Premium service as a "bundle" with audiobooks. The MLC must file its revised complaint by October 2, 2025.musicbusinessworldwide+1

The Netflix partnership announced Tuesday brings select Ringer and Spotify Studios podcasts to the streaming platform, intensifying competition with YouTube and positioning Spotify as a multimedia entertainment hub. As Owen Smith, Spotify's head of audiobooks, told Bloomberg: "I think we're succeeding with what we promised the industry on day one".techcrunch+2

Sources (54)