Spotify is now tracking audiobook popularity with new weekly charts for both the US and UK, adding another layer to its already extensive music and podcast rankings. The move is intended to help users discover new titles more easily, a strategy the company has successfully applied to music and podcasts in the past.
Expanding Beyond Music and Podcasts
Spotify first entered the audiobook market in 2022, and has since been adding features designed to compete with dedicated audiobook services like Audible. These include AI-powered tools such as Recaps (for personalized summaries) and PageMatch (which syncs listening with printed books).
The charts are accessible to all Spotify users, though only Premium subscribers receive 15 hours of free monthly audiobook listening. Other titles can be purchased individually. Spotify Premium currently costs $13 a month and includes access to over 100 million songs, as well as the audiobook catalog.
What’s Trending?
As of this week, Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights tops both the US and UK audiobook charts, likely boosted by the recent film adaptation starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. Other popular titles include James Clear’s self-help book Atomic Habits and Freida McFadden’s psychological thriller The Housemaid.
Spotify breaks down popularity by genre, including charts for romance, mystery, self-help, sci-fi, biography, business, YA, religion, history, and parenting. This granular approach helps listeners drill down into specific interests.
Why This Matters
The expansion into audiobook rankings signals Spotify’s commitment to becoming a comprehensive audio entertainment hub. By integrating audiobooks more fully into its platform, Spotify aims to increase engagement, encourage subscriptions, and potentially draw listeners away from competitors.
Spotify’s director of audiobook partnerships, Duncan Bruce, stated that making content easier to access drives demand. The charts are a direct step in that direction.
The company’s strategy is clear: offer a seamless experience for music, podcasts, and audiobooks, all within a single app.
