Spotify first rolled out its audiobook service in September of last year, allowing customers to buy audiobooks for listening online and offline for a one-time fee. According to a recent survey shared by the audio streaming platform, listening to books is not a niche activity — at least, it isn’t among one group of listeners.
A survey of 1,000 Americans revealed that Gen Z and millennials consume the most audiobooks, with 72% of 18-34-year-olds claiming to listen. With such a large piece of the market devouring audiobooks, it’s no wonder Spotify wanted to expand its options.
The company stated that “comfort listening” was the frequent reason listed by listeners for booting up an audiobook, and around half of the listeners put on an audiobook when traveling. 63% of users noted using audiobooks to relax, while 41% listened to improve their cognition.
The music streaming service noted that audiobooks, like its music selection, are grouped into specific genres to accommodate user’s range of interests. You can scroll through a list of historical romances or cozy mysteries, for example, to find what you are looking for.
Alongside the announcement, Spotify listed some recommendations for Spotify Premium users who want to try out the new feature, but don’t know where to start. Among the compilations are “Audiobooks To Help You Unwind,” and “Audiobooks for Your Morning Commute.”