Expanding Audiobooks Service to Non-English Markets
On Monday, October 14th, Spotify announced the expansion of its audiobooks service to its first non-English markets, including France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Subscribers of the platform’s premium service now have access to twelve hours of audiobook listening per month at no extra cost.
Wide Range of French Audiobooks Available
There are nearly 15,000 French references (as well as in Dutch out of a total of 200,000, mainly in English) available for users, including many novels from prominent authors such as Gaël Faye, Maylis de Kerangal, and Sandrine Collette. Users can purchase additional ten-hour packages for €9.99 to use within a year or buy audiobooks individually.
Future Accessibility and Market Potentials
Currently, only the primary account holder of a Spotify family account can control listening choices, but this is expected to change in the future. Spotify’s global head of audiobooks, David Kaefer, believes in the significant potential for development in the audiobook sector. In the United States, new audiobook listeners spend an average of five additional hours on Spotify within sixty days of their first listen.
French Audiobook Market and Publisher’s Optimism
According to Antoine Monin, the general manager of Spotify for Western Europe, France lags behind its European neighbors in terms of audiobooks, such as Germany, Scandinavia, and the United Kingdom. French publishers are optimistic about the future of audiobooks. Laure Saget, Audiolib’s general director, is confident in the growth potential, especially considering the success of Hachette in the US and UK, whose activity grew by 15 to 20% in a year with Spotify’s help.
Promising Prospects for Publishers and Potential Audience
Eric Marbeau, the digital sales director of Madrigall, is pleased with the opportunity to better showcase their extensive catalogue of 1,500 books on Spotify. While Spotify shares 70% of its revenues with music labels that in turn pay artists, the specifics of the contracts with publishers remain undisclosed. Nevertheless, Liza Faja, director of Lizzie, sees this partnership as a way to reach individuals who may not engage in traditional reading habits, potentially tapping into a colossal audience.
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