Since 2008, the giant Spotify has revolutionized music listening. The company is now preparing to open a new chapter in its history, launching this year into audio books. After a first large-scale test in English-speaking countries last March, the platform now offers a large catalog of audiobooks in French. The announcement was made on October 14, 2024, during a press conference given by the company at its Parisian premises.
After podcasts, audiobooks
The number 1 in music streaming had already launched with a bang on the podcast market, in notably hosting some exclusives. In France, a noted collaboration with the influencer Léna Situation and her show Six-seater sofa had largely contributed to the success of the operation. Since the launch of the offer in 2021, six million podcasts are now accessible on Spotify.
As for audio books, Spotify had never hidden its ambitions. The service was deployed at the beginning of the year in Canada, the United States, as well as several other English-speaking countries. It is now accessible in France, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
20,000 books available at launch
Starting today, Spotify Premium subscribers will be able to benefit from free 12 hours of monthly listening dedicated to audiobooksfrom a vast catalog of titles included. In total, the company confirmed, 20,000 titles will be accessible in French, Dutch, Flemish and English during the launch on French territory. A new stage in the multi-market conquest carried out by the company, which for the occasion surrounds itself with big names in publishing, such as Hachette, Editis, or even Lunii and Acte Sud. This morning’s announcement was also a milestone: it is the first time that Spotify has exported audiobooks to a non-English speaking market, with the exception of a few French-speaking audiobooks from our Quebec neighbors, who benefited from a launch “extremely encouraging” explains Antoine Monin, general manager of Spotify for France and Benelux.
On a North American scale, these are 5 additional hours of monthly listening which are now devoted to audiobooks. The stakes are therefore high for this new launch. “France is a great country of readers, we can’t wait for it to become a great country of audio readers“, insists Spotify. Indeed, our country is one of the largest consumers of written books in the world, but the audiobook market is still behind. The leak has a still poorly stocked catalog that the streaming giant intends to quickly correct.
Once the 12 hours of monthly listening have passed (or if you are not a Premium subscriber), it will also be possible to purchase audio books à la carte (with a variable price depending on the publisher), or to unlock 10 additional listening hours (usable within several months) for €9.99.
In summary
- 12 hours of audio books included for owners a Premium subscription (€11.12 per month)
- Huge catalog of unlimited audiobooks with a premium subscription
- Possibility of purchasing books individually (variable publisher price)
- Possibility of purchasing 10 hours of listening for €9.99
A concrete recommendation system
Faced with fierce competition from Audible, Spotify knows it will have to do better. The company is thus banking on a ambitious recommendation systemwhich will be able to be based on your latest musical listenings, but also on your favorite podcasts. A self-powered algorithm which should allow subscribers to benefit from ever more in-depth recommendations, for example by favoring a podcast which highlights your favorite author of the moment. Rather smart on paper then.
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