Spotify rolls out Audiobooks to Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein allowing Premium listeners access to 350,000 audiobooks, including titles in German, French, and Italian. Eligible Premium subscribers will receive 12 hours of audiobook listening each month, and additional 10-hour allocations can be purchased as needed from €9.99. Listeners without an eligible Premium subscription will be able to pay to unlock access to individual audiobook titles a la carte.
In Germany, there’s a rich tradition of storytelling and “Hörspiele” (audio plays), which has paved the way for the popularity of audiobooks. Today, audiobooks are a significant part of the cultural landscape, preserving and promoting literature in a modern format.
With Audiobooks in Premium, users will find a host of new benefits that will make the listening experience even better. Along with an expanded catalogue – which includes titles like Cornelia Funke’s Tintenherz, Caroline Wahl’s 22 Bahnen, and Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing – listeners can:
- Search more easily via our dedicated Audiobooks tab.
- Explore recommendations from our Home feed.
- Access our hub to discover top titles curated by our editorial experts.
- Save their progress in an audiobook, ensuring they can easily pick up where they left off during their next listening session.
- Pre-save upcoming releases from their favourite authors with Countdown Pages.
- Use our Spotify Sleep Timer so they don’t lose their place.
David Kaefer, VP Audiobooks Business said, “We are turning up the volume on where people are already listening, and getting even more great stories to them with this new catalogue and listening experience. In the markets where we have already launched, we’ve already accelerated growth for the audiobook business, and that’s what we’re committed to doing here in Germany and across Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.”
