Spotify has once again drawn the ire of the music industry. The National Music Publishers' Association has called on the Federal Trade Commission to examine the streaming service's addition of audiobook content into all of its paid subscription plans. According to the group's FTC complaint, Spotify's recent actions are part of "a scheme to increase profits by deceiving consumers and cheating the music royalty system." This requires some backstory. In November 2023, Spotify announced that it would include 15 hours of audiobook content as part of all its Premium subscription plans. A few months later, the company unveiled a new audiobook-only subscription, offering the same number of listening hours for $10 a month. The publishers' organization claims that Spotify's recent price increases are based on offering that extra audiobook content, and that paying customers are automatically being charged for a service they didn't choose and can't opt out of without switching to the free, ad-supported listening experience. And the additional revenue from the higher Premium subscription costs may not go to the music composers. According to the FTC complaint, Spotify will pay about $150 million less in music royalties over the first year of these new bundled Premium plans. The NMPA letter goes so far as to call the new audiobook-only plan "a sham" that "exists solely to allow Spotify to claim that audiobook content is a significantly and independently valuable aspect of its 'bundled'... Continue reading at 'Engadget'
[ Engadget | 2024-06-12 23:52:55 UTC ]
The digital publisher Podium Audio has acquired Bookstat, the data subscription service that tracks online book purchases in physical, e-book, and audiobook formats. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-26 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Julia Whelan is one of the most in-demand audiobook narrators working today. With her novel, “Thank You for Listening,” she’s telling a story of her own. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2022-07-22 20:12:04 UTC ]
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A full cast of narrators brings an audiobook to life in totally new and unexpected ways. Here are some of the latest you can't miss. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-07-21 10:36:00 UTC ]
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If you're new to audiobooks or unsure if they're for you, try a mystery, thriller, or true crime audiobook to get you started. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-07-20 10:32:00 UTC ]
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The best YA book deals of the day, sponsored by the audiobook of Wake the Bones by Elizabeth Kilcoyne. `the audiobook of Wake the Bones by Elizabeth Kilcoyne`https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250855992/wakethebones?utm_source=BookRiot+Hey+YA!+Deals`` Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-07-16 10:30:00 UTC ]
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Finding audiobook narrator jobs for beginners can really be hard especially if you don’t know where to start. Here’s where to find them. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-07-13 10:37:00 UTC ]
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In the wake of the Supreme Court’s June 24 ruling on abortion, Macmillan Audio is publishing an audiobook edition of three key cases. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-12 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Audiobook publisher RBmedia has acquired the audiobook business of Upfront Books and the French company Éditions Thélème. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-07 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Text-to-speech automated audiobook narration arrives at Bookwire, amid the company's insistence on its respect for human narration. The post Germany’s Bookwire Now Offers Artificial Narration for Audiobooks appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-06-27 12:12:31 UTC ]
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What makes an audiobook stand out? Is it true that narrators can make or break the story? Some experts offer perspectives. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-06-17 10:36:00 UTC ]
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Spotify has completed its acquisition of digital audiobook distributor Findaway. The Swedish streaming giant has 422 million monthly active users, and will use the Findaway purchase to speed its growth in the audiobook market. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-06-17 04:00:00 UTC ]
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From the best fantasy narrators to YA audiobook narrators, find the best audiobook narrators by genre to narrate your reading! Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-06-16 10:35:00 UTC ]
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The best YA book deals are sponsored by the audiobook edition of We All Fall Down by Rose Szabo. `the audiobook edition of We All Fall Down by Rose... Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-06-11 10:30:00 UTC ]
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Audiobook sales are up for the tenth straight year. Here are the results from a few studies detailing audiobook listener habits. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-06-08 17:45:20 UTC ]
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Whether you’re looking for romance, sci-fi, history, contemporary fiction, or fantasy, these queer narrators have you covered, like Avi Roque in Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-06-08 10:32:00 UTC ]
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Growth in audiobook revenue by genre was led in 2021 by romance, self-help, and science-fiction per the Audio Publishers Association. The post Audio Publishers Association: US Audiobook Revenues Reach $1.6 Billion in 2021 appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-06-07 15:41:05 UTC ]
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'We're in a good position,' says Storytel's Yasmina Jraissati, after the audiobook service Storytel's first five years in the region. The post Audiobooks: Storytel’s Yasmina Jraissati on the Format’s Progress in the Arab World appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-06-03 20:27:27 UTC ]
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Pack those books, queue up an audiobook or two, and make your summer road trip decidedly more bookish with these fun pieces!- Courtney Rodgers Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-05-30 10:31:00 UTC ]
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The best YA book deals of the day, sponsored by the audiobook of Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster. `the audiobook of Just Your Local Bisexual... Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-05-28 10:00:00 UTC ]
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The best YA book deals of the day, sponsored by the audiobook of Every Bird a Prince by Jenn Reese.`the audiobook of Every Bird a Prince by Jenn... Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-05-14 10:30:00 UTC ]
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