When is a book not a book? When it is performed by a starry cast of hundreds. Except it has always been more complicated than thatNews this week of a 17% hike in the UK’s audiobook sales might seem like a niche business story, but it raises an existential question. What exactly is an audiobook today? Is it a book? Is it a play? Or is it becoming something else entirely? What is clear is that a jostle for market dominance is driving it into new dimensions. The streaming platform Spotify followed its move into podcasting two years ago with the launch of an audiobooks business. Though it has yet to start making its own recordings, last autumn it made a deal for 200,000 audiobooks to be available to its premium users.Not to be outdone, Amazon-owned Audible – accustomed to being the market leader – upped its game, hiring the Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes to record multi-voice versions of the Dickens novels Oliver Twist and David Copperfield, and announcing last month that it had reached an agreement for a recording of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series, voiced by more than 100 actors and featuring a “groundbreaking new soundscape”. The new Potter audiobooks, it said, would not usurp but “sit alongside and complement” conventional recordings by Stephen Fry and Jim Dale, which Audible also hosts. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2024-05-10 17:25:03 UTC ]
Amy Pascal and David Heyman have been described as "two of the most accomplished" producers around. Continue reading at BBC World
[ BBC World | 2025-03-25 18:20:34 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Audible's Lee Jarit spoke at London Book Fair, describing the company's market gains and ACX's operations. The post London Book Fair: An Audiobook Update From Audible appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2025-03-19 19:07:05 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The streaming giant has launched a short-form audiobook publishing program for self-published genre fiction authors, following reports of nearly tripling its catalog growth over the past year by attracting younger listeners to its platform. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2025-03-18 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
New Harper Lee short stories coming this fall, a day in the life of an audiobook narrator, the It Books of March, and more news. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2025-03-09 15:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Audiobook subscription service Libro.fm reported 275% growth in new monthly memberships this February, compared to the same period in 2024. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2025-03-06 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
How an audiobook narrator does their work, the art of understanding Colson Whitehead, and a hot new imprint's first releases. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2025-03-05 16:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
At the 30th annual Audies, presented by the Audio Publishers Association and held in New York City on March 4, winners across 28 categories were announced. Barbra Streisand’s memoir took home the night's biggest honor, Audiobook of the Year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2025-03-04 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Actor reportedly in final negotiations to follow up performance in Oscar-nominated hit Conclave with key role in much-anticipated HBO seriesJohn Lithgow is nearing a deal to star as Professor Albus Dumbledore in HBO’s hotly anticipated Harry Potter series, sources told Deadline and Variety.HBO... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2025-02-12 22:21:35 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Two acquisitions and the continuing growth of the audiobook market led to another good year for the audiobook publishing giant. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2025-01-28 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Just how much do celebrity audiobook narrators cost?, a bookish hero of the week, and don't forget Amazon's might: all in today's book news. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2025-01-24 18:34:58 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Time to take a peek at what’s been happening in Library Land. We have audiobook news, January book club picks, ... Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2025-01-21 13:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The newly released 'Audiobooks and Public Libraries' report shows US libraries' community sizes playing a role in audio circulation. The post New Research on Audiobook Circulation in US Libraries appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2025-01-14 22:10:01 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Each month, for your literary listening pleasure, our friends at AudioFile Magazine bring us the cream of the audiobook crop. Now, at 2024 draws to a close, they’ve rounded up the very best audiobooks of the year. Happy listening and happy holidays! * BEST FICTION AUDIOBOOKS FOR 2024 AudioFile’s... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2024-12-06 09:56:45 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Spotify for Authors, an analytics and promotion platform for the company's audiobook division, will offer demographic data about listeners, author profile pages, and redemption codes for reviewers, among other features. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-11-26 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Bloomsbury Opens an Audiobook Distribution Agreement With Spotify The post Bloomsbury Opens an Audiobook Distribution Agreement With Spotify appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-11-22 22:27:19 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Amazon moves to shore up Audible against Spotify's audiobook success, plus a power ranking of the books of 1994, and more. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2024-11-20 16:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Harry Potter fans anticipating the third attraction based on the popular book and movie franchise at Universal Orlando Resort learned that the fictional setting for the ride will be the British Ministry of Magic Continue reading at ABC News
[ ABC News | 2024-11-19 19:10:32 UTC ]
More news stories like this