Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.A.

Spotify announced Wednesday that it is expanding audiobook access to over 180 markets worldwide, covering regions across Europe, the Americas, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. The rollout begins today and will continue over the coming months, bringing audiobooks to more than 750 million users and sharpening Spotify's competition with music streaming providers and audiobook apps like Audible. Previously, audiobooks were available primarily in English-speaking markets such as the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as in Germany. Spotify said it has more than 350,000 titles for its new markets and has expanded its collection to over 120 languages, with users in Spain gaining access to over 45,000 titles in Spanish. The company is working with more than 300 publishers worldwide, including Planeta and Mondadori, to increase titles across markets. Premium subscribers can listen to 12 hours of audiobooks in eligible countries such as Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Poland, Chile, Norway, and Peru, while a standalone Audiobook+ subscription offers a 15-hour allowance, and individual titles can be purchased directly. Spotify is also adding an Audiobook+ add-on for student plans in select regions in November; since its launch last year, Audiobook+ has gained over 1 million subscribers and generated over 100 million in annual recurring revenue. The company noted that monthly listeners of audiobooks grew by 40% over the past year and listening hours rose by 30%.