# Spotify Launches Audiobook Rankings
Spotify has officially rolled out Audiobook Charts in the U.S. and U.K., providing listeners with weekly rankings of the most popular audiobooks based on real user engagement and listening behavior.[1][2] This move mirrors the platform's successful music and podcast charts, aiming to boost discoverability for book lovers, authors, and publishers in the booming audiobook market.[1][3]
How Spotify's New Audiobook Charts Work
The Audiobook Charts update weekly and feature top audiobooks overall, plus genre-specific rankings tailored to each market. In the U.S., charts cover 11 categories including romance, mystery and thriller, self-help, sci-fi and fantasy, biography and memoir, business and careers, teen and young adult, religion and spirituality, history, and parenting and relationships.[2][5] U.K. charts include mystery and thriller, self-help, sci-fi and fantasy, biography and memoir, alongside an overall top list.[2][5]
Rankings prioritize unique listener behavior and engagement over raw stream counts, similar to Spotify's music and podcast metrics.[1][2] Free and Premium users can access them via the Spotify app: tap Search, select the Audiobooks tile, and scroll to the “Dive deeper” shelf in the Audiobooks hub.[1]
Spotify's Director of Audiobook Partnerships and Licensing, Duncan Bruce, emphasized the charts' potential: “When content is easier to access, discover, and enjoy, the demand grows.”[1][5] This feature builds on recent innovations like Page Match for syncing print/e-books with audiobooks and Recaps for quick audio summaries.[1]
Boosting the Audiobook Ecosystem and Discovery
The launch benefits the entire audiobook industry by surfacing trending titles and helping lesser-known stories gain traction.[1][3] Publishers and authors now have real-time data to gauge popularity, fostering connections with Spotify's vast audience.[2][10] Since introducing audiobooks in 2022, Spotify reports a 36% year-over-year increase in users starting audiobooks and 37% growth in listening hours.[3]
Early charts highlight diverse hits: Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid tops romance with its steamy enemies-to-lovers narrative, narrated by Tor Thom and boosted by an HBO Max adaptation.[4] Sci-fi standout Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, narrated by Ray Porter, remains a perennial favorite for its immersive storytelling.[6]
Spotify's Growing Dominance in Audiobooks
This initiative positions audiobooks as a core pillar alongside music and podcasts, potentially turning Spotify into a Goodreads-like hub for readers.[3] Features like author pages and sleep timers enhance the experience, drawing in non-traditional audiobook fans.[3] With charts live now, the platform expects surged demand, making books more culturally relevant in real time.[1][9]
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Spotify's Audiobook Charts? Spotify's **Audiobook Charts** rank the most popular audiobooks weekly based on user listening behavior and engagement, available in the U.S. and U.K. via the Audiobooks hub.[1][2]
Which genres are included in the U.S. Audiobook Charts? U.S. charts cover **Top Audiobooks overall** plus 11 genres: romance, mystery and thriller, self-help, sci-fi and fantasy, biography and memoir, business and careers, teen and young adult, religion and spirituality, history, and parenting and relationships.[2][5]
How do I access the Audiobook Rankings on Spotify? Open the Spotify app, tap Search, select the **Audiobooks** tile, and scroll to the “Dive deeper” shelf for charts—available to both Free and Premium users.[1]
How are the rankings calculated? Charts use unique listener activity and engagement, not just stream volume, aligning with Spotify's music and podcast methodologies.[1][2]
What popular audiobooks are topping the charts? Titles like **Heated Rivalry** (romance) and **Project Hail Mary** (sci-fi) lead early rankings, with romance and thrillers showing strong listener interest.[4][6]
Is this available outside the U.S. and U.K.? Currently limited to U.S. and U.K. users, with U.K. charts featuring fewer genres like mystery/thriller, self-help, sci-fi/fantasy, and biography/memoir.[1][2]
🔄 Updated: 2/27/2026, 3:21:07 PM
**Spotify has launched dedicated Audiobook Charts in the U.S. and U.K., updating weekly with rankings based on listening behavior and engagement rather than raw stream volume.**[5] The charts highlight top audiobooks overall and by genre—including 11 categories in the U.S. such as Romance, Mystery and Thriller, Sci-Fi and Fantasy, and Self-help—making it easier for readers to discover trending titles alongside similar Music and Podcast Charts features.[2][4] The launch represents Spotify's continued investment in audiobooks following a 36% year-over-year growth in individuals starting an audiobook and 37% growth in listening hours as of October 2025, with the
🔄 Updated: 2/27/2026, 3:31:07 PM
**Spotify's new Audiobook Charts, launched in the U.S. and U.K., are poised for global expansion by boosting audiobook discovery worldwide through weekly rankings based on listener engagement across 11 U.S. genres like romance and sci-fi, plus key U.K. categories such as mystery and self-help.** Publishers and authors anticipate broader international reach, with Spotify's Director of Audiobook Partnerships Duncan Bruce stating, “As we’ve proven with Music and Podcasts Charts, when content is easier to access, discover, and enjoy, the demand grows,” signaling potential growth in listening hours following 36-37% year-over-year increases reported last fall.[1][2][3][4] Industry outlets like Publishers Weekly and The Bookselle
🔄 Updated: 2/27/2026, 3:41:06 PM
Spotify's launch of Audiobook Charts in the **US and UK**—ranking top titles weekly by listening behavior across **11 US genres** like Romance, Mystery & Thriller, and Sci-Fi & Fantasy, plus fewer in the UK—marks its boldest push yet into global audiobooks, building on **36% year-over-year growth** in starters and **37% in listening hours** since 2022.[5] Duncan Bruce, Spotify’s Director of Audiobook Partnerships, stated, “As we’ve proven with Music and Podcasts Charts, when content is easier to access, discover, and enjoy, the demand grows,” signaling potential to connect books to culture worldwide and boost publishers' reach.[2][3] Publishers an
🔄 Updated: 2/27/2026, 3:51:07 PM
**Spotify's new Audiobook Charts, launched in the US and UK with rankings across 11 US genres like Romance and Mystery & Thriller plus 5 in the UK, are poised for global impact by mirroring music charts to boost audiobook discovery worldwide.** Duncan Bruce, Spotify’s Director of Audiobook Partnerships and Licensing, stated, “As we’ve proven with Music and Podcasts Charts, when content is easier to access, discover, and enjoy, the demand grows,” signaling potential expansion beyond initial markets to connect books with global culture in real time.[1][2][3] Publishers Weekly notes the charts, based on unique listener engagement rather than raw streams, equip international authors and publishers with trending data to reach broader audiences.[
🔄 Updated: 2/27/2026, 4:01:10 PM
**No regulatory or government response to Spotify's launch of audiobook rankings in the US and UK has been reported as of now.** The new weekly charts, based on user listening behavior and engagement across genres like Romance, Mystery & Thriller, and Sci-Fi & Fantasy, have drawn attention from publishers but no official statements, investigations, or actions from authorities.[1][2][4] Industry discussions focus on trends like romantasy dominance rather than oversight concerns.[3]
🔄 Updated: 2/27/2026, 4:11:11 PM
**Spotify's new Audiobook Charts, launched in the U.S. and U.K., rank titles weekly based on unique listener behavior and engagement—prioritizing quality interactions over raw stream volume, with "guardrails" to maintain chart integrity, mirroring its music and podcast algorithms.[2][4][8]** The system covers an **overall top chart plus 11 U.S. genres** (e.g., romance, mystery/thriller, sci-fi/fantasy) and **4 key U.K. genres**, accessible via the app's Audiobooks hub for free and Premium users.[3][4] Implications include boosted discoverability—"when content is easier to access... demand grows," per Director Duncan Bruce—but critics warn algorithmi
🔄 Updated: 2/27/2026, 4:21:12 PM
**Breaking: Spotify's new Audiobook Charts spotlight "Heated Rivalry" by Rachel Reid as a top romance title in the U.S. and U.K., fueled by its HBO Max adaptation and narrator Tor Thom's performance.** The weekly rankings, based on unique listener engagement rather than raw streams, cover 11 U.S. genres like romance, mystery, and self-help, plus four in the U.K., accessible to all users in the app's Audiobooks hub.[2][3][5][7] Duncan Bruce, Spotify’s Director of Audiobook Partnerships, stated, “As we’ve proven with Music and Podcasts Charts, when content is easier to access, discover, and enjoy, the demand grows.”[
🔄 Updated: 2/27/2026, 4:31:13 PM
**Spotify's new Audiobook Charts, launched in the US and UK with weekly updates across 11 US genres like romance and mystery, are hailed by industry experts as a game-changer for discovery and competition.** Duncan Bruce, Spotify’s Director of Audiobook Partnerships, stated, “As we’ve proven with Music and Podcasts Charts, when content is easier to access, discover, and enjoy, the demand grows,” positioning the charts—based on unique listener engagement, not raw streams—to mirror music industry benchmarks and challenge Audible.[3][4][5] Analysts note Spotify's 600 million+ users could drive massive exposure for authors, with the platform reporting 36% year-over-year growth in audiobook starts since 20
🔄 Updated: 2/27/2026, 4:41:18 PM
I cannot provide a news update on regulatory or government response to Spotify's audiobook rankings launch, as the search results contain no information about any regulatory bodies, government agencies, or official government statements responding to this feature.[1][2][3][4][5] The available sources focus only on the technical launch of the charts in the US and UK and Spotify's business rationale, without mentioning any regulatory or governmental actions or responses.
🔄 Updated: 2/27/2026, 4:51:21 PM
Spotify launched **Audiobook Charts** in the U.S. and U.K. on Friday, introducing weekly rankings based on listening behavior and engagement rather than sales data[4]. The charts span 11 genre categories in the U.S.—including Romance, Mystery and Thriller, Sci-Fi and Fantasy, and Biography and Memoir—with a more limited selection in the U.K., mirroring Spotify's successful Music and Podcast Charts model[3][7]. Duncan Bruce, Spotify's Director of Audiobook Partnerships and Licensing, stated the move aims to "make books more connected with culture in real time" and help "provide even more ways for users, publishers, and
🔄 Updated: 2/27/2026, 5:01:20 PM
**Breaking: Spotify Audiobook Charts Launch Sparks Modest Market Optimism.** Spotify's rollout of weekly Audiobook Charts in the US and UK today elicited a positive investor response, with shares climbing 2.1% to $342.75 in midday trading amid bets on deepened audiobook market penetration against Audible.[1][2][4] Analysts hailed the move as a "visibility engine" for publishers, projecting it could drive 15% higher engagement from Spotify's 600 million+ users, though no official revenue guidance was issued.[2][5]
🔄 Updated: 2/27/2026, 5:11:25 PM
**Spotify's new weekly Audiobook Charts intensify competition in the audiobook market by challenging Audible's dominance and Apple Books with data-driven rankings based on listening behavior, not just sales or streams.** Launching in the U.S. and U.K. with 11 U.S. genre categories like romance and mystery—where titles like Rachel Reid's *Heated Rivalry* now top romance—Spotify leverages its 600 million+ users to boost discovery, as noted by Director Duncan Bruce: “When content is easier to access, discover, and enjoy, the demand grows.”[1][2][3][5][6] Publishers gain a visibility edge over traditional platforms, potentially reshaping success metrics through weekly updates trackin
🔄 Updated: 2/27/2026, 5:21:27 PM
**LIVE NEWS UPDATE: Spotify Audiobook Rankings**
No regulatory or government responses have been reported to Spotify's launch of Audiobook Charts in the US and UK, which rank top overall and genre-specific titles.[2][3] Industry observers note no immediate antitrust scrutiny despite Spotify's audiobook listener growth of 36% in users and 37% in hours over the past year, even as it expands into physical book sales via Bookshop.org.[1] Official statements from bodies like the FTC or CMA remain absent as of this update.
🔄 Updated: 2/27/2026, 5:31:27 PM
Spotify's launch of weekly Audiobook Charts in the U.S. and U.K., ranking titles by listening behavior across 11 U.S. genres like Romance and Mystery & Thriller, is hailed by experts as a game-changer for discovery and competition.[1][2][5] Duncan Bruce, Spotify’s Director of Audiobook Partnerships, stated, “As we’ve proven with Music and Podcasts Charts, when content is easier to access, discover, and enjoy, the demand grows,” positioning the charts to connect books with culture in real time.[3][4] Industry observers note this transparency could pressure Audible's data secrecy, with TechBuzz predicting chart positions will drive massive exposure to Spotify's 600 million+ users, potentially r
🔄 Updated: 2/27/2026, 5:41:33 PM
Spotify launched **Audiobook Charts** for U.S. and U.K. users on Friday, introducing weekly rankings based on listening behavior and engagement rather than sales metrics—a data-driven approach that mirrors its Music and Podcast Charts[3][5]. The new charts cover 11 genre categories in the U.S. (including romance, mystery and thriller, sci-fi and fantasy, and biography and memoir) and five in the U.K., accessible through the Audiobooks Hub[6]. This move positions audiobooks as a core content pillar on the platform and could fundamentally reshape the audiobook industry by rewarding titles people actually finish rather than merely purchase, potentially forcing competitors like Amazon's Aud