Spotify over the years has been going beyond music streaming by offering more content like podcasts. Now the streaming platform is experimenting with nine classic audiobooks that are part of the public domain but have been recorded exclusively for Spotify. Although audiobooks have been available on the platform for long via various labels and channels, the new audiobooks are narrated by some notable artists from Hollywood and exclusively commissioned by the company. The new audiobooks available on Spotify include Great Expectations by Charles Dickens and narrated by James Langton, Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre narrated by Sarah Coombs, and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein narrated by David Dobrik.
Other audiobooks on the platform include Frederick Douglass’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass narrated by Forest Whitaker, Kate Chopin’s The Awakening narrated by Hilary Swank, Jane Austen’s Persuasion narrated by Cynthia Erivo, Jean Toomer’s Cane Cane narrated by Audra McDonald, and Stephen Crane’s Red Badge of Courage narrated by Santino Fontana. However, it appears that Spotify’s exclusive audiobooks are available in select regions. According to Hollywood Reporter, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek decided to add audiobooks to its portfolio after seeing their popularity among users in Germany back in 2019. The report adds that to accompany the audiobooks, Spotify has commissioned podcast series ‘Sitting with the Classics’ where Harvard professor Glenda Carpio will deep-dive on each book, exploring the history and breaking down the narratives for a modern audience.
Spotify has been ramping up effort to rival competitors like Amazon Music and Apple Music (or Podcasts) by signing deals with high-profile personalities for exclusive content. The streaming platform has Barack and Michelle Obama, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and Joe Rogan for exclusive podcast series. At the moment, it appears that the company is still experimenting with audiobooks by offering them for free in limited regions. If anything good comes out of the initial phase, Spotify will hope to rival Amazon’s Audible in the long run that remains one of its largest competitors in the audiobook-space. Notably, Audible has also started offering podcasts to rival Spotify.