Spotify's latest app upgrade is going to appeal to audiobook fans — here's what's new

2 hours ago 5
Spotify icon app on a phone screen, surrounded by Apple Music, YouTube, WhatsApp and TikTok apps Check inside the Spotify app for updates (Image credit: Getty Images)

  • Spotify is adding audiobook charts into its app
  • The charts will make it easier to discover new audiobooks
  • All users in the US and the UK are getting the update

We've seen quite a few Spotify feature updates in recent weeks, and the latest to arrive is specifically aimed at audiobook fans: the Spotify app is now introducing audiobook charts, to make it easier to discover new titles to listen to.

"Similar to our Music and Podcast Charts, Audiobook Charts will be updated weekly, spotlighting the Top Audiobooks overall and by genre," says Spotify. "The rankings are based on listening behavior and engagement on Spotify."

This is a feature that everyone can access, both free and Premium users, though initially at least it's only going to be available to listeners in the US and the UK. Spotify hasn't mentioned a wider rollout, but it seems like the sort of feature that would be pretty easy to introduce in other countries as well.

To find the charts, you need to head to the Search or Browse page in the app, and pick Audiobooks — from there you should find Audiobook Charts. When I tried to access the new feature in the UK, there were five different charts available.

The updates continue

Spotify Audiobook Charts

Audiobook charts in the Spotify app for Windows (Image credit: Future)

Having the charts inside the app should give you some extra inspiration when you're wondering what to listen to next — and of course it should also drive more audiobook sales as well, which Spotify won't mind.

"As we've proven with Music and Podcasts Charts, when content is easier to access, discover, and enjoy, the demand grows," says Spotify's Duncan Bruce. "We are delighted to now bring that to audiobooks."

Last month, Spotify also gave audiobook listeners a new feature called Page Match. It lets you scan the pages of physical books so you can sync up your reading in the real world with your audiobook listening in Spotify – letting you switch between different ways of reading as you prefer.

Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.

And before the turn of the year, there was another new feature: AI recaps for your audiobooks, so you can remind yourself of previous plot points. Spotify is clearly keen to keep pushing audiobooks alongside music and podcast streaming on its platform.


Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read Entire Article