Spotify has partnered with Ingram Content Group (ICG) to add over 1,000 titles from approximately 100 small and independent publishers in a move to bolster its audiobook offerings, per publishersweekly.com. This expansion, part of Spotify’s Audiobooks in Premium plan, brings works from renowned publishers such as Europa Editions, Milkweed Editions and New Society Publishers to the streaming platform.
Notable additions include Ada Limón’s self-narrated poetry collection The Hurting Kind and Damon Galgut’s Booker Prize-winning novel The Promise. Duncan Bruce, Spotify’s director of audiobook partnerships, emphasised that this collaboration aligns with their goal of amplifying independent authors and creating new opportunities in the industry.
Agustina Casal from ICG highlighted the partnership’s role in expanding book accessibility across various formats. The move comes as Spotify reports strong performance in its audiobook segment, with backlist titles dominating the top streamed audiobooks.
Coinciding with this expansion, Spotify announced positive financial results for the second quarter, reporting an operating income of €266 million ($288 million) and a 12% growth in subscribers to 246 million. CEO Daniel Ek attributed the company’s profitability to enhanced user engagement features, including countdown pages for audiobook releases.
This strategic partnership and Spotify’s recent financial success underscore the growing importance of audiobooks in the digital streaming landscape and the platform’s commitment to diversifying its content offerings.
