[New York Times] Will Books Survive Spotify?

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Renate

I think that we may be compatible. <flutters eyes at Sirtel>

OTOH, I was up at 4 AM playing guitar and singing.
(I just hate to listen to music.)

[maddz]

Although I have some audiobooks, I rarely listen to them because I dislike silencing the world, even when I'm at home alone. I've tried playing them when I'm working, but they take too much concentration on my part when I'm supposed to be concentrating on work. It needs to be a story which I can more or less quote verbatim - like Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

I think part of the problem is I don't like wearing headphones because I can only use over ear headphones. (I have narrow ear canals and a prominent anti-tragus and can't wear on/in ear for more than 15 minutes at stretch before it gets painful.) Bluetooth is a problem with audiobooks and classical music because it keeps cutting out, and I generally don't like wired unless my iPod is attached to me - otherwise it goes flying. I occasionally use headphones if I'm in the office and it's noisy, but that's rare now.

Unfortunately, at home, my iPod Classic won't talk to the new iMac, only the old MacBook and the old iMac (because it wants iTunes not Apple Music). The 2 iMacs live in the home office, but the playback would be through the old iMac which is seriously old and cranky which is why I use the MacBook for imports, not the new iMac - I've not had much luck with Apple Music and audio CDs.

[lkmiller]

I can't concentrate on audiobooks unless I have the text to read along with. Even then I occassionally have to pause and reread.

Also, apparently the article writer is unaware of Kindle Unlimited including audio...

...but the business has remained relatively intact because even Amazon still prices books by the title. If the industry moves to a Spotify pricing model...

(Based on how much you listen to.)

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by maddz

Although I have some audiobooks, I rarely listen to them because I dislike silencing the world, even when I'm at home alone. I've tried playing them when I'm working, but they take too much concentration on my part when I'm supposed to be concentrating on work.

I found I can have the radio on while driving, but not book at bedtime or a radio play. Only stuff that doesn't need attention.

Studies show this can also be be a problem with hands-free phone or two-way radio. It's a fallacy that people can multitask. If the conversation needs concentration the driving concentration suffers, perhaps OK on an empty motorway with no obstacles?

Similarly I can cut grass or some other repetitive task while concentrating on an audio book or radio play, but not write / program / edit etc.

[maddz]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Similarly I can cut grass or some other repetitive task while concentrating on an audio book or radio play, but not write / program / edit etc.

Exactly! Concentrating on something with a plot when I'm also concentrating on another task is too much. If I'm driving, I either have the radio on or (if I'm alone) it's something banal I can sing along to which doesn't require me to focus on the music (or whatever). About the only music I can listen to when I'm working is something soothing that is effectively background music - I like the Myst game soundtracks for that, but that's only 5 albums...

[tubemonkey]

This model only makes sense for those who subscribe to Spotify for the music. If you're looking to Spotify just for access to audiobooks, look elsewhere.

Spotify is $11/month and you get unlimited rental access to their music and podcast catalogs, but only 15 hours rental access to their audiobook catalog of 200,000+ titles. On average, that equates to one or possibly two audiobooks per month (depending on length). If you need more hours that month to finish a longer book or to finish a second book you started, it'll cost you $13 for 10 additional hours. Overall, this is way too expensive just to rent 1 or 2 audiobooks a month. There are cheaper alternatives out there.

On a positive note, this has the potential to introduce audiobooks to music listeners who haven't tried them before. This might then hook them on audiobooks and lead them to some of the major vendors for cheaper alternatives.

As for me, I love audiobooks and since I subscribe to Spotify for the music anyway, I'm definitely taking advantage of this new benefit. It's a bonus for me.

Note: Spotify does sell audiobooks and a membership is not required. But, those books are quite expensive and you're better off looking elsewhere.

[JSWolf]

I do have a Spotify account because a family member has a family account. I do use Spotify to listen to some podcasts.

I would not us Spotify to listen to audiobooks. I get my audiobooks mostly from Overdrive.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I do have a Spotify account because a family member has a family account. I do use Spotify to listen to some podcasts.

I would not us Spotify to listen to audiobooks. I get my audiobooks mostly from Overdrive.

Then it's good that you wouldn't use it for audiobooks. Only the account manager has access to this new benefit, family members don't.

How does audiobook listening time work for Premium Family plans?

With a Premium Family plan, you now have access to 15 hours of audiobook listening time per month. Unused listening hours expire at the end of each month and do not carry over. The audiobook subscriber catalog includes over 200,000 titles across many genres and classics. Only the Family plan manager has access to audiobook listening time. Plan members don’t have access. Learn more.

[Joykins]

Originally Posted by rantanplan

The thing is, Audible is like what, €10 a month? IIRC, Spotify intends to limit audiobooks to 15 hours per month before you need to book an upgrade. What kind of business proposal is that?

15 hours? That's like, what, a half of War And Peace?

[Critteranne]

Originally Posted by Joykins

15 hours? That's like, what, a half of War And Peace?

Less than that. I think War and Peace is about 61 hours.

The Woman in White is about 26 hours. The Fellowship of the Ring is about 22 -and-half hours. Stephen King's Firestarter is just under 15 hours, but many of his books are longer.

OTOH 15 hours could get you two Agatha Christie mysteries. Or "Remarkably Bright Creatures" (with a couple of hours left over).

[Renate]

Oh no! Now I've got an ear worm in my head!

"Hey, Critter Anne, what's your game now, can anyone play..."

*Hollies

[ucfgrad93]

Don't use Spotify for music, won't use it for books.

[arturg]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Also I can't beleive Spotify will dent Amazon's dominance of Audio Books via Audible.

You take the assumption that Amazon is the only book provider. Spotify would be competing against all audio book providers around the world.

[rantanplan]

Originally Posted by arturg

You take the assumption that Amazon is the only book provider. Spotify would be competing against all audio book providers around the world.

That doesn't really matter. I've tried alternative audiobook providers, and the main issue is that as an author, you're only getting good percentages if you go Audible exclusive. Why would you care about Spotify if the audiobook you're looking for is only on Audible?

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by arturg

You take the assumption that Amazon is the only book provider. Spotify would be competing against all audio book providers around the world.

look up meaning of dominance. Amazon's Audible has 65% (August 2023)
Key companies

Spoiler:

The major key players are;

Audible Inc.
Amazon. co Inc. (Audible)
Barnes & Booksellers Inc.
Downpour.com
HarperCollins
RBmedia
Playster (Softonic International)
Google Inc.
Rakuten Inc.
iBooks by Apple Inc.
Storytel

Recent Developments

In May 2023, Amazon acquired the audio content discovery engine Snackable AI to bolster its podcasting initiatives.
In February 2022, Amazon launched Kindle Vella, a new service that allows authors to publish serialized stories in bite-sized episodes that readers can access on their Kindle devices or apps
In May 2021, Amazon announced that it would acquire MGM Studios, one of the oldest and most iconic Hollywood studios, for USD 8.45 billion.
In December 2021, Amazon launched Alexa Together, a new service that allows users to stay connected with their aging loved ones through voice technology
via https://straitsresearch.com/report/audiobook-market/