Most people turn to Spotify to discover and listen to new music. With songs by your favorite artists, it makes a great platform for creating playlists that enhance your listening experience.
But Spotify also offers books on tape. You may not be able to find all the bestsellers on the platform, but there are still many great audiobook titles for you to choose from for your listening needs.
In this article, you’ll learn where to find Spotify audiobooks on tape.
How Spotify works
Spotify is a music streaming service that enables users to access a huge library of songs, podcasts, and other audio content you can listen. It was introduced in 2006 and has since grown to be one of the most widely used music streaming services globally. The platform works by allowing users to create playlists, search for songs, albums, and artists, and listen to their favorite music on demand.
Users can choose to listen to music on their desktop computers or download the Spotify app to their mobile devices. Spotify allows users to choose from both a free and premium version of its service. The free version allows users to listen to music, but with advertisements, while the premium version provides ad-free listening, higher-quality audio, and other exclusive features.
One of the most unique features of Spotify is its algorithm that suggests new music to users based on their listening history and preferences. This feature, called “Discover Weekly,” creates a personalized playlist for each user every week, introducing them to new music they might like.
Spotify also offers a range of curated playlists based on genres, moods, and occasions. These playlists are created by their in-house team of music experts and updated regularly, providing users with a new listening experience.
In addition to music, Spotify also offers a wide variety of podcasts and other audio content. Users can browse and discover new podcasts, follow their favorite shows, and even create their own podcasts using Spotify’s podcasting tools. Additionally, users can also choose from varying audiobooks on the Spotify platform.
Spotify books on tape (audiobooks) and where to find them
While Spotify has significantly impacted music and podcasts, audiobooks are also something the platform offers. While the library may not be as extensive as with other services such as Audible and Speechify, you can still find many famous titles such as A Game of Thrones.
It’s also worth mentioning that you will need to buy audiobooks through your Spotify account as they count as gated content. Here’s how to find audiobooks on the platform.
- Begin by opening the app on your Apple iOS or Android device. Select the search bar tab.
- If you’re looking to browse available audiobooks, select the audiobook card below the search bar.
- If you’re looking for a specific title, type in the title within the search bar.
- If the audiobook is available, it should appear on the interface.
One of the main features of Spotify is that it allows you to discover new content depending on personal preferences and categorizations. If you select the audiobooks card, you’ll be taken to playlists of audiobooks grouped together because they all share a common attribute. For example, it’s not uncommon to find a playlist with Jane Austen on one track and Michelle Obama on another. You will also have to navigate through the pricing process. Here’s how to do it.
- Select the desired audiobook.
- Select the play button. A pop-up will appear indicating that you will need to buy the audiobook through email. Select the “Get Email” button.
- Check your email, you’ll receive a purchase offer as well as the price of the audiobook. Select the “Buy Audiobook” option.
- The page will direct you to the Spotify browser version. Instead of the “Play” button, it will be replaced with a “Buy” button. Select it.
- You will then be prompted to fill in your credit card information to buy the audiobook.
Once you do buy the audiobook, you’ll be able to listen to it. Spotify doesn’t let you know how much they cost through the app, but rather through email after you attempt to purchase them. Most audiobooks on Speechify are $20 and higher.
It’s easy to see why Spotify’s Vice President and Global Head of Audiobooks Nir Zicherman was enthusiastic about the audiobook section of Spotify. Audiobooks as an industry have been growing 20% year over year in the book market. Other audiobook providers such as Audible and Amazon have also taken advantage of the business model.
Overall, Spotify does have the ability to meet some of your audiobook needs but doesn’t offer the widest selection of titles, genres, and writers. That’s to be expected considering the platform primarily focuses on music and podcasts.
Want a dedicated audiobook service? Try Speechify
Perhaps you want to choose from a wide selection of genres such as romance or sci-fi by your favorite authors. With an extensive library of titles, Speechify is a dedicated audiobook provider that can fulfill all your audiobook listening needs.
It’s easy to use and you can choose titles by writers such as Jane Austin as well as new audiobooks. Speechify offers many customization options as well, allowing you to bookmark sections, adjust the reading speed and take notes, all while listening on the go. Give Speechify a try to enhance your audiobook listening experience.
FAQ
Why can’t I listen to audiobooks on Spotify?
Spotify does not currently offer a wide selection of audiobooks through the app, as it mainly focuses on music and podcasts.
How do I find free audiobooks on Spotify?
You can use the search bar to look for specific titles or authors or select the audiobook card under the search bar to browse the audiobooks you want to find.
Does Spotify music have audiobooks?
Spotify does offer a limited selection of audiobooks, but it is not the main focus of the platform.
What are the best audiobooks on Spotify?
This can vary depending on personal preferences, but some popular audiobooks on Spotify include The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle and 1984 by George Orwell.
What is an audiobook?
An audiobook is a recorded version of a book that can be listened to instead of reading the text. It is often narrated by a professional voice actor.