Spotify makes audiobooks feel like bangers in new campaign

Spotify is giving audiobooks the headliner treatment this summer, with a bold new campaign that positions them as just as addictive, emotional, and vibe-driven as music.

The campaign likens the joy of discovering a new audiobook to finding your next favourite artist. Created in-house, the work features popular titles such as Never Flinch by Stephen King and Atmosphere: A Love Story by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and aims to drive buzz on par with summer’s most viral tracks. 

The campaign also sees the launch of a new audiobook hub filled with themed playlists, top Spotify Wrapped picks, and buzzy new releases.

Don't miss: Spotify's latest campaign plays to Gen Z's soundtrack-obsessed culture in PH

To extend the vibe-matching idea further, Spotify has rolled out a playful Instagram post that matches users’ music tastes with a perfectly paired audiobook. For example, if your go-to playlist is “summer pop,” Spotify recommends The Summer I Turned Pretty. Love a moody rock love ballad? Then Daisy Jones & The Six becomes the recommended next listen.

The campaign builds on Spotify’s growing audiobook play. Since rolling out 15 hours of audiobook access for Premium users in 2023, Spotify has tripled its library to over 400,000 titles. Listening hours and user numbers are up more than 30% and 35% respectively across key markets such as the U.S., U.K., and Australia, according to the brand.

To help guide new listeners, Spotify’s editorial team also dropped a curated list of seven standout titles for summer, spanning #BookTok sensations, music memoirs and cult sci-fi. “There’s real responsibility in choosing stories that speak to the moods and moments that matter to our listeners,” said Suzanne Galvez, director of editorial and Spotify Publishing. “Many of them aren’t traditional readers—so getting it right? That’s the goal.”

The picks include A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, Atmosphere: A Love Story by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Never Flinch by Stephen King, Matriarch by Tina Knowles, Fahrenheit-182 by Mark Hoppus, The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski and The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu. 

To support increased demand, Spotify recently launched Audiobooks+, a new add-on for Premium users that unlocks an additional 15 hours of listening each month.

A second tier, Audiobooks+ for plan members, lets duo and family members access their own 15-hour allowance via their plan manager.

Closer to home, Spotify is also tapping into hyper-local insights in Southeast Asia. In the Philippines, its new "My Spotify" campaign, developed with Juice Singapore and Juice PH, celebrates the oddly cinematic, meme-worthy moments of Gen Z life, soundtracked by hyper-personal playlists.

Leaning into the idea that Gen Zs curate music by attitude rather than activity, the campaign’s two hero films turn small, awkward experiences such as a soggy umbrella mishap or a laundromat daydream into scenes worth scoring.

Backed by tracks from local artists TJ Monterde and Cup of Joe, the films reflect Spotify’s broader push to localise its global "My Spotify" platform with relatable, culturally rooted storytelling.

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