In recent years, audiobooks have seen significant growth worldwide. According to statistics site Statista, revenue in the global audiobook market is expected to reach a total of US$7.93 billion by 2024.
According to other analytical data from Statista, the number of audiobook users could reach US$1.8 billion by 2029, reflecting a growing trend towards convenient and immersive storytelling experiences for consumers worldwide.
This increase in demand for audiobooks is due to their ability to allow avid readers to multitask in today’s fast-paced world. Consumers can listen to an audiobook while doing other activities such as sitting in traffic, doing chores around the house, exercising, or cooking. This in turn keeps the oral tradition of storytelling alive.
According to research published by the Voices platform in 2020, the history of audiobooks closely follows the twists and turns of the recording industry, similar to the history of music.
A turning point for the industry came in the 1980s, when cassette tapes and the affordable, portable Sony Walkman became more popular.
By 1984, there were 11 audiobook publishers in the United States, but Brilliance Audio marked a major milestone by developing a technique for recording twice as much content on tape, allowing publishers to offer affordable, complete editions of their best-selling books.
According to Voices research, Publishers Weekly magazine began publishing a regular column on the audiobook industry in 1987. By that time, audiobooks were sold in 75% of regional and independent bookstores, and by the end of that year, the audiobook industry was estimated to be worth $200 million.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the introduction of new compressed audio formats and portable players further increased the popularity of audiobooks.
In 1997, Audible.com launched “The Audible Player,” the first mass-market digital media player, which sold for $200 and was advertised as “smaller and lighter than a Walkman,” Voices recalls.
Since then, Audible has established itself as a profitable company in this industry, doubling its subscriptions and annual revenue in a single year.
In 2013, the Audio Publishers Association revealed in a report that CD revenues had declined by 7%, but still accounted for approximately 53% of the market, while download units increased by 29%, accounting for approximately 61% of the market.
Download revenues rose by 24%, reaching approximately 41% of the market. The report highlighted that “the greatest growth potential exists in digital formats,” explains Voices’ research.
Sites to listen to free audiobooks
- Audible: It is a paid platform where you can listen to and download books on any device. In addition, it has a free trial period that can be 1 month or 3 months.
- Miguel de Cervantes Virtual Library: This important institution offers a digital collection with content dating back to 1999, which includes several audiobooks by famous Spanish-speaking writers, as well as researchers from the region.
- Google Play: Google’s well-known platform offers an audiobook section, which, although most of them are paid, also includes several classics and new titles under free service.
- Cervantes Institute: This Spanish public institution, created in 1991, offers an electronic library where you can borrow books in digital format, as well as almost 600 free audiobooks.
- Internet Archive: Internet Archive is a large repository of Internet content with old resources that have “disappeared” from the network. It offers a wide variety of records, including audiobooks in both English and Spanish.
- iVoox: Eis a platform that allows you to download and listen to audiobooks, podcasts, and other audio content on mobile devices. It also offers a wide variety of titles in different genres.
Six free audiobooks to read
Dracula – Bram Stoker
This horror classic tells the story of Count Dracula and his attempt to move from Transylvania to England to spread the plague of the undead. Originally published in 1897, the book revolutionized the idea of fear in narrative.
The novel is composed of letters, diary entries and other documents. For over 120 years, Dracula has become a cultural icon, inspiring countless adaptations and stories.
Available in iVoox
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – Robert Louis Stevenson
The novel, originally published in 1886, explores the duality of human nature through the character of Dr. Jekyll, who creates a potion that transforms him into the evil Mr. Hyde.
The story has been interpreted as a reflection on the internal struggle between good and evil. It is worth remembering that the work was written in just three days after a vivid dream that its author had.
Available in Google Play Books
The Golden Age – Jose Marti
This is a collection of stories and poems aimed at children, in which Martí expresses his ideals of freedom, justice and love for the land. José Martí wrote the work while he was in exile, thus reflecting his love and nostalgia for a better future for Cuba.
Available in Internet Archive
The book of life – Saint Teresa of Jesus
In her famous autobiographical book, Saint Teresa of Jesus recounts her spiritual life and mystical experiences. The work offers a deep insight into spirituality and religious dedication. An interesting fact is that Teresa of Jesus was a reformer of Carmel and her influence remains in the religious order to this day.
Available in Internet Archive
Atomic habits – James Clear
One of the most successful books on self-improvement in recent years has been this one, which offers science-based strategies for forming good habits, breaking bad ones, and mastering small behaviors that lead to remarkable results.
James Clear explains how small daily improvements can add up to a big change over time. In his approach, Clear combines research from biology, psychology and neuroscience to inform his advice.
Available in Audible
Story of a castaway – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
This is one of García Márquez’s most emblematic journalistic works, which tells the true story of a Colombian sailor who survived ten days adrift in the Caribbean Sea. The original publication in the newspaper El Espectador caused a great stir and led to the work becoming a book that has endured over time.
Available in the Cervantes Institute Library
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