Audiobooks have become tremendously popular over the past few years. After all, you can listen to audiobooks while driving, doing house chores, or exercising, without straining your eyes glued to the screen. Affordable and accessibility are other reasons why this book-reading format is becoming popular at an unprecedented pace, with no signs of stopping.
We did our research to discover some staggering stats that evident the popularity of audiobooks presently and in the future. So, let’s check out the figures:
- In 2022, audiobook usage increased by 70% in the USA alone.
- Audiobook publishers made a total sales volume of $1.8 Billion In 2022. (Source)
- The global audiobook industry size is expected to reach USD 39.1 billion by 2032. (Source)
- The non-fiction genre won 65% of the total audiobook revenue share in 2022. The non-fiction audiobook genre offers something to everyone – from history to modern-day finance management and everything in between. Self-help audiobooks, history & biography audiobooks, and true crime audiobooks continue to be popular. (Source)
- Preferred device: Smartphones dominate the audiobook industry, with a market share of 44%. People can easily access audiobooks on their smartphones. These smaller devices are more portable compared to laptops, tablets, and personal digital assistants. (Source)
- Audiobooks are more popular among adult audiences taking a revenue share of 78%. The audience prefers fiction, non-fiction, self-help, history, and business genres. (Source)
- The audiobook market holds a revenue share of around 3.8% of book publishing in 2022. (Source)
- Nearly 49% of audiobook listeners use Audible. Around 27 million users visited Audible.com in November 2022. (Source)
- Audible’s annual revenue was around $200 million in 2021. (Source)
- Around 80.1% of the elderly in the UK claim that audiobooks help to stimulate their brain. (Source)
Did we miss any important audiobook statistics? Let us know in the comment.
Navkiran Dhaliwal is a seasoned content writer with 10+ years of experience. When she's not writing, she can be found cooking up a storm or spending time with her dog, Rain.