Spotify Wrapped features its first global spotlight author and highlights the most popular audiobooks.
I'll give you a hint: fairies.
Last year, the music and audiobook platform Spotify introduced the option to listen to audiobooks within its app. According to Spotify Wrapped 2024 data, users particularly leaned toward fairy tale books. Within its annual Wrapped feature, Spotify revealed that the most popular audiobook genres in the U.S. were science fiction and fantasy, followed by romance, fiction and literature, mystery and thriller, and finally, biographies and memoirs.
Among the most-listened-to audiobooks, four novels from the subgenre known as "romantasy" stood out, with Sarah J. Maas, famous for her series "A Court of Thorns and Roses," having three of the most popular titles in 2024 on Spotify, earning her recognition as the most-listened-to author globally. "Fourth Wing" by Rebecca Yarros, another book within the romantic and fantasy genre, ranked ninth on the list of the most-listened-to audiobooks in the U.S. This increase in interest in these genres highlights the relevance of fiction titles today.
The list of the 10 most-listened-to audiobooks in the U.S. includes:
- A Court of Thorns and Roses - Sarah J. Maas
- I'm Glad My Mom Died - Jennette McCurdy
- A Court of Mist and Fury - Sarah J. Maas
- It Ends with Us - Colleen Hoover
- The 48 Laws of Power - Robert Greene
- The Fellowship of the Ring - J.R.R. Tolkien
- A Court of Wings and Ruin - Sarah J. Maas
- Icebreaker: A Novel - Hannah Grace
- Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros
- Funny Story - Emily Henry
Globally, the most-listened-to audiobooks also include titles that highlight the predominance of the "romantasy" genre. Male preferences were reflected in the fact that the three most-listened-to audiobooks by men in the U.S. were "The 48 Laws of Power," "The Fellowship of the Ring," and "A Game of Thrones," all by male authors, evidencing a clear trend in this category.
Additionally, Spotify notes that 66% of its 100 most-listened-to audiobooks in the U.S. in 2024 are or will be adapted for the screen. Although this year did not provide much personalized information for those listening to audiobooks, authors have their own Wrapped, where they can analyze their most popular titles and listener habits.
The data indicates that 2024 was a significant year for Sarah J. Maas and the "romantasy" subgenre. Expectations remain high for what surprises 2025 will bring in the realm of audiobooks.
