Audible expands into 11 new global markets

At the London Book Fair, Audible CEO Bob Carrigan outlined the primary areas the company intends to focus on in the near future: expanding into new markets, revamping subscription models, using AI to scale audio content, and developing full-cast audio projects.

According to Carrigan, Audible’s catalog currently offers up to 1 million audiobooks, whereas there are tens of millions of printed books. The company’s CEO said that “audio hasn’t even caught up with text yet,” and it took 25 years to reach this volume, but growth from here on out should be much faster.

One of the key announcements was the expansion into 11 new markets, including Sweden, Poland, Ireland, Turkey, Egypt, and Abu Dhabi. Carrigan emphasized that the company’s main focus was “to find new listeners and retain them.” Audible is already testing a lower price for new subscribers and preparing several subscription tiers (family, standard, and premium), as well as separate packages for businesses.

The company is also discussing new markets where the audiobook industry hasn’t been well-developed. According to Carrigan, some of these markets “didn’t have a dedicated label, such as Japan and Brazil.” Audible has not yet publicly announced specific models, but the company’s top management is discussing a restructuring of subscriptions by the end of the year, as well as changes to the app, which, according to the company’s CEO, has already been downloaded over 700,000 times.

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Based on internal data from Audible and research, including studies by Nielsen, Carrigan said that about 29% of listeners began reading more after discovering audiobooks, and up to 30% are consuming more books overall. Among young adults aged 18–33, 43% experience increased enjoyment from reading due to audiobooks, another 43% are keen to discuss books, and 19% are willing to join book clubs. However, the company has not yet detailed these figures in public reports.

Another important topic is the role of AI in audio production. “We see AI as a way to optimize costs and bring more books to more markets,” said Carrigan. According to him, approximately 80% of listens come from the backlist, and about a quarter of the catalog’s growth comes from indie authors, who without AI often wouldn’t be able to afford audio versions of their books.

This argument did not persuade everyone in the room. During the discussion, translators objected to this logic: “For us, this means pushing minority languages even further into a ‘lower-quality ghetto.’” In response, Carrigan stressed that the company does not see virtual voices as a full substitute for human narration. “The core of our work is still human narration. For us, virtual voices are about accessibility, not about replacing actors. Every book deserves to be heard, but without AI, the majority of them would never have that opportunity,” Carrigan said. According to him, in such cases, Audible labels the content as “read by a virtual voice.”

At the same time, the company is investing in what Carrigan calls “expanding the concept of the audiobook.” This includes, in particular, synchronized e-book and audiobook versions and the ability to switch between formats. Audible is also making significant investments in full-cast projects — specifically in the new audio versions of “Harry Potter,” recorded in London with a star-studded cast. According to the company’s CEO, Audible has seen a significant increase in new listeners, though specific figures have not yet been disclosed.

“Listening is the new reading — that’s our company’s motto,” said Carrigan. He also noted that audio is increasingly replacing doomscrolling: rather than endless news feeds, people are opting for stories they can listen to during their commute, cooking dinner, or before bed. Listener behavior has changed since the pandemic, but the creative team spends a lot of time looking for new “intersections”: “Why not enjoy a chapter of a book while walking the dog?”

“Or while sitting in a bomb shelter. Do you have any plans for the Ukrainian market?” asked the Chytomo correspondent. 

“That’s an unexpected thought,” Carrigan admits. “I’m glad you still have the energy to read. I hope audiobooks can really give you a chance to catch your breath and take a break from the news. Good luck to you, and we’ll think about the Ukrainian market.”

Audible is a global audiobook service available in over 180 countries and offering content in more than 50 languages.

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Main image: London Book Fair Facebook page

Copyediting: Joy Tataryn