In 2008, the Library of Congress credited that recording with “launching the audiobook industry in the United States.” How to listen to an audiobook Their first release - a collection of poems by Dylan Thomas - was narrated by the author. In 1952, Caedmon Records became the first company dedicated to selling spoken word records to the public, according to NPR. Talking books first emerged in 1932 when the American Foundation for the Blind began creating books on vinyl records for war-blinded soldiers and blind civilians who couldn’t read braille. We are seeing multiple-voice performances with sound effects and music becoming a larger part of the landscape,” she explained.Īfter Thomas Edison created the first spoken word phonograph record in 1877, he predicted technology might one day allow books to be listened to “with great profit and amusement by the lady or gentleman whose eyes and hands may be otherwise employed.” He was right. “Publishers are adapting non-fiction and graphic novels by using audio soundscapes to fill in what might be lost with no visuals.

Now many authors are skipping print altogether and writing exclusive audio content,” Cobb said, adding that publishers are ever-widening the definition of an audiobook. “Twenty years ago an audiobook was taking a Stephen King novel and reading an abridged version. Given the increased desire for audio content, publishers are continuously exploring new ways to grab listeners’ attention. SKIP AHEAD Where to get audiobooks | Best audiobooks for getting started Yet perhaps even more surprising is the age of those listening in: According to the APA, 54% of audiobook listeners are under the age of 45, up 52% from 2019. Audiobooks are experiencing a huge growth spurt, largely because people want to unplug, relax and just listen to a good story, according to Michele Cobb, executive director of the Audio Publishers Association (APA), which reported double-digit growth in the audio publishing space for the tenth consecutive year in 2021.

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