Music streaming platform Spotify has begun rolling out a new feature called 'narrated articles,' which brings magazine stories in audio form to its platform. This move expands Spotify's offerings beyond music, podcasts, and audiobooks. The company announced that the new format will provide over 650 long-form articles in audio for users in markets where Spotify audiobooks are available. The feature is initially rolling out in English and has been produced by Spotify's in-house team. The curated collection includes stories from prominent publications such as Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, Vogue, Variety, Billboard, Vibe, GQ, WIRED, Vanity Fair, and Pitchfork.
What Is Spotify's Narrated Article Feature?
Each narrated article is under two hours long and is included within Premium users' monthly audiobooks allowance, alongside Spotify's existing audiobook library. Free users can purchase individual articles for $1.99 each. Similar to podcasts, Articles allow listeners to try shorter, less intimidating audio content, potentially serving as a gateway to longer-form listening like books, according to the company. Spotify stated that Articles provide listeners in supported markets with another way to delve deeper into the artists, stories, and topics they care about. 'We see Articles as a natural extension of the audio people already come to Spotify for,' Spotify said, adding that through Spotify's discovery and personalization features, media publishers and magazine partners can bring stories directly to listeners who are most likely to be interested in their content.
Industry Reactions
Colleen Prendergast, Licensing Lead at Spotify Audiobooks, commented: 'With Articles, we're introducing long-form journalism in audio as a natural extension of the music, podcasts, and audiobooks people already come to Spotify for, focused on topics we know they love. By bringing shorter form content into the mix, we're meeting audiences where they are to help build healthy listening habits, ultimately growing engagement with books over time.'
Julian Holguin, CEO of Rolling Stone, said: 'We're thrilled to partner with Spotify in what we see as a natural synergy between two platforms that celebrate music and culture. This collaboration with Articles allows us to deepen the connection between our readers and the artists, stories, and features they care about, while also providing an opportunity for discovery. By making Rolling Stone's journalism more accessible on Spotify, we're excited to bring our storytelling to an even wider audience.'
Spotify Expands Audiobook Push
Spotify launched audiobooks just over two years ago and has since expanded the service to 22 markets. The company noted that audiobook listening hours have grown 60% year over year. Spotify also plans to continue investing in audio-focused reading experiences with features such as Page Match, Recaps, and Follow Along.
