More Than 50% of Americans Have Listened to An Audiobook: Latest Data on Audiobook Trends

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The Audio Publishers Association (APA) has published the results of their latest survey on audiobook sales and listenership over the past year, and the numbers are astonishing. In 2024, audiobook sales revenue reached $2.22 billion, marking a 13% increase from the previous year. The surge in sales is largely attributed to the rise of digital audiobooks, which now make up 99% of the revenue.

According to APA’s Consumer Survey, more than half of Americans aged 18 and above—51%—have listened to an audiobook. There has also been a rise in the percentage of Americans expressing interest in trying out audiobooks, with 38% in 2025 compared to 32% the previous year. The percentage of Americans showing “very interested” in trying an audiobook has increased from 10% in 2024 to 18% in 2025.

The primary reason cited for listening to audiobooks is accessibility. Over 70% of listeners consider it important for audiobooks to be available on their preferred platform, and more than 60% value access to audiobooks through their libraries’ digital audiobook apps. Revenue from general fiction audiobooks experienced the most significant growth, increasing by 16% since 2023. Other top revenue genres include science fiction and fantasy, romance, and general nonfiction.

In terms of year-over-year sales growth, romance audiobooks led the way with a 30% increase, followed by children’s and young adult audiobooks at 26%, and science fiction and fantasy at 21%. The willingness to try audiobooks narrated by artificial intelligence (AI) has decreased from 77% in 2023 to 70% in 2025, raising questions about the listener experience with machine-generated performances versus those by trained human talent.

Piracy remains a significant concern for the industry, with 35% of audiobook listeners reporting listening to books on YouTube, up from 27% in 2023. Three-quarters of listeners cited the lack of cost as the reason for turning to YouTube. The APA highlighted piracy as a major issue in their research, emphasizing the need for industry players to address this challenge.

As the use of AI in audiobooks continues to grow, the industry faces challenges in delivering high-quality content to users. The APA’s research sheds light on key trends in audiobook consumption and highlights areas that require attention. Members can access the full survey results on the APA’s website for further insights.