February 2025 News Roundup
February is for lovers… of nerds. Nerd out with Nature which presents a comprehensive analysis of audio-based digital narratives in literature. And if you’ve ever tried to wriggle your ears to hear better, nerd on by reading all about the efforts of the superior auricular muscles that assist “effortful listening”. Not a nerd? No problem. There’s plenty of news about influencers, the life saving power of audiobooks, Youth Media Awards, Spotify’s win in court and catalogue expansion, an audiobook publishing survey, lessons from an AI-authored production and posthumous accolades for Jimmy Carter.
General News
2025 Youth Media Award Winners
Top books, video, and audiobooks for children and young adults announced at ALA’s LibLearnX conference in Phoenix. [Source: americanlibrariesmagazine.org]
Is there a right way — or wrong way — to listen to an audio book?
To speed up or not speed up. Audiobook lovers are debating listening speeds on social media. [Source: npr.org]
Allegra Goodman on the (Almost) Life-Saving Power of Audiobooks
The commute was rough but in many ways the time was perfect. Familiar books were new to me when I heard them with my son. I got to share his laughter and suspense. [Source: lithub.com]
The Listening Renaissance
A theoretical exploration of audio-based digital narratives in literature from a scientific treatise in Nature. [Source: nature.com]
Unlock Your Best Self: 5 Ways Audiobooks Can Transform Your Routine
Discover how audiobooks can enhance your daily life, boost productivity, and help you grow in ways you never expected. [Source: moneytalksnews.com]
The business of audiobooks
Spotify wins ‘bundling’ lawsuit, as court dismisses legal action brought by the MLC
Judge Torres explains, “audiobook streaming is a product or service that is distinct from music streaming and has more than token value. Premium is, therefore, properly categorized as a Bundle, and the allegations of the complaint do not plausibly suggest otherwise.” [Source: musicbusinessworldwide.com]
Audiolibrix Announces the 2024 Great Audiobook Survey to Explore Listener Preferences
The 11th edition was attended by 8,233 respondents, making it the largest audiobook survey in Europe. [Source: newsfilecorp.com]
Spotify Adds Titles From Podium Entertainment and Crooked Lane/Alcove Press
Spotify added titles from two new publishers to its Premium catalog: science fiction, fantasy, and romance publisher Podium Entertainment and Crooked Lane/Alcove Press. [Source: lunch.publishersmarketplace.com]
Can Influencers Predict the Next Big Thing in Books?
Over the past several years, TikTok has dramatically reshaped nearly every aspect of the book business. [Source: elle.com]
FEED YOUR EARPODS
Jimmy Carter Wins Posthumous Grammy for Audiobook Narration, Setting Record for Category
The late president's grandson, Jason Carter, accepted the award onstage. [Source: hollywoodreporter.com]
A.I. News
Lessons from an AI author
This experiment aimed to shed light on how AI could (and would) impact content creation, not just for Storytel’s own productions, but also for the vast library of stories we offer from our publishing partners. [Source: thebookseller.com]
I tried the open source AI tool that creates audiobooks for free — here's my verdict
Until recently, this sort of process has been impossible unless you had access to huge cloud computing resources, but now open source tools are opening up the market. [Source: tomsguide.com]
interviews & podcasts
Sabrina Brier on turning her viral TikTok series into a new audiobook
ABC News’ Linsey Davis spoke to actor, writer and TikToker Sabrina Brier about the story behind her famous “That Girl” series inspired by her own experiences and turning it into an audiobook. [Source: abcnews.go.come]
Something out of the booth
Despite Being Pretty Much Useless, These Ear-Wiggling Muscles Still Attempt To Work
New research has revealed that certain ear muscles that let animals and our ancient ancestors move their ears to focus on sounds actually still respond to how intently we listen to a sound or the direction it’s coming from. [Source: newsbreak.com and nerd out here: frontiersin.org]