From page-turning thrillers to inspiring memoirs, audiobooks are becoming a core part of the daily listening habits of fans around the world. And this year, audiobooks appear in the main Spotify Wrapped experience for the first time, highlighting how many titles a listener finished and their top audiobook and audiobook genre. It’s a major moment of visibility for the format.
To celebrate, we’re taking a closer look at the genres, authors, and moments that captured our imaginations in 2025.
The trends that defined audiobook listening in 2025
Listeners dove headfirst into spicy romance and romantasy, as series like Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros and A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Mass dominated Spotify’s top audiobooks list.
These fan-favorite sagas are also part of another notable trend: the power of the backlist. Nearly all of 2025’s top audiobooks were released in previous years, with listeners creating a new canon of “modern classics.” And while fiction dominated the top 10, it was a big year for music memoirs, too, as releases from artists like Mark Ronson, Mark Hoppus, and Cher struck a chord.
For the Record spoke with three members of Spotify’s global Audiobook Editorial leadership team—North America Associate Director Katie del Rosario, European Manager Roshni Radia, and Director of Audiobooks Editorial Suzanne Galvez—about what drove book culture this year.
Looking back at 2025, what trends or shifts did you see in audiobook listening on Spotify?
Katie: The biggest trends were definitely spicy romance and romantasy, which continue to dominate book culture. We’ve also seen a real surge in music memoirs, with readers loving these behind-the-scenes looks at creative lives. And book-to-screen adaptations continue to be huge for us, with big hits like The Summer I Turned Pretty and Stephen King’s The Long Walk driving renewed interest in backlist titles.
What’s especially interesting this year is increased interest in what our team calls “dystopian anxiety.” We’re seeing a spike in interest not only in classic dystopias like Fahrenheit 451, I Who Have Never Known Men, and 1984, but also in contemporary fiction and nonfiction, like Moderation and Empire of AI, that explore themes of social unrest, climate change, and emerging technologies.
What’s your take on the romantasy boom? What do you think is driving the trend?
Roshni: Romantasy is a major cultural phenomenon. Driven by communities like BookTok and authors such as Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros, the genre appeals to diverse audiences craving intense, character-driven plots, high stakes, and breathtaking romance. While historically popular with women, men now account for roughly 15% of listening in steamier subgenres, proving the desire for passion, power, and escape is universal.
Was there a single audiobook or moment this year that really popped?
Suzanne: Spotify is everywhere, which is why I love when we get to tap into moments that connect across formats in meaningful ways. From celebrating Ozzy Osbourne’s legendary life through not just his music but also books like I Am Ozzy, to pairing Tina Knowles’ Matriarch with the fans of Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour, Spotify continues to bridge culture and fandom like no one else can.
Share your predictions. What might be trending in audiobooks for 2026? Are there any emerging genres you’re keeping an eye on?
Katie: Romantasy isn’t going anywhere. There are some really big titles on the horizon, so I think 2026 is shaping up to be another blockbuster year for the genre. I also think the appetite for horror will keep growing, and that we’ll see continued growth in genre-blending fiction and in climate fiction, which tackles environmental and ecological themes in fresh, urgent ways. And I’d expect to see even more interest in books exploring AI and technology as readers look for stories that help them make sense of the world we’re moving toward.
How do you think listening on Spotify is changing the way people engage with books?
Suzanne: Spotify is blurring the lines between reading and listening, turning books into part of the same cultural ecosystem as music and podcasts. Nothing is more exciting to our editors than helping listeners connect with stories they might not have discovered otherwise. And with continued innovations like Recaps, videos, and follow-alongs, we’re expanding the experience and helping fans engage with books in a whole new rhythm.
Explore your personalized 2025 Wrapped and learn more about this year’s campaign and experience on our 2025 Wrapped hub.
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