Spotify has brought a new feature that can now read magazine articles aloud to users like audiobooks. The new feature is compatible with over 650 English-language magazine articles including Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, Vogue, Variety, Billboard, Vibe, GQ, WIRED, Vanity Fair, and Pitchfork.
How will Spotify’s article feature work?
Spotify says each narrated article is under two hours long and the feature is included in the 15-hour of audiobook allowance that the company provides to its Premium subscribers. However, just like audiobooks, once you exhaust your 15 hour quota, you’ll need to buy a top-up to keep listening to new magazines.
Meanwhile, free users will have to dish out $1.99 to purchase each individuals article.
“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,” Colleen Prendergast, Licensing Lead at Spotify Audiobooks, said a statement. “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.”
Spotify says the feature is designed to make long-form listening feel less intimidating for users who may not want to jump directly into audiobooks. The Swedish streaming giant is hoping that the new feature would work as a gateway for users to start listening to audiobooks over time.
Spotify says audiobook listening hours grew 60% from 2024 to 2025 and around half of the audiobook consumers only started using the format within the last 12 months. This could be the reason why Spotify is using shorter-form narrated articles to rope in the users.
Will Spotify Articles feature be available in India?
The Articles featuer is rollling out to all 22 markets where Spotify’s audibooks feature is available including US, UK, Australia and parts of Europe. However, since Spotify doesn’t offer its audibooks feature in India, users will also not be enjoy the new magazine option.
Will Spotify use AI for its new feature?
Spotify did not clarify in its launch blog if it would be using artificial intelligence in order to keep the production costs down. However, the company did confirm to The Verge that its magazine articles s “will use a mix of human and digital voice narration,”
A Spotify spokeperson told the publication, “The portion of the articles using digital voice narration will be clearly labelled for users. Digital voice narration can help lower the barriers to bringing certain written works in audio, particularly shorter pieces that may not otherwise have been produced in audio format.”
Notably, Spotify had announced a new Audiobook creation tool a few days ago which allowed authors to create audiobooks for their books using ElevenLabs’ digital voice technology.
Notably, Spotify has been rolling out various AI powered features in the last few years including a partnership with Universal Music which allows user to create AI remixex and alternative covers of tracks. Meanwhile, the AI DJ feature uses a real sounding voice to add transition between tracks, curate music and give personalized context based on the user’s listening habits.
Source link
#Spotify #turn #longform #magazine #articles #audiobooks #heres #works #Mint
