Spotify now streams narrated articles

Spotify is expanding beyond music and podcasts, now offering over 650 narrated long-form articles from publications like Rolling Stone, Wired, and Vogue.

Spotify has expanded its audio library by introducing narrated long-form articles from well-known magazines. The new feature provides users with access to over 650 articles, available only in English at launch. This initial collection includes content from a diverse range of prestigious publications, such as Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, Vogue, Variety, Billboard, GQ, and Wired. The move transforms written journalism from these sources into a streamable audio format, making it accessible to users who prefer to listen to content. This launch marks another step in Spotify's evolution from a music-centric service to a comprehensive audio platform, adding a new pillar of content alongside its extensive music and podcast catalogs.

This strategic expansion is significant for both Spotify and its publishing partners. For Spotify, it's a clear attempt to increase user engagement and the total time spent on the platform, capturing audiences who might otherwise turn to dedicated audiobook or article-reading apps. By offering high-quality journalism in an audio format, the company can provide more value to its existing subscribers. For publishers, partnering with Spotify offers a massive new distribution channel to reach a global audience of millions. It allows them to monetize their archives and new content in a different format, reaching people who wouldn't typically read their long-form articles but are open to listening to them.