Spotify turns articles into podcasts: the service has launched a new audio format

Streaming service Spotify is testing a new content format – Articles, which will allow users to listen to professionally voiced publications from the world’s leading publications. The innovation will complement the platform’s existing media file base, which includes music, podcasts and audiobooks.

The new Articles format allows users to listen to audio versions of longreads and key journalistic materials. Instead of reading long texts on their own on mobile devices, listeners will be able to consume premium journalism in the usual Spotify format of podcasts or audiobooks, combining it with other activities.

Format characteristics

At the launch stage of the test project, the Spotify library was replenished with more than 650 large materials. The content base will include articles from the following authoritative media:

• Rolling Stone
• The Atlantic
• Vogue
• Variety
• Billboard
• Vibe
• GQ
• WIRED
• Vanity Fair
• Pitchfork

Each voiced article lasts up to two hours, providing an in-depth and detailed analysis of the stated topics without abbreviations.

Release date and price

Testing of the Articles project began on May 26. Audio articles are available exclusively in English and only in geographies where Spotify has previously launched audiobook sales. In this regard, this function is temporarily unavailable in Ukraine, but in the future it is planned to gradually expand its geography.

Monetization of the new audio format is divided into two directions:

• Users with a paid Premium subscription can listen to audio articles for free. In this case, the listening time is deducted from the total monthly limit of hours, which is provided to owners of Premium accounts for listening to audiobooks.
• Users of the free version of Spotify without an active subscription can purchase voiced articles individually at a price of 81.50 UAH ($1.99) per article.

Strategy features

The main goal of streaming management is to instill in the audience a culture of listening to long-term text content. According to Colleen Prendergast, Head of Licensing at Spotify Audiobooks, the short narrated format will serve as a smooth transition that will further increase user interest in longer audio content, such as full-length audiobooks.