Leggere in cuffia

Abstract

The article explores the issue of audiobooks in Italy. In particular, it was the recent Covid-19 pandemic that caused this format to become increasingly popular. In 2019, there was a 94% growth over the previous year. In 2020, 41% of Italians, with a majority of men in the 25-34 age group, say they listen to audiobooks. But why are audiobooks becoming so popular? Because they allow multitasking approach, favour dialogue with the narrator’s voice and require less effort than silent reading. Audiobooks are an extraordinary opportunity for the publishing industry: among the protagonists of this phenomenon we should mention Audible and Storytel at international level, while for the Italian market we should mention Emons and Narratore Audiolibri.