Spotify has introduced a new feature that allows users to listen to long-form magazine articles directly through its app, expanding the platform’s audio content offerings beyond music, podcasts, and audiobooks.
The feature is aimed at enhancing the user experience by providing access to narrated editorial content in an audio format, catering to audiences seeking more in-depth and convenient listening options.
The functionality is rolling out in all 22 markets where Spotify Audiobooks are available. The company said that users who are not subscribed to Spotify Premium will be able to purchase each article individually.
The magazine articles are available to Premium subscribers at no additional cost, as part of their monthly audiobooks playback allowance. However, free users will have to purchase each article individually for $1.99. The company said that each article on Spotify is less than two hours long.
Colleen Prendergast, Spotify Audiobooks’ Licensing Lead, said that, “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.”
According to the statement, the library of long-form magazine articles in the app currently has more than 650 articles from publications like Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, Vogue, Variety, Billboard, Vibe, GQ, WIRED, Vanity Fair, and Pitchfork. However, the articles are currently available only in the English language.
Spotify’s new ability is currently rolling out in the same 22 markets as the audiobooks. This means that it will soon be available to customers in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, the UAE, the UK, and the US, the company noted.
