It's a response that risks dealing a serious blow to Spotify. Amazon announced yesterday, March 20, 2025, that Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers in France can now access one free audiobook per month from the Audible catalog, at no additional cost. This expansion, which also affects Australia and New Zealand, enriches the American giant's audio streaming offering.
1 audiobook per month, free
Starting today, subscribers to the Amazon Music Unlimited service can access one free audiobook per month from the Audible catalog, at no additional cost. a free audio credit among the 850,000 titles in the Audible catalog (including 21,000 in French). The initiative, already deployed in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada by the end of 2024, is a strong position for Amazon in the audio streaming market. Amazon Music Unlimited has never really taken off on our side of the Atlantic. This addition, while audiobooks are enjoying growing success, offers the platform new versatility, with more than 100 million music tracks in HD quality, ad-free podcasts, and now, a wide selection of audiobooks.
Individual (€10.99/month) or family (€17.99/month for six people) subscribers will be able to select one audiobook per month, regardless of its length. Customers will retain access to their title even after choosing a new book the following month. For users wishing to listen to more works, subscribing to a separate Audible subscription or purchasing individual titles remains possible.
An answer to Spotify's competition
This integration comes amid increased competition in the French audiobook market. Spotify recently entered this segment by offering 10 hours of monthly listening to its premium subscribers. But the audio streaming platform was quickly criticized for its use of AI. “The combination of Amazon Music and Audible, two pioneers in audio streaming, offers customers an unparalleled selection of audio entertainment,“ said Steve Boom, vice president of Audio at Amazon, in a statement. official.
Tons of books to listen to
Among the works available on Audible, we find the classic 1984 by George Orwell, in an interpretation by Lambert Wilson, Laetitia Casta and Dali Benssalah. Sci-fi fans will not be left out, with the possibility of discovering the complete saga Silo, The Three-Body Problem, or even the famous H2G2, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. To anticipate the next series releases, it is also possible to dive into The Diary of an AssaSynth by Martha Wells, which will soon give rise to the Murderbot adaptation on Apple TV+.
With this initiative, Amazon is strengthening its ecosystem in France and consolidating its position in the audio entertainment market. In a context where listening habits are evolving, this integration could herald a welcome standardization of audio content on the American giant's platform.
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