The audiobook and podcast platform Storytel – founded in Sweden in 2005, which today has more than 2 million users worldwide and a total catalog of more than 1 million titles in 40 languages – is also expanding in Italy. Italy, where it entered the market in June 2018, two years after Audible, is in fact confirmed as a strategic market for Storytel’s global development.
Data in hand, in 2023 Italian subscribers to the platform increased by 20 percent and are able to access a catalog of more than 600,000 titles that is continuously being updated. Among the recent novelties of Storytel Italia, there is the launch of a new Basic offer, which adds to the options of the subscription plan, along with Unlimited and Unlimited+ (unlimited monthly listening offered to one or two accounts, at 9.99 euros or 14.99 euros), responding to the need of newcomers to the world of audio entertainment: 10 hours of monthly listening, unlimited access to the Italian catalog for one account at a cost of 6.49 euros per month.
2023 was full of important projects and content: the entire Harry Potter saga, read by Francesco Pannofino; twelve exclusive titles by John Grisham; the daily news – a podcast that delves into the main news of the day – with journalist Emilio Mola, which will continue throughout 2024, was made available on the platform. Plus Storytel Italia’s first audiobook club, Protagoniste, curated by Giulia Paganelli, and original multi voice fiction production work with Mi dica tutto 3, Sorry for the Long Vowel and The Other Man.
Among the titles most listened to by Storytel users in Italy in 2023 were: Michael McDowell’s Blackwater saga, read by Antonella Civale, topping the list. This is followed by Niccolò Ammaniti’s La Vita Intima, read by Lorenza Indovina, and Michela Murgia’s Accabadora, read by the author herself, rounding out the podium. In 4th place was Trilogy of the City of K. by Agota Kristof, read by Matteo Alì, followed by Atlas the Story of Pa’ Salt by Lucinda Riley and Harry Whittaker, read by Gaetano Lizio, Daniela Cavallini, and Valentina Stredini. In 6th place is the best seller The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, read by Eduardo Scarpetta, followed by Strega Prize 2023 winner Come d’Aria by Ada D’Adamo, read by Daria Deflorian, Circe by Madeline Miller, read by Tamara Fagnocchi, and The Prophecy of the Armadillo by Zerocalcare, read by the author himself, Valerio Aprea, Diane Fleri. The top ten most listened to titles concludes with Di Troppo o Poca Famiglia by Ameya Canovi, and read by the author.
And what will 2024 bring? Here are some previews: in the first months of the year will come new episodes of the podcast Le Parole di Lila e Lenù by Carolina Capria and Silvia Grasso, for a rereading of L’Amica Geniale (My Brilliant Friend) , original content by humor writer Francesco Muzzopappa, and other new graphic novels in collaboration with Bao Publishing, including a new title by Zerocalcare.
For more details: Giornale della Libreria
Photo: Photo by Mohammad Metri on Unsplash
