'The Odyssey' audiobook streams soar post-Christopher Nolan's film release
What's the story
Christopher Nolan's film adaptation of The Odyssey is a massive success, grossing $264.1 million globally in its opening weekend alone. The movie has also sparked a surge in interest in Homer's nearly 3,000-year-old tale, with sales of all editions up by 76% this year, per Circana BookScan data. Now, the audiobook version is also witnessing a similar spike in popularity among younger audiences on Spotify.
Audiobook popularity
Streams jump by over 500% on film's release day
The success of Nolan's film has led to a significant increase in streams of The Odyssey audiobook on Spotify, confirmed Variety.
The platform revealed, "Across 91 audiobook editions in 10 languages. The Odyssey has now been...listened to on Spotify for the equivalent of more than 43 years of...continuous playback."
On July 17, the day Nolan's film was released, streams jumped by more than 500%.
In June, they increased by over 240%, and post-release listens are expected to rise by 680%.
New listeners
Audiobook's popularity among younger audiences
The Odyssey audiobook has been particularly popular among younger audiences on Spotify, with 36% of listeners being Gen Z and 45% Millennials.
The male demographic also accounted for a significant portion of the listenership, with 63% being men.
Lena Yang, Senior Editor for Audiobooks at Spotify, expressed her excitement over this trend, saying, "It's especially rewarding to see listeners returning to The Odyssey in such a meaningful way."