The 10 Most Popular Audiobooks In 2016 Show Just How Varied Readers' Tastes Are
Want to know what books everyone was listening to last year? Audible revealed which were the 10 most popular audiobooks in 2016, and the list is a testament to how varied readers' tastes are. Below you'll find celebrity memoirs, highly anticipated sequels, classic stories, and sensational crime coverage.
The U.S. contributed $1.8 billion to the $3.5 billion audiobook industry last year, but, as you can imagine, what listeners tuned in to most varied widely by country. In the U.K., for example, all seven Harry Potter books — there narrated by Stephen Fry — made Audible's top 10, but not one J.K. Rowling title placed on the U.S. list. Likewise, The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins was the best-selling book on Audible overall, but was not among the most popular audiobooks in the U.S. in 2016.
Although traditional print books are still more popular than e-books and audiobooks, the audiobook market is here to stay. Only 14 percent of adults in the U.S. reporting having listened to a title in the last 12 months, but Audible users around the world downloaded 2 billion hours of audiobooks in 2016: a number that The Bookseller reports has doubled since 2014.
Check out Audible's most popular audiobooks for 2016 below, and share your favorite audio versions with me on Twitter!
'Born a Crime' by Trevor Noah, narrated by the author
Comedian and Daily Show host Trevor Noah's first book, Born a Crime, was Audible's No. 1 audiobook this year.
'The Magnolia Story' by Chip and Joanna Gaines, narrated by the authors
Fixer Upper stars Chip and Joanna Gaines tell the story of their marriage and business in this joint memoir.
'Reign of Madness' by Kel Kade, Narrated by Nick Podehl
Reign of Madness, the second book in Kel Kade's King's Dark Tidings fantasy series, was the third-most-popular book on Audible in 2016.
'Shoe Dog' by Phil Knight, narrated by the author and Norbert Leo Butz
Nike founder Phil Knight's memoir, Shoe Dog, made many best-of lists for 2016, including Audible's.
'Adnan's Story' by Rabia Chaudry, narrated by the author
Expanding on the story made famous by the first season of the Serial podcast, Adnan's Story was a New York Times bestseller written by Adnan Syed's family friend, Rabia Chaudry, and contains "new key evidence" that the podcast overlooked.
'A Court of Mist and Fury' by Sarah J. Maas, narrated by Jennifer Ikeda
This highly anticipated follow-up from Throne of Glass author Sarah J. Maas throws readers back into the world of A Court of Thorns and Roses.
'Digging Up Mother' by Doug Stanhope, narrated by the author
The Man Show co-host Doug Stanhope's memoir, Digging Up Mother, is a love letter to dear old Bonnie, who shared his love of irreverent comedy.
'Morning Star' by Pierce Brown, narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds
Pierce Brown's Red Rising Trilogy wrapped up in February 2016, generating enough hype to debut at No. 1 on The New York Times Best Seller List and earn a spot as one of Audible's most popular books of the year.
'Jane Eyre' by Charlotte Brontë, narrated by Thandie Newton
Westworld actress Thandie Newton made headlines for her Jane Eyre narration, which came in at No. 9 on Audible's list of most popular titles for 2016.
'#AskGaryVee' by Gary Vaynerchuk, narrated by the author, Jack Welch, and Dave Ramsey
Based on his popular YouTube series of the same name, #AskGaryVee contains lots of life and business advice from entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk.
