According to the Audible Compass 2021 study, in Europe, 45% of those surveyed have listened to audiobooks, podcasts and podcasts in the last twelve months and Spain leads this ranking with 55% of listeners.
Europe grows united also in terms of audio-entertainment listening habits. The average number of audio fans in the five largest countries in the Union is 45%. Spain is at the top of the ranking with a wide margin, 55% of Spaniards consume audio, followed by Italy with 46%, the United Kingdom with 45% and Germany with 42%. In France, on the other hand, only 37% of the population have discovered the pleasure of consuming content in audio format.
This study has shown that once we discover and immerse ourselves in the exciting world of stories told, audio-entertainment and information in audio format, we become loyal consumers: On average, almost 40% of respondents listen to audiobooks and podcasts at least once a month. Spain once again remains the leader with 48% of regular listeners. Behind, Italy with 41%, the United Kingdom, with 38%, and Germany, with 36%. France again has the lowest percentage, 33% of the French consume audio at least once a month.
Preference for mobile devices
Although the moment of favorite consumption by the majority of those surveyed in all countries (66%) occurs when we are at home; mobility, transport and digitization continue to rank high on the list of preferences of moments and consumption habits. With an average of 74%, three quarters of those surveyed in Europe play audio content through their smartphone or tablet. Specifically, in Spain the figure is 81%, in Italy 79%, followed by Germany with 74%, France with 70% and the United Kingdom with 67%.
Furthermore, smart speakers are currently the device of choice for a quarter of those surveyed: Italy and the UK share the top spot with 28%, followed by Germany with 25%, France with 23% and Spain with 22%. %.
As in the five countries surveyed, the most common time of consumption for listeners in Spain is “to relax at home”; 53% enjoy their audiobooks or podcasts that way and 31% consume audio before going to sleep. In this sense, 32% of Spaniards prefer to listen while doing housework compared to a European average of 26%. 16% choose waiting times at the supermarket, doctor or bus stop to listen to an audiobook or podcast with the voice of your favorite artist and the European average is 15%. Comparing the results of the five European countries, it has been found that 20% of Spaniards compared to 13% of community members listen to audiobooks and podcasts while doing sports.
In addition, 26% compared to 20% of the European average prefer to listen when they go for a walk or a walk. However, along with Italians, we are the least likely to consume this type of content in the car, only 18% of Spaniards choose this situation while 24% of Europeans do see in the car the best time to consume audio-entertainment.
Other of the most significant data extracted from Audible Compass is that Spanish listeners like original audio content: 78% of those surveyed believe that it is very positive that the great authors of bestsellers are encouraged to write audiobooks and stories that only can be heard, like the Audible Original ‘Jodidísmas’, the sound fiction written exclusively for the service by the renowned writer María Dueñas or the dramatized version of ‘The distant country of the ponds’ by the writer Lorenzo Silva.
Spaniards also value very positively that audiobooks and podcasts allow them to carry out other tasks and not feel tied down or forced to spend more time in front of a screen: 65% they admit to staying too long in front of their smartphone, PC or television and, therefore, they see the consumption of audio content as an escape route, a phenomenon that in other English-speaking countries is already known as “screen fatigue”.
