Spotify is testing a new content format called Articles — narrated long-form magazine pieces from publishers like The Atlantic, WIRED, Rolling Stone, and Vogue — slotted into its audiobook tier rather than podcasts. Over 650 English-language pieces are available to Premium users as part of their monthly audiobook allowance, or purchasable individually for $1.99 by free users. The move represents Spotify re-entering journalism as a licensor and distributor rather than an original content producer, following its costly and later restructured acquisitions of Gimlet Media and The Ringer. The licensing model is cheaper than commissioning narrative podcasts and offloads editorial responsibility to the publishers. Spotify's audiobook division has been growing rapidly, with 700,000 titles and 60% year-on-year listening hour growth, though whether users will prefer listening to magazine articles over reading them remains unproven.
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