Audiobooks in the 1990s
Audiobooks in the 1990s marked a significant evolution in the way literature was consumed, moving from primarily serving visually impaired audiences to appealing to a broader demographic. This decade saw the transition from long-playing records and cassettes to the introduction of compact discs and the early adoption of digital formats. With the advent of portable players like the Walkman and CD players in vehicles, many people discovered the convenience of listening to books while commuting or exercising, leading to a surprising demand for longer listening formats.
The audiobook industry became more structured during this time, exemplified by the growth of the Audio Publishers Association (APA), which expanded from twelve to over two hundred members. New technologies emerged, such as data-compression techniques used by companies like Brilliance Corporation, which enhanced the listening experience. The rise of the internet also played a crucial role; by 1998, Audible.com initiated the sale of audiobooks online, paving the way for digital consumption. By the end of the decade, the audiobook market had blossomed into a $2 billion industry, reflecting both technological advancements and changing consumer habits, with CDs becoming the preferred format for many listeners.
Subject Terms
Audiobooks in the 1990s
Abridged and unabridged audio versions of fiction and nonfiction books aimed at both consumers and library patrons
The audiobook industry enjoyed significant growth during the 1990s as the medium adapted to new formats. CD books and downloadable books joined audio cassettes to reach more listeners. In the 2000s, the popularity of downloadable audiobooks continued to expand as use of physical media declined.
Before the 1980s, books in audio formats were primarily long-playing recordings aimed at the blind, or recordings of poems, short stories, or fragments of longer works for other consumers. The evolution of audio cassettes allowed longer portions of books and eventually unabridged books to become available. Tape players in automobiles and portable players such as the Walkman were developed initially to meet the needs of music listeners. What began as a small market began to increase when publishers discovered that consumers enjoyed listening to books on tape while driving, walking, or exercising. Many in the industry were surprised that people wanted to listen to books for periods longer than a half hour. Audiobooks could be purchased, borrowed from libraries, or rented from such companies as Books on Tape and Recorded Books, which also supplied libraries.
The audiobook industry continued to adapt to change throughout the 1990s. Brilliance Corporation began using data-compression techniques to alter the voices of readers electronically to simulate telephone calls or memories of past events. In 1992, Brilliance developed CD-ROM books, containing both audio and text, for Sony’s portable Discman.
Another advance arrived when Audiobooks.com became the first Web site devoted to selling audiobooks in 1994. By 1995, video stores and supermarkets had begun renting audiobooks, with audio listening posts set up at such businesses as Tower Records.
The Audio Publishers Association (APA), formed in 1986 with twelve members, had over two hundred members by 1999. The organization, which presents annual Audie Awards, adopted “audiobook” in 1997 as the preferred term describing its industry. A 1999 APA study indicated that audiobook users listened to thirteen books annually.
The number of titles available on compact disc increased dramatically as newer versions of portable players switched from tape to CD and as automotive manufacturers began including CD players in their vehicles. An even more dramatic change occurred with the introduction of MP3 players, which could download books over the Internet. Such mass-produced digital audio players were introduced in 1997, and Audible.com led the way in making books available on the World Wide Web in 1998.
By the end of the twentieth century, audiobooks had grown into a $2 billion industry and it continued to grow and change, as the preferred format for audiobooks has also changed. According to the APA, by 2003 and 2004, CDs had become the preferred format for
Digital Audiobooks and the Rise of Audible
The popularity of digital audiobooks increased as use of CDs dwindled. Many audiobooks became available only through digital download. Libraries, traditionally major providers of audiobooks, had to adapt to this new reality. They partnered with companies such as OverDrive, a digital distributor which began offering an audiobook download platform for libraries in 2004, to offer audiobook downloads with time-limited licenses to patrons.
LibriVox, a site dedicated to providing free, volunteer-recorded audio versions of public-domain books, was founded in 2005. By 2016, it offered recordings of over 10,000 books, and had become a popular alternative or supplement to libraries for people searching for free audiobooks.
Sales of audiobooks also continued to thrive, in part due to the advent of devices such as smartphones and tablets allowing an increasing number of people to listen to audiobooks regardless of location, and in part due to the decreasing cost of recording an audiobook leading to a greater number of audiobooks being recorded. Digital audiobook pioneer Audible.com was acquired by Amazon in 2008; as of 2013, it was the largest audiobook retailer in the United States and claimed to be the largest employer of actors in the New York area. Audiobook sales revenue increased by more than 20 percent between 2014 and 2015. Because of the increase in demand, the amount of available audiobooks increased by 400 percent between 2011 and 2015, according to the APA.
Bibliography
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"From Papyrus to Pixels." The Economist, Dec. 2014, www.economist.com/news/essays/21623373-which-something-old-and-powerful-encountered-vault. Accessed 21 Nov. 2016.
Hoffman, Preston, and Carol H. Osteyee. Audio Book Breakthrough: A Guide to Selection and Use in Public Libraries and Education. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1994.
Oder, Norman. “The Future of Unabridged?” Library Journal 126, no. 19 (November 15, 2001): 38-39.
Olshan, Jeremy. "Forget E-books, This May Be the Real Future of Reading." MarketWatch, 30 Jan. 2016, www.marketwatch.com/story/why-some-audiobooks-sell-four-times-as-well-as-their-print-versions-2015-12-08. Accessed 21 Nov. 2016.
Rosenblum, Trudi M. “From LPs to Downloads.” Publishers Weekly 246, no. 49 (December 6, 1999): 32-33.