The audiobook industry is "continuing to grow at a tremendous pace," with net sales in dollars up 12% in 2013, according to the Audio Publishers Association, whose annual member sales survey was conducted by Management Practice. The APA estimated industry retail sales at $1.3 billion.
APA members reported publishing 35,713 titles in audiobook format in 2013, more than double the previous year's 16,309 and more than five times more than in 2010, when 6,200 audio titles were released.
Digital downloads continue to dominate the market, with 70% of all audiobooks sold being in digital format. Downloads represented 62% of net sales in 2013, compared to 54% in 2012.
Unabridged audiobooks account for 91% of units sold, and fiction outsells nonfiction (nearly 80% of all audiobooks). The APA noted that "these patterns have held steady with virtually no change in statistics year over year."
