Helena Kubicek Boye and Anna Ihrén, both authors, have been instrumental in advocating for changes to how streaming services compile their top lists.
Storytel's top 50 chart was often heavily populated by multiple titles from just a few series. However, following feedback, the list has been revamped to feature only the most popular book from each series, a move applauded by several authors who championed this cause.
The audiobook market is constantly evolving. Authors and smaller publishers now face greater challenges in getting their new releases noticed compared to a few years ago. This is partly due to the ever-increasing volume of audiobooks, with thousands of new titles appearing annually alongside an extensive back catalog. Another factor is the preferential treatment given to publishers owned by the same entities as the audiobook services; this is openly stated by Storytel and implicitly practiced by Bookbeat, while Nextory and Bokus Play have no such ownership ties.
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Another recent point of discussion has been the significant impact of audiobook series on top charts. While multi-book series are not new, the current trend involves a rapid release schedule, often with new installments every two weeks or monthly. This rapid pace means several books from the same series can simultaneously occupy spots on the bestseller lists.
Helena Kubicek Boye, one of the authors critical of the previous system, explains that many publishers and authors strategically "carpet-bombed" the lists by releasing series parts very frequently, sometimes every two weeks over 20 weeks, to meet listener demand. She observed that at times, three to four authors accounted for over half of the top 50 spots, particularly in the feelgood and crime genres.
She adds that while the top list might represent a small percentage of overall sales, it's crucial for authors as a "shop window," especially when launching a new book. Existing listeners receive notifications, but the top list is vital for new books to gain visibility and attract new audiences.
Alongside Anna Ihrén and others, she utilized social media to highlight the issue of audiobook series monopolizing top lists. They proposed that services should limit entries to just one title per series, rather than allowing five or ten, to ensure broader representation.
Regarding the feedback on raising the issue, Helena notes a largely positive response, despite some heated debates. She describes an "enormous response" from fellow authors, both formally and informally, with many calling her and Anna Ihrén courageous, which she believes reflects more on the industry's fear of speaking out.
She clarifies that their motivation wasn't about their own books but stemmed from hearing colleagues across various publishers express despair, sadness, and resignation about their inability to break into the industry and gain visibility due to these dominant series. As a psychologist, she also feels the working environment is becoming critically poor. Many authors have privately supported their stance but were hesitant to publicly attach their names to the debate.
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Helena and Anna indicate widespread dissatisfaction among authors with how streaming services have operated and been exploited, evidenced by 70 authors signing their petition.
Helena appreciated Storytel's engagement with the debate, including their clarifying posts and responses. She lives by the motto "do what's best for the most people," which she feels applies well here.
She recently discovered that Storytel had indeed modified its top list. Now, only one title from each audiobook series is featured. Authors can still have multiple entries, but these must be from different series, either rapidly released or boosted by a new book in another series.
When asked about her feelings on the change, Anna Ihrén expressed delight that Storytel took authors' feedback seriously. She finds the current Storytel top list "super exciting and varied," stating her primary motivation was to give debut authors and those who write less frequently a fair chance to be seen.
Helena presumes Storytel was already considering adapting its lists to market developments before they raised the issue. Nevertheless, she feels very positive about the improved visibility and diversification on the lists now that only one title per series appears, rather than an entire backlist.
She hopes BookBeat will follow suit, emphasizing that ultimately, these changes benefit listeners by offering a wider selection and ensuring the survival of streaming services. She knows many people who paused or canceled subscriptions because the app seemed to feature content from only a handful of authors.
Anna Ihrén believes listeners also benefit from this change.
For authors of suspense, Anna finds it important that the top list itself feels exciting for listeners, which it now does. Even though she personally has fewer spots on the list, she is happy to make room for more authors, believing everyone wins in the long run.
Boktugg confirmed the change with Storytel. Helena Gustafsson, Chief Publishing & Content Officer, clarified via email that the top list algorithm remains the same, basing placements on unique users who finished a book in the last 7 days. However, it now filters out all but the most listened-to part of a series. If multiple episodes from a series qualify for the top 50, only the single most popular part (with the most completed episodes in the last 7 days) from that series will be displayed.
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