Thomas Edison recorded himself reciting “Mary Had a Little Lamb” on his phonograph in 1878. But it wasn’t until the 1930s that audiobooks truly emerged, primarily serving the visually impaired and those recovering from strokes.
In 2010 only 6,200 audiobooks were published, and a 2012 Pew Research report found that just 11% of Americans aged 16 and older had consumed at least one audiobook that year. By 2021, the number of published audiobooks had surged to roughly 74,000, and Edison Research reported in 2024 that 52% of U.S. adults have tried an audiobook—translating to 137 million Americans—with 38% saying they have listened to one in the past year. This significant growth is attributed to several factors, such as the appeal of multitasking and technology accessibility with smartphones and streaming services.
However, despite their widespread appeal, audiobooks are sometimes viewed as a lazy means to an end. Traditional reading is often celebrated for its cognitive advantages, but could audiobooks offer similar brain-boosting benefits?
To explore this, I spoke with neuroscientist Paul J. Zak, Ph.D., whose lab conducted extensive research on the effects of storytelling on the brain. Here are some of the benefits of audiobooks.
1. Audiobooks Can Release Feel-Good Chemicals
As social beings, the human brain is wired for storytelling. Our ancestors relied on stories for millennia to share culture, gain wisdom and build relationships. So it makes sense that an engaging, memorable narrative would have a positive effect on our brains, releasing dopamine and oxytocin, as Zak’s research shows. These neurochemicals, linked to pleasure, motivation and social connection, have what Zak calls a “high social-emotional value.”
In his book, Immersion: The Science of the Extraordinary and the Source of Happiness, Zak explains that his lab’s research discovered audiobooks can have more value neurologically than reading a physical book because the brain will simulate “the emotions and actions in a narrative.”
The NeuroLeadership Institute states that there’s a link between emotionally powerful stories and memory recall, thanks to the release of dopamine in our brains. This is similar to how we vividly recall significant personal events, such as weddings or graduations, while struggling to remember mundane information, such as what we ate for breakfast yesterday morning.
But studies suggest for the listener to emotionally connect to an audiobook, the narrator must skillfully use tone, voice modulation and character portrayal.
In my listening experience, I’ve shelved audiobooks or opted to read the physical book instead due to a flat narrator or storyline. Yet when the plot and narrator align harmoniously, my mind creates vivid mental imagery and forms a stronger attachment to the characters.
2. They can help us feel less lonely
I play audiobooks most when I’m alone because I find another human’s voice comforting. Studies indicate that audiobooks can help us feel less lonely and that readers tend to avoid machine-generated recordings, preferring a human voice.
Zak says this preference is because of the human voice’s timbre and tone variations.
And research shows that our brains are wired to recognize and respond to vocal signals, which is part of what makes human voices more compelling to us than that of a robot’s.
3. They can have cognitive benefits
Audiobooks have the potential to improve vocabulary and comprehension. Supporting this, a study in TheScientist determined that the brain’s neural activity reacts the same way whether a word is listened to or read.
This has real-world implications, too. Researchers investigated whether audiobook technology could improve reading comprehension and enjoyment in adult learners with low-level reading skills. The study focused on 27 adult students working on their GED, with reading levels equivalent to grades 2-7. Participants were divided into two groups: one used an audiobook and text version of a Brothers Grimm fairytale, while the control group used only the text version.
The findings indicated that audiobook technology helped adult learners improve their reading comprehension skills as well as their enjoyment of reading. In this way, audiobooks, like Gutenberg’s printing press, can democratize access to the written word.
4. They’re good for multi-tasking and time optimization
The brain can simultaneously process auditory information and visual-motor tasks, according to multiple resource theory. This is why audiobooks can be well-suited to multitasking: They provide mental stimulation without requiring focused visual attention.
Charvi Agarwal, co-founder of Tales.so, an app that transforms bestselling books into podcast-style episodes, points out that audiobooks offer a way to “turn passive time into purposeful learning or inspiration,” transforming mundane activities into opportunities for cognitive engagement.
Downsides to audiobooks
One common complaint about audiobooks is the time commitment involved. It’s not always easy to dedicate eight or more hours to a single title, particularly with non-fiction, where repetition or often flat narrative structure can lead to disengagement.
After becoming a mother, Agarwal struggled to find time for audiobooks, so she used her data science and product strategy background to condense them into easily consumable 30-60-minute podcast-like episodes.
“This reduces cognitive fatigue and helps listeners finish without needing multiple sessions or losing track of context,” she says. “Instead of page-by-page summaries, we focus on the most relevant and applicable insights from a book. Whether it’s a single-host narrative or a dynamic conversation between two hosts, each episode is crafted to be engaging, useful and easy to apply.” Currently, her Tales app boasts a library with thousands of titles.
Another drawback is the tendency to tune out. Zak contends that engaging audiobooks can hold our attention due to the brain’s emotional responsiveness. Still, even as an avid audiobook consumer, he admits his own comprehension can sometimes be lower than with traditional reading. His solution is to rewind and re-listen to important sections or a book in its entirety, just as you might rewatch a movie to catch nuances missed the first time.
Where to access audiobooks
Audible is a popular audiobook source, but I recommend exploring the library apps Libby and Hoopla. These platforms offer access to thousands of free audiobooks (and ebooks) with a library card. Popular titles almost always have wait times, so this isn’t the system for those wanting instant gratification, but it’s still possible to rotate through a decent amount of content per year. (Here is a tutorial that teaches you how to use the Libby app.)
Spotify Premium also includes 15 hours of audiobook listening per month, with a selection of over 250,000 titles.
For those interested in trying audiobooks in a shorter format, Tales.so offers 10 free books then $9.99/month or $69 for a lifetime subscription. (Agarwal kindly offered readers of this article six months of free access with the coupon code SUCCESS100.)
Ultimately, the goal is to find an audiobook format and platform that works for you. With so many available options, it really is the golden age of audio.
Photo courtesy of ViDI Studio/Shutterstock
