Audible launches Premium Plus membership with unlimited access to over 7,500 titles

Audible is giving its members unlimited access to more than 7,500 titles spanning fiction, non-fiction, documentaries, comedy, theatre, journalism and children’s content, as part of its new Plus catalogue which launches today (28th July).

The platform's UK membership, renamed Audible Premium Plus, will remain available from £7.99 a month with a free one month trial for new members. Members will still get to pick and keep any title each month with their credit—including best sellers and new releases, alongside access to unlimited listening of the titles in the Plus Catalogue.

Previously, the monthly membership plan gave members one credit a month to purchase one audiobook, unlimited access to Audible Original podcasts and exclusive deals on audiobooks, with money off selected titles.

Backlist titles available for unlimited listening in the Plus Catalogue include acclaimed titles by Jeanette Winterson, Bill Bryson, Fiona Barton, Philippa Gregory, Richard Ayoade, Ruth Rendell and Hanif Kureshi. Winterson's books available through the catalogue include her much-acclaimed Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? and Whitbread Prize-winning Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit.

The move comes as Audible increases its investment into UK original content, with books and programmes performed by the likes of James McAvoy, Regé-Jean Page and Thandiwe Newton, as well as podcasts with famous faces such as Graham Norton (pictured).

Audible Original audiobooks to be released in autumn 2021 include Isaac Steele & The Forever Man by actor and comedian Daniel Rigby and an original work from comedian turned author, Mark Watson called Eight Deaths, with more titles to be announced. Audible will also publish the audiobook of Queenie author Candice Carty-Williams’ debut Young Adult novel Empress and Aniya.

Upcoming adaptations of classics performed by actors include The Prophet performed by Riz Ahmed and War and Peace narrated by Thandiwe Newton. Audible will also release a trilogy of gothic classics for Halloween, with adaptations of Jekyll and Hyde, Dracula and Frankenstein featuring Jamie Bell, Himesh Patel, Daisy Edgar Jones, Patricia Allison, and Paapa Essiedu.

Audible will also release a second series of French & Saunders’ "Titting About" in August and "The Graham Norton Book Club" in October. Neil Gaiman and Dirk Maggs’ "The Sandman Volume II" will come out in September starring James McAvoy, Emma Corrin, Regé-Jean Page and Kat Dennings.

Following on from the recent success of Oscar winning John Battsek’s first audio production, "Death at Deepcut", new productions will be released from top film and TV talent turning to podcasts, many for the first time. "Line of Duty"' writer Jed Mecurio's executive produced "Zoetrope" and Frank Spotnitz executive produced "Killer Book Club".

Audible Original podcasts coming later this year include a one woman show written by and starring Cush Jumbo, an audio drama "Car Crash" produced by comedian and writer Sara Pascoe and starring BAFTA Award winning actress Aimee Lou Wood from "Sex Education" and Alfred Enoch from "How To Get Away With Murder", a new series with Michael Caine called "Heroes", and "Finding Q: My Journey into QAnon" by journalist Nicky Woolf.

Aurelie DeTroyer, s.v.p. of international content at Audible, said: "Audible has been a leader in spoken-word storytelling for more than 20 years. We are passionate about working with the best talent to bring great stories to life. Last year we produced in the UK and released globally more than 90 Original productions including bestsellers such as Neil Gaiman’s 'The Sandman', 'Alan Partridge: From the Oasthouse' and 'Hellcats', an outstanding drama podcast from talented new writer Carina Rodney. In the UK we know our members love great storytelling and now they can do much more of that, with unlimited listening to over 7,500 titles, brand new podcasts and audiobook releases as well as bestsellers and backlist evergreen titles.

"In the coming months we are launching projects with exciting talent both behind and in front of the microphone, with podcasts produced by Jed Mercurio and Sara Pascoe and titles performed by Thandiwe Newton, Riz Ahmed and Daisy Edgar Jones. It is thrilling for us to be a part of expanding the audio landscape as we work with producers and performers from a broad array of creative industries to find new and compelling ways to tell stories. This is only the start of our journey as we continue to collaborate with the best British talent, taking their work to new and established audiences.”