Key findings:

• Buying habits of Audiobook shoppers prove that British accents are favoured by American listeners according to an Audiobooks.com study
• Americans are almost three times as likely to buy a book read by a British narrator, and rate British voices higher on average
• Audiobooks.com, the second largest provider of audiobooks in North America, launches in the UK offering two free audiobooks to new users

London: 18^th October 2017: As any Englishman in New York will tell you, a British accent often proves a lot more popular across the pond than it does back home. But now conclusive proof of Americans’ fondness for British tones has been found – in their choice of audiobooks.

A study by Audiobooks.com has found that American listeners are almost three times more likely to buy a book read by a British narrator than an American one*. More than a third of the top titles downloaded by consumers had a British narrator, with five of the top ten voiced by Brits. British narrators were also rated higher by North American listeners than their American counterparts (scoring an average of 4.5 stars out of 5, compared to 4.2).

The news marks the launch of Audiobooks.com, the second largest provider of audiobooks in North America, into the UK market. The service launches with a market-leading introductory offer, with which new customers can claim two free books when they sign up to a free trial.

After the free trial period, Audiobooks.com’s £7.99 per month subscription will entitle members to one premium audiobook per month, on top of which extra titles can be purchased. Users can redeem credits for new titles within the mobile app rather than needing to visit the desktop site (as with other similar services). Audiobooks.com is also available on a variety of platforms including smartphones, desktops, smartwatches, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and with the infotainment systems in select Land Rover and Jaguar vehicles,

Ian Small, CEO, Audiobooks.com, commented: “More than any other medium, audiobooks build an intimacy and a rapport between listener and narrator. The fact that more Americans choose to listen to British narrators shows how attractive those accents are to these listeners. Now that the service is available in the UK, we’ll have to wait to see if the feeling is shared by the British!”

Parent company RBmedia is bringing Audiobooks.com to British consumers after years of success with W.F. Howes, the UK’s leading audiobook publisher and digital library service provider. Audiobooks continue to outpace print and e-book sales as the fastest growing format in publishing, and the Publisher’s Association reports the total consumer audio downloads increased by 28% last year. Audiobooks.com, united with W. F. Howes, promises to offer an unparalleled service to consumers in Britain and continue to grow this exciting industry.

ENDS

 Notes to Editors

 For more information please contact [email protected] or telephone 020 7592 1200 and ask to speak to one of the Audiobooks.com team.

 * Based on Audiobooks.com titles and sales in 2016. 35% of the most accessed audiobooks had a British narrator, compared to just 14% of a representative sample of all titles.

About Audiobooks.com

Audiobooks.com, an RBmedia company, is a market-leading streaming and download service for audiobooks, delivering fast and easy access to over 100,000 titles globally to booklovers via the free Audiobooks.com app for Apple and Android. The service can be used at home on Sonos or tvOS, and in-car on CarPlay, Android Auto and with the infotainment systems in select Land Rover and Jaguar vehicles. The company’s proprietary technology synchronizes users’ last listened-to position across all devices, creating a seamless user experience.

About RBmedia

RBmedia is a global leader in spoken audio content and digital media distribution technology that reaches millions of consumers – at home, in the car, and wherever their mobile devices take them. RBmedia produces exclusive titles and delivers the finest digital content – including audiobooks, educational courses, entertainment titles, and much more. RBmedia comprises an ever-expanding group of the best brands in spoken audio content and digital media distribution technology. Find out more at www.rbmediaglobal.com.