Spotify has launched a program to publish audiobooks from independent authors, focusing on a few genres to start.

Spotify wants to make it easier than ever for audiobook authors to have their work heard. The audio-streaming platform has a new website for independent authors to submit short-form books.

Spotify paid the music industry $10bn (£7.7bn) in 2024, which the streaming service said was the highest annual payment from any single retailer in history. But the figures come as a heated debate continues about how much money artists and songwriters receive in royalties.

Nearly 1,500 artists generated more than $1 million in royalties from Spotify in 2024, the company said in its annual Loud and Clear Report. Spotify said more than 80% of the artists in that pool did not have a song reach the app's Global Daily Top 50 Chart.

Spotify has released its annual Loud & Clear report, detailing information about the music streaming service's royalty payments.

Meghan Markle’s new podcast comes on the heels of her Netflix lifestyle series, “With Love, Meghan,” which received unfavorable reviews from critics.

The Duchess of Sussex's latest project, a podcast focusing on female founders, will be available next month as an eight-part series across platforms like Spotify, YouTube and Apple Podcasts

Shortly after Meghan Markle debuted her new As Ever lifestyle brand, she announced she is getting back into the podcast space with Confessions of a Female Founder.