Top 10 Downloads 2023
Happy New Year to all our members!
Many of you were avid listeners last year, with our members checking out over 100,000 audiobooks! From morning commutes to sleepless nights, school exams to a new retirement hobby, audiobooks have been there to help and support many people this year. But what were the titles you loved the most? Without further ado, we present to you: the Top Ten Downloads of 2023.
10. Dune: Book One - Frank Herbert
With Dune being one of the most talked-about films in the last few years, it follows that many of you started the book series in 2023! Good news - we have the full collection for you to catch up on before Dune: Part Two hits the screens later this year!
9. Babel - R. F. Kuang
Babel by R.F. Kuang didn't just take literary awards and social media by storm this year; it was a favourite with Listening Books members too! With accolades such as the British Book Award for Fiction and the Nebula Award, it comes as no surprise that Babel makes our top 10.
8. The One You Fear - Paul Pilkington
The ever-popular Paul Pilkington makes a reappearance on our top 10 downloads this year, with the second book of his Emma Holden trilogy coming in eighth place. But will this be the last of Emma Holden we see on this list...? Keep reading to find out!
7. Murder Before Evensong - Reverend Richard Coles
Reverend Richard Coles' debut was a smash-hit with our members this year, appearing on our monthly top 10 downloads list for six months straight! We've recently added the next Canon Clement mystery to our collection, so be sure to check that out if Murder Before Evensong was one of your top listens!
6. Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? - Dr Julie Smith
As with every year, 2023 came with highs and lows; Dr Julie Smith's fantastic book has helped lots of people navigate those lows. Dr Julie uses her clinical psychologist's toolkit to provide a simple handbook to guide people through some of life's various trials, offering practical solutions and support for anxiety, low-mood, insecurity and more.
5. Lessons in Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus
2023 has been a big year for Bonnie Garmus' Lessons in Chemistry! From a brand-new Apple TV show adaptation, to appearing on The Listening Books Podcast, we've seen Elizabeth Zott climb from height to height, and we couldn't be happier to see her on our top 10 downloads list too!
4. Spare - Prince Harry
Prince Harry made the headlines this year with the release of his tell-all memoir, Spare. Our members joined the rest of the world in listening to what the Prince had to say about his upbringing and royal life, but with the added bonus of hearing his voice tell his own story!
3. Death Comes to Marlow (The Marlow Murder Club Book 2) - Robert Thorogood
2023 brought many great things, including the return of The Marlow Murder Club! Our members were overjoyed to be reuinted with Judith, Suzie and Becks, as our 2021 Members' Choice Award Winner brought them together again to solve another mysterious murder.
2. The One You Love - Paul Pilkington
Did you guess we'd be seeing Paul Pilkington again on the list? We aren't surprised; our members absolutely love his work, and for good reason! What's more, we were lucky enough to be able to treat our members to an interview with Paul in our first members' newsletter of 2023. If you aren't yet a member, be sure to join us to access more exclusive interviews with incredible authors!
1. The Harry Potter Books - J.K. Rowling
Your most listened-to books of 2023 were J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter titles - yes, all 7 of them! J.K. Rowling once again tops our top downloads list; these classics, beloved by children and adults alike, are listened to time and time again, for comfort, nostalgia, and, of course, magic! As a bonus, they happen to be narrated by our fantastic Patron, Stephen Fry!
And that's our 2023 top 10 downloads complete! How many of these titles did you listen to last year? Are there any others that you think deserved to make the list? Let us know in the comments!
Author: Annabel Morgan
