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Lydlitteraturens værdier : Litterær (værdi)dannelse i en streamingtid

Tanderup, Sara LU orcid (2025) In Tidskrift för litteraturvetenskap 55(1).
Abstract
Audiobooks are more popular than ever before. The article examines how this so-called “audiobook boom”, as well as the communities, reading practices, and economic systems surrounding audiobooks affect how we ascribe value to books and reading. The article departs from a notion of literary values based in the sociology of literature. While its contribution is primarily conceptual, the discussion is based on results from two interview studies with, respectively, Danish and Swedish authors, publishers, and streaming service representatives. As the “audiobook boom” in Denmark and Sweden is connected to the distribution model of subscription-based streaming, the article presents an analysis of how this model transforms the ways in which we... (More)
Audiobooks are more popular than ever before. The article examines how this so-called “audiobook boom”, as well as the communities, reading practices, and economic systems surrounding audiobooks affect how we ascribe value to books and reading. The article departs from a notion of literary values based in the sociology of literature. While its contribution is primarily conceptual, the discussion is based on results from two interview studies with, respectively, Danish and Swedish authors, publishers, and streaming service representatives. As the “audiobook boom” in Denmark and Sweden is connected to the distribution model of subscription-based streaming, the article presents an analysis of how this model transforms the ways in which we ascribe economic value to books. The article argues that these changes regarding economic values and valuation also impact the “content”, resulting in a turn towards genre fiction and what some informants see as a commercialization of literary culture. Turning towards the readers’ perspective, the audiobook significantly transforms how we use literature in everyday contexts – and who uses it. The audiobook is thus associated with social and practical values, while the value of the reading, and the knowledge we get through reading-by-listening is questioned. Thus, while the audiobook is socially valued because of its accessibility and its potential for lowering the threshold of literary culture, it is not accepted into the established value systems of that same literary culture. The article concludes that this leads to a polarization of the literary field with audiobooks (and the associated genres) on the one side, and print culture (and associated “quality” fiction) on the other. Based on the results, the article finally discusses what “makes a good audiobook” – and how the format impacts how we value literature in a digital book economy. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Audiobooks are more popular than ever before. The article examines how this so-called “audiobook boom”, as well as the communities, reading practices, and economic systems surrounding audiobooks affect how we ascribe value to books and reading. The article departs from a notion of literary values based in the sociology of literature. While its contribution is primarily conceptual, the discussion is based on results from two interview studies with, respectively, Danish and Swedish authors, publishers, and streaming service representatives. As the “audiobook boom” in Denmark and Sweden is connected to the distribution model of subscription-based streaming, the article presents an analysis of how this model transforms the ways in which we... (More)
Audiobooks are more popular than ever before. The article examines how this so-called “audiobook boom”, as well as the communities, reading practices, and economic systems surrounding audiobooks affect how we ascribe value to books and reading. The article departs from a notion of literary values based in the sociology of literature. While its contribution is primarily conceptual, the discussion is based on results from two interview studies with, respectively, Danish and Swedish authors, publishers, and streaming service representatives. As the “audiobook boom” in Denmark and Sweden is connected to the distribution model of subscription-based streaming, the article presents an analysis of how this model transforms the ways in which we ascribe economic value to books. The article argues that these changes regarding economic values and valuation also impact the “content”, resulting in a turn towards genre fiction and what some informants see as a commercialization of literary culture. Turning towards the readers’ perspective, the audiobook significantly transforms how we use literature in everyday contexts – and who uses it. The audiobook is thus associated with social and practical values, while the value of the reading, and the knowledge we get through reading-by-listening is questioned. Thus, while the audiobook is socially valued because of its accessibility and its potential for lowering the threshold of literary culture, it is not accepted into the established value systems of that same literary culture. The article concludes that this leads to a polarization of the literary field with audiobooks (and the associated genres) on the one side, and print culture (and associated “quality” fiction) on the other. Based on the results, the article finally discusses what “makes a good audiobook” – and how the format impacts how we value literature in a digital book economy. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
alternative title
The values of audio fiction : Literary values and valuation in the age of streaming
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Audiobooks, Audio literature, Streaming, Book culture, Digital books, Reading, audiobooks, streaming services, literary values, literary valuation, digital book culture, service economy
in
Tidskrift för litteraturvetenskap
volume
55
issue
1
publisher
Föreningen för utgivande av Tidskrift för litteraturvetenskap
ISSN
1104-0556
DOI
10.54797/tfl.v55i1.55921
project
Mellan ljud och text. Produktion, innehåll och upplevelser av multimodal ljudlitteratur.
language
Danish
LU publication?
yes
id
586f7ab8-f93a-439c-b4d4-e507556b5ba4
date added to LUP
2025-09-13 14:57:13
date last changed
2025-09-25 10:41:25
@article{586f7ab8-f93a-439c-b4d4-e507556b5ba4,
  abstract     = {{Audiobooks are more popular than ever before. The article examines how this so-called “audiobook boom”, as well as the communities, reading practices, and economic systems surrounding audiobooks affect how we ascribe value to books and reading. The article departs from a notion of literary values based in the sociology of literature. While its contribution is primarily conceptual, the discussion is based on results from two interview studies with, respectively, Danish and Swedish authors, publishers, and streaming service representatives. As the “audiobook boom” in Denmark and Sweden is connected to the distribution model of subscription-based streaming, the article presents an analysis of how this model transforms the ways in which we ascribe economic value to books. The article argues that these changes regarding economic values and valuation also impact the “content”, resulting in a turn towards genre fiction and what some informants see as a commercialization of literary culture. Turning towards the readers’ perspective, the audiobook significantly transforms how we use literature in everyday contexts – and who uses it. The audiobook is thus associated with social and practical values, while the value of the reading, and the knowledge we get through reading-by-listening is questioned. Thus, while the audiobook is socially valued because of its accessibility and its potential for lowering the threshold of literary culture, it is not accepted into the established value systems of that same literary culture. The article concludes that this leads to a polarization of the literary field with audiobooks (and the associated genres) on the one side, and print culture (and associated “quality” fiction) on the other. Based on the results, the article finally discusses what “makes a good audiobook” – and how the format impacts how we value literature in a digital book economy.}},
  author       = {{Tanderup, Sara}},
  issn         = {{1104-0556}},
  keywords     = {{Audiobooks; Audio literature; Streaming; Book culture; Digital books; Reading; audiobooks; streaming services; literary values; literary valuation; digital book culture; service economy}},
  language     = {{dan}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Föreningen för utgivande av Tidskrift för litteraturvetenskap}},
  series       = {{Tidskrift för litteraturvetenskap}},
  title        = {{Lydlitteraturens værdier : Litterær (værdi)dannelse i en streamingtid}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.54797/tfl.v55i1.55921}},
  doi          = {{10.54797/tfl.v55i1.55921}},
  volume       = {{55}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}