The 33 ⅓ audiobook series is coming to Spotify. Rolling Stone can exclusively announce that the streaming platform will add more than 50 music books to the platform from the series, with some featuring additional commentary and introductions from Spotify editors. The titles arrive tomorrow, May 13.
Among the books to be added to the platform are ones on the Beatles’ Let It Be, AC/DC’s Highway to Hell, Pink Floyd’s The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Nirvana’s In Utero, and Radiohead’s OK Computer, as well as titles about Janet Jackson, the Beastie Boys, the Who, George Michael, and Jeff Buckley. (Full list below.)
“This has been a dream project, and a prime example of how Spotify is evolving the audiobook space,” said Henna Silvennoinen, Manager of Audiobooks Licensing for Spotify, in a statement to Rolling Stone. “It is an honor to combine forces with Bloomsbury, a heavyweight in the publishing industry, to introduce this iconic, decades-long book series to a whole new audience of listeners on Spotify.”
Spotify Music editors will provide commentary for several 33 ⅓ titles, including Kendrick Lamar‘s To Pimp a Butterfly, ABBA’s Abba Gold, Oasis’ Definitely Maybe, Metallica’s Metallica, and Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love. A cohort of 10 titles — including To Pimp a Butterfly, Aretha Franklin’s Amazing Grace, and Janelle Monae’s The ArchAndroid — will also feature a new “Follow Along” function that includes time-synchronized illustrations, photos, and graphics in-platform.
“This is a first-of-its-kind collaboration which perfectly places Spotify’s music editors within our audiobooks offering,” said James Foley, Global Editorial Strategy Lead for Spotify, to Rolling Stone. Spotify previously hosted a podcast series inspired by 33 1/3 back in 2021.
“There’s no better way to show audiences their way around some of the excellent 33 1/3 series than via our team of passionate music experts,” added Foley. “The editors’ deep knowledge and genuine music fandom leaps out, setting the cultural context and providing a richer experience for listeners alongside these iconic audiobooks.”
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Full list of books coming to Spotify:
Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly (Author: Sequoia Maner; Narrator: Angel Pean)
Fugazi’s In on the Kill Taker (Author: Joe Gross; Narrator: Rob Vlock)
AC/DC’s Highway to Hell (Author: Joe Bonomo; Narrator: Heath Miller)
The Beatles’ Let It Be (Author: Steve Matteo; Narrator: Ralph Lister)
Metallica’s Metallica (Author: David Masciotra; Narrator: Joe Hempel)
Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy (Author: Ma’Chell M. Duma; Narrator: Gillian Williams)
Pink Floyd’s The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (Author: John Cavanagh; Narrator: Philip Battley)
Nirvana’s In Utero (Author: Gillian G. Gaar; Narrator: Erin Bennett)
Britney Spears‘ Blackout (Author: Natasha Lasky; Narrator: Rachel Jacobs)
Led Zeppelin’s Led Zeppelin IV (Author: Erik Davis; Narrator: Eric Altheide)
The Rolling Stones’ Some Girls (Author: Cyrus R.K. Patell; Narrator: GM Hakim)
Elton John’s Blue Moves (Author: Matthew Restall; Narrator: Daniel Henning)
Abba’s Abba Gold (Author: Elisabeth Vincentelli; Narrator: Stephanie Németh-Parker)
U2’s Achtung Baby (Author: Stephen Catanzarite; Narrator: Paul Bellantoni)
Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk (Author: Rob Trucks; Narrator: Pete Cross)
David Bowie’s Low (Author: Hugo Wilcken; Narrator: Shea Taylor)
Oasis’ Definitely Maybe (Author: Alex Niven; Narrator: Matt Haynes)
Radiohead’s OK Computer (Author: Dai Griffiths; Narrator: Ralph Lister)
Elvis Presley’s From Elvis in Memphis (Author: Eric Wolfson; Narrator: Johnny Heller)
Pearl Jam’s Vs. (Author: Clint Brownlee; Narrator: TJ Clark)
Celine Dion’s Let’s Talk About Love (Author: Carl Wilson; Narrator: Trenton Bennett)
Madonna‘s Erotica (Author: Michael Dango; Narrator: Grayson Villanueva)
Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland (Author: John Perry; Narrator: James Fouhey)
Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life (Author: Zeth Lundy; Narrator: David Sadzin)
Depeche Mode’s 101 (Author: Mary Valle; Narrator: Jo Anna Perrin)
Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. (Author: Geoffrey Himes; Narrator: Andrew Eiden)
Johnny Cash’s American Recordings (Author: Tony Tost; Narrator: Johnny Heller)
The Who’s The Who Sell Out (Author: John Dougan; Narrator: Eric Jason Martin)
George Michael’s Faith (Author: Matthew Horton; Narrator: Shea Taylor)
R.E.M.’s Murmur (Author: J. Niimi; Narrator: Eric Jason Martin)
The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds (Author: Jim Fusilli; Narrator: Adam Barr)
Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (Author: Kirk Walker Graves; Narrator: Torian Brackett)
Janet Jackson’s The Velvet Rope (Author: Ayanna Dozier; Narrator: Janina Edwards)
Nas’s Illmatic (Author: Matthew Gasteier; Narrator: Cary Hite)
Aretha Franklin’s Amazing Grace (Author: Aaron Cohen; Narrator: Deanna Anthony)
Duran Duran’s Rio (Author: Annie Zaleski; Narrator: Suzie Althens)
The Beastie Boys’ Paul’s Boutique (Author: Dan LeRoy; Narrator: Stacy Carolan)
The Clash’s Sandinista! (Author: Micajah Henley; Narrator: John Pirhalla)
Dolly Parton’s White Limozeen (Author: Steacy Easton; Narrator: Mark Jason Royse)
Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew (Author: George Grella, Jr.; Narrator: Jaime Lincoln Smith)
Madvillain’s Madvillainy (Author: Will Hagle; Narrator: Curtis Michael Holland)
Talking Heads’ Fear of Music (Author: Jonathan Lethem; Narrator: Keith Brown)
Kate Bush’s Hounds Of Love (Author: Leah Kardos; Narrator: Maria Nicola Johnson)
Jeff Buckley’s Grace (Author: Daphne A. Brooks; Narrator: Tanya Eby)
Janelle Monáe’s The ArchAndroid (Author: Alyssa Favreau; Narrator: Krysta Gonzales)
J Dilla’s Donuts (Author: Jordan Ferguson; Narrator: John Duwayne Jackson)
Neutral Milk Hotel’s In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (Author: Kim Cooper; Narrator: Tanya Eby)
Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited (Author: Mark Polizzotti; Narrator: Paul Bellantoni)
The Velvet Underground’s The Velvet Underground and Nico (Author: Joe Harvard; Narrator: Brian Telestai)
The National’s Boxer (Author: Ryan Pinkard; Narrator: Michael Crouch)
D’Angelo’s Voodoo (Author: Faith A. Pennick; Narrator: Adenrele Ojo)
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