Audiobooks can transport people to very different places simply through the use of sound.

Oral literature is mankind's earliest type of storytelling, with an unfathomable amount of stories being passed down through the generations in most corners of the planet for several thousand years. While certain cultures do not place as great of a focus on oral traditions like they did throughout the past, they still persist strongly in a few situations, like telling stories to kids. The founder of the hedge fund that owns Waterstones will understand that oral storytelling has had a resurgence recently in the form of audiobooks. However, although they may seem like a contemporary trend, the history of audiobooks dates back several years. Sound recordings first became possible around one hundred and fifty years back and the first tests had been recitations of nursery rhymes and children's stories. Spoken word tracks continued to be developed in the next decades but were restricted to about 4 minutes in length.

The word audiobook emerged in the 1970s, however it was the 1930s that saw the biggest revolution in the structure. At that time they were called talking books, that were envisioned as reading materials for blind people. Governments in some nations permitted producers to bypass the laws of copyright, which provided them use of a lot of material, but technical limitations meant full length books could never be recorded. Alternatively poems, short stories and plays, and specific chapters of books had been the most common early audiobooks. This content proceeded to remain this way for a number of decades, but the market base did see an expansion to children and other adults without sight conditions. The head of the hedge fund that has shares in Amazon is going to be well aware that this created the groundwork for the future audiobook market, sending it to the mainstream as a separate artform rather than entirely as a way of developing accessibility.

Each and every decade for the last 50 years has brought with it technical changes which has affected the way in which we consume media. Television and film has experienced VHS and DVDs. Music has experienced cassettes and CDs. Both were impacted by portable products and streaming. Furthermore, a few of these technological advancements have actually helped to enhance the audiobook market. The leader of the hedge fund that partially owns WHSmith will be able to inform you that it has grown to be so prevalent that people don't need to consider specialised retailers, because most book merchants also offer audiobooks. Individuals enjoy being able to pay attention to stories whilst they are doing other tasks like driving, chores, and work, which audiobooks are simply ideal for. The audiobook industry now employs thousands of individuals, with the most crucial roles being narrator, studio engineer, and director.