Your first listen is unique to you. It is not necessarily a bestseller, but it is the one that meets you where you are, and it is probably about something you already love.
Prefer to listen? Narrated by Editor-in-Chief Kat Jackson.
Choosing your first (or next!) listen can be intimidating. Where do I start? The audio version of an old favorite, or something new and thrilling? A short book or an epic tome? Single voice or multicast? What is dual narration, and how does it differ from duet? Well, we’re here to help.
Your first listen is unique to you. It is not necessarily a bestseller, but it is the one that meets you where you are, and it is probably about something you already love.
Start by thinking about what you already enjoy: your favorite movies and TV shows, the genres you like, your favorite authors. Figure out whether you’re in the mood for fiction or non-fiction. Where you’ll listen can help you decide, too. Will you be in the car with family, on headphones while training for a marathon, or listening on a kitchen speaker while you do the dishes? Questions like these help you find what you actually want from an audiobook.
Next comes the fun part that’s unique to audiobooks: narration. You can go with single voice for a traditional storytelling experience, dual or duet narration (especially if you love romance), or a full multicast for something immersive. Single voice is just what it sounds like: one very talented narrator reads you the whole book. Dual, or multi-point-of-view, titles are read by distinct narrators, usually with each one taking a specific character’s chapters. Duet narration is like listening to two actors perform a story together, with each narrator consistently voicing their own set of characters, which makes conversations feel like real dialogue. And multicast audiobooks have a different actor for each part, so it’s like a play or a movie for your ears. If you’re not sure of the difference, you can preview each narration style with a sample.
Your narrator will completely shape your experience, so samples are your best friend here. You’ll be spending a lot of time with this person, so make sure you’re getting someone who speaks to you (pun intended). Anywhere from four to twenty-plus hours, in fact, so their voice, pacing, style, and read on the characters matter as much as the story itself. A great narrator adds emotion, humor, tension, and heart in ways that make a good listen absolutely unforgettable.
Before you commit, listen to the sample. Ask yourself: do I enjoy spending time with this voice? Do I want to spend hours with them? If the narration pulls you in, you’re probably in for a great ride. And if the voice doesn’t quite click, keep trying other narrators.
Once you’ve started to zero in on genre, subject, and of course voice, it’s time to consider specific titles. If the options feel endless, don’t worry (who wouldn’t feel that way? there are more audiobooks out there than anyone could listen to in a lifetime). You don’t have to find the perfect audiobook, just the one that works for you. Browse a bestseller list (did you know the New York Times publishes audio bestsellers?), ask friends or your book club, chat with your librarian, or check out our recommendations here at AudiobookRush. Read the descriptions, listen to the samples, and trust your curiosity. Sometimes the audiobook you knew nothing about becomes your favorite.
Most importantly, don’t let one audiobook define the whole format for you. If your first listen isn’t a home run, keep going. Try another narrator, another genre, another style of performance. Audiobooks are wonderfully diverse, and we promise there’s something out there for every listener.
Happy listening, and welcome to the world of audiobooks. We’re glad you’re here, and we can’t wait to help you discover your next favorite listen.
Happy Listening!
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