Gen Z hits play on Homer after Nolan’s Odyssey opens big
Spotify says audiobook listens for The Odyssey surged around Christopher Nolan’s film, with younger audiences driving much of the action.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
2 min read
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has sent listeners back to Homer, with Spotify reporting a sharp rise in streams of the ancient epic’s audiobook editions around the film’s release.
According to Spotify data shared with Variety, audiobook versions of The Odyssey on the platform have now racked up the equivalent of more than 43 years of nonstop listening. That figure covers 91 editions in 10 languages, Spotify said.
The biggest spike came on July 17, the opening day for Nolan’s film, when Spotify said listens to The Odyssey audiobook rose by more than 500%. The platform also said listens were up more than 240% in June, before the movie arrived, and post-premiere listening is on track to rise by about 680%.
Younger users are a major part of the surge, according to Spotify. Gen Z listeners make up 36% of the audiobook audience for The Odyssey on the platform, while millennials account for 45%. Spotify said men represent 63% of the listening audience.
“It’s always exciting to see beloved classics find new audiences,” Lena Yang, senior editor for audiobooks at Spotify, told Variety. “Audiobooks offer a fresh way to experience timeless tales, and it’s especially rewarding to see listeners returning to ‘The Odyssey’ in such a meaningful way.”
A blockbuster sends readers back to Homer
The streaming bump follows a strong box office start for Nolan’s adaptation. Variety reported that The Odyssey earned $264.1 million worldwide in its opening weekend, beating expectations and drawing intense demand for Imax 70mm screenings.
The film stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the Greek hero making his long journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Variety reported that the movie features encounters with goddesses, sirens, a cyclops, armored giants and Scylla along the way.
Anne Hathaway plays Penelope, Odysseus’ wife, and Tom Holland plays their son. In the story, they have been dealing with suitors seeking Penelope’s hand and Odysseus’ throne while he is away.
The film’s success is also showing up in print and digital book sales. Circana BookScan data cited by Variety shows sales across all editions of The Odyssey are up 76% this year.
That means Nolan’s summer release is doing more than filling theaters. It is also pushing a nearly 3,000-year-old work back into earbuds and onto reading lists, with Spotify’s figures suggesting that younger listeners are treating Homer as part of the moviegoing experience.
This story draws on original reporting from Variety.