Our Most Popular Titles From the Past 20 Years

We wanted to find out which listens have been the most popular throughout our entire 20 year history, since Audible launched in 1997. So we dug into the data to find out what rose to the top in a variety of categories. How many could you have guessed -- and which ones surprise you? (P.S. Check out our 20th anniversary celebration for more fun history tidbits, listener perks, and deals from November 1 - 20, 2017.)

    • The Girl on the Train

    • A Novel
    • By: Paula Hawkins
    • Narrated by: Clare Corbett, Louise Brealey, India Fisher
    • Length: 10 hrs and 58 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4.5 out of 5 stars 131,209
    • Performance
      4.5 out of 5 stars 115,823
    • Story
      4.5 out of 5 stars 115,692

    Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning....

    • 1 out of 5 stars

    • The Girl on The Train

    • By BookReader on 12-30-15

    • The Girl on the Train

    • A Novel
    • By: Paula Hawkins
    • Narrated by: Clare Corbett, Louise Brealey, India Fisher
    • Length: 10 hrs and 58 mins
    • Release date: 01-13-15
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 131,209 ratings
    • THE MOST WISH-LISTED
    • Addictive from the start and told from the perspective of not one but three unreliable narrators, The Girl on the Train delivers engrossing twists and turns in every direction. Rachel, the self-destructive protagonist, is equally sympathetic and appalling, and you can’t help but immerse yourself into her distorted and chaotic world in an attempt to unravel this tightly woven mystery.

    Regular price: $28.00

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • Oathbringer

    • By: Brandon Sanderson
    • Narrated by: Kate Reading, Michael Kramer
    • Length: 55 hrs and 5 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      5 out of 5 stars 28,264
    • Performance
      5 out of 5 stars 26,620
    • Story
      5 out of 5 stars 26,568

    Dalinar Kholin's Alethi armies won a fleeting victory at a terrible cost. The enemy Parshendi summoned the violent Everstorm, which now sweeps the world with destruction....

    • 5 out of 5 stars

    • Strong Storytelling, will upset Kaladin fans

    • By Deana on 11-16-17

    • Oathbringer

    • By: Brandon Sanderson
    • Narrated by: Kate Reading, Michael Kramer
    • Series: Stormlight Archive, Book 3
    • Length: 55 hrs and 5 mins
    • Release date: 11-14-17
    • 5 out of 5 stars 28,264 ratings
    • THE MOST ANTICIPATED
    • The sequel to 2014's Words of Radiance is so eagerly anticipated that it has more pre-orders than any other title in Audible’s history to date. In this epic fantasy saga, humanity faces a new Desolation with the return of the vengeful Voidbringers.

    Regular price: $66.49

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • The Martian

    • By: Andy Weir
    • Narrated by: R. C. Bray
    • Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      5 out of 5 stars 157,663
    • Performance
      5 out of 5 stars 145,491
    • Story
      5 out of 5 stars 145,336

    Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars....

    • 5 out of 5 stars

    • Worth it even if you've seen the movie

    • By R. MCRACKAN on 12-08-17

    • The Martian

    • By: Andy Weir
    • Narrated by: R. C. Bray
    • Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins
    • Release date: 03-22-13
    • 5 out of 5 stars 157,663 ratings
    • THE MOST 5-STAR RATINGS
    • The Martian resonated with so many different people thanks to its perfect combination of original story, interesting characters, and fascinating technical accuracy. It has not only more 5-star ratings than any other audiobook, but it also has the most reviews, period.

    Regular price: $29.99

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

    • A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
    • By: Mark Manson
    • Narrated by: Roger Wayne
    • Length: 5 hrs and 17 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4.5 out of 5 stars 96,430
    • Performance
      4.5 out of 5 stars 84,593
    • Story
      4.5 out of 5 stars 84,115

    In this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the crap to show us how to stop trying to be positive all the time so that we can truly become better, happier people....

    • 2 out of 5 stars

    • A book for 20-somethings, but not me

    • By Bonny on 09-22-16

    • The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

    • A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
    • By: Mark Manson
    • Narrated by: Roger Wayne
    • Length: 5 hrs and 17 mins
    • Release date: 09-13-16
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 96,430 ratings
    • THE MOST BOOKMARKED
    • It’s no surprise that listeners have been finding lots to bookmark in this self-help guide that "cuts through the crap." Backed by research and humor, Mark Manson shows us how to stop trying to be positive all the time so that we can truly become better, happier people.

    Regular price: $23.95

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Book 1

    • By: J.K. Rowling
    • Narrated by: Jim Dale
    • Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      5 out of 5 stars 67,992
    • Performance
      5 out of 5 stars 61,720
    • Story
      5 out of 5 stars 61,696

    Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive....

    • 5 out of 5 stars

    • My Sad, Sad Confession…

    • By Mike L Lane on 08-08-17

    Regular price: $29.99

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • It

    • By: Stephen King
    • Narrated by: Steven Weber
    • Length: 44 hrs and 55 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4.5 out of 5 stars 34,139
    • Performance
      5 out of 5 stars 31,458
    • Story
      4.5 out of 5 stars 31,353

    Welcome to Derry, Maine. It's a small city, a place as hauntingly familiar as your own hometown. Only in Derry the haunting is real....

    • 5 out of 5 stars

    • A Classic with a Top-Notch Performance!

    • By Nicole - Audible on 06-19-17

    • It

    • By: Stephen King
    • Narrated by: Steven Weber
    • Length: 44 hrs and 55 mins
    • Release date: 01-01-16
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 34,139 ratings
    • THE MOST SEARCHED-FOR AUTHOR
    • From It to The Dark Tower series to The Stand and beyond, people type "Stephen King" into Audible's search bar more than almost any other combination of words.

    Regular price: $37.79

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • The Help

    • By: Kathryn Stockett
    • Narrated by: Jenna Lamia, Bahni Turpin, Octavia Spencer, and others
    • Length: 18 hrs and 19 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      5 out of 5 stars 37,255
    • Performance
      5 out of 5 stars 23,182
    • Story
      5 out of 5 stars 23,200

    Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step....

    • 5 out of 5 stars

    • What a great surprise!

    • By Jan on 12-02-09

    • The Help

    • By: Kathryn Stockett
    • Narrated by: Jenna Lamia, Bahni Turpin, Octavia Spencer, Cassandra Campbell
    • Length: 18 hrs and 19 mins
    • Release date: 01-28-09
    • 5 out of 5 stars 37,255 ratings
    • THE BEST-SELLING FICTION
    • The Help was an audiobook sensation when it was originally released, and it remains Audible’s best-selling fiction title to date. The narrators bring Stockett’s cast of extraordinary women to life in a pitch-perfect multi-cast performance.

    Regular price: $38.50

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • Big Little Lies

    • By: Liane Moriarty
    • Narrated by: Caroline Lee
    • Length: 15 hrs and 55 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4.5 out of 5 stars 43,871
    • Performance
      4.5 out of 5 stars 39,419
    • Story
      4.5 out of 5 stars 39,340

    Pirriwee Public's annual school Trivia Night has ended in a shocking riot. One parent is dead. The school principal is horrified....

    • 5 out of 5 stars

    • Oh, Calamity!

    • By L. O. Pardue on 10-07-14

    • Big Little Lies

    • By: Liane Moriarty
    • Narrated by: Caroline Lee
    • Length: 15 hrs and 55 mins
    • Release date: 07-29-14
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 43,871 ratings
    • THE BEST-SELLING MYSTERY / THRILLER
    • A hit in its own right that became even more popular after the hit HBO series, Big Little Lies uses a crime story to frame this brilliant tale about playground politics, ex-husbands and ex-wives, and what really goes on in the suburbs behind closed doors.

    Regular price: $28.00

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • Fifty Shades of Grey

    • Book One of the Fifty Shades Trilogy
    • By: E. L. James
    • Narrated by: Becca Battoe
    • Length: 19 hrs and 48 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4 out of 5 stars 31,644
    • Performance
      4 out of 5 stars 26,825
    • Story
      4 out of 5 stars 27,455

    Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever....

    • 1 out of 5 stars

    • Holy Crap minus the Holy

    • By Penny on 05-21-12

    • Fifty Shades of Grey

    • Book One of the Fifty Shades Trilogy
    • By: E. L. James
    • Narrated by: Becca Battoe
    • Series: Fifty Shades Trilogy, Book 1
    • Length: 19 hrs and 48 mins
    • Release date: 04-03-12
    • 4 out of 5 stars 31,644 ratings
    • THE BEST-SELLING ROMANCE
    • In this tale that became a pop-culture sensation, shy literature student Anastasia Steele is swept off her feet by forceful entrepreneur Christian Grey. It’s not long until their daring, passionate affair shocks her out of her innocence.

    Regular price: $33.60

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • A Clash of Kings

    • A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 2
    • By: George R. R. Martin
    • Narrated by: Roy Dotrice
    • Length: 37 hrs and 12 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4.5 out of 5 stars 58,933
    • Performance
      4.5 out of 5 stars 50,669
    • Story
      5 out of 5 stars 50,609

    From the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns....

    • 4 out of 5 stars

    • I'm hooked, but narration...

    • By Peter on 04-02-13

    • A Clash of Kings

    • A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 2
    • By: George R. R. Martin
    • Narrated by: Roy Dotrice
    • Series: A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 2
    • Length: 37 hrs and 12 mins
    • Release date: 12-28-03
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 58,933 ratings
    • THE BEST-SELLING SCI-FI / FANTASY
    • The best-selling sci-fi / fantasy title in Audible's history is not, surprisingly, the first book of the A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Game of Thrones. That distinction goes to the second book, A Clash of Kings.

    Regular price: $63.00

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • The Hunger Games

    • By: Suzanne Collins
    • Narrated by: Carolyn McCormick
    • Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4.5 out of 5 stars 49,966
    • Performance
      4.5 out of 5 stars 39,312
    • Story
      4.5 out of 5 stars 39,744

    Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?....

    • 4 out of 5 stars

    • Great story. Absolutely grating narrator.

    • By tcp100 on 12-27-11

    • The Hunger Games

    • By: Suzanne Collins
    • Narrated by: Carolyn McCormick
    • Series: Hunger Games, Book 1
    • Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
    • Release date: 10-01-08
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 49,966 ratings
    • THE BEST-SELLING YA
    • A film adaptation also boosted this already hugely popular YA story. When her little sister is chosen for the annual Hunger Games — a fight to the death on live TV — sixteen-year-old Katniss steps forward to take her place.

    Regular price: $27.97

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Book 2

    • By: J.K. Rowling
    • Narrated by: Jim Dale
    • Length: 9 hrs and 24 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      5 out of 5 stars 46,882
    • Performance
      5 out of 5 stars 42,921
    • Story
      5 out of 5 stars 42,871

    Back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for his second year, Harry hears strange whispers echo through empty corridors - and then the attacks start....

    • 5 out of 5 stars

    • Of all the trees, we get one that hits back!

    • By Andrew on 11-20-17

    Regular price: $29.99

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • Bossypants

    • By: Tina Fey
    • Narrated by: Tina Fey
    • Length: 5 hrs and 32 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4.5 out of 5 stars 49,145
    • Performance
      4.5 out of 5 stars 41,030
    • Story
      4.5 out of 5 stars 40,853

    Tina Fey was just a young girl with a dream: a recurring stress dream that she was being chased through a local airport by her middle-school gym teacher....

    • 3 out of 5 stars

    • what was the point of this book

    • By Nobody on 11-11-18

    • Bossypants

    • By: Tina Fey
    • Narrated by: Tina Fey
    • Length: 5 hrs and 32 mins
    • Release date: 04-05-11
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 49,145 ratings
    • THE BEST-SELLING MEMOIR / BIOGRAPHY
    • This classic comedy memoir spent what felt like eons on the best seller list and paved the way for others by Mindy Kaling, Amy Poehler, Lena Dunham, and so many more.

    Regular price: $30.79

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • Unbroken

    • A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
    • By: Laura Hillenbrand
    • Narrated by: Edward Herrmann
    • Length: 14 hrs
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4.5 out of 5 stars 39,178
    • Performance
      5 out of 5 stars 32,015
    • Story
      5 out of 5 stars 32,092

    On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood....

    • 5 out of 5 stars

    • Indescribable

    • By Janice on 12-01-10

    • Unbroken

    • A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
    • By: Laura Hillenbrand
    • Narrated by: Edward Herrmann
    • Length: 14 hrs
    • Release date: 11-16-10
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 39,178 ratings
    • THE BEST-SELLING HISTORY
    • Laura Hillenbrand has a way with presenting her carefully researched material with a great eye for detail. Unbroken tells the true story of a WWII soldier who survived a harrowing wartime plane crash over the Pacific Ocean with little more than a raft.

    Regular price: $35.93

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • The Power of Habit

    • Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
    • By: Charles Duhigg
    • Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
    • Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4.5 out of 5 stars 47,962
    • Performance
      4.5 out of 5 stars 41,458
    • Story
      4.5 out of 5 stars 41,245

    Habits aren’t destiny. As Charles Duhigg shows, by harnessing this new science, we can transform our businesses, our communities, and our lives....

    • 4 out of 5 stars

    • Nice! A guide on how to change

    • By Mehra on 04-22-12

    • The Power of Habit

    • Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
    • By: Charles Duhigg
    • Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
    • Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins
    • Release date: 02-28-12
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 47,962 ratings
    • THE BEST-SELLING SCIENCE / TECH
    • This fascinating listen is a perfect marriage of science meets self development. Reporter Charles Duhigg presents compelling case studies and scientific discoveries to explain exactly why habits exist — and how we can change them.

    Regular price: $28.00

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

    • Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
    • By: Stephen R. Covey
    • Narrated by: Stephen R. Covey
    • Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4.5 out of 5 stars 21,315
    • Performance
      4.5 out of 5 stars 16,148
    • Story
      4.5 out of 5 stars 16,076

    Stephen R. Covey's book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, has been a top seller for the simple reason that it ignores trends and pop psychology....

    • 4 out of 5 stars

    • I did not expect to like this book

    • By Michael on 04-23-17

    • The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

    • Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
    • By: Stephen R. Covey
    • Narrated by: Stephen R. Covey
    • Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins
    • Release date: 12-28-03
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 21,315 ratings
    • THE BEST-SELLING BUSINESS
    • Stephen R. Covey's audiobook has become one of the best-selling books of all time by putting a business and leadership spin on the ever-popular self development genre.

    Regular price: $28.30

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • How to Win Friends & Influence People

    • By: Dale Carnegie
    • Narrated by: Andrew MacMillan
    • Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4.5 out of 5 stars 52,872
    • Performance
      4.5 out of 5 stars 41,500
    • Story
      4.5 out of 5 stars 41,223

    For over 60 years the rock-solid, time-tested advice in this audiobook has carried thousands of now-famous people up the ladder of success in their business and personal lives....

    • 5 out of 5 stars

    • This is well worth listening too! Main points are.

    • By Ralph on 10-21-11

    • How to Win Friends & Influence People

    • By: Dale Carnegie
    • Narrated by: Andrew MacMillan
    • Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins
    • Release date: 09-16-04
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 52,872 ratings
    • THE BEST-SELLING SELF DEVELOPMENT
    • A perennial favorite, How to Win Friends and Influence People upholds its popularity by offering the six ways to make people like you, the twelve ways to win people to your way of thinking, the nine ways to change people without arousing resentment, and much, much more.

    Regular price: $31.93

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • Practicing Mindfulness: An Introduction to Meditation

    • By: Mark W. Muesse, The Great Courses
    • Narrated by: Mark W. Muesse
    • Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins
    • Original Recording
    • Overall
      4.5 out of 5 stars 3,435
    • Performance
      4.5 out of 5 stars 3,015
    • Story
      4.5 out of 5 stars 2,956

    You'll come away with a solid basis for your own meditation practice and for bringing meditation's remarkable and empowering benefits to every aspect of your life....

    • 5 out of 5 stars

    • Very good lectures on mindfulness!

    • By Mike on 09-19-13

    Regular price: $34.95

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • Ep. 1: I've Had Better

    • By: Esther Perel
    • Narrated by: Esther Perel
    • Length: 47 mins
    • Original Recording
    • Overall
      4.5 out of 5 stars 5,550
    • Performance
      4.5 out of 5 stars 4,481
    • Story
      4.5 out of 5 stars 4,484

    He reached out because a year after the discovery of his affair, they aren’t fighting anymore, but they certainly haven’t moved on....

    • 5 out of 5 stars

    • Response to the bitter comments...

    • By Ashley on 06-15-17

    • Ep. 1: I've Had Better

    • By: Esther Perel
    • Narrated by: Esther Perel
    • Series: Where Should We Begin? Season 1, Book 1
    • Length: 47 mins
    • Release date: 05-18-17
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 5,550 ratings
    • The Most Binged Audio Show
    • In this collection of lectures, Professor Mark W. Muesse provides a solid basis for understanding meditation and mindfulness, which he defines as “a deliberate way of paying attention to what is occurring within oneself as it is happening.”

    Regular price: $0.00

The Most Talked About at Our Editors Desk

The Hate U Give audiobook cover art

  • The Hate U Give

  • By: Angie Thomas
  • Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
  • Length: 11 hrs and 40 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars 26,696
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars 24,762
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars 24,677

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed. Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

  • 5 out of 5 stars

  • This Book Changed My Entire Perspective

  • By Wendi on 01-14-18
You audiobook cover art

  • You

  • By: Caroline Kepnes
  • Narrated by: Santino Fontana
  • Length: 11 hrs and 6 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4.5 out of 5 stars 12,225
  • Performance
    4.5 out of 5 stars 11,414
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars 11,396

Beck is everything Joe has ever wanted: she's gorgeous, tough, razor-smart, and sexy beyond his wildest dreams. Joe needs to have her, and he'll stop at nothing to do so. As he begins to insinuate himself into her life - her friendships, her email, her phone - she can’t resist her feelings for a guy who seems custom-made for her. So when her boyfriend, Benji, mysteriously disappears, Beck and Joe fall into a tumultuous affair. But there's more to Beck than her oh-so-perfect façade.

  • 5 out of 5 stars

  • Wow. This. Book.

  • By Em on 07-17-15
A Little Life audiobook cover art

  • A Little Life

  • A Novel
  • By: Hanya Yanagihara
  • Narrated by: Oliver Wyman
  • Length: 32 hrs and 51 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4.5 out of 5 stars 9,455
  • Performance
    4.5 out of 5 stars 8,792
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars 8,799

When four classmates from a small Massachusetts college move to New York to make their way, they're broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition. There is kind, handsome Willem, an aspiring actor; JB, a quick-witted, sometimes cruel Brooklyn-born painter seeking entry to the art world; Malcolm, a frustrated architect at a prominent firm; and withdrawn, brilliant, enigmatic Jude, who serves as their center of gravity.

  • 5 out of 5 stars

  • I had to call in SAD to work

  • By Angela on 10-17-15
Born a Crime audiobook cover art

  • Born a Crime

  • Stories from a South African Childhood
  • By: Trevor Noah
  • Narrated by: Trevor Noah
  • Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars 98,676
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars 91,390
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars 90,966

One of the comedy world's fastest-rising stars tells his wild coming of age story during the twilight of apartheid in South Africa and the tumultuous days of freedom that followed. Noah provides something deeper than traditional memoirists: powerfully funny observations about how farcical political and social systems play out in our lives.

  • 3 out of 5 stars

  • Interesting but repetitive

  • By marianne russell on 05-23-17