Best Audiobooks of All Time: Most Exciting & Popular Picks

Audiobooks keep getting better. The catalogs are bigger. Narration quality is higher. And there is more variety than ever with new releases, fresh voices, and older titles that still hold up.

However, the sheer number of audiobooks across diverse genres can be overwhelming when you are trying to pick one. And this is often the case when you are just getting started with audiobooks. The wrong audiobook choice or version might lead to a bad experience for you.

Well, we don't want that to happen, do we? That's why it is vital to know which titles to listen to and where you need to start.

And that's what this list does. It covers the best audiobooks to listen to in 2026, including:

• Standout new releases
• Reliable favorites
• A few classics that never really age

And books from diverse genres, including fiction, historical fiction, nonfiction, business, self-development, and stories you can listen to more than once.

Top Audiobooks to Listen to in 2026: Must-Hear Picks

Audiobooks are personal. You spend hours with a voice in your ears, so the choice matters. Here are a few top picks worth listening to in 2026, with a mix of genres and both new and older releases.

1. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

Rating: 4.4/5

Year of publishing: 2024

Genre: Science fiction, literary fiction

Platforms available: Audible, Google Play Books, Kobo

This audiobook is a sharp blend of love story, time travel, literary fiction, and dry humor. The narration leans into the tension between modern life and displaced historical figures, making it especially effective in audio.

The beautifully written story unfolds slowly, and the narration leans into that pace instead of fighting it. Katie Leung delivers a restrained, dry performance that suits the novel’s quiet humor and underlying tension. Her voice stays controlled even during emotional shifts, making the time-travel elements feel earned and unique.

This is also one of the reasons the audiobook is among the most-demanded in the sci-fi genre, even in 2026, despite being the author's first book.

2. Atomic Habits by James Clear

Genre: Self-help, productivity

Rating: 4.8/5

Year of publishing: 2018

Platforms available: Audible, Google Play Books, Kobo

This audiobook is designed for repeat listening. Narrated by James Clear, the delivery is calm, structured, and practical. He speaks clearly, without unnecessary emphasis, which makes it easy to absorb ideas even during short listening windows.

As you read, you find the narration clean and lean. Chapters are tightly organized, and transitions are clean, so jumping between sections never feels confusing.

Many listeners return to specific habits or frameworks, treating the audiobook as a long-term reference rather than a single listen.

3. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Genre: Science fiction

Rating: 4.9/5

Year of publishing: 2021

Platforms available: Audible, Google Play Books, Kobo

This is often mentioned as a favorite audiobook by many, and it’s easy to hear why. The story pulls you in from the beginning, mixing mystery, science, and genuinely funny moments.

Ray Porter, a voice actor many listeners count among their favorite narrators, delivers a fantastic performance on Audible. His narration makes complex ideas feel natural and keeps the listener engaged throughout.

For many readers, this audiobook surpasses the print book and stands out as a truly great listen.

4. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Genre: Historical fiction, romance

Rating: 4.7/5

Year of publishing: 2017

Platforms available: Audiobooks.com, Kobo, Google Play Books

This audiobook feels like sitting down with someone who knows how to tell a story well. The narration is smooth, confident, and emotionally aware, making it a great listen from start to finish.

Each character has a clear voice, which helps the story unfold naturally without confusion. Many listeners call it a favorite audiobook because the audio adds depth that the print book only hints at.

Just like the book itself, the audiobook is engaging, dramatic, and easy to stay invested in for hours. And these qualities make the title worth listening to.

5. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

Genre: Literary fiction

Rating: 4.6/5

Year of publishing: 2019

Platforms available: Audible, Kobo, Google Play Books

At its core, this audiobook is about family, memory, and how one house can shape an entire life. From the beginning, the narration sets a reflective tone that fits the story’s quiet pull.

Tom Hanks, who does an amazing job here on Audible, is a good narrator for this kind of novel, with his measured, clear, and never-intrusive style. His voice lets the characters and their shared history breathe.

Many readers of the print book say listening adds emotional texture. The unique narration by Tom Hanks turns it into a genuinely good listen rather than background audio.

All-Time Great Audiobooks: Classics Worth Revisiting

While looking for audiobooks to listen to, people might often fall into the pitfall of picking only the latest books. They may not be aware of the classics worth revisiting.

Here are three such books that are worth listening to in audiobook form, even if you have read them.

1. 1984 by George Orwell

Genre: Dystopian fiction

Rating: 4.7/5

Year of publishing: 1949

Platforms available: Audible, Kobo, Google Play Books

This audiobook brings Orwell’s world to life in a way print alone cannot. Andrew Garfield's narration in Audible's original version is controlled, clear, and unsettling without being dramatic. His pacing makes the story feel tight and unavoidable, which fits the tone for a war-torn world perfectly.

Listening highlights how carefully chosen Orwell’s words are, and how relevant the themes still feel. It is a great example of how strong narration can elevate a classic into a powerful audio experience.

2. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Genre: Classic fiction, adventure

Rating: 4.5/5

Year of publishing: 1884

Platforms available: Audible, Everand, Google Play Books

Narrated by Geoffrey Giuliano on Audible, this audiobook helps modern listeners connect with a book that can feel distant on the page.

The narration captures the rhythm and humor of Twain’s writing, making the story easier to follow and more engaging. Hearing the dialogue spoken aloud adds clarity to character voices and tone. For many readers, listening turns a challenging classic into a genuinely good listen.

This is one book we suggest you start with if you love reading classic lighthearted adventure stories.

3. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Genre: Literary fiction, historical

Rating: 4.8/5

Year of publishing: 1960

Platforms available: Audible, Google Play Books, Kobo

This book follows a young girl growing up in the American South as she watches her father defend a Black man wrongly accused of a crime. Through her eyes, the story explores justice and morality.

Narrated by Sissy Spacek, this audiobook feels intimate and reflective. Her calm, steady voice suits the novel’s tone and makes the characters feel real rather than symbolic. Hearing the story aloud brings new weight to moments you may have skimmed past when you read it.

Many listeners say this is one case where the audiobook deepens emotional impact without changing the story’s simplicity.

Why Audiobooks Are More Popular Than Ever

There are several reasons why audiobooks are more popular now than ever before. It ranges from advances in technology to user convenience, and more.

Here are the top 5 reasons that drive the popularity of audiobooks now:

• They fit into real life better: An audiobook lets you listen while life happens, such as commuting, walking, cleaning, or resting. For many readers, it’s the only way books consistently fit into daily life.
• More full-cast and performance-style audio: Some audiobooks now use a full cast, sound design, and layered narration to make stories feel more immersive and character-driven.
• People want stories without screen fatigue: After spending all day staring at screens, audio feels easier on the eyes. You still get the story and the words, but without more visual strain. Listening feels lighter, even with long novels.
• First-time listeners are sticking with it: Many people try an audiobook for the first time and don’t go back. Once listening becomes a habit, it often replaces reading time rather than competing with it.
• Audiobooks create shared conversation: Audiences talk about narration, voices, and moments they heard differently from how they read. These experiences build community around favorite books, the stories, and how they are told.

As the demand for audiobooks has increased, creators and publishers are now willing to invest more in audiobook production. This investment has improved production quality, further boosting audiobook popularity.

Bringing Stories to Life: AI Dubbing for Multilingual and Immersive Listening

AI dubbing is changing how audiobooks are produced and experienced. It’s no longer just one narrator reading one version of a story.

There are many ways AI dubbing can improve the overall audiobook production process. Here are a few key reasons:

Multilingual Access

Listeners can enjoy the same audiobook in different languages without losing tone or pacing. That makes stories more inclusive and easier to share across regions.

Immersive Audio

AI can support full-cast style narration, with distinct voices for characters, creating a richer, more engaging listen. And the best part is that you can do it without investing money in expensive voice acting talent or a studio.

Consistent Quality

Voices stay clear and balanced across long books, even in complex or dialogue-heavy stories. This means you can ensure the audience has a consistent experience throughout the story.

In addition, authors can reach a wider audience and expand their market. With AI dubbing, audio translation, and video translation, creators can reach audiences they could not otherwise reach.

Use Murf AI to Bring Your Stories to Life and Localize Them to Reach More Audiences

Audiobooks in 2026 focus on the audience experience. They focus on how a story sounds, feels, and fits into real life. From timeless classics to new releases and immersive formats, listening has become its own way of reading. And as people crave more convenience than ever before, audiobooks are here to stay.

However, creating audiobooks is not easy. It takes a lot of time, planning, and investment. And most authors cannot afford that. This is where tools like Murf AI come in. They are bringing AI dubbing, localisation, and video translation within creators' reach.

For example, Murf AI offers realistic AI voices that sound natural rather than robotic. It supports multiple languages and accents, which helps creators reach a wider audience. And its easy voice customization makes it simple to match tone, pace, and mood to the story. And you can also integrate it with your workflows to speed up your production.

And if you wish to use Murf AI and see how it improves your audiobook production process, try Murf AI for free now.