With a surprising twist in the digital age, 2023 revealed that print books still hold a powerful grip on readers as total sales grew to over 767 million units, fueled by remarkable double-digit jumps in genres like fantasy, young adult, and romance.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, US print book unit sales reached 767.4 million units, up 1.1% from 2022
- US adult fiction print sales in 2023 totaled 247 million units, a 5.4% increase year-over-year
- US adult nonfiction print sales in 2023 were 224 million units, down 0.7% from 2022
- In 2022, US e-book sales revenue was $2.09 billion, down 4.3% from 2021
- US e-book unit sales 2022: approximately 190 million units
- Amazon Kindle US e-book market share 67% in 2023
- 2023 US audiobook revenue hit $1.8 billion, up 13.5% from 2022
- US audiobook unit sales 2023: 121 million, up 8.7%
- Fiction audiobooks US 2023: 55% market share
- 2023 US trade print revenue $16.5B, up 1.8%
- US mystery/detective/thriller genre 2023 print units 38M, up 7%
- Romance genre US print 2023: 31M units, up 9.5%
- Global book market revenue 2022: $143.65 billion
- China book sales 2022: 8.45 billion volumes
- UK physical book sales 2023: £2.5 billion, up 1%
US print book sales grew slightly in 2023, with significant gains in young adult and fiction categories.
Genre Sales
- 2023 US trade print revenue $16.5B, up 1.8%
- US mystery/detective/thriller genre 2023 print units 38M, up 7%
- Romance genre US print 2023: 31M units, up 9.5%
- Science fiction/fantasy US print 2023: 27M units, up 14%
- US religious/spiritual/inspirational print 2023: 14M units, down 6%
- Cookbooks/food/nutrition US print 2023: 13M units, up 3%
- US biography/autobiography/memoire print 2023: 12M units, up 4%
- Self-help US print sales 2023: 11M units, up 5%
- History US print 2023: 10.5M units, up 2%
- Young adult fiction US print 2023: 28M units, up 11%
- Middle grade fiction US print 2023: 18M units, up 8%
- US graphic novels/manga print 2023: 42M units, up 20%
- Romance novels bestseller share 15% US 2023
- Fantasy genre BookTok driven 30% sales boost US 2023
- Horror genre US print up 25% 2023
- Business books US revenue $1.2B 2023
- Poetry US print sales 1.2M units up 15% 2023
- LGBTQ+ fiction US growth 22% print 2023
- Sports/ adventure US print 4M units 2023
- Art/architecture/design US print up 5% 2023
- Humor US print sales 3.5M units 2023
- Crafts/hobbies US print 6M units up 4% 2023
- Performing arts/theater US niche 1M units 2023
- Pets US print books 2.8M units 2023
- Transportation US print 1.5M units down 1% 2023
- Antiques/collectibles US print 0.8M 2023
Genre Sales Interpretation
While the total US book market grew a modest 1.8%, the real story is a reader revolt: we are desperately fleeing reality into fantasy and manga (up 20%), solving fictional crimes (up 7%), falling in fictional love (up 9.5%), and being horrified for fun (up 25%), all while quietly losing faith, with religious print down 6%.
International Sales
- Global book market revenue 2022: $143.65 billion
- China book sales 2022: 8.45 billion volumes
- UK physical book sales 2023: £2.5 billion, up 1%
- Germany book market 2023 revenue €9.2 billion
- Japan book sales 2022: 642 million units, down 2%
- France book sales 2023: €2.8 billion, up 0.5%
- India English book sales growth 15% to ₹10,000 crore 2023
- Canada book sales 2023 CAD $1.8 billion, up 2%
- Australia Nielsen BookScan 2023: 75 million units, up 3%
- Brazil book sales 2023: 72 million units, up 10%
- South Korea book market 2023: KRW 4.5 trillion
- Russia book sales 2023 down 5% to 150 million units
- Spain book sales 2023 €2.4 billion, up 1.2%
- Italy book market 2023 €1.6 billion, flat
- Netherlands book sales 2023 €900 million, up 4%
- Sweden book sales 2023 SEK 6.5 billion, up 2%
- Mexico book sales growth 12% 2023
- Turkey print book sales 2023 70 million units
- Nigeria book market $500M 2023, up 8%
- Global e-book market 2023 $17.7 billion
International Sales Interpretation
Despite global e-books making a tidy digital fortune, the printed page is holding its own with stubborn resilience, proving that while screens might be winning our attention, books are still winning our hearts (and a decent chunk of our wallets).
US Audiobook Sales
- 2023 US audiobook revenue hit $1.8 billion, up 13.5% from 2022
- US audiobook unit sales 2023: 121 million, up 8.7%
- Fiction audiobooks US 2023: 55% market share
- Nonfiction audiobooks US 2023 revenue $800M
- Children/YA audiobooks US 2023: 20 million units, up 15%
- Audible US market share 60% audiobooks 2023
- Libro.fm indie audiobook sales up 25% US 2023
- Spotify audiobooks US 10M paid listeners 2023
- Apple Books audio sales US growth 20% 2023
- US audiobook sales Q1 2024 up 10% to $450M
- Mystery audiobooks US 2023: 15M units
- Romance audiobooks US up 18% to $250M 2023
- Self-published audiobooks US 25% market 2023 via ACX
- US library audiobook checkouts 100M in 2023, up 12%
- Average audiobook length US 9.5 hours in 2023
- Narrated by author audiobooks 10% US sales 2023
- US audiobook downloads 80% of units 2023
- Streaming audiobooks US 20% share 2023
- Children audiobooks US revenue $200M 2023
- Business audiobooks US top genre growth 25% 2023
- History audiobooks US 12M units 2023
US Audiobook Sales Interpretation
Americans are collectively hitting play on a $1.8 billion soundtrack for their lives, where multitasking meets mystery and library cards compete with streaming giants.
US E-book Sales
- In 2022, US e-book sales revenue was $2.09 billion, down 4.3% from 2021
- US e-book unit sales 2022: approximately 190 million units
- Amazon Kindle US e-book market share 67% in 2023
- US adult fiction e-books 2023 revenue $1.1B, up 2%
- US romance e-books sales 2023: 25% of genre total
- Apple Books US e-book sales share 10% in 2023
- Kobo US e-book market penetration 5% in 2023
- US e-book sales Q1 2023 down 12% to $470M
- US e-book sales H1 2023: $1.02B, down 15%
- Barnes & Noble Nook e-book sales down 20% in 2023
- Google Play Books US share 8% in 2023 e-books
- US mystery e-books 2023 sales up 5% to $150M
- Fantasy e-books US 2023: 18% growth
- Self-published e-books 45% of US market in 2023
- US e-book price average $8.99 in 2023
- Open Road Media e-book sales up 10% US 2023
- US library e-book checkouts up 10% to 250M in 2023
- KDP Select e-books 50% of Amazon US sales 2023
- US e-book sales Jan 2024 up 5% to $200M
- E-book sales week of Dec 2023 spiked 30% holiday
- US nonfiction e-books down 8% in 2023
- Children's e-books US 2023: $120M, flat
- YA e-books US growth 12% in 2023
- US e-book returns rate 25% in 2023
- Indie e-book sales US up 15% via Smashwords 2023
- US e-book audio hybrids sales emerging 5M units 2023
US E-book Sales Interpretation
In the dramatic saga of American e-books, the crown still sits firmly on Amazon's head, indie authors are storming the castle walls, romance fuels the treasury, and everyone else—from struggling giants to niche genres—is locked in a thrilling, if slightly chaotic, battle for the remaining pages.
US Print Sales
- In 2023, US print book unit sales reached 767.4 million units, up 1.1% from 2022
- US adult fiction print sales in 2023 totaled 247 million units, a 5.4% increase year-over-year
- US adult nonfiction print sales in 2023 were 224 million units, down 0.7% from 2022
- US young adult print sales in 2023 hit 45.7 million units, up 12.6% year-over-year
- US children's print sales in 2023 reached 250.7 million units, flat compared to 2022
- In 2022, US print book sales totaled 759.7 million units
- US mass market paperback sales in 2023 were 70.1 million units, down 8.6%
- US trade paperback sales in 2023 amounted to 315 million units, up 2.8%
- US hardcover sales in 2023 were 126 million units, up 2.1%
- Religion print sales in US 2023: 15.3 million units, down 5.7%
- January 2024 US print unit sales up 4.1% to 64 million units
- February 2024 US print sales 56.8 million units, down 2.2%
- US print sales week ending March 30, 2024: 10.2 million units
- 2021 US print book sales: 788 million units, up 9%
- US mystery/crime print sales 2023: 40.2 million units, up 6.8%
- US romance print sales 2023: 32.1 million units, up 10.2%
- US science fiction/fantasy print 2023: 28.4 million units, up 15.3%
- US travel print sales 2023: 5.6 million units, down 4.1%
- US middle grade fiction print 2023: 18.9 million units, up 8.7%
- US board books print 2023: 12.3 million units, down 2.5%
- US print sales H1 2023: 383 million units, up 2.2%
- US print sales Q4 2023: strong holiday performance with 20% of annual sales
- US indie bookstore sales 2023 up 8.2% in dollars
- Amazon US print book sales represent 50% of market share in 2023
- Barnes & Noble US print sales grew 4% in 2023
- Target US book sales up 10% in 2023 due to booktok
- Walmart US book sales stable at 5% market share 2023
- Costco US book sales surged 15% in 2023 for hardcovers
- US library print book circulation down 5% in 2023
- US school print book sales K-12 down 2% to $1.2B in 2023
US Print Sales Interpretation
While the print book industry appears to be having a quiet identity crisis, with nonfiction barely whispering and religion losing its voice, it's clear we're collectively choosing the vibrant escapism of fiction, fantasy, and teenage angst, proving that sometimes the most reliable narrator in a confusing world is a good story.
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