Sir Christopher Nolan's epic blockbuster The Odyssey has sparked a 310% month-on-month increase in listeners to Homer's myth on Spotify, the platform said.
The epic Greek poem, composed around the 8th century BC, is particularly popular with Gen Z and Millennial listeners – with an average listening age of 35, according to Spotify.
Two thirds of listeners are male, with no other title on the platform reaching such a level of popularity among men, Spotify reported.
Story of Odysseus
The Odyssey tells the story of Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, as he journeys home following the 10-year Trojan War and encounters many perils on the way. It is regarded as one of the most significant works of the Western canon.
Roshni Radia, books editor at Spotify, said: “What’s particularly fascinating about the surge in interest in The Odyssey on Books on Spotify is who’s listening.
“Two-thirds of listeners streaming translations of Homer’s epic are men – an unusually high proportion for a single audiobook on Spotify.
“With its themes of masculinity, legacy, and brotherhood, combined with the cinematic scale of Christopher Nolan’s adaptation, it’s a natural gateway into grand, high-stakes storytelling. Move over the Roman Empire – the Greeks are back.
“But the really exciting part is where listeners go next. They may start with Homer, but they’re quickly discovering the extraordinary wave of female-authored retellings from writers like Madeline Miller and Natalie Haynes.
“These books offer a vital new perspective on stories that were preserved and translated for centuries largely through male voices, revealing familiar myths in fresh and surprising ways. And audiobooks are the perfect home for them, returning these stories to the oral tradition where they first began.”
Film acclaim and cast
Sir Christopher’s adaptation of the poem has received acclaim from critics, with some hailing it as his best film to date. It also set a record as his biggest box office debut, taking 264 million US dollars (£196 million), according to Universal Pictures.
The film stars Matt Damon as the title character, with Tom Holland as his son, Telemachus, and Anne Hathaway as his wife, Penelope. Other stars include Robert Pattinson as Penelope’s suitor, Antinous, and Lupita Nyong’o in the dual roles of Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra.
Sir Christopher is also known for The Dark Knight trilogy, Oppenheimer, Interstellar and Dunkirk. He has also directed other films including Memento, Inception and Tenet.
