MUMBAI: eMusic, the world`s largest retailer of independent music and the world`s second-largest digital music service after iTunes, has made accessible over one thousand downloadable audiobook titles in the universally compatible MP3 format. eMusic`s expansion into audiobooks, is its first retail product beyond music. eMusic will offer more than a thousand audiobooks from major audiobook publishers including Blackstone Audio, Hachette, Naxos Audiobooks, Penguin and Random House. The catalogue comprises fiction and non-fiction classics, bestsellers and new releases, including notable books narrated by well-known voices.

Worldwide digital audiobooks sales are expected to reach $201 million this year and nearly half of eMusic subscribers recently polled have expressed interest in audiobooks. As with its music service, eMusic will offer audiobooks at a great value.

eMusic President and CEO, David Pakman said, "We expect that our sales will help to dramatically accelerate the audiobooks market. For the first time, thousands of audiobooks from major publishers will be sold in the universally compatible MP3 format. Finally, consumers can listen to their audiobooks on any device they like."