The Audie Awards (, rhymes with "gaudy"; abbreviated from ''audiobook''), or simply the Audies, are awards for achievement in
spoken word
Spoken word refers to an oral poetic performance art that is based mainly on the poem as well as the performer's aesthetic qualities. It is a late 20th century continuation of an ancient oral artistic tradition that focuses on the aesthetics o ...
, particularly
audiobook
An audiobook (or a talking book) is a recording of a book or other work being read out loud. A reading of the complete text is described as "unabridged", while readings of shorter versions are abridgements.
Spoken audio has been available in sc ...
narration
Narration is the use of a written or spoken commentary to convey a story to an audience. Narration is conveyed by a narrator: a specific person, or unspecified literary voice, developed by the creator of the story to deliver information to the ...
and
audiodrama performance, published in the United States of America. They are presented by the
Audio Publishers Association (APA) annually in March.
The Audies are commonly likened to the
Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
for their public recognition of merit in the audio industry. In order to win, works must be submitted for nomination. A panel of judges considers candidates based on consumer acceptance, sales performance, and marketing, and winners and finalists are chosen based on narration, production quality, and source content; formerly packaging was also evaluated.
Awards
Twenty-five Audies are currently awarded by the Audio Publishers' Association. The APA presently categorizes the awards as follows:
;Audiobook of the Year
*
Audie Award for Audiobook of the Year The Audie Award for Audiobook of the Year is one of the Audie Awards presented annually by the Audio Publishers Association The Audio Publishers Association (APA) is the first and only not-for-profit trade organization of the audiobook industry in t ...
;Narration
*
Audie Award for Audio Drama
*
Audie Award for Best Female Narrator
*
Audie Award for Best Male Narrator
*
Audie Award for Narration by the Author
*
Audie Award for Multi-Voiced Performance
;General
*
Audie Award for Original Work The Audie Award for Original Work is one of the Audie Awards presented annually by the Audio Publishers Association (APA). It awards excellence in narration, production, and content for an audiobook not recorded from a pre-existing book or play rele ...
*
Audie Award for Short Stories or Collection
*
Audie Award for Autobiography or Memoir
*
Audie Award for Business and Personal Development
*
Audie Award for Faith-Based Fiction and Nonfiction The Audie Award for Faith-Based Fiction and Nonfiction is one of the Audie Awards presented annually by the Audio Publishers Association (APA). It awards excellence in narration, production, and content for a religious
Religion is usually defin ...
*
Audie Award for Fantasy
*
Audie Award for Fiction
*
Audie Award for History or Biography
*
Audie Award for Humor The Audie Award for Humor is one of the Audie Awards presented annually by the Audio Publishers Association The Audio Publishers Association (APA) is the first and only not-for-profit trade organization of the audiobook industry in the United States ...
*
Audie Award for Literary Fiction or Classics
*
Audie Award for Mystery
*
Audie Award for Nonfiction
*
Audie Award for Romance
*
Audie Award for Science Fiction
*
Audie Award for Thriller or Suspense
*
Audie Award for Young Listeners' Title
*
Audie Award for Middle Grade Title
*
Audie Award for Young Adult Title
*
Audie Award for Spanish Language Title
Numerous other awards have been
discontinued or merged since the Audies' inception in 1996.
Special awards
Special Achievement
Judge's Award
Hall of Fame
Audie Awards galas
The Audie Awards gala is the annual awards ceremony during which most of the Audie Awards are presented. It is hosted by the Audio Publishers Association and features a guest master of ceremonies (emcee), usually a notable figure in the world of audiobook narration or a celebrity audiobook enthusiast.
The Audiobook of the Year award was not presented before 2004.
References
External links
The Audiesofficial website
Past Winners - APAlists Audie Award winners from 1996 to the present
{{Audie Awards
Audiobook awards
American literary awards
Awards established in 1996
1996 establishments in the United States