[Audiobook May Popularity Ranking] "Adaptation to Change" Gains Attention in New Lifestyle Season. 'Master of Change' Ranks 1st in Single Purchases

Otobank Inc. (Headquarters: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Yuya Kubota; hereinafter "Otobank") announced the May monthly ranking (April 1 - April 30, 2026) for audiobooks on its service "audiobook.jp," which boasts over 3 million members and the largest lineup of audiobook titles in Japan (※1).

※1. According to a November 2023 survey by Japan Marketing Research Organization. Survey on the number of Japanese audiobook titles.

The top 10 rankings for "single-purchase titles" (※3) and "all-you-can-listen titles" on "audiobook.jp" (※2) for May (April 1 - April 30, 2026) are announced, based on download numbers or unique user playback counts (※4).

※2. Limited to audiobook titles based on books. Podcasts, etc., are excluded.

※3. The ranking for "single-purchase titles" targets works released within the past three months (February 1 - April 30, 2026).

※4. The ranking for "single-purchase titles" is based on download numbers, and the ranking for "all-you-can-listen titles" is based on the number of unique playback users.

Ranking Summary

During this period of many new beginnings and environmental changes, educational and business books focusing on "adaptation to change" and "self-transformation" gained popularity.

'Master of Change: The Strongest Survival Strategy Proven by the Latest Research for Those Who Keep Changing' ranked first in the single-purchase ranking. This indicates a growing interest in adaptability and resilience in an era of rapid change. Additionally, titles focusing on human behavioral psychology and modern habits, such as 'The Unsatisfied Brain: The Real Reason We Crave More,' also ranked high.

In the all-you-can-listen ranking, 'Naruse wa Miyako o Kakenukeru,' the final installment of a popular series released on April 9, quickly secured the top spot. The audiobook version features narration by 18 luxurious voice actors, along with actual sounds recorded from the "Biwako Sosui Boat" that appears in the story, making it an experience akin to watching a drama. Furthermore, Shusuke Michio's 'I,' which proposes a new reading experience where the ending changes depending on the listening order, ranked third. The immersive and realistic qualities unique to audio content were well-received.

"audiobook.jp" Single-Purchase Ranking Top 10 - May (April 1 - April 30, 2026)

1st Place: 'Master of Change: The Strongest Survival Strategy Proven by the Latest Research for Those Who Keep Changing'

Master of Change: The Strongest Survival Strategy Proven by the Latest Research for Those Who Keep Changing

・Author: Brad Stulberg, Kumiko Fukui / Translator

・Publisher: Diamond Inc.

・Narrator: Ushio Ebisawa

・Distribution URL: https://audiobook.jp/product/274476

・Release Date: March 5, 2026

・Work Introduction: The highly anticipated work finally arrives! A nationwide bestseller that moved many people! A new way of living to survive in an era of rapid change, and how to find your own life.

A survey shows that adults experience an average of 36 "life-altering events" in their lifetime, such as employment, retirement, marriage, divorce, childbirth, illness, encounters, and partings. When faced with environmental changes, we often feel anxious and confused, easily losing ourselves. In this rapidly changing world, where flexibility, health, and living authentically are demanded, a book highly acclaimed overseas has landed in Japan.

2nd Place: 'ST Metropolitan Police Scientific Investigation Team: Black Investigation File'

ST Metropolitan Police Scientific Investigation Team: Black Investigation File

・Author: Bin Konno

・Publisher: Kodansha

・Narrator: Kotaro Shinohara, Ayumu Seto

・Distribution URL: https://audiobook.jp/product/274480

・Release Date: March 8, 2026

・Work Introduction: When ST Kurosaki breaks his silence—the man acts without speaking.

Behind the continuous arson incidents in Kabukicho and the Chinese mafia conflict

A aspiring actor, who fell victim to a one-click scam on his mobile phone, impersonates a Chinese mafia boss to retaliate against unscrupulous businesses. That mafia boss was engaged in a fierce struggle with another organization for supremacy in Kabukicho. And when ST was dispatched to the continuous arson incidents in Kabukicho—the "silent man" Kurosaki moves to unravel the tangled mysteries! The grand finale of the "Color Series."

3rd Place: 'The Unsatisfied Brain: The Real Reason We Crave More'

The Unsatisfied Brain: The Real Reason We Crave More

・Author: Michael Easter, Kaoru Moriuchi / Translator

・Publisher: Toyo Keizai Inc.

・Narrator: Naohiro Sada

・Distribution URL: https://audiobook.jp/product/274495