With roots in the history of radio and performance, the Spoken Word genre is made up of vocal recordings, usually without musical enhancement (or with music used only as a backdrop). Reflecting a plethora of voices and points of view, the genre can entertain and educate. It can include anything from books on tape to recordings of historic State of the Union addresses to an interview with singing sensation Ricky Martin. Other Types of Spoken Word Adult Spoken Audio Books/Short Stories Comedy Interviews Musicals/Broadway Poetry Politics Religion Spoken Word General Stories/Fairytales Speeches
A later capture reads: “With roots in the history of radio and performance, the Spoken Word genre is made up of vocal recordings, usually without musical enhancement (or with music used only as a backdrop). Reflecting a plethora of voices and points of view, the genre can entertain and educate. It can include anything from books on tape to recordings of historic State of the Union addresses to an interview with singing sensation Ricky Martin.”
2026 note
Read more: the ListenSmart article on this style.
All Spoken Word genres
- Adult Spoken
- Audio Books/Short Stories
- Comedy
- Interviews
- Musicals/Broadway
- Poetry
- Politics
- Religion
- Speeches (no definition archived)
- Inspirational Speech (no definition archived)
- Political Speeches (no definition archived)
- Rants (no definition archived)
- Spoken Word General
- Stories/Fairytales (no definition archived)