It’s March, which means the brackets are set and the MADNESS has begun! If you’re like me, your bracket’s already broken—but don’t worry, there’s another showdown happening off the court. This time, the book genres are battling it out for the most popular in the Libby app.

To see which genre will claim the top spot, we analyzed a decade’s worth of genre trends in digital public library lending in Libby, basing this year’s winners on books borrowed from 2024. From perennial powerhouses to fan favorites, underdogs to big upsets—the competition was heated.

Check out the leaderboard to dive into 2024’s stats, and read our expert commentary on how this year’s lineup compared to trends over the last ten years.

Top 16 Genre Ranking (2024)

1. Romance
2. Thriller / Suspense
3. Mystery
4. Fantasy
5. Historical Fiction
6. Humor
7. YA Fiction
8. Biography
9. Comic & Graphic Books
10. Science Fiction
11. Self-Improvement
12. History
13. Sociology
14. Business
15. Health & Fitness
16. News & Politics

The Perennial Powerhouses

Over the last decade, there’s one genre that always comes out on top. Undefeated since 2015, Romance continues to steal readers’ hearts. Never underestimate the power of a HEA (happily ever after).

Trailing right behind are Thriller/Suspense and Mystery—the “Alabamas and Dukes” of the book world—genres that are always in the championship conversation. Their satisfying blend of tension and twists contributes to their mass appeal and huge, dedicated fan base.

Meanwhile, Fantasy and Historical Fiction trade places over the years with fantasy claiming the #4 spot in 2024, undoubtedly fueled by the growing popularity of bestselling authors like Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros.

🏆 1. Romance – "The Undefeated Champion"

🔪 2. Thriller / Suspense – “The Knockout Punch”

🕵️ 3. Mystery – "The Fan Favorite"

🐉 4. Fantasy – “The Rising Star”

📜 5. Historical Fiction – “The Seasoned Contender”

The Solid Contenders

These genres always make it to the “playoffs,” but they don’t quite challenge the top dogs. While these fan favorites flip-flop in their rankings, they always remain steady in the middle of the pack.

Humor had a breakout moment in 2020 (because, let’s be honest, we really needed a laugh), while Young Adult Fiction has seen a slight decline since then.

Biographies & Autobiographies still hold strong at #8, pointing to the consistent fascination with the lives of celebs, tech giants, politicians, and music legends.

Science Fiction, a cult favorite, has remained steady in the rankings, but the real Cinderella story is Comics & Graphic Novels. Once completely outside the top 25 in 2017, comics started gaining traction in 2018, this year cracking the top 10 for the first time.

😆 6. Humor – “The Crowd Pleaser”

😎 7. Young Adult Fiction – “The Rookie”

👑 8. Biography & Autobiography – “The Legacy Player”

💥 9. Comics & Graphic Novels – "The Dark Horse"

🚀 10. Sci-Fi – "The Cult Classic"

The Niche Fan Favorites

While these genres may not top the charts, they have dedicated followings that make them irreplaceable for the readers who love them. Interestingly, they all fall under Nonfiction, proving that while readers love a good fictional escape, they also crave knowledge, self-improvement, and a deeper understanding of the world around them.

While most of the genres like History, Sociology, and Business clinched similar spots as last year, Health & Fitness and News & Politics pulled off major upsets. These underdogs climbed from #23 and #24, respectively, in 2023 to #15 and #16 in 2024, knocking Psychology off the leaderboard. These rising stars were driven by the ever-growing health and wellness movement and the buzz of 2024’s U.S. election year.

💡 11. Self Improvement – “The Motivator”

⚔️ 12. History – “The Veteran”

🌎 13. Sociology – “The Strategist”

📈 14. Business – “The Deal Maker”

💪 15. Health & Fitness – “The Underdog”

🗳️ 16. News & Politics – “The High Stakes Changemaker”

Which genre do you think deserves the top title? Could a new literary trend shake things up next year to knock Romance off the top spot?

Get in the game and “vote” by using your library card to check out ebooks and audiobooks in your favorite genre on the Libby app.