Audiocentric

Audiocentric is an adjective used to describe approaches, media, or design practices that prioritize audio as the central channel for information, meaning, and user experience. In an audiocentric framework, sound elements such as voice, music, ambient noise, and spatial cues are treated as primary communicative tools rather than as accessories to visual content.

Etymology and scope: The term derives from audio, from Latin audire "to hear," combined with centric, and is used across media studies, human–computer interaction, and product design to denote emphasis on auditory modalities. It is often applied to describe content formats like podcasts or radio-led storytelling, as well as interfaces and environments where listening, rather than viewing, is the main mode of interaction.

Applications: In media production, audiocentric design foregrounds voice performance, sound design, and narrative rhythm. In technology and accessibility, it informs auditory interfaces, screen-reader systems, and multisensory designs that rely on sound to convey information. In interactive media and virtual environments, spatial audio and realistic acoustics support immersion and navigation. In architecture and urban design, acoustic planning and soundscapes shape how spaces are perceived.

Relation and critique: The term is descriptive and contextual rather than a formal theory, overlapping with related ideas such as sonic branding, auditory user experience, and sonification. Critics warn that an overemphasis on audio can alienate users with hearing impairments or when production quality varies, and that some tasks benefit from a multimodal approach rather than an exclusively audiocentric one.

See also: sonic branding; auditory user interface; sonification; sound design.