Yahoo News Spotify Strikes New Deal With Joe Rogan That Will See the Podcast Broadly Distributed
Joe Rogan has struck a new multiyear deal with Spotify, but will no longer see his podcast distributed exclusively by the platform.
As part of the deal for The Joe Rogan Experience, which had been the top podcast of the year globally at Spotify for the past four years, the show will soon be distributed across several podcast platforms, as well as on YouTube, rather than remaining exclusive to Spotify, as it has been for the past several years. In addition to distribution, Spotify will also handle ad sales for the podcast.
More from The Hollywood Reporter
Hasan Minhaj to Return as The Riddler for 'Batman Unburied' Spinoff From Spotify, DC
Spotify's Top Creator Partnerships Executive to Depart in May
Inevitable Foundation, Spotify Launch New Grant Program for Disabled Podcasters
Rogan’s podcast was one of the last major titles that remained exclusive to Spotify for distribution, as the platform moves away from exclusivity in favor of ad-sharing deals and broader distribution.
Earlier this week, Spotify also ceded exclusivity of Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast, another chart-topping title, while retaining exclusivity to the video form of the podcast.
“Leveraging Call Her Daddy‘s strength with audiences and advertisers, we’re expanding the audio version of the show from exclusive to wide distribution while keeping its video episodes exclusive to Spotify. Doing so will help us build on the successful broad rollout of other originals and licensed titles like Armchair Expert, anything goes with emma chamberlain and Science Vs, which have seen strong boosts in audience reach and ad revenue. This shift will drive increased value for both creators and Spotify,” a spokesperson for Spotify said Wednesday of Call Her Daddy.
The Joe Rogan Experience, which launched in 2009, features longform interviews multiple times per week with academics, doctors and other guests including Dave Chappelle, The Rock, Robert Downey Jr., Quentin Tarantino, Miley Cyrus, Snoop Dogg, Jewel, Eddie Izzard, Mike Tyson, Post Malone and Zach Bryan.
While Joe Rogan’s podcast has proven popular, it has also provoked controversy and some pushback against the platform. In early 2022, Rogan was criticized for including misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine on his show, as well as his prior use of the N-word. In response, artists such as Neil Young and Joni Mitchell pulled their music from Spotify. The company condemned his use of the slur (and Rogan apologized and removed the offending episodes); however, CEO Daniel Ek said he wanted to keep the podcaster on the platform.
Best of The Hollywood Reporter
