In a significant move, Joe Rogan has renewed his multiyear partnership deal with Spotify for “The Joe Rogan Experience,” a controversial yet immensely popular podcast. The renewed deal, reportedly worth up to $250 million, marks a departure from Spotify’s previous strategy of exclusive streaming rights. Rogan’s show, which has been exclusively available on Spotify for the past three years, will now expand its reach to other audio platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube.
Under the new agreement, Spotify will continue to handle distribution and ad sales for the podcast, while Rogan will receive a guaranteed minimum fee along with a share of advertising revenue. The original 2020 deal, valued at over $200 million for 3.5 years, solidified Rogan’s show as the platform’s most popular for three consecutive years.
Spotify’s decision to relinquish exclusive streaming rights aligns with its revised strategy introduced in 2023 to broaden distribution. The company aims to maximize the podcast’s audience across various platforms, emphasizing a more inclusive approach to content sharing.
Joe Rogan Renews Spotify Deal: A Shift in Podcasting Landscape
Joe Rogan’s Spotify Deal Renewal Worth Up to $250M, Podcast Will No Longer Be Exclusive to the Platformhttps://t.co/8yGLPLs8nY
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) February 2, 2024
Despite its popularity, “The Joe Rogan Experience” has not been without controversy. Rogan, a comedian-actor turned podcaster, has faced criticism for featuring provocative guests and material. Spotify faced a backlash in early 2022, with music artists like Neil Young and Joni Mitchell boycotting the platform over Rogan’s anti-vax episodes. In February 2022, Spotify removed 70 episodes containing the host’s use of the N-word.
The podcast, launched on December 24, 2009, has produced over 2,200 episodes, each averaging 2-3 hours. Rogan’s diverse guest list includes environmental epidemiologist Dr. Shanna Swan, comedian Dave Chappelle, actor Dwayne Johnson, and musician Miley Cyrus, among others.
This renewal follows Spotify’s recent shift in strategy, as seen with another popular podcast, “Call Her Daddy.” The company revised terms to broaden the distribution of “Call Her Daddy,” positioning it as the No. 1 podcast among women listeners on the platform.
As the podcasting landscape evolves, Rogan’s renewed deal with Spotify signals a strategic shift toward broader distribution, challenging the exclusivity model that dominated the industry in previous years.