In a surprising and massive move, Spotify announced an exclusive partnership withe Joe Rogan to make The Joe Rogan Experience a Spotify exclusive podcast.

The Joe Rogan Experience has a reported 190 million monthly downloads to go along with 8.4 million YouTube subscribers. Previously not even available on Spotify, JRE will be added on September 1st and become exclusive shortly after that. According to the release, Rogan will retain full creative control which will be something Spotify will need to reckon with.

According to The Verge, the YouTube channel will remain active but will no longer contain full episodes.

The parallels to SiriusXM and Howard Stern should be relatively straightforward. In an effort to gain a large and loyal audience, SiriusXM signed Stern to an exclusive deal in 2006 for five years. Valued at a reported $500 million, the deal created shockwaves in the media landscape.

I couldn’t venture to guess what the financials are behind the Joe Rogan and Spotify deal, however, I’d imagine they’re in the same range as the Stern contract (update: per WSJ, the deal is worth more than $100 million; another reporter claims it’s worth $200 million). Spotify last reported 286 million monthly active users. Rogan said on a podcast his show regularly earns 190 million downloads each month.

The repercussions from this move are likely twofold:

  • Rogan will decrease his overall audience and anger many touting him an advocate for the “intellectual dark web”
  • Spotify’s listener base will drastically increase as Rogan arguably has the largest and most loyal fanbase

Spotify has been active in the podcast acquisition market. In February 2019, they acquired Gimlet, and podcast host Anchor. In March 2019, they acquired true crime podcast network Parcast. In February 2020, Spotify acquired The Ringer. Though this Rogan news isn’t an acquisition, it serves as the latest big swing Spotify takes in the podcast wars.

Other Spotify licensing deals include The Joe Budden Podcast and The Last Podcast on the Left.

Related reading: best Joe Rogan podcast episodes

Updating….

The Joe Rogan Experience, one of the most popular podcasts in the world, is coming to Spotify via a multi-year exclusive licensing deal. The talk series has long been the most-searched-for podcast on Spotify and is the leading show on practically every other podcasting platform. And, like all podcasts and vodcasts on Spotify, it will remain free and accessible to all Spotify users. 

Since its launch in 2009, the pioneering Joe Rogan Experience (JRE) has broken ground and built one of the most loyal and engaged fan bases in the world. Rogan brings his sensibilities as a stand-up comic to the show, and alongside dynamic and diverse guests, he fearlessly broaches far-ranging topics including neuroscience, sports, comedy, health, infectious disease, and our ever-changing culture—all with a mix of curiosity and humor.

In addition to the wildly popular podcast format, JRE also produces corresponding video episodes, which will also be available on Spotify as in-app vodcasts. 

Bringing the JRE to Spotify will mean that the platform’s more than 286 million active users will have access to one of culture’s leading voices. By partnering with Spotify, Rogan and his team will enjoy the support of the world’s leading audio platform.  

From his earliest days behind the mic, Joe has been a commentator, fixture, and driving force in culture helping to lay the foundation for the podcasting renaissance we are experiencing today. While Spotify will become the exclusive distributor of JRE, Rogan will maintain full creative control over the show.  

This partnership represents a major addition to the already unrivaled slate of exclusive audio content available to audiences on Spotify. 

The JRE will debut on Spotify on September 1, 2020, and become exclusively available on the platform later this year. Follow it here. 

image credit: joerogan.com

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