Spotify has inked a new deal with controversial podcast host Joe Rogan, whose content will now be available on other audio platforms after amending the exclusivity aspect of the partnership, the company announced Friday.
“The Joe Rogan Experience” will not only be available on Spotify, but will also be accessible on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and YouTube.
Spotify has revised its exclusivity strategy in an effort to distribute content to a broader audience outside of the music streaming platform.
“The Joe Rogan Experience,” which debuted in 2009, moved to being exclusive to Spotify in 2020.
Rogan has faced consistent backlash to much of his podcast content, in which he often invites provocative guests to join his far-reaching platform. The podcaster also faced controversy after airing anti-vaccine episodes, including promoting the use of ivermectin.
“Today we announced our new multiyear partnership deal with JRE. There’s so much more ahead, including that the show will soon be available on additional platforms,” Spotify wrote in a blog post announcing the partnership. “JRE remains podcasting’s king, consistently ranking as the most-listened-to podcast globally and our users have ranked the show as Spotify’s Wrapped top podcast each year since 2020.”
Spotify has recently made efforts to broaden its podcast content audiences. Alex Cooper’s popular “Call Her Daddy” podcast also axed exclusivity to Spotify, releasing content on all audio platforms.
According to Wall Street Journal, Spotify will pay Rogan $250 million over the multiyear term of the deal despite giving up exclusivity; the company paid more than $200 million in 2020 when it secured the original exclusive deal.
