Joe Rogan's $250 Million Spotify Deal Renewal Ends Exclusiveness
Spotify has entered into a fresh multiyear partnership agreement regarding the controversial podcast "The Joe Rogan Experience," reportedly valued at up to $250 million. Initially exclusive to Spotify for three years, Rogan's highly popular show will now become accessible on other audio platforms.
Apart from remaining available on Spotify, Rogan's program will soon be accessible on additional platforms like Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube. This strategic shift aligns with Spotify's updated approach to relinquish exclusive streaming rights in favor of broader distribution, a strategy initiated in 2023. The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on Spotify's $250 million renewal deal with Rogan.
Spotify has announced plans to collaborate closely with Rogan and his team "to further expand the show's audience across various platforms." Under the new agreement, Spotify will manage podcast distribution and advertisement sales. Rogan will receive a guaranteed minimum payment from Spotify along with a share of advertising revenues.
"The Joe Rogan Experience" became exclusive to Spotify through a 2020 agreement, reportedly exceeding $200 million over 3.5 years, according to sources. Rogan's show has consistently held the top spot as the most popular podcast on the platform for the past three years.
"Over the past three years, 'The Joe Rogan Experience' has maintained its position as the number one podcast worldwide," Spotify noted. According to Edison Research's Q3 2023 survey of the most-listened-to podcasts, "The Joe Rogan Experience" ranked first for the period. Additionally, "JRE" stood as the second most-listened-to podcast among women aged 13 and older in the U.S., as per Edison's findings.
Spotify's new deal with Rogan follows the company's recent decision to expand distribution terms for another popular podcast, Alex Cooper's "Call Her Daddy," which was previously exclusive to Spotify. Spotify identifies "Call Her Daddy" as the top podcast among female listeners on the platform.