A set of leaked Spotify data has shown just how dominant the Joe Rogan podcast is on the platform and how much of a success it’s been since the controversial move to make it exclusive.
For years, Joe Rogan’s podcast – the Joe Rogan Experience – was available on numerous platforms and enjoyed wide-ranging success as one most popular shows around.
However, back in late 2020, the UFC Commentator’s pod was snapped up by Spotify in an eye-watering $100 million move that saw the show made exclusive to the music streaming platform.
Since the move, fans have asked for numerous changes that Rogan himself wants to make like having a comments section and such. Some want the Spotify deal to be over, but that’s not happening anytime soon, especially with how much of a success it’s been for Spotify since the deal was inked.
According to BusinessInsider, a leaked internal newsletter from Spotify shows that the JRE Podcast accounted for nearly 5% of total podcast listen when it was first made available back in September of 2020.
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After that, with the move to being a Spotify exclusive in December of 2020, the show has remained as the top podcast on the platform each month and brought nearly 3 million listeners in its first month.
Furthermore, BusinessInsider state that a Spotify spokesperson informed them that Rogan’s audience has also grown since the move, even if its guests aren’t seeing the same benefits as beforehand.
When the deal was first closed, fans were annoyed that Spotify appeared to be censoring Rogan by missing some 40-plus old episodes, but CEO Daniel Ek has stated that the platform wouldn’t censor the show in any way.
With Rogan’s success, Spotify has shelled out for other exclusive podcasts as they continue to try and take over the podcast game. Though, it’s hard to match the reach of the JRE.