Joe Rogan signs new multi-million dollar deal with Spotify

Joe Rogan He podcaster the most popular and influential in the world, whether we like it or not. AND Spotify he knows. The Swedish firm announced this Friday that it has signed a new multi-year distribution deal with the aforementioned company The Joe Rogan Experiencethe most listened to podcast on the streaming platform.

Although the parties did not provide details about the duration and amount of the agreement, Wall Street Magazine indicates that it is valued at up to 250 million dollars. The aforementioned media outlet explains that Spotify will pay Joe Rogan a guaranteed minimum amount upfront and then give him a portion of the ad revenue.

In this way, the company and the presenter will continue the connection that they began in 2020, when The Joe Rogan Experience has become a Spotify exclusive podcast. However, the terms of the new agreement differ from the original one.

The most noteworthy point is that Rogan’s podcast will no longer be exclusive to Spotify. The production will be available on multiple platforms such as YouTube and Apple Podcasts. Of course, Spotify itself will be responsible for both distributing the product and monetizing it through advertising.

When The Joe Rogan Experience came to Spotify, it was a real success. Primarily for economic reasons. Initial contract for podcaster, which ended this year, delivered financial returns based on audience levels. With his podcast being the most listened to on the platform, it is estimated that Joe Rogan will end the 2020-2024 period earning from 180 to 200 million dollars.

Joe Rogan and Spotify extend relationship after intense disagreement

Joe Rogan’s case isn’t just another one in the world podcasting. In fact, his exclusive association with Spotify became the cause of great controversy in early 2022, when the aforementioned was accused of using his podcast for spread false information about COVID-19 and promote the anti-vaccine movement.

Amid the controversy, Spotify distanced itself from any responsibility for Joe Rogan’s comments. Daniel Ek, CEO of the Swedish company, claimed that they acted as distributors The Joe Rogan Experience, but not as editors. And since creative control was entirely in the hands of the aforementioned, episodes were only reviewed after they had already been uploaded to the platform.

At the time, Spotify’s arguments seemed rather unconvincing. Especially after the company removed some episodes of the podcast due to Joe Rogan’s repeated use of racial slurs. It’s also worth remembering that legendary artists like Joni Mitchell and Neil Young removed their music from the streaming service in protest.

Despite the hot mood, The Joe Rogan Experience hasn’t lost a bit of popularity. On the contrary, Joe Rogan himself explained that the controversy increased the podcast’s popularity and allowed it to add 2 million new subscribers.

Now, two years after this situation, Rogan and Spotify have decided to strengthen their multi-million dollar relationship. It will be interesting to see what happens on the streaming platform when JRE stop being an exclusive podcast. Particularly if they manage to bring it to a wider audience or if existing subscribers start to diverge to other services. Meanwhile, from an economic point of view, the Swedes will be keen to ensure that this new agreement becomes the cornerstone for increasing their advertising revenues.