Overview

• Spotify paid over $100 million to podcast creators globally in the first quarter of 2025, including top names like Joe Rogan, Alex Cooper, and Theo Von.
• The Spotify Partner Program, launched in January 2025, enables creators to earn from ad-supported and premium subscriber revenue, fueling a 23% and 29% month-over-month earnings increase in February and March respectively.
• Spotify aims to compete with YouTube's dominance in video podcasting, leveraging multi-platform distribution and new monetization tools to attract creators and audiences.
• As video consumption grows, Spotify is adapting to shifting listener preferences, though YouTube maintains a larger podcasting audience, with 31% of weekly listeners compared to Spotify's 27%.
• High-profile podcasters like Joe Rogan and Alex Cooper have transitioned away from exclusivity deals, with Rogan signing a new $250 million Spotify contract that includes revenue sharing and the ability to post on YouTube.