Spotify signs new Joe Rogan podcast $250 million non-exclusive deal
Feb. 2 (UPI) -- Joe Rogan and Spotify have signed a new deal for his podcast allegedly worth as much as $250 million that will allow "The Joe Rogan Experience" to be available on other platforms.
First reported by the Wall Street Journal, it's purportedly a multiyear deal that includes a minimum guarantee plus ad revenue sharing.
Spotify has had the exclusive streaming rights for the Rogan podcast for three years, but the new deal will allow distribution on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and YouTube.
Spotify said "For more than three years, 'The Joe Rogan Experience' has consistently been the No. 1 podcast across the globe.
In a statement Spotify said, "Since the podcast has been exclusive to Spotify, overall podcast consumption on the platform has increased by 232%. As a result of this exponential growth we've seen, this has attracted a wide array of advertisers that has fueled the 80% increase in revenue in 2023 since 2021 including a 45% increase in revenue in 2023 for the show."
The comedian-actor started the podcast in 2009.
Spotify took action in 2022 to pull 70 episodes in which Rogan said the N-word. Rogan called it a political hit job.
The action was done quietly as musicians Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Crazy Horse and Nils Lofgren pulled music from the platform to protest the alleged spread of COVID-19 misinformation on the program.
Spotify lost billions in market value after Neil Young pulled his music catalog from the platform.
Rogan's podcast has featured right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes as guests.
In 2022 Spotify apologized to employees about the controversy his podcast had caused.