Joe Rogan signs new multi-year deal with Spotify, ends exclusivity on the streaming giant

Spotify’s landmark exclusivity deal with popular comedian and podcaster Joe Rogan has ended, the streaming giant announced Friday.

As part of a new multiyear partnership with “The Joe Rogan Experience,” the show, a ratings blockbuster, will still be offered on Spotify but will now be available to listeners on Apple, YouTube and Amazon as well.

Neither Spotify nor Mr. Rogan have released further details about the new agreement, though some estimates say the deal is valued at around $250 million, with Mr. Rogan getting a cut of the advertising revenue from his episodes.

Spotify said the exclusivity deal with Mr. Rogan, which began in 2020, greatly benefited both parties. The company said that the popularity of the podcast attracted droves of advertisers and led to an 80% increase in revenue since 2021.

The Rogan deal also helped build Spotify’s burgeoning podcast studios. Since Mr. Rogan joined the platform exclusively in 2020, podcast consumption has increased by around 230%, the company said Friday.

Still, the deal was not without its consequences. In the aftermath of the deal, several prominent musicians and activists criticized Spotify for giving a platform to Mr. Rogan, who was known for spreading conspiracy theories about COVID-19. Musicians Neil Young and Joni Mitchell famously left the platform, and their music is still unavailable on Spotify years later.

Since the deal, Mr. Rogan’s popularity and controversial image have only grown. His guests and opinions are frequently cited in mainstream media and his podcast has remained the world’s most popular podcast. Relinquishing exclusivity rights to “The Joe Rogan Experience” may be a way for Spotify executives to distance themselves from Mr. Rogan’s regular menu of contentious comments.

Mr. Rogan’s show was the final exclusive podcast deal held by the company. Popular shows such as “Armchair Expert” and “Call Her Daddy,” once exclusive to the streaming service, moved to other platforms late last year.