Spotify has signed a deal to pluck comedian Joe Rogan's hugely popular podcast The Joe Rogan Experience from Apple's Podcasts library as part of a multi-year deal.
Spotify's deal with Rogan means that video and audio of each episode will be listed on Spotify from September 1, with an agreement to make the show exclusively available to Spotify subscribers sometime later in the year, according to a press release.
Since its launch in 2009, the pioneering Joe Rogan Experience (JRE) has broken ground and built one of the most loyal and engaged fan bases in the world. Rogan brings his sensibilities as a stand-up comic to the show, and alongside dynamic and diverse guests, he fearlessly broaches far-ranging topics including neuroscience, sports, comedy, health, infectious disease, and our ever-changing culture—all with a mix of curiosity and humor.
In addition to the wildly popular podcast format, JRE also produces corresponding video episodes, which will also be available on Spotify as in-app vodcasts.
The announcement is a clear signal that Spotify sees its push into podcasts as a long-term commitment. The Joe Rogan Experience is one of the longest-running shows and often dominates Apple's podcast charts. Last year the show was said to have reached about 190 million downloads a month.
In addition to the podcast angle, The Joe Rogan Experience also clocks up massive view counts on YouTube, with a recent interview with Tesla CEO Elon Musk generating more than 13 million views so far. Other high-profile interviewees have included Senator Bernie Sanders, author Sam Harris, and cosmologist Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
Spotify says that Rogan will retain creative control over his show, but didn't reveal how much it paid to clinch the deal. In an audio message accompanying the press release, Rogan said: "It will be the exact same show. I will not be an employee of Spotify." Spotify said it will also work with an ad agency to jointly sell ads alongside the show.
Spotify first began its efforts to enter the podcast field around three years ago, when it said it was "coming after" Apple with a strong push into podcasts. The last few years have been marked as a so-called golden age for podcasts, causing many companies to look into entering the field.
More signs of Spotify's intention to double down on its podcasts offering were relayed last year, shortly after it acquired several podcast creation companies including Gimlet Media for $300 million.
Spotify said it planned to create new and exclusive podcasts for subscribers, and also revealed that the team that developed its Discover Weekly algorithms was working on a discovery engine for podcasts. Spotify also purchased Anchor, a company that lets users record and create their own shows that can be easily shared online.
