Joe Rogan has time and again proved he is the undisputed king of the podcasting world. This week’s Spotify charts yet again proved the same. The longtime UFC commentator is continuing his run, overtaking NFL bigwigs, but questions are popping up about how long this would continue.
The $200 million contract for Joe Rogan’s podcast with Spotify will expire soon, and Rogan’s dominance may put Spotify in a very tough situation. So does Rogan and Spotify have a plan for everything? Let us find out.
Joe Rogan’s podcast remains at the top
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Joe Rogan started his podcast on a small scale, and over time, it has evolved into a huge phenomenon. People admire Rogan for his straightforward approach to discussing anything and everything, whether it’s controversial or not. The prime reason for Rogan’s success in the entertainment sector is the guests that he invites from diverse backgrounds. Rogan doesn’t stop with only pop culture guests but rather invites prominent farmers, businessmen, and even politicians to his podcasts.
It’s hardly unexpected that Rogan has once again claimed the number͏-one position on the charts. This week’s data just came out and Rogan has ousted his competitors, including prominent NFL player Travis Kelce. Kelce alongside his brother runs the podcast ‘New Heights’ where they talk about sports. Their podcast was ranked second in this week’s Spotify list.
Top podcasts on Spotify this week. (US) pic.twitter.com/nsz338EGIx
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) December 18, 2023
As of now, Rogan faces no real competition from any of his rivals. The podcaster’s dominance is marked by his carefully constructed content. However, the impending expiration of Rogan’s deal may pose a challenge for Spotify, given his influential position.
Will Spotify continue its journey with Rogan?
The latest statistics have been released, prompting Spotify to outline its approach to managing podcasts on its platform. CEO Daniel Ek has previously addressed their strategy for handling the podcast landscape. The leading podcast, ‘The Joe Rogan Experience,’ currently holds the top spot, but its status post-2024 remains uncertain. Spotify, just like other US companies, is in a flurry of cost-cutting even though the company is performing better than expected.
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A report by Financial͏ Times has suggested that Spotify as a platform has increased its subscribers by 6 ͏million this quarter, which surpassesd the expected 4 million. The report furthe͏r ͏stated͏ tha͏t the ͏profit͏ margin͏s for the thi͏rd quarter were 26.4% as com͏pared to 24.7% ͏the previou͏s ͏yea͏r.
However, the ͏podcasting͏ division of͏ th͏e ͏ent͏ity ͏is sufferin͏g ͏from͏ tough ͏times. The streaming ͏platform ͏invested heavily ͏in th͏e podcasting ͏secto͏r to becom͏e the king of͏ it but now they are͏ facing the he͏at͏ of losses. These losses have put Spotify in a situation that they have to do something in order to keep their position in the market as well as cut costs.
Joe Rogan’s dominance in the podcasts has put him in a position of negotiation. The 56-year-old’s deal with Spotify will be coming to an end next year and the streaming platform might be willing to keep the deal as it is. But this time Rogan is in a commanding position and he might ask for a different price. Spotify knows if Rogan leaves, a good chunk of revenue will leave alongside him.
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Read More: Joe Rogan Delivers for Spotify Yet Again as Controversial Podcaster’s $200M Contract Nears It’s End