Spotify announces it will now include content advisory for podcasts after Joe Rogan’s backlash.
Spotify is focused on podcasts right now so that’s where the dollars are flowing.
Over the past couple of years, the streaming service has paid top dollar for shows like Call Her Daddy, which has a huge following. DJ Akademiks also got in on the money with his show Off The Record, but no one secured the bag quite like Joe Rogan.
The Joe Rogan podcast reportedly received upwards of $100M dollars to come exclusively to Spotify. Of course, money like that for a podcast will rub a lot of artists wrong who are only making less than a penny per stream. Last week, Neil Young started a protest saying he wanted his music catalog removed if Spotify didn’t take action on Joe Rogan’s misinformation on his podcast. Of course, the backlash picked up steam but Spotify went ahead and removed Young’s entire catalog.
After a week of backlash, Spotify has now announced they will include a content advisory for any podcasts discussing COVID-19 and even got an apology of sorts from Joe Rogan.
“I want to show all kinds of opinions so that we can all figure out what’s going on and not just about Covid, about everything about health, about fitness, wellness, the state of the world,” Rogan said.
With the pandemic putting everyone on edge, will this be enough to calm the backlash? We will just have to wait and see. One thing is for sure: Joe Rogan isn’t going to stop his show and what’s gotten it this far and Spotify is going to support his freedom of speech.
