Joe Rogan’s podcast, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” has proven to not only drive millions of listens on Spotify but also boost music streams of guests featured on the show. Spotify believes that investing in podcasts can lead to higher engagement for the music side of the platform, with users who listen to podcasts also listening to more music on average.
Grammy-winning blues guitarist Gary Clark Jr. was a guest on Rogan’s show to coincide with the release of his latest album, “JPEG RAW.” During his appearance, Clark Jr. performed his song “Habits” live in the podcast studio, a first for Rogan’s show. Following the episode, Clark Jr.’s music saw a significant increase in consumption on Spotify, with streams jumping 180% in the U.S. and 150% globally in the 72 hours after the release.
Fans of “The Joe Rogan Experience” responded even more enthusiastically, with a 500% increase in streams of Clark Jr.’s music among listeners of the podcast. Additionally, there was an 80% increase in global user-generated playlist additions of Clark Jr.’s song “Habits.” Despite Spotify declining to disclose specific stream numbers, the percentage increases demonstrate the impact of Rogan’s show on music streaming.
Rogan’s podcast consistently ranks at No. 1 on Spotify’s U.S. charts and has topped the year-end rankings for the past three years. Under Rogan’s recent $250 million deal with Spotify, the show is no longer exclusively available on the platform, but Spotify will manage distribution and ad sales. The company credits Rogan with having an impact beyond podcasts, with appearances like Gary Clark Jr.’s leading to success for all involved creators.
Spotify has noted a similar effect with other podcasts, such as Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy,” which has led to a significant increase in song streams for music guests within a 48-hour period after their appearances. Rogan, following his new deal with Spotify, released a playlist of hype songs he’s compiled over the years, hoping to generate additional music-streaming usage.
Despite his success, Rogan has faced controversy with his podcast, leading to headaches for Spotify. This included a boycott by artists like Neil Young and Joni Mitchell in early 2022 over Rogan’s anti-vax episodes. With “The Joe Rogan Experience” no longer being exclusive to Spotify, both Young and Mitchell have since returned their music to the platform in recent weeks, showcasing the ongoing complexities of content creation and distribution on streaming platforms.
