Spotify may have to deal with more than just musicians leaving its platform. Author and researcher Brené Brown has paused releases of your exclusive Spotify podcasts unlocking us and Dare to Lead “until further notice.” Brown didn’t explain the decision, but it came shortly after Neil Young and Joni Mitchell said they would remove their music from Spotify in protest of claims Joe Rogan was promoting misinformation about COVID-19.
We asked Spotify for a comment. The move came amid mounting criticism of Spotify for dealing with Rogan and misinformation, with the UK’s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle (who have a deal with Spotify) expressing “worries” about the streaming service’s approach. The couple’s Archewell Foundation said that “hundreds of millions” of people were harmed by misinformation every day and that they hoped Spotify would “understand this moment” and make appropriate changes. with Spotify since April 2021.
Spotify previously said it intended to strike a balance between listener safety and creator freedom by removing more than 20,000 COVID-related podcast episodes in accordance with its policies. CEO Daniel Ek stated that Spotify should have no editorial responsibility for podcasts.
If Brown’s move is a response to Rogan, it could put Spotify in an even more difficult position. The company is believed to have paid over $100 million to sign Rogan to a multi-year exclusive and has enjoyed its success (his podcast is still tops US charts). However, this arrangement can be costly if enough listeners leave — particularly those who stayed behind for exclusive podcasts like Brown’s. It might not be worth getting a star if Spotify ends up bleeding a lot of talent and money.
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