UFC color commentator Joe Rogan is heading to Spotify as he has signed a $100 million dollar deal with the company to bring The Joe Rogan Experience to the streaming platform.
The podcast, which has been streaming on Youtube for over eleven years, will move over to Spotify on September 1 and be exclusive to the streaming service before the end of the year.
Rogan announced the news himself on Youtube (transcript via Jed Meshew of MMA Fighting):
“Hello everybody! I have an announcement. The podcast is moving to Spotify. I signed a multi-year licensing agreement with Spotify that will start on September 1. Starting on September 1, the entire JRE library will be available on Spotify as well as all the other platform, then, somewhere around the end of the year, it will become exclusive to Spotify, including the video version of the podcast. It will be the exact same show. I am not going to be an employee of Spotify. We are going to be working with the same crew doing the exact same show, the only difference will be it will now be available on the largest audio platform in the world. Nothing else will change. It will be free. It will be free to you, you just have to go to Spotify to get it. We’re very excited to begin this new chapter of the JRE and I hope you’re there when we cross over. Thanks.”
Spotify also issued the following press release on the deal:
‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ Launches Exclusive Partnership with Spotify
The Joe Rogan Experience, one of the most popular podcasts in the world, is coming to Spotify via a multi-year exclusive licensing deal. The talk series has long been the most-searched-for podcast on Spotify and is the leading show on practically every other podcasting platform. And, like all podcasts and vodcasts on Spotify, it will remain free and accessible to all Spotify users.
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.
Bringing the JRE to Spotify will mean that the platform’s more than 286 million active users will have access to one of culture’s leading voices. By partnering with Spotify, Rogan and his team will enjoy the support of the world’s leading audio platform.
From his earliest days behind the mic, Joe has been a commentator, fixture, and driving force in culture helping to lay the foundation for the podcasting renaissance we are experiencing today. While Spotify will become the exclusive distributor of JRE, Rogan will maintain full creative control over the show.
This partnership represents a major addition to the already unrivaled slate of exclusive audio content available to audiences on Spotify.
The JRE will debut on Spotify on September 1, 2020, and become exclusively available on the platform later this year.
