Hello and welcome to the latest Spotify Newsletter. Lots of interesting links to peruse this week - and a short week at that with the July 4 holiday.

Still, there is a report of a disturbance in the Spotify Force via the NY Post, who tells us that ‘Spotify staff reportedly ‘outraged’ by Joe Rogan’s show.’

Joe Rogan, the notoriously polarizing host of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” America’s most popular podcast in 2020, is upsetting some Spotify staffers, according to a report. Employee complaints, however, fall on the deaf ears of company executives who paid the 53-year-old comedian more than $100 million to exclusively stream on the platform.

We won’t carry on about this, but these types of stories are frustrating. Not because an employee shouldn’t express their own opinion about what the company has going on, but beyond that… Spotify shouldn’t be put in the dock because some folks don’t agree with what a specific person talks about on their podcast.

Onward and upward.

★In the SPOTlight★

⭐️ Spotify just brought back a feature it took away in 2019

The music streaming service has re-added the ability to swipe down to find songs in playlists and Liked Songs on Android devices – more than two years after removing the feature.  

⭐️ Wait, is Spotify trying to make all musicians creators?

In a recent Means of Creation podcast Spotify’s Chief R&D Officer Gustav Söderström spoke about how all of their creator tools are also aimed at musicians. Let’s unpack what that means and how it can play out.

⭐️ Spotify HRD on reinventing HR for a digital workforce

Over the last 12 months, the workforce has undergone one of the most rapid digitalisations in the last decade. Business leaders who never imagined their employees working from home were forced to overcome their hesitations as Australia’s cities locked down.

⭐️ Spotify talks Today’s Top Hits playlist amid visual rebrand

With more than 28.6 million followers, Today’s Top Hits is Spotify’s biggest playlist by some distance. It has generated more than 1.4bn hours of listening and 27.3bn streams to date according to Spotify, having playlisted more than 600 artists.

🗣Podcast Action🗣

Is Spotify's Exclusive Podcast Strategy Worthwhile?

Spotify will teach you everything you need to be a podcastera

Spotify’s ‘Mogul’ Podcast Homages the Legacy of DJ Screw

🎧The Playlist List🎧

No Sophomore Slump: A Playlist Of Songs From Great Second Albums

How to Download Spotify Songs to Your Apple Watch Instead of Streaming Them

🔥Even More Hot News Links🔥

Finneas named as world’s number one songwriter on Spotify in 2020

Hipgnosis has 36 songs in Spotify’s billion-plus streaming club… and more stats from the firm’s annual report

Spotify Beta Introduces Native M1 Mac Support

Spotify is reportedly thinking about expanding into ticketed events

Spotify launches Greenroom: 5 things you should know about this Clubhouse rival

Spotify continues Apple Watch offline playback rollout, here’s how to find it

🎵New Adventures in Spotify🎵

Poor Poor Pitiful MeWarren Zevon

LouisaLord Huron

Tell Me WhatFine Young Cannibals

You've Ruined MeNorah Jones

Great Big KissJohnny Thunders

HAVE A NICE WEEKEND!!!