Spotify Newsletter #106

Your Weekly Dose of Spotify News

Apr 22

Hello and thanks for joining me for the latest issue of the Spotify Newsletter.

There will be plenty of chit-chat as to why the Obamas and Spotify are parting ways, but it’s clear Spotify wasn’t getting a heavy enough dose of Team Obama in the final product to justify the overall deal.

Its not like the former president was doing a weekly interview show. That would be one thing. But Higher Ground, Team O’s media company, didn’t produce much since 2019, and what they did offer on the streaming service never sustained any heat over time.

If the numbers were off the charts this deal would carry on. I just don’t think enough people care. It’s tough to find traction no matter who you are.

Just because a media venture has the ‘O’ stamped on it doesn’t equal success. No doubt Spotify brass had hoped the hook-up would be a winner, but at least someone in the C-suite had enough smarts to see this wasn’t working and it was best to direct the funds elsewhere.

In fact, on Thursday Spotify nabbed an exclusive ad deal with Fantasy Footballers, the popular sports podcast.

The autopsy on the Obama/Spotify podcast deal is simple: A big payday for Obama, media buzz for Spotify, and nothing of note to come of any of it.

In the aftermath, Team O will rev up the schmooze machine and negotiate for the next, big high-priced deal for their media venture. Nice work if you can get it.

Someone out there in Media World will definitely give Team O a boatload of money (and hope it works).

As a business decision, Spotify is waltzing away from this over-hyped, under-performing podcast deal to the good.

Onward and upward.

★In the SPOTlight★

⭐️ Spotify opens up video podcasting to everyone in the US and select markets

All creators in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand can now upload video podcasts to Spotify, the streaming service has announced. Video can be uploaded through Anchor, the podcast creation tool Spotify purchased in 2019. Video podcasts are compatible with Spotify’s podcast subscriptions feature and work with embeds. The company is also offering video-specific analytics for creators.

⭐️ Spotify quietly shuts down Greenroom creator fund

Spotify is shutting down its live audio app creator fund without much fanfare, the company told applicants in an email on Monday. Greenroom (now called Spotify Live) launched last June as a Clubhouse competitor, where users stream live conversations with celebrities, influencers, and other creators.

⭐️ Spotify’s Car Thing has radio listening in its sights

Spotify’s debut of its car hardware attempts to compete with Apple’s Car Play by accessing a harder-to-reach audio audience. In the US, 59% of consumers listen to music in the car while only 22% listen to streaming music in the car, as not every car on the road has the technological capability – which thus presents opportunities for Spotify’s device.

⭐️ Inside Spotify’s Recommender System: A Complete Guide to Spotify Recommendation Algorithms

As we move ahead into the 2020s, an ever-increasing share of music consumption and discovery is going to be mediated by AI-driven recommendation systems.

⭐️ How music distributors get your tunes on Spotify

From a consumer standpoint, it’s easy to download the Spotify app and start listening to the vast musical content available on the platform. From an artist’s standpoint, have you ever wondered what it takes to get your music on Spotify?