Study finds 19% of Spotify users have unsubscribed or plan to over Joe Rogan controversy (2024)

A new study has found that 19 per cent of Spotify users have cancelled their subscriptions since the controversy around Joe Rogan’s podcast broke out.

In January, hundreds of scientists and medical professionals asked Spotify to address COVID-19 misinformation on its platform, sparked by comments made on The Joe Rogan Experience. The 270-plus members of the science and medical community signed an open letter, which called Rogan’s actions “not only objectionable and offensive but also medically and culturally dangerous”.

Following the publishing of that letter, Neil Young demanded his music be “immediately” removed from the platform, with many high-profile artists like Joni Mitchell, David Crosby and Graham Nash following suit.

Now, as Variety reports, a consumer poll from Forrester Research has found that 19 per cent of the streaming service’s customers have since cancelled their subscriptions, or plan to in the near future. Although 54 per cent of responders said they have no intention of cancelling their plans, another 18.5 per cent said they would consider cancelling if more music was removed from the platform.

Study finds 19% of Spotify users have unsubscribed or plan to over Joe Rogan controversy (1)

On Thursday (February 3), Spotify boss Daniel Ek said it was “too early to know” what impact the row surrounding Rogan’s podcast would have on the company’s future. Since the controversy began, Spotify’s shares have fallen by more than 10 per cent and, on January 30, it was reported that the platform had lost more than $2billion (£1.5bn) in market value.

“Usually when we’ve had controversies in the past, those are measured in months, not days,” Ek told Spotify’s investors. “We don’t change our policies based on one creator, nor do we change based on any media cycle or calls from anyone else.”

Spotify has since announced that it will add COVID content advisories to all relevant podcast episodes. Listeners will be directed to a resource hub with links to information from experts and “links to trusted sources”.

Study finds 19% of Spotify users have unsubscribed or plan to over Joe Rogan controversy (2024)

FAQs

Study finds 19% of Spotify users have unsubscribed or plan to over Joe Rogan controversy? ›

Among Spotify users, 19% said they have already canceled their service — or plan to — over the Rogan uproar, according to a Feb. 1 consumer poll conducted by Forrester Research.

Why did people cancel Spotify? ›

Spotify users are cancelling their accounts as app increases its prices - with one venting, 'I'm going back to Apple Music!' With over 500 million users, Spotify is without a doubt one of the most popular music streaming apps around the world.

Why has Joe Rogan left Spotify? ›

“The Joe Rogan Experience” remained extremely popular, reaching tens of millions of listeners with its biggest episodes. Under the new deal, Rogan will be able to expand that audience outside of Spotify, which has pivoted away from its exclusivity model in an effort to cut costs and grow advertising revenue.

Why are users leaving Spotify? ›

Spotify has been facing a huge backlash from users over special media after the recent changes to its free plan. The Google Play Store rating of Spotify in India has reduced to just 1.7 stars. Free users are complaining about restrictive song playback and excessive ads in the Spotify app.

Did Spotify strike a podcast deal with Joe Rogan worth more than $100 million? ›

Rogan's show has released more than 2,200 episodes to date, according to Spotify, and in a blog post on the platform, he called the conversations on his show a “a kind of mental nourishment.” Spotify first brought Rogan to its platform in 2020 in a deal that was reportedly worth more than $100 million and made his ...

Why was Spotify in controversy? ›

Spotify has also attracted media attention for several security breaches, as well as for controversial moves including a significant change to its privacy policy, "pay-for-play" practices based on receiving money from labels for putting specific songs on popular playlists, and allegedly creating "fake artists" for ...

How many people cancelled Spotify because of Joe Rogan? ›

Among Spotify users, 19% said they have already canceled their service — or plan to — over the Rogan uproar, according to a Feb. 1 consumer poll conducted by Forrester Research.

Is Spotify getting rid of Joe Rogan podcast? ›

Spotify announced a new multiyear partnership deal with podcaster Joe Rogan. His hit podcast will no longer be exclusive to the audio app and instead now be distributed to a variety of platforms, the streamer announced Friday. “The Joe Rogan Experience” had been Spotify's last exclusive podcast, the company confirmed.

Which artists left Spotify over Joe Rogan? ›

Here's a list of artists who have left Spotify because of Rogan:
  • Neil Young. ...
  • Joni Mitchell. ...
  • Crosby, Stills and Nash. ...
  • India Arie. ...
  • Mary Trump.
Feb 3, 2022

Does Spotify make money off Joe Rogan? ›

Now, the company is working to become more disciplined in its podcast spending. By distributing Rogan's show broadly, Spotify stands to make more money from ads it sells as the podcast reaches a larger audience.

Is Spotify going to be shut down? ›

Spotify is shutting down its live-audio app Spotify Live, a spokesperson for the company confirmed to TechCrunch on Monday. The company says it will continue to explore live features on its main platform. The news was first reported by Music Ally.

Who is pulling off of Spotify? ›

Musicians Vs. Spotify: Artists Who Have Joined Neil Young in Removing Their Music. Joni Mitchell, Graham Nash, Failure and Nils Lofgren are among those who've left.

Who is pulling out of Spotify? ›

Entertainment figures Neil Young, left, Joni Mitchell, Ava DuVernay and India Arie have cut ties with Spotify. Veteran singer-songwriter Neil Young recently urged “other artists and record companies” to “move off the SPOTIFY platform and stop supporting SPOTIFY's deadly misinformation about COVID.”

Do Joe Rogan's guests get paid? ›

This actually implies that some people (looking for exposure) might actually pay to be on the show, for access to his fan base. This is just speculation, but they definitely don't get paid.

Is Joe Rogan a billionaire? ›

While Joe Rogan is undoubtedly wealthy, rumors of him being a billionaire are unfounded. As of 2022, Rogan's net worth is estimated to be around $120 million. This impressive sum is the result of his diverse career endeavors, including podcasting, stand-up comedy, television hosting, and more.

Who owns Spotify? ›

Spotify is a Swedish music streaming platform and is currently owned by its founders, Daniel EK and Martin Lorentzon, along with some institutional investors, including Baillie Gifford & Co. and Morgan Stanley.

Why did Spotify become so bad? ›

Too many ads: Spotify's free tier has always been supported by ads, but in recent years, the number of ads has increased significantly. This has made the listening experience less enjoyable for many users. Poor sound quality: Spotify's sound quality has also been criticized by some users, especially on the free tier.

Why are celebrities boycotting Spotify? ›

The streaming giant has faced mounting criticism after singer-songwriter Neil Young followed through on threats to remove his music from Spotify. He accused the streamer's star podcaster, Joe Rogan, of spreading vaccine misinformation on his show, “The Joe Rogan Experience.”

Why are artists boycotting Spotify? ›

A growing number of musicians have recently announced they are removing their music from Spotify over COVID-19 misinformation on Joe Rogan's podcast.

Are Spotify losing customers? ›

Spotify paid users hit 236M, but company returns to losing money, amid Apple battle. Spotify reported a mix of good news and bad in its latest quarterly earnings report. The good news was that Spotify paid users hit 236M, up 4% on the previous quarter.

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