What Did Spotify's October 8, 2026 Announcement Actually Say?
Spotify's post, “Spotify and Joe Rogan Continue Longstanding Partnership,” makes four claims that matter to a guest.
| Topic | What the post says | What it establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Deal type | “a new multi-year licensing agreement for JRE” | A licensing deal exists. Length and fee are not stated. |
| Availability | New episodes on Spotify each week, “as well as across other platforms” | The show is not Spotify-only. No other platform is named. |
| Audience | 18 million followers; “the most-followed show on Spotify since our partnership with Joe Rogan began in 2020” | A follower count on Spotify alone. |
| Rank | “the top podcast across all major platforms in 2025” | Spotify names no ranker, metric or country behind the claim. |
Source for every row: Spotify. Quotes from Rogan and Jordan Newman, Spotify's Head of Content Partnerships, do not address distribution terms.
What Does the Announcement Leave Out?
Spotify disclosed no financial terms and no end date. The post also does not say:
- which “other platforms” carry the show, or whether each gets video as well as audio;
- whether any platform receives episodes later than Spotify;
- who sells the advertising under the new agreement;
Some of this has been reported. Reuters wrote on October 8 that the renewal has terms similar to Rogan's previous deal, which carried an estimated earnout of $250 million, according to the Wall Street Journal citing people familiar with the matter, and that Spotify did not disclose terms (Reuters via The Star). Music Business Worldwide reported the same and added that under the 2024 deal “Spotify took charge of distribution and ad sales for the show” (MBW). We did not read the Journal's report, and Spotify has not confirmed the figure. Treat it as reported, not announced.
Was the Show Exclusive Before, and What Changed in 2024?
Yes, from 2020 to early 2024. Spotify's May 19, 2020 announcement said the show was “coming to Spotify via a multi-year exclusive licensing deal,” debuting there on September 1, 2020 and becoming exclusive later that year (Spotify, 2020).
On February 2, 2024, Spotify announced “our new multiyear partnership deal with JRE.” The post said the show “has been a Spotify exclusive since 2020” and that it “will soon be available on additional platforms” (Spotify, 2024). The Associated Press reported the same day that the show “will soon also be available on competing platforms, including YouTube and Apple Podcasts” (AP). Reuters now describes 2024 as the point at which the show also became available on Apple, Amazon and YouTube (Reuters via The Star).
The October 2026 post therefore renews an arrangement that was already open. Reading it as non-exclusive is fair, but the reading rests on the phrase “other platforms,” press reports and where episodes appear, not on any published contract term.
Does “Licensing Agreement” Mean Non-Exclusive?
No. Whether a license is exclusive depends on its terms; the 2020 deal was both.
| Deal | Spotify's wording | Exclusive? |
|---|---|---|
| May 2020 | “multi-year exclusive licensing deal” (Spotify) | Yes |
| February 2024 | “new multiyear partnership deal”; show “will soon be available on additional platforms” (Spotify) | No, per AP, MBW and Reuters |
| October 2026 | “new multi-year licensing agreement”; episodes on Spotify “as well as across other platforms” (Spotify) | Not stated; the wording and current listings point to no |
Our reading, not a Spotify statement: the word that carries the meaning is “exclusive,” and Spotify used it in 2020 and left it out in 2024 and 2026. This is not legal advice. A platform exclusive is also a different thing from a press exclusive, the arrangement covered in what an exclusive is in PR.
Where Can a Guest Appearance Be Found Now?
On at least three services, by our own check on October 11, 2026:
- Spotify. Spotify says new episodes arrive there each week (Spotify).
- Apple Podcasts. The show page listed episodes through #2563, “Dan Richards,” including #2560, “David Grusch,” dated September 30 (Apple Podcasts).
- YouTube. The PowerfulJRE channel posted “Joe Rogan Experience #2563 - Dan Richards” on October 8, 2026; the video runs 2 hours 48 minutes, so it is the full episode, not a clip (YouTube).
Reuters says the show is also on Amazon. We did not open the Amazon Music listing, so we do not describe what it carries.
Our recommendation, not a platform rule: collect the episode link on each platform from the show's team and note which carry full video. Credits differ by platform; see how to write podcast show notes, and for how one show reaches several directories, how to submit a podcast to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.
How Can a Guest Appearance Be Measured?
Not from this announcement. Each figure in circulation describes the show and counts something different:
- Spotify's 18 million followers and YouTube's 21.1 million subscribers (the rounded figure on the PowerfulJRE channel page on October 11, 2026) count people following the show, not plays of any episode.
- Edison Podcast Metrics ranks shows by “reach as a percentage of the weekly podcast audience,” from interviews with 5,006 U.S. weekly podcast consumers aged 13 and older. Its Q2 2026 list, published July 17, 2026, put the show first, ahead of Crime Junkie and The Daily (Edison Research at SSRS). That is show-level reach in one country.
Millions of followers or subscribers, as each platform published them
Source: YouTube, PowerfulJRE channel page; Spotify, “Spotify and Joe Rogan Continue Longstanding Partnership” (October 8, 2026). Read October 11, 2026.
Both are rounded figures. A YouTube channel subscriber and a Spotify show follower are different measures, the same person may be counted on both, and neither is an episode audience. Apple Podcasts publishes no follower count for the show, so it is not charted.
The chart shows that Spotify's headline number is smaller than the show's YouTube subscriber count, so a Spotify figure alone understates where the audience follows the show, while neither number says how many people heard a particular guest.
Platform dashboards count episodes differently again; see how to read podcast analytics in Apple Podcasts and Spotify and how Podtrac counts YouTube views.
What This Means for Anyone Buying a Placement
A show available everywhere is easier to find and harder to measure.
- Do not borrow the show's headline numbers. A follower count, subscriber count or chart position describes the show, not your episode.
- Ask for episode-level figures by platform, and what each one counts.
- Treat paid spots as advertising. If money changes hands for an appearance, it should be disclosed as sponsored, whatever licensing deal the show has with a platform. Payment buys no particular audience or ranking.
- Expect no guarantees. A distribution announcement promises nothing about who listens.
For how ordinary shows earn from each platform, which is a separate question from a licensing deal, see Spotify Partner Program vs YouTube Partner Program. The uncomfortable part for a buyer is that the most quotable numbers in this story are the least useful for judging a single appearance.
Methodology and Limitations
Four limits apply. First, the $250 million estimate comes from Reuters and MBW relaying the Wall Street Journal, which we did not read. Second, we did not check the Amazon Music listing or any platform's episode analytics. Third, the YouTube figure is a rounded live count, and a subscriber is not the same measure as a Spotify follower. Fourth, Edison's ranker covers one quarter and one country and predates the October announcement; no Q3 2026 list had been published when we checked.
Conclusion
Spotify's words say the show continues on Spotify and “other platforms,” and new episodes were on Apple Podcasts and YouTube the same week, consistent with the non-exclusive arrangement in place since 2024. The post names no platform and gives no terms. For a guest, the useful facts are the ones it does not supply: where the episode is posted, in what format, and how each platform counts its audience. Get those from the show, in writing, before relying on any number attached to the show's name.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Joe Rogan Experience exclusive to Spotify in 2026?
No. Spotify's October 8, 2026 post says new episodes arrive on Spotify each week “as well as across other platforms,” and on October 11, 2026 new episodes were also on Apple Podcasts and the show's YouTube channel. The post does not use the word “exclusive” or “non-exclusive” and publishes no terms.
How much is Joe Rogan's new Spotify deal worth?
Spotify did not disclose financial terms. Reuters and Music Business Worldwide report that the Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, said the terms are similar to the previous deal, which carried an estimated earnout of $250 million. Spotify has not confirmed that figure.
When did The Joe Rogan Experience stop being exclusive to Spotify?
With the agreement Spotify announced on February 2, 2024. Spotify's post that day said the show had been a Spotify exclusive since 2020 and would soon be available on additional platforms; AP named YouTube and Apple Podcasts.
Does a licensing agreement mean a podcast is not exclusive?
No. Spotify called the 2020 Rogan agreement a “multi-year exclusive licensing deal.” Whether a license is exclusive depends on its terms, which Spotify has not published for 2026. This is not legal advice.
Where can I find a Joe Rogan Experience guest appearance?
On Spotify, Apple Podcasts and the PowerfulJRE YouTube channel, where episode #2563 appeared on October 8, 2026. Reuters reports the show is also on Amazon Music; we did not check that listing ourselves.
Do 18 million Spotify followers tell a guest how many people heard their episode?
No. It is a follower count on Spotify only, published by Spotify. It is not a count of plays for any episode and leaves out Apple Podcasts, YouTube and every other platform. Episode-level figures have to come from the show.
Sources
Built from Spotify's 2020, 2024 and 2026 posts, three news reports, the show's Apple Podcasts and YouTube pages and Edison's Q2 2026 ranker, all read on October 11, 2026. “Our reading” and “our recommendation” mark house judgment, not platform rules.
- official Spotify, Spotify and Joe Rogan Continue Longstanding Partnership, October 8, 2026. Licensing agreement, “other platforms,” 18 million followers, 2025 rank claim, quotes; absence of terms and platform names. Read October 11, 2026.
- official Spotify, The Art of Podcasting with Joe Rogan and His New Multiyear Spotify Partnership, February 2, 2024. Exclusive since 2020; additional platforms. Read October 11, 2026.
- official Spotify, ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ Launches Exclusive Partnership with Spotify, May 19, 2020. “Multi-year exclusive licensing deal”; September 1, 2020 debut. Read October 11, 2026.
- trade press Reuters, via The Star, Spotify renews multiyear deal with podcaster Joe Rogan, October 8, 2026. WSJ-reported similar terms and $250 million earnout; undisclosed terms; 2024 availability on Apple, Amazon and YouTube. Read October 11, 2026.
- trade press Music Business Worldwide, Spotify renews multi-year licensing deal with Joe Rogan. His last one was reportedly worth $250M., October 9, 2026. WSJ-reported terms; 2024 end of exclusivity; Spotify's distribution and ad-sales role under the 2024 deal. Read October 11, 2026.
- trade press Associated Press, via News4JAX, Controversial podcast host Joe Rogan signs new multiyear deal with Spotify, February 3, 2024. YouTube and Apple Podcasts named as 2024 platforms. Read October 11, 2026.
- live read Apple Podcasts, The Joe Rogan Experience show page. Current episodes including #2560 and #2563. Read October 11, 2026.
- live read YouTube, PowerfulJRE channel and Joe Rogan Experience #2563 - Dan Richards. 21.1 million subscribers; October 8, 2026 upload; 2 hours 48 minutes. Read October 11, 2026.
- vendor research Edison Research at SSRS, The Top 50 Podcasts in the U.S. Q2 2026, July 17, 2026. Rank, method and 5,006-interview sample. Read October 11, 2026.