Spotify, Joe Rogan, and Streaming Rivals: A Look at the Aftermath

The Spotify-Joe Rogan Dispute: Limited Impact on Competitors

Recent controversy surrounding Joe Rogan and his podcast on Spotify has generated significant public relations challenges for the streaming giant. However, initial app store data suggests this hasn't triggered a substantial shift of users to competing platforms.

Musician Protests and Concerns Over Misinformation

Several prominent musicians, including Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, removed their music from Spotify in protest of Rogan’s platform. They voiced concerns about the spread of COVID-19 misinformation and vaccine-related inaccuracies to his large audience.

This action followed an open letter signed by numerous doctors, scientists, and health professionals. The letter urged Spotify to implement a robust public policy for moderating misinformation on its service. They argued that allowing such content erodes public trust in scientific research and medical guidance.

Spotify and Rogan Respond to Criticism

Both Spotify and Joe Rogan addressed the concerns raised. Spotify pledged to add content advisories to podcasts discussing COVID-19. Rogan, in turn, committed to a more balanced approach, incorporating diverse expert opinions into his show.

The protests sparked calls for a consumer boycott of Spotify, with hashtags like #cancelspotify and #deletespotify gaining traction on social media. Reports indicated that Spotify’s customer service experienced a surge in complaints and cancellation requests, temporarily overwhelming their live support channels.

App Store Data Reveals Minimal User Exodus

Despite the public outcry, data from app store intelligence firm Sensor Tower reveals “no meaningful change” in Spotify’s average session count or duration. The app continues to experience millions of weekly downloads, significantly outpacing its rivals.

Sensor Tower’s analysis found only a “slight uptick” in adoption rates for Spotify’s competitors during the two weeks surrounding the controversy. The changes in install numbers were described as “fairly nominal” across the board.

Modest Gains for Rival Streaming Services

Tidal experienced the largest percentage increase in installs, growing by 30.23% from 129,000 to 168,000 between January 17 and January 24, 2022. However, this increase is comparatively small when contrasted with Spotify’s 6 million weekly downloads during the same period.

Comparing the week of January 24, 2022, to the holiday week of December 24, 2021, reveals a less dramatic growth trend for Tidal, with an increase of only 7.69%.

Limited Impact on Podcast App Downloads

Other streaming services saw even smaller gains. Amazon Music, Apple Music, and YouTube Music experienced modest growth of 3.4%, 3.3%, and 8.3% respectively. Only YouTube Music achieved seven-digit weekly install numbers.

Interestingly, analysis of podcast-specific apps showed even less movement. Audible saw a slight increase in installs, while Pocket FM and Google Podcasts experienced declines. Apple Podcasts showed flat growth, and Spotify’s Anchor podcasting platform actually grew downloads by 16.26%.

Data Caveats and Potential Long-Term Effects

It’s important to note that users potentially switching from Spotify to Apple Music might not be reflected as new installs, as Apple Music is pre-installed on many Apple devices.

While the data currently indicates minimal impact, the situation remains fluid. Continued musician boycotts could potentially worsen the trend of slowing user acquisition for Spotify. The company also faces ongoing negative publicity and potential backlash from artists popular with younger audiences.

Broader Implications for Spotify

This controversy places Spotify in a similar position to social media companies like Facebook and Twitter, requiring them to take responsibility for the content hosted on their platform. This presents a complex challenge, particularly given Spotify’s recent investments in exclusive podcast content.

The company’s competitive strategy of acquiring studios and exclusive podcast hosts, like Joe Rogan, has inadvertently created this predicament.