Joe Rogan Heads for Spotify While I Head in 20 Other Directions

The overwhelming majority of the time my blog here each week is about and for the indie music community.  Today is one of those exceptions.  Sort of.  It’s Memorial Day and despite the Covid-19 crisis, people will still be more relaxed today, so, why not ease back a tad on the blog?

And the thing is, I’m surprised at how worked up so many folks seem to have gotten about the news that Joe Rogan has signed a deal that will ultimately end up with him being heard exclusively on Spotify.  Exhale.  Relax.

As someone who has been putting out a new podcast episode every week for more than six years now, sure I was interested in the story and read a handful of accounts of this big development in the industry.  But I also moved on.

It’s ironic that someone who enjoys writing has gotten such a laugh out of how many podcasters want to go out of their way to say that “The Joe Rogan Experience” will now just be considered a show and not a podcast.  I happen to refer to “Now Hear This Entertainment” routinely as both.

But the bigger issue here is the debate over what this move of the JRE to Spotify will mean for the rest of us.  And to a large extent I say, nothing.

I hope you’re receiving my weekly e-newsletter.  (Yes, I really do only send out once a week.  Imagine that – someone who doesn’t blow up your Inbox five times a week.)  If you aren’t getting it, make sure you pop your email address into the signup box on this page.  In the newsletter I have made references to “podcast discovery” and how so many folks want to analyze (ad nauseum) how listeners find podcasts to listen to.  As such, many are wondering, ‘When listeners go to Spotify to hear the JRE, will it lead them to find my podcast?!’

The answer?  I seriously doubt it.

I like to watch “The Masked Singer” on FOX.  Do you know how many shows there are on FOX?  Could I name five or even three shows on FOX other than the couple that they show ads for during commercial breaks on “The Masked Singer”?  More than likely, no.

If you’re an indie artist, do you expect people to find your music on Spotify just because, say, Taylor Swift or Bruno Mars puts out a new release and millions of people flock to go find and stream it?  Of course you don’t.  While it’s true that the tactic of getting a cover video out on YouTube as fast as you can once an A-list artist releases a new song can lead people to maybe find you that way, this is different.  What about people going directly to the JRE on Spotify is going to lead them to your podcast?

As a national speaker, one of my presentations is on 20-plus ways to promote your podcast.  I’m going to focus on the many other aspects of raising the profile of “Now Hear This Entertainment” rather than sitting down to write Joe Rogan a thank you letter and wait for the masses to start funneling over to listen to my podcast.  You might consider doing the same.

Tweet at me to @NHT_tweets on if you agree or disagree.  Alternatively, use Facebook, LinkedIn, or even email to continue the conversation.