Spotify just announced a new integration with Substack, which will allow Substack creators to distribute free and paywalled podcast episodes on the platform. For listeners, this means they can link their Substack and Spotify accounts. Last year, Spotify made a similar move with Patreon.
Both video and audio-only formats are supported in the more discrete player that can be resized from small to very small to best suit your desired desktop layout. Spotify says it’s only available for Premium subscribers right now. You’ll see the miniplayer toggle at the bottom right of the desktop player when available.
Update March 14th, 4:20PM ET: We just saw this server-side change go live in our app.
Pitchfork exploded as the music industry changed, then was cut down to size by another wave of technological change. Was that it?
I’ll be telling my grandchildren this was Napster.
The artist pulled his catalog in early 2022 over its then-exclusive Joe Rogan deal, which Young said had resulted in Spotify spreading vaccine misinformation. Now, with the exclusivity deal over, Rogan’s podcast is also available on Apple and Amazon, and Young can’t keep his music off all of them.
He’s still not happy about Spotify’s lack of high-res audio quality, though.
[Neil Young Archives]
The company put out a new statement today criticizing Spotify’s complaint to the EU about restrictions on its iOS app:
Fundamentally, their complaint is about trying to get limitless access to all of Apple’s tools without paying anything for the value Apple provides.
What kind of computing platform could possibly offer developers that kind of flexibility? Who would make such a thing?
Sharing music statistics online became a yearly tradition thanks to Spotify Wrapped. Now, Apple Music’s Replay feature is turning up the frequency with monthly breakdowns (after YouTube Music added seasonal updates in 2022) and will also note “milestones” for users, like the total number of minutes they spent listening to that one album. Users, of course, can share their music recaps online every month.
TechCrunch reports monthly Replay recaps will only be available to users “who listen to enough music.”
I missed its September launch, but Spotify can now auto-generate you a time-appropriate playlist based on your daily listening habits by searching for “Daylist.” Playlists even come with bizarre titles like “ska punch skateboarding tuesday morning.”
Another fun hidden Spotify feature? Search for a number + BPM to generate a playlist of songs at a specific speed. Handy if you’re trying to run with a specific cadence (aka steps-per-minute).
Spotify for Podcasters is changing, and according to some creators, not for the better.
An expanded partnership with Riverside will replace some of the platform’s native mobile and web creation tools, and it’s sunsetting Music + Talk, a feature introduced in 2020 that allows podcasters to plug licensed full-length tracks into episodes. Podcasters who focus on music, in particular, have a particular need for that capability and say their shows will be gutted by the change.
After over three years of Spotify exclusivity, Joe Rogan’s podcast is now available via other podcasting apps — including Apple Podcasts — and will return to YouTube “within weeks.” The change comes after Rogan renewed his deal with Spotify for a reported $250 million.
Despite its exclusivity, the Joe Rogan Experience has still managed to be the most popular podcast in the world.
