Spotify struck a licensing deal with Joe Rogan in 2014 for a reported $100 million, but a new report claims the deal is worth twice that amount.
The New York Times reports that "two people familiar" with the deal said it would be worth at least $200 million over three-and-a-half years, with possible future payments. According to another anonymous source who previously worked for Spotify, the agreement is worth over $200 million.
It's true that Spotify paid more for Gimlet Media and The Ringer, two podcasting companies it acquired for a little under $200 million each.
Rogan said he felt awkward discussing the dollar amount during a conversation with the New York Times in May 2020, after reaching an agreement with Spotify to make The Joe Rogan Experience exclusive to the platform.
Rogan said, "It feels gross.". “Especially right now, when people can’t work.”
The announcement follows controversy surrounding Rogan's past use of the N-word. A podcast host apologized publicly for using the N-word on Instagram earlier this month after saying it was the "most regretful and shameful thing I've ever had to say.".
“There’s a video that’s out that’s a compilation of me saying the N-word,” Rogan said at the time. “It’s a video that’s made of clips taken out of context of me of 12 years of conversations on my podcast, and it’s all smushed together. And it looks fucking horrible, even to me.”
Rogan continued, “I know that to most people, there is no context where a white person is ever allowed to say that word, nevermind publicly on a podcast, and I agree with that now. I haven’t said it in years. Instead of saying ‘the N-word,’ I would just say the word. I thought as long as it was in context, people would understand what I was doing.”
Moreover, the podcast host has been criticized for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Young lashed out at Spotify in January for "spreading fake information about vaccines" and asked for his music to be removed from the platform. “I am doing this because Spotify is spreading fake information about vaccines – potentially causing death to those who believe the disinformation being spread by them,” the musician wrote.