Substack shows are now on Spotify. The partnership allows Substack podcast creators to add Spotify distribution for their shows with just “a few clicks.” The move could boost the streamer's library after scaling back its exclusive podcast ambitions last year in favor of broader distribution, including a non-exclusive contract renewal with prominent vaccine aficionado Joe Rogan.
When listening on Spotify, you'll see a lock (or “Paid” label, where applicable) next to Substack podcasts. You'll need to link your Substack account before you can start listening.
Some Substack podcasts are free and you can listen to them immediately after linking accounts. For paid shows, you'll still need to pay for Substack ones before you can listen to them on Spotify. (The move is less about offering you freebies and more about expanding Substack's audience.) But you don't need Spotify Premium; You can listen to the same Substack content whether you have a free or paid Spotify plan.
Spotify says podcast creators retain full control of their content, subscriber bases and revenue. When setting it up, podcast creators must choose an option to sync with Spotify in their creator account settings. That will make all of your current and future programming instantly available on the streaming platform.
The partnership is based on Spotify's open access API, which publishers like Calm, The EconomistRadio Freakonomics, Patreon, NBC Dateline and The Wall Street Journal It is also used to access the music platform's listener base. It's easy to see the appeal for creators: Spotify reported 602 million monthly active users and 236 million premium subscribers by the end of 2023.
