Which podcast did Spotify sign to an exclusive licensing deal announced in May 2020?

Spotify signed The Joe Rogan Experience to an exclusive licensing deal announced in May 2020. Spotify and host Joe Rogan announced the multiyear partnership on May 19, with the show scheduled to arrive on Spotify in September and become exclusive later that year.

The agreement was a major step in Spotify’s effort to expand beyond music into podcasts. The Joe Rogan Experience had launched in 2009 and was already one of the world’s most popular podcasts, known for long-form conversations with comedians, athletes, scientists, entertainers and public figures. Spotify acquired exclusive distribution rights rather than purchasing the show outright.

The announcement is sometimes confused with later Spotify podcast deals, including Call Her Daddy. That agreement came in 2021 and involved a different program. Another important detail is timing: the show debuted on Spotify on September 1, 2020, while full exclusivity followed later in the year.