CNN Comes Clean, Admits Spotify Actually Gained Subscribers After Joe Rogan Controversy

Unlike “woke” Netflix, music subscription service Spotify has gained subscribers, even after a controversy involving their main attraction Joe Rogan.

CNN was forced to admit it in an article where they lamented that “Spotify’s paying customers apparently couldn’t care less.”

According to the first-quarter earnings report that was released today, Spotify saw its paid memberships increase, and the platform now has 182 million premium subscribers, which is up from 180 million in the previous quarter and 15% higher year over year.

“So although Rogan may have caused a massive PR headache for the company, Spotify didn’t experience a mass exodus because of him — at least not from those who pay for the service,” CNN admitted.

On his show Friday, Rogan spoke with British pundit commentator Douglas Murray, who told him, “You have been put through the wringer since we last met. They did a number on you. Wow.”

Rogan responded, “It’s interesting, my subscriptions went up massively, that’s what’s crazy. During the height of it all, I gained 2 million subscribers.”

Spotify was also among the many companies that pulled out of Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, which led to the loss of some subscriptions.

The company mentioned that in a statement that said, “Excluding the impact of our exit from Russia, subscriber growth exceeded expectations.”

Shares of Spotify dipped today again, however, as it has been a tough earnings season for tech stocks in general.

The company was also projected to finish with 183 million subscribers but said that exiting Russia cost them 1.5 million.