Image: Joe Rogan, Barack and Michelle Obama, YouTube Screenshots

Spotify Declines to Renew Podcast Contract with Obamas While Joe Rogan’s No. 1 Ranked Show Stays Put

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Barack and Michelle Obama will have to find a new platform for their podcasts after Spotify decided not to renew their contract.

The number one ranked podcast on the platform, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” is staying put however as Rogan continues to produce more episodes.

One Twitter user shared a video of the rankings and said, “Obama’s are leaving Spotify over Joe Rogan? They aren’t even in the top 300 on Spotify charts. Hubris.”

In 2020, Michelle Obama’s podcast was ranked #4, however.

While there was speculation in the past that the Obamas might be seeking a different platform due to the whole Rogan controversy, it doesn’t appear that factored into the situation.

The former first family’s production company, Higher Ground, has talked with multiple big networks, including Spotify, but the Swedish streaming giant declined to make an offer, according to Bloomberg.

Additionally, streaming services want the Obamas to make more frequent appearances themselves in order to generate more buzz for their company’s content.

The couple, however, are reportedly willing to commit to no more than an eight-episode program.

Twitter user “Seattle Indy” celebrated the news: “Just a reminder that despite all the boycotts, Joe Rogan remains on Spotify. But Obama is gone.”

David Caron
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