Spotify responds to backlash over public podcast play counts

Spotify Revises Plans for Public Play Counts on Podcasts

In a recent announcement, Spotify revealed its intention to introduce public play counts for all podcasts in order to attract new fans. However, this decision was met with criticism from podcasters who argued that it could further elevate already popular shows while diminishing the visibility of smaller podcasts.

Following the backlash, Spotify has made adjustments to its initial plans. Moving forward, play counts will only be displayed for podcasts with a minimum of 50,000 plays. Additionally, instead of showing exact numbers, play count designations will only be updated at specific milestones such as 100,000 or 1 million plays.

In a blog post, Spotify stated, “We plan to roll this newly evolved version of play counts over the coming week. This update reflects our evolving efforts to provide the best insights for creators and a clear experience for their fans.”

Historically, podcast hosting platforms have not widely shared public indicators of a show’s popularity. Unlike platforms like Apple Podcasts, which have reviews and charts, determining the audience size of a podcast has been challenging for listeners. This lack of transparency has been a distinguishing feature of the podcasting medium, attracting creators seeking a level playing field.

One point of contention among podcasters is the inconsistency in defining a “play” or “stream” across different platforms. The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has been instrumental in establishing standards for these metrics, facilitating agreements between podcasters and advertisers. However, there are discrepancies between platforms such as Spotify and YouTube in defining what constitutes a play.

Spotify clarified that play counts will reflect the number of times “people actively tried” the content, distinguishing it from streams and downloads which only register after 60 seconds of engagement.