Spotify Discontinues Podcast Feature For Licensed Music Integration

Spotify, the prominent music streaming service, has disclosed plans to discontinue several features on its platform by June, including web and mobile recording functionalities, along with 'Music + Talk' – an experimental feature enabling podcasters to incorporate fully licensed music tracks in their podcast episodes. This decision coincides with Spotify's announcement of an expanded partnership with Riverside, integrating the renowned podcast creation service's tools into its platform for podcasters.

In a blog post, Spotify stated, "As part of that shift, we are discontinuing our web and mobile native creation tools, including recording and editing tools as well as our ‘Music + Talk’ format, beginning this June." Introduced in 2020, the 'Music + Talk' feature allowed creators to seamlessly insert licensed, full-length tracks into their episodes hosted on Spotify.

However, according to Spotify spokesperson Jordan Smith, 'Music + Talk' failed to gain significant traction beyond the music podcasting niche, as reported by The Verge. Smith commented, "‘Music + Talk’ was a format we had high hopes for, but after three years of investment, it has not gained meaningful traction with listeners, and remains non-monetizable for creators."

Smith further stated, "We believe we’ll make the most impact for creators by continuing to focus on tangible ways they can find and grow an audience and build a sustainable living. While we are always exploring unique formats and solutions for podcasters, we have nothing to share at this time."

Meanwhile, Spotify disclosed a four percent increase in its premium subscribers, reaching 236 million, in the last quarter. The company also reported a 23 percent year-on-year growth in monthly active users, totaling 602 million, which surpassed expectations by one million, according to its Q4 2023 figures.