Ah yes, why won’t the Sussexes break their Spotify contract over Joe Rogan?

Joe Rogan has a huge contract with Spotify. His contract in 2020 was for $100 million because of his loyal and devoted following of millions. Rogan is huge hit with an in-demand demographic: guys from the age of 18 to 40, and men with (how do I say it?) not a lot of education? Guys who are dumb enough to buy whatever Rogan is selling. Rogan is the Axe-body-spray-covered jewel in Spotify’s crown, at least he is at the moment. Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are still working on putting out at least one regular podcast for their Spotify contract. But what if… Meghan and Harry could be dragged into Joe Rogan’s mess? Voila!!

Prince Harry is under pressure to end his £18million Spotify deal after the streaming giant was accused of promoting anti-vaxxer content. Harry, 37, is set to release podcasts on the same platform as Covid jab sceptic Joe Rogan.

Yet just four months ago the Duke of Sussex hit out at news and social media outlets for “peddling lies” about vaccines. He claimed the only way to “overcome” Covid-19 was to “break the system” of misinformation. The Joe Rogan Experience is Spotify’s most listened to podcast — but the American has suggested young people don’t need the Covid vaccine.

Last night a source said of Harry: “Refusing to cut ties with Spotify after they’ve aired anti-vaxxer material is incredibly two-faced. If he was that principled, and meant what he said, he’d cut ties, even if at a personal financial cost.”

[From The Sun]

Don’t you understand? Harry and Meghan are not only responsible for all of Netflix’s programming, they’re also responsible for all of Spotify’s programming!? It’s worth noting that while Neil Young is trying to make a stand with Spotify, none of Spotify’s podding talents are making any moves. Even Barack Obama is still with Spotify. Don’t get me wrong, I think Joe Rogan is a dangerous clown who needs to be deplatformed. But I also think that’s “on” Spotify and not Spotify’s podcasters.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

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75 Responses to “Ah yes, why won’t the Sussexes break their Spotify contract over Joe Rogan?”

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  1. girl_ninja says:

    I was waiting for the Rogan angle and quite honestly am surprised it took the Racist Royal “Media” this long to pull this out of their a**es. Losers.

    • Andrew's Nemesis says:

      Quel surprise. The RRs find yet another stick to beat M&H with.
      I mean, let’s not forget that the most academically stunted and arrogant man in the world now wants a jury trial against Virginia Giuffre. Let’s not forget that Her Maj has been paying his bills, and was only recently shoved away from the royal money raft because the affect on the Firm’s treasury might be too much for them to swallow. Let’s not forget the endless abuse of due process, human rights, and governments that the Firm has been responsible for. Let’s go after two individuals who have probably never heard of, let alone encountered, another individual because they share a same platform. By the same token, why didn’t they go after Michelle Obama when she and Trump shared Twitter, right?
      Oh – that’s right. False equivalence.
      Again.

      • BothSidesNow says:

        I’snt this the same “heroic” stance that Baldingham took with the BBC in regards to CopyKeen and her Christmas concert? Wasn’t that something to see!!! Baldingham taking on the BBC to the point that they were quivering in their boots about losing access and privilege with working for CopyKeen, right!!! Oh yes, Baldingham showed BBC who has the power!! And ITV was so thrilled and excited to be working with CopyKeen and her Grand appearance on their program!!! CopyKeen truly brought the miracle of Christmas to the airwaves and the public!!!

        So bad for BBC. They must be kicking themselves!!

    • PaulaH says:

      Harry/Meghan are the MOST POWERFUL people on the plant yet he’s only 6 in line and no longer a royal…but sooooo much power!!

    • aftershocks says:

      @Kaiser said:
      “Joe Rogan is a dangerous clown who needs to be deplatformed. But I also think that’s ‘on’ Spotify and not Spotify’s podcasters.”

      Of course, @Kaiser. All these delusional rota clowns and racist royalists need to take their issues regarding The Crown to Netflix execs, and their problems with Joe Rogan directly to Spotify execs!

      Meanwhile, they f’ing need to leave the ‘irrelevant’ Sussexes to their ‘irrelevant’ g’d’n business, in their $14 million Montecito haven with their ‘what would that look like’ gorgeous children; their dogs; their mucho numbers of bathrooms; their sauna; their wine room; their lovely teahouse on a pond; and their well-used bench underneath restful, sheltering trees!

      GTFOH rota ratchets!

  2. Bex says:

    The goalposts just keep moving. I wonder what the next angle will be if/when Spotify removes Rogan and cancel his podcast instead.

  3. OriginalLaLa says:

    it’s not on the Sussexes to fix this however, if a few high-profile Spotify podcasters/musicians pulled out over Spotify’s support of Rogan I suspect Spotify may change their mind – you can’t count on businesses to do the right thing, they need to feel (ie: lose money) to make changes

    • pottymouth pup says:

      my guess is there’s a big difference between the contracts allowing Spotify to license music from a catalogue and the contracts for developing content for Spotify. H&M’s contract is to develop content for Spotify, it’s not just Spotify licensing content previously created and available elsewhere

  4. MsIam says:

    Wait weren’t the BM just complaining about why haven’t they put out a podcast? Now they should cancel the contract? I think the Sussexes should stay on Spotify and come for Joe Rogan every chance they get, at least about Covid and vaccines. The Sun is in charge of exactly nobody and they need to worry about paying Prince Harry for his lawsuit.

    • swirlmamad says:

      Yup. Harry and Meghan can use THEIR voice on the same platform to help counteract Rogan’s BS. Agree 100% that it’s simply not on them to hit back at someone that is frankly Spotify’s problem. It’s admirable what Young is trying to do, but it’s also not causing Spotify to ditch Rogan, either.

    • Nyro says:

      Joe Rogan is not their responsibility. If Neil Young wants to get his music pulled because of Rogan, that’s Neil Young’s business. Harry and Meghan shouldn’t waste a second of their time talking about that man.

  5. souperkay says:

    Another thing to consider is that the other podcasters on Spotify have contracts that may cost them and not Spotify if they wanted to leave the platform because of JR and his ilk. Neil Young is in a different position than podcasters with an exclusivity contract with Spotify. A union of musicians, a group that Spotify cannot afford to loose would be a better approach to deplatforming JR than trying to get the podcasters to jump ship, the contracts are different.

    The correct thing to do is for Spotify to cut JR loose, pay him to go away but corporations never do the right, just, thing.

    • lucy2 says:

      That’s what I was thinking too – it’s a lot easier to pull one’s music than to break a contract.
      That said, I wouldn’t mind seeing more and more people following Young’s lead, or putting some pressure on Spotify. I don’t know if it’ll do any good though.

  6. Amy Bee says:

    LOL.

    “Prince Harry is under pressure to end his £18million Spotify deal after the streaming giant was accused of promoting anti-vaxxer content.” From whom? The Sun? LOL.

    I’m guessing the source who spoke to the Sun about this is one of the other royal reporters. I have some ideas of who that might be. LOL. This is funny. Yesterday, they were reporting that Harry and Meghan had failed Spotify by not producing content now they want them to drop out of the deal. LOL.

    • Layla says:

      @amy bee the British “MeDia” is more desperate than Roman Roy at the end of Succession S3! Beg Beg b*tch b*tch! (Ref: Jordybuzz Cinderella parody)

    • Eurydice says:

      I know, it’s hilarious, isn’t it? And the “source” might not even be someone so high up as a reporter. I can imagine them asking the cleaning lady – “Agnes, what about this Spotify thing?” “Oh, I hate spots, they should get rid of them.”

  7. milliemollie says:

    I had no clue that the Sussexes get to decide who gets a deal with Spotify and who doesn’t…

    Ugh, this is so ridiculous. They have nothing to do with him. They’re def not listening to him and they will never ever work with him.

  8. SourcesclosetoKate says:

    Why don’t the queen move to another planet than Joe Rogan. See The Sun two can play this game.

    • Chaine says:

      IDK about moving, but she is 95 so she is going to leave Joe Rogan’s planet sooner rather than later

    • Debbie says:

      All I can say is it’s a good thing that the British media doesn’t spend their day thinking about Prince Harry or Meghan or what’s going on in America. I mean, the BM’s desperation to bring H & M into everything and every negative story is hilarious. And even though I know there are many royal scandals percolating in England right now, as well as other political issues, it just makes their country seem boring and backward that keep their focus on the U.S. It’s pathetic.

  9. Woke says:

    Lol I love Harry and Meghan but even if they wanted to do it they don’t even have the clout to make Spotify do something and they’ll be liable since I don’t think they’ve been that profitable to Spotify yet. Also the tabloids areon the quest of sabotaging their business and means of living starting with their foundation and business deals.

    • lanne says:

      yep. This is just about trying to sabotage their business deals. It’s really gross, how personal these ratchets are taking the Sussexes exit. The RF is really a cult trying to lure Harry back alone, without his family. If they hate the Sussexes enough to make them leave, why can’t they be happy with the Sussexes being gone? It’s been 2 years now, right? Why is it so important that they be destroyed and penniless?

      • Dee (2) says:

        That’s all this is about, they want to limit their ability to earn money. People that are financially independent, are more difficult to control. It’s such classic abuser behavior that’s it’s shocking more organizations don’t call it out. The treatment towards Meghan and Harry by the BM, and BRF is a plethora of case studies waiting to happen.

      • Cessily says:

        @dee I have lived it and couldn’t agree more. I wasn’t even allowed a banking account when I was married. Financial abuse can be devastating and I believe they are trying to ruin them into submission.

      • Debbie says:

        The fact that the BM is still harping on Harry’s deal w/ Spotify after all these years indicates just how aggrieved they still are about the agreement, even though it has NOTHING to do with the BM. They pretend to know the monetary amount of the deal even though they don’t. Also, this “reporter” writes that there is “pressure” on Harry but declines to state where this “pressure” is coming from (and if it’s anywhere outside of the U.S., it means nothing). I also noted the ending where it says that Harry should walk away from his Spotify agreement even if that move came with a financial cost to himself – that’s pretty big of a stranger to decide that for him.

    • Couch potato says:

      Is anyone EVER going to address the rotas unhinged behaviour? It’s not just towards the Sussexes, it’s against other people as well. It’s sickening how they bully people. It’s ended in suicide for one woman and suicidal thoughts for at least another. When will the british people, politicians and true news outlets speak up? When will true news outlets dig into the “contract” between the Windsors and the rota? When will they start to expose all the dirt the rota is hiding for the Windsors? How is it that not ONE reporter wants to do this stories? Are the prohibited by their editors after pressure from the Windsors, like in ABC’s case? This looks like mobster tactics from an outside perspective.

      • Gina says:

        Agree completely! I’m not a fan of conspiracy theories, but what is happening with British Press and Royal Family is highly suspicious. Such “unanimity” can’t coexist with free press.

      • Jais says:

        Sanctioned mob tactics without a doubt. If the BM truly exposed everything then it would be the end of the monarchy. No member of the RR wants that bc then they wouldn’t have a job. I mean I think they enjoy traveling on a plane and seeing Egypt with Charles and Camilla or wherever they are going. Nice gig if you can get it. It’s just not journalism so much as hagiography. It would have to be an outsider capable of being constantly shut down and threatened and still carrying on.

  10. Becks1 says:

    I feel like it would be a better use of their platform to counter his misinformation. Also, H&M aren’t responsible for every podcast on Spotify. And I doubt anyone beyond the RRs are pressuring H&M to cancel their contract with spotify.

  11. Couch potato says:

    There’s anti-vaxers, qAnons, Meghan haters and much more on Youtube. Have we heard any demands about the Cambridges quitting their Youtube channel? No, one rule for thee, but not for me!

  12. Wendy says:

    it would take the Taylor Swift’s and Beyonce’s of the world to amass enough stroke to get Spotify’s attention. It is business pure and simple – they can delete some of the content that they label ‘misinformation’ and pretend that they are upholding their own terms of service.

  13. Sunshine says:

    Love how the Sussexes just continues to ignore the British media. I agree with their approach. Ignore the noise.

  14. Cessily says:

    It is not up to them to fight every cause.. they work with Global Citizen to get people vaccinated that is more than anyone criticizing them has done. They do not wear capes, have telepathic superpowers or leap tall buildings. So slimey stupid talk shows are not up to them to police. This crap is pure media bullying. It is almost starting to feel like they are purposely trying to sabotage the Sussex’s corporations along with the continuing the smear campaign to sully personal and business reputations.
    They are building companies and have signed contracts. Others need to get a grip. YouTube is filled with hate and misinformation but the Cambridge’s have not removed their self promotion YouTube channel. Where is the outrage there?

  15. ABritGuest says:

    Joe rogan is a bigot & is spreading misinformation. I hope consumer power against Spotify forces him off their platform.

    The Sun writer works for a parent company that includes Fox News who have been spreading covid & anti vax misinformation. Just last week the Sun had an article suggesting an athlete had died because of getting the vaccine in order to compete. So they are ones to talk.

    The tabloids are desperate for Harry to be forced back to being a working royal. So funny

  16. Rapunzel says:

    The BM just can’t stand that the Sussexes aren’t broke, homeless, and begging to be in the BRF again. Repeat after me, RR: The Sussexes are movin’ on up.

  17. Snuffles says:

    I can respect Neil’s position and personal decision and not expect the Sussex’s to blow up their contract over the actions and reactions of others. They have a new life and young family to support and life saving security they need to pay for.

    As someone said above, Archewell Audio can provide an intelligent and helpful counterpoint on their future podcasts.

    As for why the rota go back and forth between demanding the back out of their contract and demanding the put out new material – it’s all about THEIR bottom line. Whatever gives them new material to generate content. They don’t care what form it comes in.

  18. Over it says:

    This is just another way of making Harry poor so he will come back to the Windsors and be their shield and workhorse in exchange for financial support from them . Well too bad.no one is asking hi to denounce randy as his uncle and that’s something he should definitely do

  19. Elizabeth says:

    Spotify made a decision to keep making money. Joe Rogan brings in listeners/revenue and that’s what the powers that be of Spotify want (they are a business, so I get it). The only way this would be the Sussex’s fault – or anyone else like the Obama’s fault for that matter – would be if they were on the board or making programming decisions/who to keep “on air.” This is just another far reaching example of racists doing what racists do and trying to drag the Sussexes through the mud.

  20. Pam says:

    The way I see it, many other platforms are letting the nut jobs peddle nonsense. Are people supposed to pull out of all those, too? Also, seeing as the Sussexes can’t get security coverage paid for (which can’t be cheap), I’m sure they need to keep the money coming in. I think it’s up to Spotify to toss people like Rogan OFF.

  21. Margaret says:

    I don’t see why the Sussexes need to involve themselves with Rogan, he has his audience, and they have theirs. No need for the Sussexes to be the Spotify police.
    I am not a fan of cancel culture. From either side. Sorry.

  22. Layla says:

    THEIR POWER!!! Just imagine… they’re responsible for the entirety of Netflix and Spotify content, and if that wasn’t enough, Meghan’s responsible for all the salty white tears and Harry’s responsible for all of Weeny Whiny’s incandescence!

  23. Songs (Or It Didn't Happen) says:

    Why won’t the royal family break with Prince Andrew over credible sexual assault allegations?

  24. superashes4 says:

    Eh, the paid like 100M to get his podcast, I can’t imagine they could just cut it without some serious blowback from the company itself. Also, isn’t one of the big criticisms from the British media of H&M that they are too political?? I see on the surface how it is low hanging fruit for someone wanting to criticize, but logically the point just doesn’t hold up based on all their other coverage of things like Meghan’s support of paid family leave, and so on and so forth.

  25. jferber says:

    Trying to deflect from the 13 million pound tab from 10 years of private royal flights? Not sure of the exact exchange rate now, but isn’t it something like $32 million U.S. dollars? THAT is insane. I think the royals should write a check (with other taxpayer money?) to reimburse the British government for their beyond extravagant, reckless misuse of the people’s money. THAT should be the U.K. story today, not Prince Harry’s podcast.

  26. J says:

    I do t care about what Rohan says so I don’t listen to him. I’m no conservative but this is BS to expect a platform to shut down a performer like that. It really gives fuel to all the cons saying libs want to censor everyone.

    And I don’t respect Neil young he’s a huge hypocrite. He makes public noise and revived accolades but how he treats people in private is a whole different story judging by how he treated his poor deceased ex wife

  27. Ennie says:

    Well, they do have a mortgage.they might be rich, but they have to work for it as they do not live off taxes.

  28. L4Frimaire says:

    I find this whole thing so tedious. Harry and Meghan don’t need to say anything about this. It sucks but it seems it was resolved by the interested parties.

  29. aquarius64 says:

    The BM is is getting boring now. The US media see it as a joke now. This is not on the American radar.

    • kirk says:

      @aquarius64 – “The BM is is getting boring now. The US media see it as a joke now.” That appears to be largely true, especially with credible newsrooms. However, have seen disturbing copy-paste H&M stories in San Jose Mercury News that are straight out of DM/Sun/etc. Most people go to Mercury for business rather than culture news, but still.

  30. Luna17 says:

    Clearly Harry and Meg are pro vaccine so I think it’s clear they don’t support Joe Rogan. Maybe they have spoken up to Spotify about it? I’m glad Neil Young took a stand and is pulling his music, that’s in brand for him. Hopefully more musicians and podcasters will follow suite.

  31. Izzy says:

    These same rat-faced weasel reporters would SCREAM about how Meghan and Harry are “too woke” if they walked from Spotify, so spare us. Please.

  32. Robert Phillips says:

    Does the Royal Rota want to go into the history of the Windsor Family. Look at all the wars and killing and infidelity and so on and so on. So why arent the rest of the Windsor clan trying to escape from all that horror.

  33. Mrs.Krabapple says:

    Rogan’s fan base reminds me of a quote from “Veep”:

    Selina: Kent, how are we doing with non-college-educated whites?
    Kent: Underwater, ma’am.
    Selina: Then how about college-educated whites?
    Kent: In South Carolina, that is not a significant slice of the pie.

  34. Concern Fae says:

    I’ve kinda been laughing about the whole Spotify situation. I’m thinking the “Spotify is asking H&M to get their podcasts started already” was probably true, because Spotify is apparently hurting in the podcast department. A whole bunch of people jumped into making podcasts, but the market isn’t growing overall. All the people who want to listen to podcasts are apparently already listening. Those people have limited time commuting, walking, and doing the dishes, so none of the deluge of new podcasts is making it onto the lists of top downloads. It’s a niche and staying a niche.

    Joe Rohan sucks. If H&M are realizing the podcast boom is over, maybe they’ll jump. But I’m guessing they are doing it because they have info they want to get out there, and are happy to take the money.

  35. JN says:

    My mistake, I thought they were getting paid to produce Podcast, but lucky them, just taking money because Spotify is not a business.
    Why would Spotify ask them for content? When the days of podcasts are numbered.

  36. Saucy&Sassy says:

    Interesting. H&M already stopped any kind of interaction with the tabloid BM because they spread disinformation. That’s epic in my opinion. I think someone else can go after Spotify.

  37. Philly says:

    Well, this did make me cancel my Spotify account. The fact that Spotify spends millions on people like Rogan and pays artists a pittance has always bugged me so this was the catalyst to cancel (plus I don’t want to contribute another cent to JR). I get that this was a business decision for Spotify since Rogan has a huge audience, but I never listen to podcasts so I’ve switched to a streaming service that focuses on music and pays the artists better.

  38. canichangemyname says:

    They’re obviously not responsible for other Spotify content but maybe they could just … DO a podcast? I mean, I go on podcasts for practically nothing at times. Sometimes for free. Obviously, I’m not as well-known as H & M but I am wondering how that hasn’t been a thing happening for that much money. I’m gonna get yelled at but seriously … is this podcast thing with them ever going to happen or what?

    • Agreatreckoning says:

      ORLY. What podcasts are you on so we can listen? I’m not being disingenuous. If you have something out there already, direct us to the listen. So, for a great number of years I was involved in an industry of building machinery. It involved a down payment with the order, a mid term payment during production, a payment prior to shipping and then the usual catch all of 10%net 30. The average time of a machine being built was 32-36 months. Years before Covid and shipment delays. Which doesn’t effect podcats but is how businesses work. Factor in a lawsuit, having a baby and I don’t know, things THEIR contract with Spotify are not publicly known.smh Granted, the Sussexes podcast haven’t happened as quickly as the Keenwell Research Centre of Closets. Could Harry & Meghan be working really hard behind the scenes of a contract announced a little more than a year ago than, you know, a project that was announced almost 4 years ago?

  39. Lala says:

    I don’t see the same request being made of Obama’s partnership with Spotify, nor the Spotify deal with Dax Shepard.

    • Christine says:

      Yeah, they will always scoop up what is on the bottom of any shoe, in reference to Harry and Meghan. Hiya, rr, we have Harry and Meghan, we like them, and, fingers crossed, we will keep them. Keep being bitter.

  40. Robin Samuels says:

    Here we go again. The Daily Mirror has a podcast on Spotify – God Save the Queen (I don’t listen) but will they be asked to cancel their Spotify deal? Whatever it is they emit, Harry and Meghan need to bottle it and put it on the market because the addiction to them amongst the Royal Reporters is real. It took a long time to remove Trump from social media. There are anti-vexers everywhere with a multitude of followers. Young gambled and lost. The moral of the story is, be care what you ask for.

  41. MaryS says:

    If Spotify had refused to give Joe Rogan a platform, the BM would say that Harry and Meghan should break their contract because Spotify is too “woke” and not open to varying opinions. The BM is like a pantomime villain in their effort to find some avenue, any avenue, for Harry and Meghan to fail at financial independence.

    Haters are gonna hate. That’s what they do.

  42. Your Mom says:

    Joe Rogan covers far more in depth topics with subject matter experts who are guests. You clearly don’t listen. Meanwhile you gossip about boring celebrities and feed your stupid purple haired readers junk, spit vitriol, and judge more than God himself while the world is on fire and begging for love and change. You need help. You are a moron.

  43. SUNNYVILE says:

    lol these fools think they’re creating a witch hunt when in reality they’re just confirming how powerful H&M are🤭they’re inadvertently hyping them as this power couple who have a say over what’s right/wrong

  44. A says:

    I would love it if Harry and Meghan could pack up their Spotify contract and refuse to produce any more podcast eps for them, and then take their business and product elsewhere. But, as with Meghan’s interview on Ellen, I’m not going to ding them for it if they choose not to. 1) Bc I do not feel the criticism made of them is in any way fair, and 2) I like them, so I am biased, and I’m not sorry for it.

    Neil Young took a principled stance and I applaud him for it. But he is one out of a sea of millions of artists whose work is still on Spotify. Unless and until the British tabloid media is willing to hold all of those artists’ feet to the fire with the same vigor and energy with which they call out Meghan and Harry, I’m simply going to assume that this criticism is not made in good faith at all.

    As for the royals–they have a channel on Youtube, and an official account on Twitter and Instagram. Youtube, as we all know, has been revealed as containing an entire hateful for-profit ecosystem that exists to set itself against Meghan. So by the logic in the tabloid article, I’m going to assume that the Royal Family support that hate, bc they have yet to close their channel on Youtube. This would be a fair assumption to make right. What’s good for the goose is good for the benefits scroungers, surely.