Spotify has erased dozens of Joe Rogan’s podcasts as part of a contract worth $100 million. The company has yet to explain the deletions or why the shows were selected to no longer be on its platform.
Digital Music News reported Tuesday that a total of 42 out of 1,631 shows were taken off the streaming site. The Daily Caller has confirmed the Joe Rogan’s shows are no longer on the music site.
In May 2020, Rogan announced he had agreed to a $100 million exclusive deal with the streaming site, the Blaze noted. (RELATED: Kanye West Discusses Presidential Run, His Future In Politics And Other Topics In Joe Rogan Interview)
Spotify is quietly removing more of Joe Rogan’s podcasts after some employees reportedly threatened to strike https://t.co/vEg4QFetXd
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) April 8, 2021
The outlet noted, that some of the deleted shows include his podcasts with people like Alex Jones, Milo Yiannopolous, Gavin McInnes, Owen Benjamin, Eddie Bravo and others. (RELATED: People Want To See Joe Rogan Moderate A Presidential Debate)
Rogan responded to the deleted episodes and said it was all part of his deal with the company.
“There were a few episodes they didn’t want on their platform, and I was like ‘Okay, I don’t care,'” Rogan explained on his show in March, adding that many of the objections were over his shows with Jones, who had been on the podcast several times.
“They don’t give a f*** man,” he added. “They haven’t given me a hard time at all.”
Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz tweeted about the deleted podcasts, noting that it was an example of “Big Tech” continuing “to quietly erase whatever Big Brother doesn’t like.”
“It disappears into the ether,” he added. “What could possibly go wrong?”
Big Tech continues to quietly erase whatever Big Brother doesn’t like.
It disappears into the ether. What could possibly go wrong? https://t.co/79LqDPNhzW
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) April 8, 2021
In September, reports surfaced some Spotify employees had reportedly threatened to strike against the company over statements made by Rogan and his guests on the show.
DMN noted the list of deleted episodes can be seen here. It doesn’t include two new ones which the outlet found, Episode #411 with Bulletproof Coffee founder Dave Asprey, and Episode #149 featuring Little Esther, Al Madrigal, Josh McDermitt, Brendon Walsh, Felicia Michaels, and Brian Redban.