This week, some podcasters expressed concerns about Spotify’s new feature, the “Plays” metric, which publicly displays the number of plays each podcast episode receives. Announced on Tuesday, Spotify described this feature as an “invaluable source of insight” for creators looking to optimize their content. However, podcasters, especially those with smaller audiences, fear it could deter listeners. Adrienne Cruz, a podcast manager, likened it to a “popularity contest,” undermining the original spirit of podcasting that nurtured small creators.
Since its rise to popularity with shows like “Serial,” podcasting has allowed niche voices to flourish. Critics argue that the new metric could discourage experimentation and foster unhealthy comparisons among creators. Some podcasters echoed similar sentiments on social media, highlighting that public metrics might hinder their growth rather than support it.
Conversely, some content creators welcomed the feature for the data it provides, with Dr. Mikhail Varshavski, host of “The Checkup with Doctor Mike,” describing it as “AWESOME” for understanding episode performance. Nonetheless, many called for the option to opt out of public metrics, fearing that the play counts reflect only Spotify listens, potentially misleading brands and audiences.
Concerns were voiced by hosts like Cody Dueitt, who has worked hard to build a following, and Janny Perez, who noted that brands might overlook her reach across different platforms based on play counts. Spotify noted that plays would be displayed rounded to the nearest thousand and that episodes with fewer than 1,000 plays would show a label of “<1K." The rollout includes a new label for the first 24 hours post-publishing, before switching to the play count. Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.
