[Podcasts] Split out podcasts into separate app

[pwilczynski]

There have been many posts about improving the UI for podcasts within the Spotify app. But the more reasonable architectural decision seems to be to use a separate app for podcasts / audiobooks. Trying to cram too much into the spotify music app is confusing; it bloats the experience and distracts the user.

As an episodic medium with repeat consumption and curation, podcasts are just very different than traditional music. In particular, once I've decided to listen to a podcast, the likelihood of me wanting to listen to music is extremely low - podcast-specific search, prioritization and discovery is much worse when mixed up with musical content. 

[demonspeed]

Totally agree! Spotify should be about music and music alone. I have absolutely no need for podcast from whomever, especially from some numbnut like Rogan 🤢.

[MostBoringUserName]

I have always been annoyed by podcasts on my Spotify, and I am extremely irritated by having Rogan promoted to me. He is 100% complete trash and I do NOT want to see anything he produces. Either get podcasts off completely on another platform, or give me the ability to dislike and remove sources (you call them artists but he definitely is not anything close)

[user-removed]

I don't think that moving disinformation to another Spotify-owned platform is the answer. If Spotify can't be ethical enough to remove Joe Rogan from Spotify entirely, then those of us who care about truth should cancel our accounts. I'm posting this boycott plea today and will give Spotify one week to take action. Who's with me? Let's make February mass account-cancellation day if Joe Rogan's podcast continues to be supported by Spotify!

[Hawks33]

Completely agree, both for the reason stated above and because switching between podcasts and music is a huge hassle since currently the platform doesn’t remember your spot in an album or playlist. 

[b_4a-lvd1ffyd]

• I wholeheartedly agree. Spotify allowing great artist's with integrity to slip through their fingers, in favor of a podcaster who spreads misinformation & propaganda is a huge disservice to music lovers, who have zero interest in podcasts. Spotify's focus should be only on music, widening the selection in their library for long time subscribers.

[Bohdan]

Absolutely.  Spotify will not be a serious podcast destination for me until they are separated.  It convolutes my user experience and my music space is too important to me to let that happen.   

[Hoekkiepa]

Things like podcast don't belong in this MUSIC-app. I did not pay for this. My whole homescreen is screaming podcasts, I want them gone! If you take a look at how many people are complaining on and off the forum about this topic you would know there are many users not satisfied about this. I don't understand why you would continue to push this **bleep**. I get recommendations about things I will never listen, and in fact I will never ever listen to any podcast. Let the user decide to remove or hide this. START LISTENING TO YOUR CUSTOMERS. WE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING FOR YEARS NOW!

[rafaeelneto]

I completely agree with this idea and as suggestion I leave the link to some suggestions that would be incredible to have on Spotify. 

Just shut up, take my money and do a separated app for podcast, please

[danrspen]

I’ve been an avid podcast listener for years, and I’ve now stopped listening to a number of Gimlet podcasts even though I pay for Spotify. The move to exclusivity for podcasts on Spotify has done nothing but aggravate me, damage my view of the Spotify brand and decreased the amount of podcasts I listen to. 

Please either allow other podcasting apps a method to authenticate with Spotify and provide a better experience, or build one yourself. 

[Ajrin]

I have no issue with Spotify having exclusivity with Podcasters (like Joe Rogan, etc.,). But the hybrid model of a Music AND a Podcast app doesn't work fluidly as was expected by developers. It's lessening the experience of the whole music and podcast thing together. I personally have unsubscribed to non-exclusive podcasts from Spotify and use them in my podcast app (currently it's Pocketcasts and it works absolutely great). Spotify podcasts must be a separate app altogether (should be included in the Spotify subscription plan itself) or there should be a switch in the current app to make it work like a music-only or podcast-only app whenever the user desires. That demarcation will bring more podcast listeners to the platform since the features of a podcast-centric app are way different from a music app.