Got an (audio) ad from Spotify despite premium

[GuyMontag53]

Plan

Premium

Country

Romania

Device

Desktop app

Operating System

Windows 10

I was listening to the Joe Rogan's podcast and got an (audio) ad mid-podcast for another podcast, called something like "Brandon &". It was not an embedded ad, it came from Spotify, it lasted 30 seconds. I am paying for premium - is Spotify now sneaking ads in even for premium users?

This has never happened before, and it happened after the revamped Spotify Desktop app got installed. I hope it's a fluke.

[Mihail · Accepted solution]

Hi @GuyMontag53,

While we don't play ads that interrupt the music listening experience of Premium subscribers, some podcasts may have advertising or sponsorship messages within the episodes. Spotify Premium offers an ad-free music listening experience, which should be noted on all resources available. Please do let us know if this isn't specified somewhere and we'll pass this on so it can be amended.

This is part of our efforts to help podcast creators earn more for their work and you can read more about it here. If you want to support your fellow podcaster, listening to their podcast on Spotify will help them out, even if it might be at the cost of a small interruption.

By the way, this is not part of the desktop app, it happens on mobile as well and is something that can be turned off or on by the podcast creators. It is actually possible that one doesn't here ads for quite some time, it all depends on the current ad campaigns and hot he specific podcasts is set up. We can confirm that the JRE does have advertisements embedded.

We hope you understand. Take care!

[Gunzton]

This is unacceptable! I pay for a premium subscription so that I don't have to listen to ads... but fifty one minutes into the Joe Rogan Podcast and I get greeted with a "Hello, I'm Rob Brydon. Sorry to interrupt your podcast enjoyment..." out of nowhere!

I thought it was an error on Spotify's side, but after browsing the forums and seeing replies like this kind of grinds my gears! I really don't care if it is a "small interruption", it's an interruption! I pay Spotify not to interrupt my music / podcasts with ads. It is that simple. I pay you, you pay the podcast creators.

I've unfollowed all followed podcasts since there is no point in listening to podcasts on my "Premium" subscription when there's "small" interruptions...

[jpaezsa]

YOU SELL ME - PREMIUM = NO ADS THAT'S WHAT I WANTED!… 

JOE ROGAN PODCAST ADS - NOT IN THE AUDIO, ARE A COMPLETE PAUSE TO PLACE IT 

I'M SO MAD ABOUT THIS!… ❌

[jpaezsa]

—"While we don't play ads that interrupt the music listening experience of Premium subscribers"

LISTEN - JOE ROGAN E.P. #1644 MIN 50:00 START A AD PLACE FOR YOU INTERRUPTING THE SHOW!…

[Zauxst]

What's the point of me even paying for a premium subscription to support creators when you allow them to enable embeded ads... 

[Admiral42]

Exactly... thats literally the point of why Im paying for premium... He should have really stayed on youtube...

[nords]

Very disappointing.
So do users that don't pay for premium get more ads?

[digitalmaster]

Yea, I've never heard an ad while listening to Joe's podcast. Ever! That's what makes it awesome. Please stop doing this for premium customers. It's incredibly disruptive. Feels disrespectful. I think it's what's most wrong with broadcast television. I think it's why HBO and, with this exception of this decision 🙈, Spotify, have always been awesome!  #goPremium #prettyPleaseFix ❤️

[JDO]

Completely unacceptable. People need to start cancelling. Get rid of the podcast ads for premium customers.

[AG47]

Premium price = Premium Service. In theory.

I have been a loyal subscriber of Spotify Premium since late 2016 (5+ years at time of writing) and I was happy to continue paying a premium to Spotify for the ability to enjoy an audio experience (this is not limited to just music) ad-free.

However, several podcasts that I listen to are regularly bombarded by ads. Words fail to describe how profoundly irritating it is to have a song or a podcast interrupted by some unnecessary ad trying to sell me a product that I neither need nor wish to purchase.

What is the point in paying a premium price for a service if those premium privileges are not upheld by the service provider?

Consequently, I will no longer listen to Podcasts on Spotify and will only use Apple Podcasts from now on. I look forward to returning to podcasts on Spotify but this current situation is completely unacceptable and very disappointing.

[hatespodcastads]

You should offer a premium tier for a PODCAST ad-free listening experience instead of force shoving them down our throats.

[ZeoKZ]

I seriously thought it was an issue with my mobile app. How can I be hearing ads if I have a family premium account? Finding these threads about it and Spotify’s reply it’s really a slap to the face. If content creators have sponsors on their content its one thing but this is Spotify interrupting and pausing a podcast to throw an ad in my face despite me having made the voice to have an ad-free subscription. Which Spotify clearly marketed to me as AD FREE!! I thought that maybe you would deserve the benefit of the doubt. Maybe this was a bad experiment or some idiotic decision made by your board members or upper management to increase revenue, but reading threads that are over a year and a half old makes me realize that you have thrown respect for the paid users out of the window in chase of some fast cash. As CTO and owner of a media company I can promise you that when you cross this line with your users they will turn away or against you. Please flag this upwards and revert this implementation asap. I love your platform, but I love my kids well being more. I choose to pay for family premium so they don’t need to listen to unnecessary ads. If having ads with premium is the new reality I’m afraid you will have lost a customer and 4 users.

[Jeremy]

Hi there folks,

Thank you for your replies and feedback.

As mentioned above - a part of the Premium subscription, all music can be enjoyed ad-free. And while Spotify doesn’t play ads that interrupt the music listening experience of Premium subscribers, some podcasts may include advertising, host-read endorsements, or sponsorship independently of the streaming platforms featuring such podcasts.

This doesn't mean that your feedback isn't heard and that this request couldn't be fulfilled by some other means in the future. On the contrary, this is being monitored and we invite everyone to share their opinion in a constructive manner.

We will then ensure to pass it on to the relevant teams.

Let us know if we can help you with anything else.

Take care!

[jpaezsa]

@Jeremy I don't like your reply, in fact I need a DISLIKE for your answer!

Poor service Spotify provides including advertising in premium accounts!

Who close this issue, this are not resolve, go to JOE ROGAN E.P. #1644 min 50:00 still ads on it!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0SDj3JUVnPsUtZDAv3A7w6?si=c8d09642b8434640

[reggevinci]

Hey, just came by here to let you know @Jeremy that I also don't like this change.

If there's any way to leave more official feedback about this feature please let us know. I'd prefer to know how much more I would need to pay to get rid of these ads, then I would feel at least that I have a choice.

As an UI/UX designer I might recommend checking out less intrusive approach - such as recommending other podcasts in the UI, especially after finishing listening of the podcast.

[lllSDKlll]

All ads should be removed with a Premium Plan! 

[AKilz]

What I find to be the most annoying is that Gimlet media is now part of Spotify and that I get ads when I listen to a Podcast that Spotify owns. The ad also not only interrupts the play but it doesn't let me fast forward the ad unless I'm in Spotify. However, if I try and open up the ap while the ad is playing it kicks me out of the episode and starts from the beginning. It's a complete joke. 

[wowwwitserin]

I have nothing against embedded ads. What I have a problem is Spotify double dipping on ads. I was informed today by customer service that they DO play their own Spotify ads sometimes on top of embedded ads. That’s ridiculous double dipping on ads on top of a premium subscription especially on Spotify owned shows. They LOVE to throw around “NO MUSIC ADS” but seriously if you’re investing so much on being a podcast competitive app, why are you still playing your own Spotify ads on premium accounts? Makes me reconsider my subscription to be honest. 

[vinisantos]

It's quite simple... I pay for premium and I don't want ads. It's really not hard to understand.

I've been literally paying you for YEARS so I don't hear ANY ads.

It's OUTRAGEOUS to have your podcast interrupted mid-sentence.

I was putting my son to sleep and I couldn't get to my phone that, to my surprise and disgust simply started playing ads on me. It made me furious.

I second most answers to this topic other than the ones about "knowing how much I could pay for an ad-free listening experience" or a "premium podcast tier"...NO! I already pay you for that!!!!

It does make one seriously rethink their subscription. And if I keep getting ads I will!!!

There's no "constructive feedback", this is a breach of my confidence plain and simple.

And STOP with the misleading and patronizing replies, they just "ad" salt to injury!!! (It's really NOT funny!)

Edit: A couple months after my post I decided enough is enough and have actually went ahead and cancelled my subscription.

Although I still hear the same ads, at least now I no longer have to pay for them! 🙂