How do I browse English podcasts when my country is the Netherlands?

[Djaro]

I live in the Netherlands. However, I prefer listening to English music and podcasts. When I try to find podcasts the explore page shows mostly Dutch podcasts. Is there a way to browse the English podcast?

[Djaro]

Hey there folks, 

Thanks for sharing your feedback in the thread. 

It's currently not possible to browse podcasts by language on Spotify. However, we recommend having a look at this Live Idea suggesting the implementation of an option allowing users to filter podcasts by language. 

You can support this idea by adding your +VOTE and clicking on Subscribe in the three-dots menu at the top right corner next to the title. That'll make sure you stay up-to-date with any relevant updates about this. It’s also worth knowing that the higher the number of votes an idea gets, the more likely it is for the idea to be implemented. 

We always take new ideas and feedback into consideration to improve the app. Here you can read more on how ideas work.

Hope this helps. Let us know if you have any questions. 

[Ivan]

Hey there @Djaro, 

Thanks for reaching out to the Community about this. 
 

The suggestions you get are influenced by your taste and location. If you search for some English podcasts and find ones you like, you can click on Follow in order to save them in your Library. This way you let Spotify get to know your taste and recommend you further Podcasts based on your listening habits and the preferred language. 

We also suggest you check this help page to find more tips on how to perform advanced search on Spotify. 

Hope this helps. Let us know if you have any more questions.

[purplepeon]

This isn't helpful. I'm an immigrant. My native tongue is English. I don't always have the mental space to listen to podcasts in the local language and I'm not always skilled enough to understand. 

Your solution means I have to somehow find English podcasts, follow them, and hope your algorithm starts suggesting. I'd like to search podcasts in the language of my choosing instead so I can discover things. If I have to find English on my own, I probably won't use Spotify to listen as I'll already be using something else to find them. 

[Mihail]

Hey @purplepeon,

Thanks for getting back to us.

Currently there isn't a feature to search for podcasts in specific languages. We recommend that you post an idea about it on our Exchange. You can learn how to do this here. 

The Idea Exchange is a great way for us to see what our users are interested in and how many people like a certain idea. You can read more about it here.

Hope this helps. Keep us posted if you have any questions.

[Widowil]

I'm Dutch and I'm wondering the same thing. Why can't I select the language of the podcasts? The suggested solution is rediculous. Why take away the freedom and user experience of individuals in favour of training your AI? This is a basic feature. Please implement it asap. 

[Ivan]

Hey there folks, 

Thanks for sharing your feedback in the thread. 

It's currently not possible to browse podcasts by language on Spotify. However, we recommend having a look at this Live Idea suggesting the implementation of an option allowing users to filter podcasts by language. 

You can support this idea by adding your +VOTE and clicking on Subscribe in the three-dots menu at the top right corner next to the title. That'll make sure you stay up-to-date with any relevant updates about this. It’s also worth knowing that the higher the number of votes an idea gets, the more likely it is for the idea to be implemented. 

We always take new ideas and feedback into consideration to improve the app. Here you can read more on how ideas work.

Hope this helps. Let us know if you have any questions. 

[Widowil]

Thanks for the reply Ivan, but...an upvote system for such a basic feature?
How representative do you think this upvote system is anyway?

Cheers,

Wido.

[Jeremy]

Hey @Widowil,

Thank you for your post.

We always take in your feedback and have people looking into the ideas that's being summitted.

If you have any questions we're always one reply away.

Take care!

[masumb]

Dear Moderators,
This truly basic (and essential) feature seems to have been first suggested in 2017.

In 2020 (March) Spotify decided that "this isn't something we [Spotify] have any immediate plans to implement"... status remains unchanged to this day!
Source: this

The only English podcast you seem to be pushing in non-English lists is the "Joe Rogan Experience". I suppose that is because you purchased if for ~$100 million and now want some ROI.

I am truly saddend that you feel this feature is not worth your time or attention. Searching based on language does not only help expats in foreign countries, but also people that want to learn a new language.

The only way I know to look for an English podcast on Spotify is by using an external search engine (such as Google), following the links, or specifically searching for the name of the podcast. 

Kinda ridiculous (and sad), no?

Anyway, wishing anyone who reads this a wonderful day!
Maz

[d3_neux]

This sucks!!!

I mostly hear things in english(there's more and better stuff) but I live in south America. So, it really pisses me off to find the top charts view only filled with podcasts in Spanish. Every damn category has only podcasts in Spanish, I don't give a f... About those podcasts, I'd like to see the most geared worldwide, not in my region.

Idk why Spotify UX is not something important for you, you never listen to your users and the only answer most of the times is that you don't plan to implement a solution...

The top Podcast in my region is about horoscope, this region is cursed with ignorance.  I'm local by way

[Mexhigh]

Good job at rioting, Spotify users! I am 100% with you - it is egregious that Spotify refuses to add a filter of any kind to their Podcasts. And to think they are pushing for their Podcast subscription (face slap emoji).  I have turned to Apple Music a few months ago because of the many many tiny issues with Spotify that pile up. Every time I feel bad for leaving the “underdog” of Spotify Premium for the behemoth of Apple, I read these threads, I see the ridiculous replies from “Moderators” and I feel great again. 
Spotify, you are on a downward spiral. It is not Apple’s fault for forcing you to ask your subscribers to pay for your services outside of the app. You have been making your bed for many years. People had been frustrated for a long time. When Apple came, they jumped ship without much afterthought and they continue to do so. Please wake up. 

[AtLeastTwoCharacters]

I mean, there are 1400 upvotes on this "Live Idea" from 2017.

These are 1400 people frustrated enough not only to go search for the solution, but to find this specific "Live Idea", log into this "community site", and upvote it. And also write 5 pages of bitter comments.

I honestly don't know and can't know what the specific problem is - I'd assume you probably don't have the resources to markup and annotate podcasts with specific languages. Because on the development side this whole thing seems kinda trivial.

But still. Four years, man.

[CuteCarpet]

This is a TOTAL madness. Agree with everyone above me. And how many will come after me?🤔

This seem to be so easy thing to implement, I just want to see international podcasts. It's like Spotify locks us up in some cultural bubbles.

[Senilkaj]

Hello People! I am with you! Same here - there are DOZENS of Immigrants in all countries that communicate with locals great in English. As for me, My native language is Russian, I come from Ukraine, living in Czech Republic, learned German, would like to listen to German podcasts. Talking o locals and getting paid for my English and German. The World is getting bigger and we all travel a lot. And being the Man of the World is not a miracle.
Please find the solution to provide better service.

[MP39]

In a world  that is seeking to get more interconnected by the day, Spotify chooses for an algorithm promoting cultural isolationism.

English is the leading language in the academic world. I want to listen to educational content to enrich myself. So I want to have access to English podcasts, as - I repeat - it is the leading language, and thus provides most options for people seeking high-quality information. Why can I not have easy access and recommendations to these podcasts, whereas people from English-speaking countries can? Very exclusionary practices, I will say. I was planning on getting a premium plan, but now that I know this I will not be paying for anything and will look for my content elsewhere, simply because for me Spotify does not provide value enough worth paying for. Whoever is responsible for this, has made a poor decision for the company indeed.

[HaakenAndor]

I am facing the same issue,even though I already set my region to the US and used a VPN

[Rinaa]

They really aren't. I listen ONLY to English podcasts and all I get are Hebrew suggestions. Doesn't seem to be any influence at all.

[dannyzee4]

Laughable this still hasn't been implemented. Not only do you have to try to guess what podcasts in other languages could be called to find them, since you can't browse by language, but of course searching for things in Portuguese turns up Spanish stuff half the time. Every other podcast platform has this filter implemented, which is why I've used them 10x more than I've used Spotify.

[tuinkaboutertje]

The workaround I use is the following, I use a VPN to pretend I'm in the US, browse to the spotify website, make sure I'm not logged in, search for podcasts I might like and click "Open in desktop app".

Not very customer friendly.

[dawnie23]

It's very disappointing that this still has not been implemented - surely a huge company like Spotify cares about making its content accessible? I have moved to a country that is not my mother tongue and cannot find English speaking podcasts! (and my favourite podcasts have also disappeared from my podcasts tab. You need to be doing better than that, or I'm off to Apple or Amazon!