Obamas Drop The Spotify Mic!

Former US first couple Barack & Michelle Obama are not renewing their contract wit Swedish streaming giants Spotify.

The Obamas are searching for a new home for their podcasts after Spotify reportedly declined to offer Higher Ground a new contract because the couple didn’t make enough personal appearances on the streaming service.

Barack and Michelle Obama are reportedly in talks with several companies, including Amazon’s Audible and iHeartMedia, on a deal that will likely be worth tens of millions of dollars. 

One of the sticking points in negotiations with Spotify was the Swedish company’s insistence on an exclusive licensing deal. The streaming service want the Obamas to make more frequent appearances themselves in order to generate more buzz for their company’s content, but the former first couple is reportedly willing to commit to no more than an eight-episode program.

Higher Ground, their company was paid a reported $25 million after signing with Spotify in 2019 & this included Michelle Obama’s podcast, another podcast hosted by Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen and other ‘new talent’ podcasts where the Obamas took a back seat and gave a platform to emerging voices. 

Spotify has invested around $1 billion on A-list, marquee names including Joe Rogan, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and Kim Kardashian.