One of the most-streamed podcasts on Spotify isn't a daily news update or a true crime saga. It's Fest & Flauschig, a current-events comedy show hosted by two German radio hosts-in German. The show came to Spotify in its current iteration in May 2016 and is now one of several German podcasts high on Spotify's global streaming charts.
On the heels of the release of Spotify Exclusive popular podcasts Herrengedeck and Gemischtes Hack, we sat down with Managing Director, Spotify Central Europe, Michael Krause, to get his thoughts on why German listeners connect with podcasting like no one else.
Earlier this year, we announced our audio-first strategy. Within your market, what would you say are the most exciting or interesting trends that you're seeing? Germany was a diverse audio market from the very beginning, with our users listening to both music and audiobooks. That began to pave the way for an audio strategy or an audio focus for us even before it was the global direction.
Now in Germany, there's a new original podcast episode being released every day. So there has been a lot of habit-forming, or ritualizing. People like to listen at a certain time or while doing a specific chore. Daily podcasts, like what Parcast is doing in the U.S. with Horoscope Today and Today in True Crime, could be very interesting here because podcast listening is such a part of the everyday routine.
We're also seeing really big talents moving into the medium. And it's not limited to people who can express themselves visually like streaming stars or TV hosts-it's also great for authors, for example, who now have a new channel for their creative output.
Finally, I'm excited to see popular podcasts from other markets, like Sandra, be adapted for our German audience. It demonstrates that we can leverage global synergies in the podcast space.
Over the summer you spoke at the Publisher Business Conference in Hamburg, focusing on Spotify as a marketplace for podcast creators. What advantages do you see that we can offer creators that other companies aren't able to? We always hear from podcast creators that all the data and insights we give them are very, very helpful. On many other platforms, they don't know how many streams they have, or at what point people stopped listening during the episodes. We have all the analytical tools for partners. Our creator team was very fast in making Spotify for Podcasters because we learned from Spotify for Artists.
Unlike in the music industry, there is no big podcast community that meets on a regular basis in Germany. This is why we've held various master classes and industry events that connect people in the podcasting field. For us, it's very important that we bring the industry together and provide thought leadership and inspiration for our creator partners.
What do you think it is about podcasts that makes them so popular among users in Germany? Many Germans actually grow up listening to audiobooks and audio plays. I peeked a bit into the history, and because the theaters had been bombed after World War II, people had no access to entertainment. Radio then picked up audio plays. Those were very successful, and later they were released on cassettes and CDs. Today, children grow up listening to hours and hours of audio content. Even adults are listening to these audio plays on Spotify to relax, enjoy sweet childhood memories, or fall asleep.
I also think podcasts are successful here because they're very authentic and truly personal, like Paardiologie with Charlotte Roche for example. I think it touches people in a way that's more than just watching a video clip or other news formats. So it's definitely something that is working very well because it feels like you're part of something intimate and interesting.
What do you view as the primary or key headwinds that you and the market face? I'd say mobile network connections. It might sound a bit odd because Germany is an industrialized country. But in terms of mobile data, we're like a developing country. We don't have mobile data coverage in many parts of the country. And the price for data is also very high.
We've spoken a lot about podcasts-what are some surprising music trends in your market? In the German market, physical music still makes up 35% of revenues, which means people are still buying CDs in Germany. It's a bit like Japan-we are late-bloomer markets. It's only been in the last one or two years that we have achieved this level of change from physical to digital music consumption, and only this year that streaming has become the largest source of income for the industry.
Unsurprisingly, German hip-hop is a very important part of the culture, but we are now focusing on more diverse electronic pop and alternative rock genres. That's why we have also launched a new flagship playlist called OFF POP. But Modus Mio (the equivalent of RapCaviar) is still going very strong, and in fact we're putting Modus Mio live onstage for the second time with a big event on December 14 in Dortmund.
If we took a look at your recently played list, what would we find right now? In my commute this morning from Hamburg to Berlin, I listened to the latest episode of Ja Ja Nee Nee, which is one of our newest Spotify Original Podcasts. It has this German author (think a German Nick Hornby) who's speaking to a younger actor, and they talk about everyday life. They approach their topics in a very philosophical but fun way. So even things like office supply products can become magical topics when discussed by our very special anchors.
Take a listen to OFF POP, Spotify's latest flagship focusing on great music outside the mainstream, to get a feel for the current flavor of Central Europe.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Liberty University on why broadcast technology isn't just a technical invest...
08/05/2026
COW Jobs: UGC, On-Camera Video Content
Brie Clayton May 7, 2026
0 Comments
UGC, On-Camera Video Content
April 17, 2026Documentary Editor - US,......
07/05/2026
Journalists reporting on Sudan are working in one of the most complex and fast-m...
07/05/2026
Multi-year partnership positions Victory+ as a free home for Dallas Cowboys orig...
07/05/2026
From sideline reporting to directing and producing, the talented sophomore is building a well-rounded foundation for a career in live sports production
In the ...
07/05/2026
Cobalt Digital has received two Future Best of Show awards at NAB Show 2026. The COBALT blueCORE platform was recognized by TV Tech, and the COBALT PACIFIC ULL-...
07/05/2026
ESPN analyst Mina Kimes will host the televised semifinals and finals of the 202...
07/05/2026
Bitmovin has announced that MUBI, the global film streaming platform, has selected Bitmovin as its cloud VOD encoding partner. Bitmovin's encoding infrastru...
07/05/2026
NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises and the U.S. Soccer Federation have announced...
07/05/2026
Angel City Football Club (ACFC) and Victory have announced a regional broadcast partnership bringing live match coverage to fans across the greater Los Angeles...
07/05/2026
Spiideo has announced the launch of AI Highlights inside Spiideo Play, its automated sports production platform. AI Highlights combines video, event data, audio...
07/05/2026
Leostream Corporation has announced a unified remote access ecosystem for high-p...
07/05/2026
The Atlanta Dream has partnered with Victory to stream all locally broadcast Dream games for free, expanding the team's digital distribution strategy and g...
07/05/2026
Riedel Communications has announced the appointment of Marc Engroff as Chief Fin...
07/05/2026
SES and ARD, Germany's largest public broadcasting network, have announced a long-term extension of their satellite distribution partnership through 2039. U...
07/05/2026
UpLight Technologies delivers a flexible video and lighting system for a new televised sportLaunching the Pro Cheer League required more than creating a compell...
07/05/2026
Full Day Productions and GSE Worldwide have announced Spikes Under the Lights, a...
07/05/2026
Seit dem Start im Jahr 2023 hat DJ (Beta) das personalisierte H rerlebnis von 94...
07/05/2026
Da quando stata presentata nel 2023, DJ (beta) ha aiutato a definire un'esperienza d'ascolto pi personalizzata per 94 milioni di utenti Spotify Premi...
07/05/2026
Since launching in 2023, DJ (beta) has helped shape a more personalized listenin...
07/05/2026
Desde o lan amento em 2023, o DJ (beta) j ajudou a deixar a experi ncia de ouvi...
07/05/2026
From our earliest days, Spotify has been built on a simple principle: Great audio should be easy to reach. It's what's driven us to expand from music to...
07/05/2026
Asian and Pacific Islander artists continue to shape the global soundscape, pushing creative boundaries and connecting with fans worldwide. This Asian & Pacific...
07/05/2026
Company announce long-requested choir instrument
In the latest expansion of their Symphonic Elements series, UJAM have introduced an all-new vocal instrumen...
07/05/2026
Modular-inspired sound generation with digital control
Buchla have introduced Ziggy, a new compact synthesizer built around the company's complex oscill...
07/05/2026
Combines analogue voices with digital synthesis and sequencing
Polyend have announced Drums, a new hybrid analogue and digital drum machine that combines sy...
07/05/2026
Control surface now officially supports four DAWs
When Nektar launched the Panorama CS12 control surface, it worked exclusively with Apple's Logic Pro, ...
07/05/2026
In the first quarter 2026, SGL Carbon generated consolidated sales of 184.5 million, which was 49.8 million, or 21.3%, lower than in the prior year (Q1 2025: ...
07/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and Greenerwave achieve precise and fast ESA antenna characteriz...
07/05/2026
Two multi-role L3Harris products - the Red Wolf launched effects vehicle and SK...
07/05/2026
L3Harris will be developing key features of a secure and resilient digital infra...
07/05/2026
Alysa Liu and Shohei Ohtani Help Drive Viewership as 91 of the Top 100 Broadcast...
07/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/05/2026
Cobalt Digital Wins Two Future Best of Show Awards at 2026 NAB Show
Manufacturer Recognized by TV Tech and TVBEurope for Innovation in signal processing
Cobal...
07/05/2026
Software and hardware platforms, AI power and user-friendliness on show...
07/05/2026
Intinor will demonstrate its latest technical enhancements for the Direkt series at BroadcastAsia 2026. With a continued focus on reliable contribution and remo...
07/05/2026
Bitmovin has announced that MUBI has chosen Bitmovin as its cloud VOD encoding partner, replacing MUBI's legacy on premises encoding setup to improve scalab...
07/05/2026
Meet Graduates from Berklees Class of 2026 Members of this years graduating class reflect on their proudest moments at Berklee and look ahead to whats next.
...
07/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/05/2026
At BroadcastAsia 2026, Interra Systems will demonstrate its latest innovations in automated quality control (QC), real-time monitoring, and captioning. The comp...
07/05/2026
At this year's Broadcast Asia, PlayBox Neo is set to unveil recent innovations across its PlayBox Neo Suite and integrated range of broadcast media solution...
One of the most-streamed podcasts on Spotify isn't a daily news update or a true crime saga. It's Fest & Flauschig, a current-events comedy show hosted by two German radio hosts-in German. The show came to Spotify in its current iteration in May 2016 and is now one of several German podcasts high on Spotify's global streaming charts. 
