
Some of the world's top creators descended on Spotify's Los Angeles campus earlier today for Now Playing, where we unveiled a series of new offerings aimed at helping them better monetize their video podcasts on Spotify and deepen their relationships with audiences.
Among the guests who heard from Spotify leaders and mingled with our partnerships and product team members were Drew Afualo, Emma Chamberlain, Bailey Sarian, Haliey Welch, Jay Shetty, Chris Williamson, Josh Richards, Colin Rosenblum and Samir Chaudry, Zach Justice and Jared Bailey, Don Lemon, Anna Sitar, Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal, and Andrew Huberman.
Following a keynote from Spotify CEO and founder Daniel Ek and Co-President Gustav S derstr m, creators were invited to attend panels that dove deeper into their business opportunities on Spotify.
Daniel Ek (Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Spotify )
Gustav S derstr m (Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images for Spotify)
Drew Afualo and Daniel Ek (Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images for Spotify)
Haliey Welch (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Spotify)
Don Lemon and Rachel Lindsay (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Spotify)
Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal (Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images for Spotify)
Colin Rosenblum, Emma Chamberlain and Samir Chaudry
Jay Shetty (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Spotify)
Austin Lamon, Chris Williamson, Ethan Simons and Jordan Newman
NEXT
Panel highlights included a strategy-focused session where Colin and Samir shared the blueprint behind their show and discussed their approach to growing an audience and building their brand and business. They were particularly excited about Spotify's new offerings: To me, one of the biggest messages of today is that Spotify is pro-content, said Colin.
The Good Children creators, Joe Hegyes and Andrew Muscarella, explained how they found their formats, what drives them to innovate, and how to cut through the noise. We launched right before video podcasts had not only become the norm but the necessity, they recalled. We noticed that a lot of podcasts were cutting down video for TikTok clips in order to get more followers and information out about the podcast.
We also heard how creators from Higher Learning and NewlyWeds have taken cultural moments and fandoms and built them into successful video podcasts. Video is more immersive, stressed Higher Learning's Van Lathan. When you can see it, you get a much better sense of somebody's emotions and personality. It forms a stronger bond with your audience.
And Spotify monetization experts Geoff Chow and Matt Huang walked through tips and insights on how to build a business as a creator on our platform. The newly launched Spotify Partner Program is a great place to start, as it supports both video and audio monetization.
We see some shows that are primarily an audio show dipping their toes into video with special episodes, said Matt. This program is going to help them monetize all of those different types of content as they're experimenting and figuring out what works for them.
Matt Huang and Geoff Chow (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images for Spotify)
David Rosenthal and Austin Lamon,(Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Spotify)
Dustee Jenkins, Sulinna Ong, Drew Afualo and Meghan Trainor
Drew Afualo, Meghan Trainor, Daniel Ek, Dustee Jenkins, Sulinna Ong
Meghan Trainor (Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images for Spotify)
Jamie Laing, Sophie Habboo, Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay
Jordan Newman,Samir Chaudry and Colin Rosenblum
Joe Hegyes, Andrew Muscarella and Haley Muse (Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images for Spotify)
Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo (Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images for Spotify)
Sulinna Ong and Dustee Jenkins
NEXT
Also, Spotify's Chief Public Affairs Officer, Dustee Jenkins, got deep with creator Drew Afualo, pop star Meghan Trainor, and Spotify's Sulinna Ong on the intersecting worlds of music, podcasts, and audiobooks.
On Spotify, my podcasts, my audiobook, and my music are all in one place, said Meghan. It's one place, one app where fans can find everything and learn more if they didn't know I did all that. It's the best.
I truly believe that artists and creators are the ones that change and drive culture, added Sulinna. We give you the tools to affect it, but you are the ones who change it.
Throughout the afternoon, we also introduced creators to our house via guided office tours showcasing the 360-degree aspect of Spotify's support for video production-from the podcast studios to the listening rooms to the seamless recording rooms and edit bays-all available to podcasters and video creators on Spotify.
Halsey (Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Spotify)
Joe Hadley and Halsey
Now Playing event in LA (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Spotify)
NEXT
Finally, it wouldn't be a Spotify event without a little music. Global pop sensation Halsey brought the house down with a special performance of her hits, including Without Me, Lucky, and You Should Be Sad.
Check out more coverage from Spotify's Now Playing event.
More from Spotify
01/04/2026
This year, Spotify celebrates the five-year anniversary of EQUAL, our global pro...
31/03/2026
Spotify has evolved from a streaming platform to an interactive, multiformat eco...
26/03/2026
Spotify's partnership with NAVER, Korea's leading digital platform, is built around one simple goal: making it easier for listeners in Korea to discover...
25/03/2026
Directed By, Spotify's documentary-style series that pulls back the curtain ...
25/03/2026
BTS is so back. This week, the global pop superstars took the stage at New York City's Pier 17 for their first U.S. performance in four years.
Part of Spot...
25/03/2026
How you listen can shape what you hear. That's the idea behind the new Spotify Listening Lounge, an acoustic space at our London headquarters purpose-built ...
24/03/2026
As the music industry gathers for Canada's Juno Awards, the local edition of...
24/03/2026
Behind every great song is a complex web of people, stories, and inspirations th...
24/03/2026
Few filmmakers have shaped popular cinema as profoundly as Steven Spielberg. So ...
23/03/2026
It's been 20 years since Miley Cyrus introduced the world to Hannah Montana,...
20/03/2026
In 2021, we launched EQUAL, a program designed to address an industry reality that persists: Women artists, songwriters, and producers too often face fewer oppo...
20/03/2026
BTS' long-awaited fifth studio album, ARIRANG, is finally here. To celebrate...
20/03/2026
A new era for Kenia Os has arrived, and Spotify marked the moment by putting fan...
20/03/2026
Una nueva era para Kenia Os ha llegado, y Spotify marc el momento poniendo a lo...
19/03/2026
In 2021, we launched EQUAL, a program designed to address an industry reality that persists: Women artists, songwriters, and producers too often face fewer oppo...
17/03/2026
Fresh Finds Africa spotlights emerging artists and movements across the continent and its global diaspora, with listeners tuning in to discover new Afro-forward...
17/03/2026
Last month, more than 60,000 fans piled into Bangkok's Rajamangala National ...
13/03/2026
Spotify has always been built around your taste. More than 80% of listeners say personalization is what they love most about us. Now we're taking that even ...
13/03/2026
The new Spotify Legends Club has opened its doors. Its members: select German-sp...
12/03/2026
In Latin America, women are shaping music and defining its future. To kick off t...
12/03/2026
En Am rica Latina, las mujeres est n moldeando la m sica y definiendo su futuro....
12/03/2026
Let's turn back the clock 20 years: The music landscape was a world away fro...
12/03/2026
Bad Bunny is no stranger to Spotify's Billions Club. In fact, he has a whopp...
12/03/2026
Spotify was at the London Book Fair this week, joining conversations across the publishing industry about how people can make reading part of their daily lives....
06/03/2026
Ten years after its release, South African hip-hop artist Kwesta's DaKAR II is still making waves. With 51.8 million streams on Spotify, the album continues...
05/03/2026
A little over a year ago, Spotify introduced the quarterly Creator Milestone Awa...
04/03/2026
For many fans, a song's backstory can be just as compelling as the final pro...
04/03/2026
In 2006, Spotify was founded on the belief that technology could bring artists a...
04/03/2026
Spotify is back on the ground for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and we...
04/03/2026
Spotify had an energizing week in Sydney, Australia, filled with powerful conver...
04/03/2026
Earlier this year, we launched Directed By, a documentary-style series that pull...
03/03/2026
For many, finding time or headspace to pick up a book can feel out of reach, but...
27/02/2026
Since its inception, Gorillaz has been known for blending art with genre-bending...
27/02/2026
This week, Spotify introduced Audiobook Charts for the U.S. and U.K. The charts make it easy to discover your next favorite book by showing what's popular a...
25/02/2026
It's never been easier to customize your Spotify listening experience. Last year, we introduced more control over the way your playlist sounds, giving Premi...
25/02/2026
Hip-hop thrives on constant reinvention, with bold voices and fearless experimentation continually pushing the genre's boundaries. Every era brings new lead...
24/02/2026
Life needs music. So does the afterlife. That's why Spotify has partnered wi...
24/02/2026
Last weekend, S o Paulo buzzed with energy as Bad Bunny took the stage for two n...
23/02/2026
Prompted Playlist is expanding in beta to Premium listeners in the U.K., Ireland...
23/02/2026
When Spotify launched in Nigeria in February 2021, the very first song a user st...
19/02/2026
Last November, Spotify hosted an unforgettable night with Robyn, where top fans ...
18/02/2026
Following an extraordinary 2025 in which he was named Spotify's Global Top A...
18/02/2026
Despu s de un extraordinario 2025 en el que fue nombrado Top Artista Global de Spotify por cuarta vez, algo sin precedentes (y tras su presentaci n en el halfti...
13/02/2026
This Wednesday in Los Angeles, Spotify brought together a group of podcast creat...
13/02/2026
Yesterday, Spotify and LoveShackFancy hosted a Galentine's and Gents Lunch a...
12/02/2026
Valentine's Day often comes with a soundtrack. In fact, Spotify data shows that more people used Blend, our shared playlist feature, on February 14, 2025, t...
12/02/2026
Some days you want your music to reflect a specific feeling, memory, or vibe that goes beyond a single artist or genre. You want to do more than listen. You wan...
10/02/2026
With a new film adaptation of Wuthering Heights arriving just in time for Valent...
10/02/2026
Today, we announced our fourth quarter 2025 earnings, marking a strong finish to the year with exceptional user growth and continued momentum across the busines...
10/02/2026
I dag redovisar vi v rt resultat f r fj rde kvartalet 2025, vilket markerar ett starkt avslut p ret med robust anv ndartillv xt och fortsatt momentum i hela v...