
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
21/05/2026
Spotify has always been about helping you find something you want to listen to. And over the years, we've learned your taste and the moments that matter to ...
21/05/2026
Getting concert tickets today can feel like a race you're set up to lose.
You show up at the right time, refresh endlessly, and still miss out. Too often, ...
21/05/2026
In 2022, Spotify entered a new chapter by introducing audiobooks to our platform. Since then, we've grown our catalog to include more than 700,000 titles, e...
21/05/2026
Opening remarks
ALEX
Good morning everyone, I'm Alex [Norstr m].
GUSTAV
And I'm Gustav [S derstr m].
ALEX
Whether you've been following our j...
21/05/2026
Today, Spotify hosted our third Investor Day in New York City, offering the fina...
21/05/2026
Spotify hat heute seinen dritten Investor Day in New York City veranstaltet und der Finanzwelt tiefere Einblicke in das Gesch ft, die Produktstrategie und die l...
21/05/2026
Aujourd'hui, Spotify a organis son troisi me Investor Day New York. En pl...
21/05/2026
Oggi, a New York City, Spotify ha presentato il suo terzo Investor Day, offrendo...
21/05/2026
Hoy Spotify celebr su tercer Investor Day en Nueva York, donde ofrecimos a la c...
21/05/2026
Hari ini, Spotify menyelenggarakan Investor Day yang ketiga di New York City, me...
21/05/2026
2026 : (Investor Day) , , . ...
21/05/2026
Hoje, o Spotify realizou seu terceiro Investor Day em Nova York, oferecendo co...
21/05/2026
Spotify Investor Day ...
21/05/2026
Spotify bug n, 20'nci y l d n m m z kutlad m z bu y lda, finans camias na, i modelimiz, r n stratejimiz ve uzun vadeli vizyonumuz hakk nda daha detayl ...
20/05/2026
For the seventh year, Spotify is returning to CMA Fest with Spotify House, the festival's premiere destination for fans. We're taking over downtown Nash...
19/05/2026
Podcasting continues to evolve, and so does Spotify. As we build what comes next, one thing remains constant: This is a medium built on connection. It lives in ...
18/05/2026
Last night, the Spotify Podcast Awards in Mexico returned to the country's capital. Now in its second year, the evening honors creators whose voices are hel...
15/05/2026
Last night, the Spotify Podcast Awards in Mexico returned to the country's capital. Now in its second year, the evening honors creators whose voices are hel...
14/05/2026
At Spotify, we're focused on making every listening experience feel intentio...
14/05/2026
Spotify recently welcomed songwriters, artists, executives, and music students t...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
11/05/2026
As Eurovision fans gear up to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the iconic song ...
11/05/2026
Pela primeira vez na hist ria, o Brasil figura entre os oito maiores mercados de...
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...
05/05/2026
Another year, and more proof that Asia continues to shape some of the world's most exciting new sounds. This year's RADAR artists draw from deep local r...
05/05/2026
The Austin City Limits Music Fest 2026 lineup just dropped, and this year, Spoti...
04/05/2026
Last week, guests gathered in New York City for On Air, In Style: An Evening with Spotify-a night of conversation, culture, and connection celebrating the inter...
01/05/2026
Florals for spring? Groundbreaking. But a playlist that tells you which The Devi...
01/05/2026
One of the world's biggest popstars is headed to El Cl sico. Later this mont...
30/04/2026
Music is evolving, and so are the ways you discover and connect with artists. In...
30/04/2026
Between April 22-29, the first inaugural Stockholm Music Week brought together thought leaders and partners across industries including music, tech, government,...
28/04/2026
Today, we announced our First Quarter 2026 earnings, starting the Year of Raising Ambition with strong momentum across the business and continued innovation acr...
28/04/2026
I dag presenterade vi v rt resultat f r det f rsta kvartalet 2026. Vi inleder ret med starkt momentum i hela verksamheten och fortsatt innovation p plattforme...
27/04/2026
N r Spotify grundades f r 20 r sedan dominerades musikmarknaden av illegal nedladdning. Sedan dess har streaming bidragit till att teruppr tta betalningsvilja...
27/04/2026
Time on Spotify should feel meaningful and intentional, not something that slips...
25/04/2026
In the heart of Mexico City, music, culture, and fashion converged last night as Spotify and Vogue Latin America welcomed guests to an intimate gathering at Soh...
24/04/2026
Earth Day is a chance to reflect on our connection to the natural world. To mark the 57th Earth Day on April 22, Spotify's editors have pulled together a co...
24/04/2026
This past weekend, Spotify was at the heart of the largest literary event in the...
24/04/2026
All data tells a story, and in our case, that story is written by you. To celebrate 20 years of Spotify, we're sharing bite sized moments that capture how t...
24/04/2026
Over the past 20 years, Spotify's look and feel has evolved with the way people use our platform, while ensuring we preserve an intuitive, personal, and fam...
24/04/2026
It's been 20 years since Spotify began, but the real story is what the world chose to play. For the first time, we're unveiling the most streamed artist...
24/04/2026
Whether you're relaxing at home or on the go, Spotify is there across more than 2,000 devices, ready with your favorites or something new to discover. Now, ...
24/04/2026
Nintendo and Spotify are welcoming fans to the Super Mario Bros. 40th anniversary and the release of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie with new playlists and a speci...
22/04/2026
Spotify and the New York Liberty are teaming up to give music and basketball fan...