Why Spotify’s “Plays” Metric Has Podcasters Shook
Update: 2025-05-14
Description
Spotify just dropped a new metric: Plays. It’s supposed to show how many times your episode was played—similar to YouTube views—but as of now, it’s only visible inside Spotify for Podcasters, not to the public.
This episode is sponsored by Riverside.fm - With Riverside you can record high quality audio and video podcasts remotely. Use promo code CLIPPED for 20% off.
In this episode, I break down:
- What the “Plays” metric actually tracks
- Why creators are confused (and a little worried)
- The difference between Spotify Plays, Streams, and Apple Podcast Downloads
- What this means for advertisers and how they buy podcast ad space
- And the bigger question—how do we define success with so many overlapping metrics?
Right now, it’s a mess. But it’s also part of podcasting growing up. I’m not sure how I feel yet, but I’m watching closely—and still focused on making content I love.
📖 Related Reading:
- NBC News: Spotify’s new play count feature has podcasters worried
- Spotify’s official metric breakdown
- Spotify For Podcasters
- Apple Podcasts Connect
🎥 Check out more gear reviews, tutorials, and content tips on my YouTube channel: youtube.com/@thepodcasthaven
🛠️ Resources:
- Podcast Name Checker Tool - Starting a podcast? Use our Podcast Name Checker to ensure the name you want is available across Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and the web
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