Spotify debuts its next move for India, original podcasts

Spotify on Tuesday announced the launch of original podcasts for its streaming platform. The company is starting off with three podcast series in India - '22 Yarns with Gaurav Kapur', 'Bhaskar Bose' and 'Love Aaj Kal'. While the first two pocasts are original Love Aaj Kal was first running on JioSaavn.

Original podcasts aren't a new strategy for Spotify as it has already been available globally. But with its arrival in India, Spotify is entering the creator space and also on something that isn't its USP, music. Social platforms like YouTube, Instagram and TikTok are already strong on the creator based in India.

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Spotify's new launch also comes at a time when the podcast market is slowly growing in India. The listening trends show that 60 percent podcasts are on lifestyle and self-motivation, Spotify said. But India does contribute to the top three streaming markets globally for shows like 'Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast' and 'On Purpose with Jay Shetty'. This would however be a big push for original podcast content from India. The US still remains the major contributor for podcasts globally.

Spotify has been pushing podcasts with a UI update earlier this June. Spotify launched a dedicated tab for podcasts in the library section of the app. The company has also made it easier for users to pause and continue listening to podcasts. Spotify also scored a deal with the Obamas with a multi-year partnership with Higher Ground for exclusive podcasts.