Spotify now shows podcast play counts
Spotify has introduced a new feature that allows users to see how many times a podcast episode has been listened to or watched, making it easier for creators to gauge their content’s popularity and for users to discover new podcasts.
The new metric, called “plays,” is now visible next to podcast episodes throughout the Spotify app, including the home page, episode page, and show page, as well as on Spotify for Creators and Megaphone.
By displaying the number of plays, Spotify aims to encourage users to explore unfamiliar podcasts that are highly favored by other listeners, while also providing creators with valuable insights into which episodes resonate most with their audience.
This information also enables creators to benchmark their performance against competitors, giving them a better understanding of their standing in the podcasting space.
The introduction of this feature comes after Spotify reported a significant gain of 5 million premium subscribers in the first quarter, bringing the total to 268 million, the second-highest total ever and the largest first-quarter increase since 2020.