Spotify hosted a luncheon on Sunday, January 19, one day before Donald Trump’s second inauguration, to celebrate the “power of podcasts in elections,” Pitchfork reports, citing a Bloomberg story. According to Bloomberg, Joe Rogan and Ben Shapiro, two podcasters known for their alt-right affiliation, were invited to the event, although Rogan ultimately did not attend.
The influence of Spotify podcasts in influencing the United States elections may have been considerable. In fact, Joe Rogan’s podcast is the most listened to in the world, and his interview with Donald Trump is the most listened to in its history.
Bloomberg also reports that Spotify has donated $150,000 to Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony. Amazon and Google have donated more than that, a million each.
According to information cited by Wired, Google and YouTube also held events ahead of Trump’s inauguration aimed at “creators and podcasters.”
Spotify, asked by Bloomberg, explained that it is common for the company to hold events of this type: “Spotify has been organizing events in Washington, DC, and other capitals around the world for some time with the aim of bringing together political leaders, media figures communications and industry colleagues from across the political spectrum. These types of meetings are common practice.
In a second statement translated from Swedish, Spotify explained that its donation to Trump’s inauguration ceremony “aims to continue expanding our presence in Washington, DC, while promoting the goals of our platform and our creators.” The decision, he explains, “aligns with the work we do in capitals around the world to promote our own policies, regardless of who is in power.”
