Spotify Cancels Two Critically Acclaimed Podcasts

Spotify Technology SA is canceling two critically acclaimed podcasts, Heavyweight and Stolen, part of its retreat from in-house productions.

Both will complete their current seasons, the company said Monday. The producers will be free to shop the shows afterward, according to Bloomberg.

“We are extremely proud of the teams who have supported these talented storytellers,” Spotify said in a statement. “We will work with the show creators to ensure a smooth transition for wherever these series go next.”

Both shows came out of Spotify’s Gimlet Media studio, which often focused on limited series. Heavyweight, hosted by Jonathan Goldstein, helps guests relieve themselves of emotional burdens, while Stolen, hosted by Connie Walker, has told stories centered on Indigenous people over two seasons.

Both shows received critical acclaim. Stolen’s most recent season about Canada’s residential schools for Indigenous people won a Pulitzer Prize and a Peabody Award. Heavyweight, which premiered its most recent season in October, was just listed as a best podcast of 2023 by the New York Times.

The cancellations coincide with jobs cuts at Spotify Monday that eliminated 17% of the streaming company’s staff, or around 1,500 people. Spotify has undertaken several rounds of job cuts since October 2022.

Spotify is narrowing its focus to licensed shows that run year-round, like The Joe Rogan Experience and Anything Goes With Emma Chamberlain. It has broadly backed away from podcasting after spending more than $1 billion to stake out a claim in the space.