Spotify’s recent rollout of a new podcast performance feature, known as the “Plays” metric, has drawn criticism from independent and small-scale podcast creators, many of whom fear the change could worsen existing visibility challenges within the platform.
The Plays Feature Explained
Spotify’s “Plays” metric displays the number of times an episode has been played by listeners on the platform. The company initially intended to show exact play counts on all podcast episodes.
However, after widespread backlash, it modified the display to show milestone-based counts beginning at 50,000 plays. Episodes that reach this threshold now feature a badge such as “50K plays,” while those below the threshold do not show public metrics.
According to Spotify, the update was designed to enhance transparency, provide creators with deeper insights into audience engagement, and help listeners identify trending content.
“This feature aims to help creators track growth while making it easier for fans to discover podcasts that resonate broadly,” the company stated in a May 6 blog post.
Fears of Amplified Inequity
Despite these intentions, many small and independent podcasters argue that the new feature may disadvantage shows that have not yet amassed large followings.
The visibility of high play counts, critics argue, could lead to a “rich get richer” effect, in which listeners are drawn to already popular shows while overlooking emerging ones.
“No one’s going to listen to a show that has 46 plays next to a show that has 46,000,” one podcaster wrote in a widely circulated petition on Change.org.
The sentiment reflects a broader concern that the platform’s design choices may reinforce popularity-based algorithms and make it more difficult for newer or niche podcasts to gain traction.
Metrics Without Context
Creators have also raised concerns about the lack of contextual data accompanying the new metric. For example, play counts do not reflect total listenership across all platforms—only those recorded within Spotify.
This limitation, according to critics, may lead to an inaccurate perception of a podcast’s overall success, especially for creators with audiences spread across Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and other distribution services.
Moreover, some creators argue that emphasizing quantitative measures like play counts may distract from other indicators of value, such as audience engagement, community impact, or episode quality.
Spotify's Response
Following the criticism, Spotify made changes to how the play counts are displayed and reiterated that the feature is optional for creators who wish to keep their data private.
In a response reported by TechCrunch on May 16, a Spotify spokesperson noted that the update was adjusted “to better reflect creators’ needs” and emphasized the company's commitment to supporting podcasters of all sizes.
Despite these assurances, skepticism remains. Some creators have called for more comprehensive tools that contextualize performance metrics or offer growth pathways tailored for smaller shows.
Industry Implications
The rollout of the “Plays” metric reflects a broader industry trend toward greater transparency in content analytics. However, it also highlights the tensions between promoting discoverability and preserving equity among creators.
As Spotify and other platforms continue to introduce new features aimed at audience insight, creators and industry observers alike are urging a more balanced approach—one that recognizes the value of diverse voices, not just large numbers.
