Last week, it was announced that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s podcast deal with Spotify had come to an end after just one series.
The details of the split were not shared in the joint statement by Spotify and Archewell Audio, the couple’s podcast production company.
However, following the announcement, Bill Simmons, Spotify’s head of podcast innovation and monetization, criticized the couple on his own podcast and referred to them as “grifters,” indicating that the partnership had ended on bad terms.
Despite the controversy surrounding the premature end of the partnership, it is believed that Meghan and Harry received a substantial payout of around $20 million from the deal. According to media network Boardroom, this payout exceeded the earnings from Spotify’s biggest-ever song, The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights.”
“Blinding Lights” has been streamed a remarkable 3.6 billion times on Spotify, making it the most streamed song on the platform. However, assuming a payout rate of $0.005 per stream, the song earned less ($18.2 million) than what Meghan and Harry were paid for producing 12 podcast episodes.
This report has led to some irony and criticism on social media, particularly considering the ongoing debates about low streaming royalties for artists. Many users pointed out the stark difference in earnings between The Weeknd’s record-breaking song and the couple’s podcast deal, highlighting the perceived inequities in the music streaming industry.
Some social media comments expressed frustration with the low payouts to artists, describing streaming as a “scam” or a rehashed version of illegal downloading. Others humorously suggested that Meghan and Harry should offer a masterclass on how to earn millions for minimal work.
