Spotify Rewards Top Podcasters with Creator Milestone Award, Shares Music Industry Payouts

Spotify

Spotify has introduced the Creator Milestone Awards to recognize top podcasters. Presented quarterly, these awards celebrate podcasts that hit major streaming milestones: 100 million (Bronze), 250 million (Silver), and 500 million (Gold) streams.

Inaugural honorees include Crime Junkie, Dateline NBC, and Rotten Mango, who will receive physical Spotify plaques, be featured across Spotify’s channels, and appear in a new in-app editorial hub.

Why It Matters: The Creator Milestone Award is Spotify’s answer to YouTube’s Creator Awards, which celebrate subscriber milestones. The metrics differ, but the goal is similar in highlighting top creators and inspiring others.

Music Still Takes Center Stage: While video podcasts are a major focus right now, Spotify isn’t letting its impact on the music business go unnoticed. The company revealed that it paid out $10 billion to musicians, songwriters, labels, and music publishers in 2024, a $1 billion increase from the previous year.

These payouts could grow even further with a new partnership with Universal Music Group, aimed at boosting monetization for artists and songwriters while introducing new paid subscription options and bundles.