Spotify has chosen not to renew the contract with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, following the release of only one show under their $20 million deal - Markle's "Archetypes" podcast. Twitter users shared divided reactions to the news.
Spotify's decision not to carry forward its association with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was confirmed by The Wall Street Journal. Following this, the team responsible for creating 'Archetypes' affirmed their pride in the work done. A spokesperson for WME, the talent agency which recently brought Markle on board, stated, "Meghan is continuing to develop more content for the Archetypes audience on another platform."
News of the dissolved partnership led to an outpouring of mixed sentiments from online users. While some saw it as a foreseeable consequence given the perceived lack of productivity from the couple, others were disheartened, being ardent fans of the Duchess's podcast.
Various users didn't shy away from expressing their delight over the termination of the deal. "They got fired!" exclaimed one user, while another remarked, "Pocketed 20 million and did almost nothing in return. Good." A number of Twitter users opined about the quality of the podcast, suggesting it was self-serving and lackluster.
Some went a step further and drew connections between the couple's sense of entitlement and the podcast's failure. "You still do need to bring some actual talent as well. This couple [is] high on the entitled list, not the talented list," a user commented.
However, not all responses were negative. Supporters of the royal couple were upset but held onto the hope of being able to listen to their favorite podcast on a different platform. "Her insightful and empowering discussions will be missed by many!" a fan lamented.
Defending the couple, a supporter wrote, "The Obamas ended their deal, as well as others. She's developing more content for another outlet. Try to keep up and stop framing it as if it wasn't successful. It's an award-winning podcast."
According to sources, the couple failed to meet Spotify's output expectations, leading to their payout being cut short. This marks a significant shift in the podcast market, suggesting a possible correction phase.
Despite the end of their Spotify journey, the couple's contribution to the platform remains. Their 2020 holiday special, featuring personal stories from renowned personalities like Sir Elton John and Stacey Abrams, was a key highlight of their collaboration with Spotify.