Spotify CEO Daniel Ek on Duke and Duchess of Sussex's remarks when answering the question

In June, someone at Spotify leaked to The Wall Street Journal that Spotify was "parting ways" with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. What could have been just a story about fluctuations in the podcasting industry turned into something more when Spotify chief Bill Simmons called Harry and Meghan "damned frauds" and Spotify sources started saying nasty things about the Sussexes in trade publications.

What's worse, Harry and Meghan treated the Spotify issue as if it was some kind of British media storm they could just ignore - they barely reacted and seemed unprepared to handle the situation on a communication level. Months later, the Sussexes have no deal with a new streaming service (like Audible), and it's not even clear if Megan wants to continue podcasting, and she's definitely opting out of Archetypes.

Not long ago, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek was asked about what happened this week, with the Spotify chief suggesting that Sussex's £18 million deal with Spotify collapsed because it didn't make users happy after Sussex released just 12 podcasts in two and a half years. Daniel Ek, who made a rare appearance before the media nearly four months after it was announced that the Archetypes podcast would not be renewed for a second season, admitted that some of Spotify's innovative ideas didn't work.

Meghan's multi-million dollar deal with Spotify was canceled in June following a "mutual" decision by the streaming giant and Archewell Audio, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's company. Sources close to the multi-million dollar deal the pair signed in 2020 said it was canceled after the pair didn't produce enough content to justify the full payment. Revealing new details of the decision not to renew Harry and Meghan's deal, Spotify chief executive Eck told the BBC: "We felt there was a need for new innovation here. We felt we could offer a great experience that delights users and allows new creators to find new opportunities.

He added: "Indeed, some of them worked, some of them didn't. We learn from them and move forward, and we wish all those with whom we have not renewed our partnership success in the future." Eck spoke to the BBC's Zoe Kleinman, who asked him if 12 Sussex podcasts over two and a half years was worth £18 million. She said his response was "very diplomatic. "

This is what Spotify should have said four months ago - they spent hundreds of millions of dollars on stars and then the business model changed and required some adjustments. There was a bubble of podcasting and it burst, it was always the real story. So why did Spotify and its executives attack Sussex? Was it because Harry and Meghan were easy targets and a convenient distraction from the larger mismanagement within Spotify? "The Sussexes are crooks" is a more appealing story than "Spotify executives didn't foresee that their business model was short-lived".

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Spotify.