New Spotify Plays metric makes it easier to track podcast popularity
A new metric from Spotify helps both listeners and creators know which podcast episodes are hitting with audiences.
Spotify is introducing a new metric to help creators understand their audience better, as well as making it easier for listeners to find popular podcasts they’ll love. Plays gives both fans and creators a clearer picture of which episodes are resonating well.
Plays reflects the total number of times people have actively listened to or watched an episode of a podcast on Spotify. Only full episode streams count towards the play count – previews and clips do not contribute to the play count. For fans browsing the app, this new number gives a quick indication of which episodes are popular. Play counts are rounded to the nearest thousand or million, and brand-new episodes will show a “New” label for the first 24 hours. After that, if an episode has fewer than 1,000 plays, it will display as “<1K”.
For creators and publishers, Plays offer insight into what content is connecting with listeners. By tracking which episodes perform best, you can adjust your approach to meet your audience’s interests. Spotify says, “Plays can help attract new audiences to your show, and will give you visibility into what content is resonating most with audiences so you can optimize for success.”
You’ll be able to view Plays directly in your Spotify for Creators and Megaphone dashboards. This includes data from all hosting platforms, not just Spotify-hosted shows.
It’s important to note that Plays are not the same as streams or impressions.
- Impressions or discovery events refer to times someone saw your episode in the app, but didn’t necessarily play it.
- Streams, used for monetisation, count when someone listens for at least 60 seconds, in line with industry standards.
Spotify is keeping streams as the core metric for payouts and eligibility in the Spotify Partner Program.
As stated in the blog, “Monetization will continue to operate on a streams and download basis in order to remain consistent with the broader podcast advertising standards.” This update comes as Spotify continues investing in the podcast space – in fact, Spotify paid podcast creators $100 million in Q1 2025, a sign of its long-term commitment to the format.
This isn’t the only change that Spotify is making. Access to consumption hour metrics is also being expanded. These show how long listeners stick with your show, giving you a deeper view into audience engagement. This data is now available to all creators, no matter where your podcast is hosted.
In Spotify for Creators, you’ll see:
- Plays on the home dashboard, show overview, and individual episode pages
- Total consumption across platforms via the “streams & downloads” metric
- Consumption hours and by-user breakdowns on your dashboard and discovery pages
In Megaphone, Plays will appear for both audio and video shows. Episode-level and show-level Plays are being added to the analytics tab. However, only video uploads currently have access to consumption hour data within Megaphone.
Spotify says, “Spotify is the best place for creators to connect with their most dedicated fans, which is why we’re incredibly excited to bring you these insights and help you tap into Spotify’s loyal audiences.”
This update gives creators better tools to measure what works, while helping listeners choose their next episode with confidence.