Audio and video platform Riverside will play a larger role in Spotify’s podcast creation tools going forward. The music streaming giant announced it will retire some legacy creation features in favor of beefing up its Riverside integration.
Notably, Spotify’s “Music + Talk” experimental option for including full songs in podcasts will be shut down. This move disappointed music podcasters who enjoy discussing tracks on air. Other retiring tools include remote recording with friends and voice messages. Additionally, mobile and web episode building will be discontinued.
Spotify stated these changes aim to redirect focus onto “next generation innovations.” Creators will now record, edit, and publish episodes entirely within Spotify for Podcasters using Riverside’s cloud-based studio. Guest interviews, transcript editing, and AI optimizations for audio/video are now possible without leaving the browser window.
The expanded Riverside partnership provides podcast production capabilities comparable to Spotify’s existing tools. However, Riverside brings welcome new features like video editing and automatic closed captions. CEO Daniel Ek previously signaled Spotify’s willingness to sunset underused products and reinvigorate growth.
By deepening reliance on Riverside, an established partner in the podcast community, Spotify can prioritize product development elsewhere over maintaining internal tools. This integration shows the company’s strategy is partner-first rather than going it alone on creation software. While disappointing some users, the shifts overall sharpen Spotify’s vision for the booming podcast medium’s future.
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