蘑菇AV

Dozens of ads with AI voices found marketing illegal drugs on Spotify: The incident highlights the struggle to keep up with AI鈥檚 rapid development.

The news: Spotify鈥檚 Partner Program has opened new monetization paths for video podcasters, enabling MP4 uploads and revenue through ads and subscriptions. Creators like Ryth report earning over $55,000 per month, surpassing YouTube earnings. However, the model doesn鈥檛 support dynamic ads for premium subscribers, prompting networks to hold back. Why it matters: Nearly half of all digital media time is spent on video, and Spotify is betting big on that trend鈥攅specially among Gen Z, who increasingly prefer video-first podcast formats. Our take: Spotify鈥檚 approach may alienate ad-heavy networks for now, but video鈥檚 growth and creator enthusiasm suggest its long-term strategy is sound.

Spotify is doubling down on podcast engagement: New features arrive as listenership and advertiser demand both hit record highs.

Spotify鈥檚 play counts and YouTube鈥檚 two-person plan signal a fierce fight for viewers in the podcast space鈥檚 visual future.

Digital audio consumption continues to grow in the US. Younger audiences are leading the way, adopting platforms like Spotify and audio content like podcasts.

On this special edition podcast episode, learn about the rise of off-site retail media advertising with 蘑菇AV Principal Analyst, Sarah Marzano and Google鈥檚 Head of Retail Media, Shawn McGahee. This conversation is from the May 9th 蘑菇AV virtual summit, Commerce Media Trends 2025. Listen everywhere you find podcasts, or watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On this special edition podcast, we examine practical ways to track commerce media ROI鈥攃overing KPI selection, attribution, and cross channel measurement. 蘑菇AV Principal Analyst, Sky鈥疌anaves talks with Maev鈥檚鈥疢ichael鈥疌ampi, PepsiCo鈥檚鈥疢ike鈥疓laser, and LiveRamp鈥檚鈥疌hristine鈥疓rammier in this panel from the May 9th 蘑菇AV virtual summit, Commerce Media Trends 2025. Listen everywhere you find podcasts, or watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss the various definitions of artificial general intelligence (AGI) and try to come up with the best one we can. Then we look at how smart humans are compared to current AI models. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, and Analysts Jacob Bourne and Gadjo Sevilla. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss what area of people's lives artificial general intelligence (AGI) will change the most, the argument for AI developers asking permission from society to build these models, and when AGI might actually get here. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, and Analysts Jacob Bourne and Grace Harmon. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On this special edition podcast, we explore how top brands master commerce media鈥攃hoosing the right networks, weaving in existing channels, and optimizing for maximum impact. 蘑菇AV鈥檚 Sarah鈥疢arzano hosts InfoSum鈥檚 Senior Vice President, Sales, North America, Marc鈥疌estaro and Kettle鈥�&鈥疐ire鈥檚 Senior Director, Media and Omnichannel, Niccol貌鈥疓loazzo in this live panel from 蘑菇AV鈥檚 May 9th virtual summit, Commerce鈥疢edia鈥疶rends鈥�2025. Listen everywhere you find podcasts, or watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss how Google embedding an AI chatbot into search changes things, why Anthropic鈥檚 Claude API could reshape search, and why tech companies might not be the winners of the AI search war. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, and Senior Analyst鈥檚 Gadjo Sevilla and Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss how anti-US sentiment, live tourism, and tariffs are all shaping people鈥檚 2025 summer travel plans. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Vice President of Research Jennifer Pearson and Analyst Rachel Wolff. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss whether advertisers can still create powerful brand narratives in such a fragmented media universe, the best piece of advice for advertisers trying to negotiate a minefield of tariff-related changes, and how AI will impact advertising and marketing over the next 12 months. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Vice President and Principal Analyst Jasmine Enberg, and Principal Analyst Sarah Marzano. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss how much the merger with xAI can move the needle for X, if the social platform can recoup the kinds of ad dollars it was making before Elon Musk bought them, and where X users have migrated to (if anywhere). Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, and Analysts Marisa Jones and Emmy Liederman. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss the battle between linear TV and CTV, one mobile device metric that is going down, and a surprising finding about which age group uses YouTube the most. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Principal Forecasting Writer Ethan Cramer-Flood, and Senior Director of Forecasting Oscar Orozco. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss our 鈥榲ery specific, but highly unlikely鈥� predictions for 2025. What would happen if Google preemptively broke itself into smaller pieces, if online shopping flatlined, and if the audio ad space doubled in size in short order. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Director of Reports Editing Rahul Chadha, and Senior Analysts Blake Droesch and Max Willens. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss how Americans鈥� feelings towards AI have changed this year, the gaps in concern between AI experts and the general public, and the best ways to get started with AI. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Analyst Grace Harmon, and Senior Vice President of Media Content and Strategy Henry Powderly. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss our 鈥榲ery specific, but highly unlikely鈥� predictions for 2025. What would happen to the social media world if OpenAI bought Snap, what if Starbucks launched a Stablecoin, and why some companies might still want to buy linear networks. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Vice Presidents of Content Suzy Davidkhanian and Paul Verna, and Principal Analyst Yory Wurmser. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 special edition podcast, 蘑菇AV analysts鈥疭arah鈥疢arzano and鈥疢ax鈥疻illens explore how commerce media is reshaping advertising鈥攃overing platform innovation, measurement, and its overlap with CTV and social鈥攂efore a fireside chat with Chase鈥疢edia鈥疭olutions鈥� Lauren鈥疓riewski. Recorded live at the 蘑菇AV Commerce鈥疢edia鈥疶rends鈥�2025 virtual summit on May鈥�9th. Listen wherever you find podcasts, or watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss how advertisers have gone from navigating uncertainty to navigating whiplash, and how they can prioritize and get the most out of ad measurement with a limited budget. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Senior Analysts Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf and Max Willens, and the Director of Product Management at Cint Stephanie Gall. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss where GIFs came from, how GIF user behavior changes, and which ones work best for brands. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Senior Director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman, Analyst Emmy Liederman, and the Vice President of Client Solutions at Giphy Alix McAlpine. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss the potential of Amazon鈥檚 new Buy for Me feature, which of its new CTV ads will make the biggest impact, and how much tariffs might slow down the online shopping giant. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Senior Director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman, and Analyst Rachel Wolff. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

The news: Cannes Lions 2025 kicks off June 16, with media companies and platforms turning the festival into a proving ground for brand innovation. Spotify is merging live acts like Cardi B with audiobook tastings and celebrity panels, while Canva hosts CMO roundtables alongside design influencers. Google, Uber, and Influential are anchoring talks on TV, sports, and creator-driven engagement鈥攚ith yacht-side podcasts and fundraising activations adding a new layer of purpose. Our take: This year鈥檚 Cannes isn鈥檛 about opulence鈥攊t鈥檚 about ownership. Brands that bring substance, not just spectacle, will emerge with more than headlines鈥攖hey鈥檒l leave with lasting partnerships and fresh strategic playbooks.