JUST IN: Obamas Ditch Spotify For Multi-Year Content Deal With Amazon

Scott Olson/Getty Images

The Obamas are officially moving their podcasting empire, Higher Ground, to Amazon, months after departing their exclusive contract with Spotify.

Back in April, we reported former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama were walking away from their multi-million dollar, exclusive contract with Spotify in search of a bigger deal.

Spotify and the couple’s production company, Higher Ground, had consistently disagreed with content strategy which prompted their exit earlier this year.

The original deal with the platform was signed back in 2019 and allowed the couple to produce multiple podcasts under the Spotify name. Over time, the Obamas began to look for a company that could help provide a more wide-reaching fan base with less time commitment.

Audible will now be their new home and help to produce and distribute their new shows.

In a statement released Tuesday, former President Obama said, “At Higher Ground, we have always sought to lift up voices that deserve to be heard — and Audible is invested in realizing that vision alongside us … I’m looking forward to partnering with them to tell stories that not only entertain but also inspire.”

Michelle added, “Together, we will keep striving to tell compelling, provocative, and soulful stories — while doing everything we can to make sure they reach the folks who need to hear them.”

According to the Los Angeles Times, Audible’s founder Don Katz shared in the couple’s excitement over the newfound partnership, saying, “We are thrilled to welcome two of the most profound voices of moral and intellectual leadership of our times into the Audible fold, and to be able to elevate President and Mrs. Obama’s singular ability to provide hope and uplifting guidance — needed now more than ever — through their voices.”