Spotify digs in on podcasts with new Hollywood studios

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Just down the street from Roc Nation, SiriusXM and Sony Music, Spotify is joining Hollywood’s Sycamore media district with a brand-new podcast studio facility.The new, invitation-only space will be the company’s second studio location in Los Angeles and will cater mostly to video podcasts.When Spotify moved into its campus in the Arts District in 2021, podcasting was primarily an audio experience, and the DTLA studios reflected that.But as the listening format began to evolve into a visual one, Roman Wasenmüller, Spotify’s vice president of podcast and video, said the company needed to revamp and expand its facilities to meet the growing demand.

The Arts District studios will remain open and focus on audio content while the new Hollywood location will provide a “video-first environment.” The nearly 11,000-square-foot space includes five different studio areas that can accommodate a variety of setups, including cozier interview settings and vast recording spaces for big groups.And unlike other rentable studios around L.A., the space will be staffed by Spotify employees, who can help produce the show.“It was just clear to us that we need more facilities than we had before, but also at the same time, we just need to figure out what the right setup would be so that we can succeed in this new world of podcasting,” said Wasenmüller.The Hollywood location will partially function as a homebase for the Ringer, an L.A.-based media brand focused on sports and pop culture.

The company was founded by sportswriter Bill Simmons and was bought by Spotify in 2020.Recently, Spotify announced that several of the Ringer’s video podcasts will start streaming on Netflix in early 2026.

Shows like “The Rewatchables,” “Ringer-Verse” and “The Hottest Take” will soon be recorded at the new outpost.These studios won’t be exclusive to the Ringer.Wasenmüller said the spa...