On Sunday, January 19, the day before the second inauguration of President Donald J. Trump, Spotify hosted a brunch featuring high-profile podcasters Joe Rogan and Ben Shapiro, country singer Riley Green, and others, Bloomberg reports. The event, as Bloomberg reported last month, was meant to tout “the power of podcasts in this election.” The brunch has been acknowledged by The New York Times and Wired, with the latter publication noting that Google and YouTube also held an inauguration weekend event for creators and podcasters.
In an emailed statement to Bloomberg, Spotify said, “Spotify has long hosted events in Washington, D.C., and other capitals worldwide, bringing together political leaders, media figures, and industry peers from across the political spectrum. These engagements are business as usual.”
In addition to the brunch, Sweden’s Dagens Nyheter reports that Spotify donated $150,000 USD to the inauguration ceremony and celebration. Apple and Amazon, whose music-streaming arms are among Spotify’s competitors, donated $1 million USD each to Trump’s inauguration, Variety reported in December.
Spotify, in a statement translated from Swedish, said, “The donation aims to continue to expand our presence in Washington, D.C., while furthering the goals of our platform and our creators. It is in line with the work we do in capitals around the world to advance our policy issues, regardless of who is in power.”
In an additional statement to Pitchfork, a Spotify spokesperson clarified, “Spotify donated to the Presidential Inauguration Committee.”
The second Trump inauguration ceremony featured performances from Carrie Underwood, Lee Greenwood, and the opera singer Christopher Macchio. Over the weekend, additional performers—including Snoop Dogg, Nelly, Soulja Boy, Jason Aldean, and the Village People—performed at rally-style events leading up to the official inauguration.
Source : Pitchfork
