Alex Cooper didn't just sign a contract. She basically broke the internet and the legacy media model at the same time. When the news first dropped that Spotify Call Her Daddy was becoming an exclusive partnership for $60 million, people lost their minds. Some called it an overpay. Others saw the future of the creator economy. Most just wanted to know how a show that started with two roommates talking about "Gluck Glucks" in a messy New York apartment turned into a nine-figure media empire.
It wasn't luck.
Success like this requires a weird mix of timing, relentless branding, and a brutal understanding of what young women actually want to hear. Cooper, the "Father" of the Daddy Gang, managed to navigate a public fallout with her former co-host, Sofia Franklyn, and emerge as the single most powerful woman in podcasting. That transition to Spotify wasn't just about the money; it was about data, global reach, and the shift from "radio on the internet" to a full-blown multimedia brand.
The Massive Bet: Why Spotify Spent $60 Million on Alex Cooper
Spotify was in a spending spree. They grabbed Joe Rogan. They grabbed the Obamas. But the Spotify Call Her Daddy acquisition was different because it targeted a demographic that traditional media has always struggled to keep: Gen Z and Millennial women.
Before the deal, podcasting felt a bit like a boys' club. You had true crime and you had tech bros. Alex Cooper brought something else. She brought intimacy. She brought "the vault." Most importantly, she brought a loyal, almost cult-like following that followed her from Barstool Sports to a standalone entity. Spotify wasn't just buying a feed of audio files. They were buying a direct line to millions of consumers who buy the hoodies, use the promo codes, and defend the "Father" in every comment section on TikTok.
The numbers were staggering. At the time of the deal in 2021, Call Her Daddy was already the second-most popular podcast on Spotify globally, trailing only The Joe Rogan Experience. By securing exclusivity, Spotify forced a massive migration of listeners. If you wanted the tea, you had to download the green app. It worked.
From Barstool to the Big Leagues
The drama that preceded the Spotify era is legendary. If you weren't there for the "Free the Father" movement, it’s hard to describe the tension. Cooper and Franklyn were at war with Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy over IP rights and salary. It was messy. It was public. It was, honestly, the best marketing the show could have ever received.
Cooper eventually took the reigns alone. She proved she could carry the show solo, pivoting from strictly raunchy dating advice to high-level celebrity interviews. Suddenly, it wasn't just about hookup culture. It was about Jane Fonda talking about her life. It was about Post Malone or Miley Cyrus. This evolution made the Spotify Call Her Daddy partnership inevitable. Spotify provided the infrastructure to turn a "party" podcast into a professional talk show format that rivals 60 Minutes for the social media age.
The Interview Pivot and the New Era of Celebrity PR
Have you noticed that celebrities don't go on late-night TV as much anymore? Why would you go on a network show for a five-minute clip when you can sit on a couch with Alex Cooper for an hour?
The "Spotify Era" of the show defined a new kind of journalism. It's disarming. Cooper often records in sweats. She’s open about her own therapy and mental health struggles. This "vulnerability" creates a safe space where stars like Zayn Malik—who hadn't done an interview in six years—finally felt comfortable speaking.
Why the "Daddy Gang" Stayed Loyal
- Relatability: Even as she became a multi-millionaire, Cooper kept the "best friend" tone.
- The Vault: Using secrets as a currency for engagement.
- Visual Podcasting: Spotify’s push into video changed the game, making the show feel like a Netflix series.
- The Guest List: Moving from "random hot friends" to Anna Delvey and Chelsea Handler.
The transition wasn't perfectly smooth for everyone. Some long-time listeners missed the chaotic, unpolished energy of the early Barstool days. They felt the show became "too Hollywood." But the data suggested otherwise. The show’s reach expanded internationally, hitting markets that had never heard of Barstool Sports.
The Business Logic: It Was Never Just About Audio
When people discuss the Spotify Call Her Daddy deal, they often forget that Spotify is a data company. By keeping the show exclusive for three years, they gathered incredible insights into female listening habits. They saw exactly when people skipped, what guests drove the most new subscriptions, and how audio ads performed compared to video ads.
This was a three-year experiment in platform stickiness.
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And then, in 2024, the landscape shifted again. Cooper signed a new deal, this time with SiriusXM, worth a reported $125 million. This move effectively ended the period of total Spotify exclusivity, allowing the show to be distributed across all platforms again while keeping a heavy ad-sales and SiriusXM partnership in place.
Why leave exclusivity? Because reach is the new gold. While the Spotify Call Her Daddy era was about building the wall and forcing people inside, the new era is about being everywhere. Cooper realized that to become the next Oprah, you can't be behind a single gate. You need to be on every phone, every car radio, and every social feed simultaneously.
Navigating the Controversy and Cultural Impact
Let’s be real: the show has its detractors. Critics argue it promotes a specific type of "white feminism" or that it's too focused on superficiality. There’s also the ongoing debate about the "democratization" of media—is it a good thing that a podcaster has more influence than a seasoned journalist?
Regardless of where you stand, the impact is undeniable. The show shifted the conversation around female sexuality, mental health, and the business of being a creator. Cooper taught an entire generation of women how to negotiate. She didn't just ask for a raise; she fought for the IP (Intellectual Property). That’s a distinction that often gets lost in the headlines about "cancel culture" or celebrity gossip.
Owning the IP is the difference between being an employee and being an owner. By the time the Spotify Call Her Daddy deal was being negotiated, Cooper owned her brand. That was her leverage.
The Technical Evolution of the Show
The production value skyrocketed during the Spotify years. We saw the introduction of professional lighting, multiple camera angles, and high-fidelity audio that made the early episodes sound like they were recorded in a tin can. This shift was necessary to compete with YouTube creators who were already treating their "podcasts" like cinematic experiences.
Spotify also used the show to test features like:
- Q&A and Polls: Interactive elements that lived directly under the episode.
- Video Podcasting: Setting the standard for how video should look on a music-first app.
- Dynamic Ad Insertion: Tailoring ads based on the listener's location and interests.
What Other Creators Can Learn From the Daddy Model
You don't need a $60 million check to learn from Alex Cooper. The blueprint is actually pretty simple, though incredibly hard to execute. It’s about "The Hook." Every episode of Spotify Call Her Daddy starts with a hook that makes it almost impossible to turn off. It’s about building a community with a name—The Daddy Gang—so the audience feels like they belong to something bigger than a digital file.
It's also about the "Pivot." If Cooper had stayed stuck in the 2018 version of the show, she would have been "canceled" or become irrelevant within two years. She grew up with her audience. As they went from college to the workplace, the show moved from "how to hide a boyfriend" to "how to handle burnout and toxic bosses."
That’s how you build longevity.
Actionable Insights for the Modern Listener and Creator
If you're looking to understand the "Daddy" phenomenon or apply its success to your own life or business, there are a few concrete takeaways.
For Creators: Focus on IP ownership above all else. A smaller audience that you own is more valuable than a massive audience on a platform you don't control. Use "The Hook" in the first 30 seconds of your content. If you haven't grabbed them by then, they're gone.
For Consumers: Recognize the shift in how information is delivered. The Spotify Call Her Daddy model proves that "authenticity" is the most valuable currency in 2026. However, always remember that "vulnerability" can also be a curated brand.
For Business Owners: Don't ignore the "niche" power. What started as a niche podcast about dating in NYC became a global powerhouse because it leaned into a specific voice rather than trying to please everyone.
The era of Spotify Call Her Daddy exclusivity might be over, but the blueprint it created for the creator economy is permanent. Alex Cooper didn't just play the game; she changed the rules of how media is bought, sold, and consumed.
To stay ahead of the next wave in digital media, watch how Cooper integrates her "Unwell" network. She’s now signing other creators, like Alix Earle, using the same infrastructure she built at Spotify. She isn't just the talent anymore; she's the mogul. The transition from being "on Spotify" to "partnering with Spotify" is the ultimate masterclass in modern business.
Keep an eye on the distribution shifts. As the show moves back to being "wide" (available on all platforms), the sheer volume of data and impressions will likely make her next deal even more astronomical. The Daddy Gang isn't just a fan base; it's a diversified economy.
Next Steps for Deepening Your Brand Influence:
- Audit Your Intellectual Property: If you are a freelancer or creator, ensure your contracts allow you to retain ownership of your "brand name" and "content archives."
- Study the "Unwell" Roster: Look at how Cooper is mentoring new talent to see how a singular brand scales into a network.
- Analyze the Interview Style: Watch the Miley Cyrus or Jane Fonda episodes to see how "active listening" and "strategic vulnerability" can extract information that traditional interviewing cannot.