- Spotify partners with Samsung to launch exclusive free channel on Samsung TV Plus, just days after announcing its big partnership with Netflix
- The new Samsung TV Plus channel will air a 24-hour loop of video podcast episodes from The Ringer podcast network.
- It is available to access now on Samsung TVs with Samsung TV Plus
Spotify is entering the world of free TV streaming and the music platform just announced a new partnership with Samsung TV Plus, the TV giant’s flagship free streaming service. But it won’t stream music videos, instead focusing on video podcasts.
The news comes on the heels of another new deal with Spotify that will see a selection of video podcasts come to Netflix in 2026.
In the case of Samsung televisions, Spotify brings one of its most popular podcasts to the big screen. Bill Simmons’ The Ringer, a network of sports, entertainment and pop culture podcasts, is coming exclusively to Samsung smart TVs compatible with Samsung TV Plus and will be completely free to access.
When you open Spotify’s new FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television) channel, you’ll be able to watch The Ringer video podcasts in a 24-hour streaming loop featuring over 50 of the podcast’s most popular shows.
These include The Rewatchables, a show that looks at film classics, Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay, which highlights pop culture news, and House of R, a show that delves into some of the most iconic fictional universes in star wars to game of Thrones. That said, not all of The Ringer’s shows, like The Bill Simmons Podcast, are available to stream on Samsung TV Plus just yet.
Being one of the best music streaming services, Spotify has had a pretty monumental 2025, from the launch of its rival audio mixing tool Apple Music to the long-awaited Spotify Lossless. It’s now adding FAST channels to the list and Samsung has expressed its excitement:
“The Ringer brings an arsenal of talent and some of the most dynamic, culture-changing voices to Samsung TV Plus, where we continue to redefine what television can be, opening up a whole new dimension of entertainment for audiences to explore,” says Senior Vice President and Global Head of Samsung TV Plus Salek Brodsky.
As mentioned, Samsung isn’t the only exclusive partnership Spotify has struck, and the music giant will also be working closely with Netflix in 2026 to bring video podcasts to one of the best streaming services, which also includes shows from The Ringer and podcasts from Spotify Studios.
These two partnerships open up a new way for Spotify to continue focusing on the increasingly popular video podcast format. However, if Spotify were to launch its own 24-hour music channel alongside Vevo, it would heal the wound after MTV’s recent decision to go off the air. Bring back the epic days of music channels, I say.
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