Spotify has laid off around 15 employees – roughly 3% of its podcasting division – as job cuts continue to roll through the tech sector.

The reductions, which impact teams across Spotify Studios and The Ringer, are part of an internal restructure aimed at reducing management layers and speeding up decision-making.

While relatively small in scale, the cuts come amid a broader pattern of workforce reductions sweeping the industry.

The streaming giant has not publicly commented beyond stating it “does not comment on staffing shifts,” but sources say the changes are designed to improve execution and alignment rather than reduce costs.

The move comes despite the ongoing popularity of podcasts and continued audience growth in the sector.

As part of the shake-up, The Ringer is cancelling its sports podcast New York, New York with John Jastremski. Staff impacted include editorial and project roles, highlighting ongoing adjustments within Spotify’s content strategy.

Spotify’s podcast ambitions have shifted several times since its aggressive expansion into the space in 2019. After investing heavily in acquisitions like Gimlet Media and The Ringer, the company has since consolidated operations and experimented with distribution strategies, including moving away from exclusivity deals.

The latest layoffs follow earlier cuts in 2023 and 2025, suggesting continued recalibration rather than a settled long-term approach.

Spotify’s move lands in the context of widespread layoffs across major tech firms including Meta, Amazon, Microsoft and eBay, raising new questions about whether the sector is entering another prolonged phase of contraction.