Spotify app crashing when trying to play a podcast/ audiobook

[Vasil]

Hey folks!

Some of you may experience issues when trying to play podcasts or audiobooks, leading to the app crashing. This is now being looked into.

[stanleymanly21]

The app crashes every time I try to play a podcast. I have tried all recommended troubleshooting steps I could find and was able to get it to play music again, but still cannot play podcasts. Occurs on both Wi-Fi and Cellular data, and if the podcast is already downloaded or streaming. Issue started this morning. 

Plan: Premium

Country: United States

Device: Google Pixel 6

OS: Android 14

App version: 8.9.40.509

Edit (2024-05-21 02:47 PM US Central Time): I can play Podcasts again! App version is the same. Hopefully it's working for others. 

[sferguson12]

Plan

Premium

Country

United States

Device

Pixel 8

Operating System

Android 14

My Question or Issue

Attempting to open any audiobook on the Spotify Android app causes Spotify to immediately crash.  The book and chapter list will display briefly before the app stops running.  My account page shows that I've only used 4 of 15 listening hours.

Things I've tried:

* Force restarting the app

* Restarting the phone

* Clearing cache and then force restarting the app

* Clearing data and then force restarting the app

* Uninstalling and reinstalling the app

* Trying at least three different audiobooks

* Playing audiobooks on a Pixel Tablet (also crashes)

* Playing audiobooks on the Mac desktop app (works fine)

** Side note: If the audio book is the last thing I've played from the desktop app, the Android app crashes immediately on starting and won't run at all. I have to go play music on the desktop so that the last played track is not an audiobook.

I see that my last Spotify app update was May 13, and I have definitely played audiobooks since then.

What else can I try to fix this?

[intr00d]

Me too. Same app version, S22 Ultra in UK. 

Tried all steps, no good. I'm paying for a family account too. 

Cleared cache, re-installed, no VPN, data and WiFi. Tried playing a song from a link, but soon as app opens my late played is a JRE pod... So crashes. 

[guitarn0ir]

Same thing here. Using a Samsung S20 and same version of Spotify. Issue just started this morning but the last Spotify update was several days ago and podcasts worked fine until now. Clearing cache and reinstalling the app do not fix.

Temp solution of listening via browser on mobile does work

[PhilW1973]

Kinda glad I'm not the only one. Started happening this afternoon (5pm uk time)

Tried all the same things, cleared cache,  restarted app, and tried other audiobooks. All the same result. 

[michellecarson1010]

I'm having the same issue.  Music will play but podcasts won't. I have a google pixel 7 - based in the US. I've taken all the steps to troubleshoot but nothing has worked, including unistalling/reinstalling, clearing cache, playback settings, restarted phone, check for phone and app updates - nothing has worked. Podcast would play at around 8 am ET but by 12 pm ET it wasn't working. The app just automatically closes when I try to play or download a podcast. 

[Malsies]

As of the last hour or so, the Spotify app crashes immediately if I try to play any podcast or audiobook. Music seems to play without any issues. I've tried restarting the app, restarting my phone, and uninstalling/reinstalling Spotify. None of this has changed anything, the app still crashes if I try to play any podcast. The Spotify subreddit has a current thread with other users reporting the same problem.

Plan

Premium

Country

USA

Device

Samsung Galaxy S22

Operating System

Android - Latest version

[DynomyteDan]

I am having a similar issue.  Everything was fine on my drive in this morning, but now any podcast or audiobook will immediately crash the app.

[Malsies]

Same issue. Samsung S22 with latest updated versions of Android and Spotify.

[Anne161]

I have the same issue! Google pixel 6a, OS: Android 14, App version: 8.9.40.509