Spotify has expanded into podcasting, and the music streaming giant has added new projects including an eight-episode documentary series with hip-hop legend Chuck D, leader of the band Public Enemy.

The eight-part podcast will center around the reign and explosive self-destruction of London punk rock legends The Clash. Chuck D will narrate the series, “Stay Free: The Story of The Clash.”

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BBC Studios, the BBC’s commercial arm, is producing “Stay Free” in partnership with Spotify, Digital Music News reported.

In fact, Chuck D was among the first to be signed by Spotify in its new expansion. During its Q4 2018 earnings announcement, Spotify confirmed two new acquisitions: award-winning narrative podcasting company Gimlet Media and podcast platform Anchor.

Spotify recently confirmed the new, exclusive podcast series by Chuck D in a promotional video. “This is the story of a band that changed everything.  A band that turned punk into protest. It taught us to fight for what really matters, and to fight as hard as hell.  The band that burned so brightly, they had to burn out and how their light lives on today.”

“Stay Free” is scheduled to launch on Feb. 28.

BBC Studios might sound like a strange production partner, given that Spotify’s podcast push is a direct challenge to the BBC’s radio stations. However, it’s not so unusual really, Musically reported. “BBC Studios makes shows for a range of non-BBC broadcasters already, so Spotify is simply another distribution partner,”

Spotify plans a lot more podcasts. It has earmarked at least $500 million for acquisitions of tech and content.  

Spotify’s plans include a freemium offering. “Spotify will continue to use its ad-supported free product to upsell premium (paid) subscribers. Spotify has 157 million monthly active users, of which 71 million are paid subscribers (up from 48 million at year-end 2016), across 65 international markets as of year-end 2017,” Business Insider reported.

It will also focus on ubiquity across all platforms. More than 75 percent of premium Spotify subscribers listen across multiple devices,
Business Insider reported. Spotify is also working with automakers to integrate its platform into cars — 30 percent of music listening in the U.S. still happens in cars.

A potential challenge to Spotify could happen if tech giants such as Apple, Amazon, and Google decide to prioritize their own music-streaming services on their devices over Spotify’s service.

The company is expanding internationally including recent launches in Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, and India. Most of Africa and Russia are also on the target list.