Not sure if it’s been widely seen as a growth driver, but Spotify is actually not blocked in China!
Yes, you can use Spotify w/o VPN in China, including podcasts.
If you are on a short trip to China, you can use Spotify for 14 days (no payment needed, just regular account). This corresponds to the visa-free 15 day stay in China for several countries – that list is expanding.
If you are staying in mainland China longer, you need a premium account. With Spotify Premium in mainland China, you don’t need VPN.
This is rare – for any “foreign” internet service provider to provide service in its original format.