Tag: Arcangel

Nearly a Quarter of All Streams on Spotify Are Hip-Hop. Spotify’s Global Editors Reflect on the Genre’s Growth

August 10, 2023

As hip-hop turns 50, fans around the world are celebrating its golden anniversary. For a genre that started at a block party in the Bronx, this milestone is a testament to the massive impact and influence hip-hop has had in virtually every corner of the globe.

And today on Spotify, hip-hop is thriving, with artists and fans from around the world discovering and connecting with one another. In 2023, nearly a quarter of all streams on Spotify globally are hip-hop music, led by artists like Drake, Nicki Minaj, 21 Savage, Ice Spice, and Metro Boomin.

But it goes further than that . . . 

  • Hip-hop is one of the most-listened-to genres globally on Spotify, and more than 400 million users around the world have streamed hip-hop music in 2023 so far.
  • RapCaviar ranks as the second most-followed playlist on Spotify. 
  • Around the globe, there are over 53 million user-generated and Spotify-curated playlists on Spotify that mention hip-hop or rap in the title of the playlist, and over 2 billion playlists that contain at least one hip-hop song. 
  • For the past three years, almost half of Spotify’s Top 50 most-streamed artists globally have been hip-hop or rap artists. 

One of the most distinct aspects of hip-hop culture is its regionality, with the unique sounds coming out of local U.S. scenes like New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Miami helping one of the most dynamic genres in the world flourish.

That’s why we’re celebrating these iconic regions with a series of original murals created by Raj Dhunna. 

Quase um quarto de todos os streams no Spotify são para o Hip Hop. Os editores globais do Spotify refletem sobre o crescimento do gênero

August 10, 2023

Quando o Hip Hop completa 50 anos, fãs de todo o mundo comemoram suas bodas de ouro. Para um gênero que teve um começo inesperado em um parque do Bronx, este marco é uma prova do enorme impacto e influência que o Hip Hop teve em praticamente todos os cantos do globo.

E hoje no Spotify, o Hip Hop está mais forte do que nunca, com artistas e fãs de todo o mundo se descobrindo e se conectando. Em 2023, quase um quarto de todas os streams no Spotify globalmente foram para músicas de Hip Hop, lideradas por artistas como Drake, Nicki Minaj, 21 Savage, Ice Spice e Metro Boomin.

Mas, vai além disso… 

  • O Hip Hop é o segundo gênero mais popular globalmente no Spotify, e mais de 400 milhões de usuários em todo o mundo escutaram música Hip Hop em 2023 até agora.
  • RapCaviar é a segunda playlist com maior número de seguidores no Spotify. 
  • Em todo o mundo, existem mais de 53 milhões de playlists editoriais e geradas por usuários no Spotify que mencionam Hip Hop ou Rap no título, e mais de 2 bilhões de playlists que contêm pelo menos uma música de Hip Hop.
  • Nos últimos três anos, quase metade dos 50 artistas mais escutados no Spotify em todo o mundo são artistas de Hip Hop ou Rap.

Um dos aspectos mais distintos da cultura Hip Hop é sua regionalidade, com sons únicos vindos de cenas locais dos Estados Unidos, como Nova York, Atlanta, Los Angeles e Miami, ajudando um dos gêneros mais dinâmicos do mundo a florescer.

É por isso que celebramos essas regiões icônicas com uma série de murais originais criados por Raj Dhunna.

Toast Hip-Hop’s 50th Anniversary With Our Special Playlist Hub, Murals, Animated Shorts, and More

August 3, 2023

Fifty years ago, hip-hop was born in the Bronx. And today, it continues to influence music and culture on a global scale. To celebrate this massive milestone over the next month, we’re creating murals in some of hip-hop’s biggest capitals, giving fans a personalized hip-hop listening experience with our DJ, and releasing a series of animated shorts. But to kick off the festivities, we’re launching the Hip-Hop Turns 50 hub.

Highlighting the contributions of hip-hop’s greats, this special destination will live on-platform over the next month and house more than 40 global playlists that reflect the various eras, regions, and trends that have shaped the genre over the last half-century. This includes many of our top data-driven and editorially curated playlists, as well as dedicated shelves for the 50 most-streamed rappers and hip-hop albums on Spotify. 

“We wanted to acknowledge the anniversary in more than one way. Three months ago, we kicked off conversations on social media with our Top 50 Hip-Hop lists and are now showcasing how hip-hop’s and Spotify’s history intersects,” said Carl Chery, Creative Director, Head of Urban Music, Spotify. “Throughout August, we’re paying homage to some of the artists that paved the way in their own cities with murals and billboards, creating an animated shorts series narrated by artists, and built out a destination on platform that features a variety of playlists from around the world. Stay tuned for more—here’s to the next 50″

Fans can dive into the best hip-hop songs of each decade with special curations for the ’80s, ’90s, ’00s, and ’10s, as well as the ’20s, where listeners can tune in to RapCaviar, our flagship hip-hop playlist, to find the best of hip-hop today. As part of the global hip-hop shelf—which features playlists like Spotify Italy’s Plus Ultra, Spotify India’s Rap 91, Spotify Korea’s KrOWN, Spotify U.K.’s Who We Be, the Spotify Middle East’s Arab Hip-Hop, and Spotify Philippines’ Kayle Hip-Hop—we’re showcasing the hottest, freshest, and most diverse hip-hop sounds being created around the world.

We’re also revisiting some of our editors’ top picks through our 50 years of hip-hop shelf, which features episodes from podcasts like the New York Times’s Popcast and Fab 5 Freddy’s 50 Years of Hip-Hop, as well as Spotify Originals like The RapCaviar Podcast, Dissect, The Ringer Music Show, and Nas and Miss Info’s The Bridge. 

You can check out more of For the Record’s hip-hop content from over the years by visiting our special Hip-Hop Turns 50 hub. 

Spotify celebrates in hip-hop’s biggest meccas

To honor some of hip-hop’s biggest game changers, Spotify is collaborating with illustrator and image-maker Raj Dhunna to design large-scale murals and billboards. These pieces will put a spotlight on artists in their respective hometowns and depict the ways rap’s most influential sounds spread from region to region. 

In New York, Spotify will unveil a mural acknowledging the history of drill as it grew from its origins in Chicago with legends like Chief Keef, and expanded into London and Brooklyn with artists like 808 Melo and Pop Smoke. A second mural will spotlight the impact of women in hip-hop and feature icons like Lil’ Kim and Cardi B. 

In Atlanta, Raj will create a mural that celebrates the evolution of trap music, which was pioneered by Atlanta’s own T.I. and cultivated into a global phenomenon by artists like New York’s Arcángel.

Raj’s designs will also appear on billboards in Miami and Los Angeles. The L.A. billboard will feature Dr. Dre and Mustard, two of the city’s musical titans, with a tagline that reads “Long live the West Coast sound. Hip-hop is everywhere.” The Miami billboard, meanwhile, will pay tribute to the provocative sounds of the region’s most influential women rap acts.

Spotify will also commemorate hip-hop’s growth in Mexico and pay homage to its current and foundational artists with a mural that features over 15 Mexican hip-hop artists, including Akwid, Cartel de Santa, Santa Fe Klan, and Gera Mx.

The party continues

In addition to the on-platform destinations and custom murals, our AI-powered DJ will provide expert hip-hop commentary all month long on Spotify, supplying aficionados with cultural context about musical legends and retracing how hip-hop has grown through history.

To close out the month, Spotify will debut editorially curated animated shorts that underscore hip-hop’s influence in over nine countries, featuring narrations from artists. 

Our celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary will let fans discover and connect with artists of the past, present, and future. But this is only the start. Stay tuned for updates throughout the month as we commemorate one of the most beloved genres in the world. 

Hit play on our flagship RapCaviar playlist and discover the artists who are making their mark in hip-hop’s history books. 

Casa Spotify: Puerto Rico Celebrates its Unique Sounds and Influential Legacy With Performances, Workshops, and More

June 12, 2023

Puerto Rico is famously known as La Cuna del Reggaetón (the Cradle of Reggaetón), and it’s still living up to its reputation as a Latin music giant today. In 2022 alone, listeners globally streamed nearly 13 billion hours of Latin music on Spotify, with five of the top 10 Latin music artists hailing from the influential island. And it’s this rich legacy of music and culture that has us excited to open up the doors of Casa Spotify: Puerto Rico. 

Located in the heart of San Juan, this music and creator residency will take place June 20-23 and will serve as a hub for the music industry. Artists, aspiring creatives, and industry professionals will have access to a range of educational sessions, workshops, masterclasses, panel discussions, industry networking opportunities, and showcases. We’ll also be curating a state-of-the-art interactive museum experience that dives into the history of reggaetón and how the influential island of Puerto Rico earned its nickname.

Showcasing Puerto Rico’s music scene

Casa Spotify will serve as the venue for numerous showcases featuring many of Puerto Rico’s best artists—emerging talents and legends alike. Open to the public, these performances will complement the week’s slate of panels, and they’re open to fans as well. Take a look at our showcase lineup:

  • El Nuevo Urbano: This showcase highlights some of Puerto Rico’s strongest emerging talent. Performers include Jovaan, vf7, and Hades66, with a special appearance by Arcángel. 
  • Mujeres en Música: RaiNao, Ana Macho, and Chesca will take the stage in celebration of women and LGBTQIA+ artists in music. 
  • Sonidos de la Isla: Following the discussion on the various sounds coming out of Puerto Rico, iLe and Luis Vazquez will headline this showcase with PJ Sin Suela.
  • Rompiendo Puerto Rico: Celebrating urban artists across the island, Brray, Omar Courtz, Dei V, and Hozwal will offer up some of PR’s hottest sounds.
  • Fan Experiences: Top Spotify fans of Chencho Corleone, Young Miko, and Arcángel will be guests of honor at our exclusive “Fans First” experiences throughout the week. 

To wrap up the week, there will also be a surprise performer at the closing party. (Hint: It’s one of Puerto Rico’s legendary and most influential artists.)

Experts as educators

Along with the showcases and fan experiences, our workshops, panel discussions, and masterclasses during Casa Spotify will be led by experts from every corner of the industry. Each day of the residency will feature different educational sessions and will cover a wide range of topics. Here’s a sneak peek: 

  • Written By Live: Chris Jedi & Gaby Music: Two of the most prolific producers in Latin music—Chris Jedi and Gaby Music—will be leading the Written By Live panel, where they will give the live audience a deep dive into the hit songs they helped create. Attendees will have the chance to hear early demos of those hits and also find out what it takes to enjoy success as a songwriter.
  • Mujeres en Música: This panel will celebrate the impact women in music have had on the industry as a whole. Rising artist paopao and featured performer Chesca will be sharing their journeys on how they’ve built their careers and brands as women in the industry while reflecting on the importance of allyship among creators. 
  • Sonidos de la Isla: Spotlighting the various sounds that are emerging from Puerto Rico, this panel will feature doctor-turned-rapper PJ Sin Suela and artists Luis Vazquez and iLe as the featured speakers. Attendees will learn how these artists found success by crafting a unique sound and will get their insights on the global resurgence of tropical music.

But that’s not all we have planned. We’ll also be tapping our own talent to lead masterclasses on ways managers and artists can take full advantage of Spotify for Artists, the fundamentals of writing and publishing music, and the best practices when crafting pitches for PR and media outreach. These classes are designed to give Puerto Rico’s new wave of rising artists the tools necessary to reach the next level in their musical careers.  

As a leading force in how Latin music is streamed worldwide, we’re committed to elevating Puerto Rican artists to the global stage. And with Casa Spotify: Puerto Rico, we aim to connect with Puerto Rican artists, managers, and labels; develop long-term relationships; and make sure artists have our support and resources at their disposal. 

Check out the latest Puerto Rican sounds taking the world by storm on our Casa Spotify: Puerto Rico hub.

Santiago, Chile: Spotify’s Streaming Capital of Reggaetón

October 16, 2019

When the Colombian reggaetón star J Balvin and Puerto Rican trap artist Bad Bunny dropped their eight-track collaborative album, OASIS, in June this year, every single song  made it into Chile’s Top 50 on the first day of its release. Though potentially surprising at first glance, a closer look shows this chart-topping is right in line for reggaetón.

Puerto Rico and Panama might be the birthplaces of the genre—and Colombia a current production powerhouse—but with over 400 million plays per month, Santiago, Chile is the indisputable capital of reggaetón streaming. Twice as many reggaetón songs are played in Santiago as the second city on the list, Mexico City (even though the Mexican capital has a population nearly double the size of its Chilean counterpart). 

“What we are seeing with reggaetón in Chile is a great testimony to the absolute powerhouse that is Latin America when it comes to building and delivering audiences for Latin artists,” said Mia Nygren, Managing Director for Spotify in Latin America.