Tag: Ariana Grande

Country Crossover Icon Shania Twain Is Spotify’s EQUAL Ambassador of the Month

September 15, 2022

“Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” “Any Man of Mine.” “You’re Still The One.” The list of hit singles from country legend Shania Twain goes on and on. And while the Canadian star grew up singing and performing in the ’80s, she really hit her stride in the ’90s when she released three albums that introduced her bold and unapologetic persona to the world.

Shania’s success is unparalleled. She has won five Grammy Awards, sold over 100 million records, and accumulated over 1 billion streams across her Spotify catalog—making her not only the best-selling female artist in country music, but one of the best-selling artists of all time.

Shania took her career to new heights in 1997 when she released Come On Over, a genre-spanning album that attracted a global fan base and proved she was a pop force to be reckoned with. But even after the release of her Greatest Hits album, Shania continues to push boundaries with her music. This year the singer released the track “Not Just A Girl” as well as a compilation album that is a companion to her new Netflix documentary, Not Just A Girl.

Shania’s boundary-breaking attitude makes her the perfect Ambassador of the Month for Spotify’s EQUAL Global Music Program. EQUAL aims to combat gender disparity in the music industry by amplifying and celebrating the work of women creators around the world. Fans can find Shania’s new song on this month’s EQUAL Global playlist.

For the Record caught up with the superstar to learn more about what inspires her and how she’d like to see greater gender equity in the music industry.

The artists who have most inspired me are _____.

Especially as a kid, artists like Dolly Parton and Tanya Tucker. I thought I could maybe be the next Tanya Tucker, in fact. I really learned a lot of my songwriting from Dolly Parton. Olivia Newton-John was a big inspiration for me. Gladys Knight always being the biggest, most beautiful voice I thought I’d ever heard. When I got into my teens, I started to really draw most of my inspiration from rock singers. I was a big Heart fan. I was getting into the big hair and lots of hairspray. Annie Lennox was one of my absolute favorite singers for her range. I thought it was incredible. And she had such a strong, yet feminine face and such an eye for fashion and her own personal styling. So, I guess my influences evolved as I got older. I started to really get inspired by some of the new, more recent voices as I was especially regaining my own voice after a struggle with it. So I was really targeting the higher voices like Ariana Grande and Sia, with her punch and her power. So in more recent years, I’ve been focusing on the voices that have the most flex and agility, just from my own vocal training.

One piece of advice I’d give other women artists is _____.

Don’t be a follower. If you really plan on being a leader, then it’s probably not a good idea to get into the habit of following what other people are doing, what other artists are doing stylistically. Just be your own boss.

One way I’d like to see greater gender equity in the music industry is _____.

Acceptance . . . more unity. Music is very uniting. We just need to be celebrating music, regardless of our gender. It’s the artist’s responsibility to put their best foot forward. So it’s not because of your gender that you should be accepted, it’s because of your greatness. But then we, as an audience and as streamers, have to give artists that door. Even if we have to kick the door down, the door still has to be there. So give us a chance to get out there to the fans and let the public decide.

A few up-and-coming women artists I’m excited to watch are _____.

Mickey Guyton—I think you’re incredible. I love your personality and I think you’re going to be around for a really long time. I look forward to everything that you have coming up next. I’m also a big cheerleader for Tiera Kennedy because, Tiera, I believed in you right from the beginning. So just keep it going. Keep those great songs coming; keep songwriting. There’s so many fabulous women that are just in front of you. I mean, Brandi Carlile is one of the best female songwriters I think I’ve ever known. So keep looking to these other great songwriters in front of you, and I look forward to seeing more of you.

My girl-power anthem is _____.

Is this, like, a trick question or something? Cause I know I have at least a dozen or more . . . but I’m going to say right now, in my spirit, it’s “Roar” by Katy Perry.

Hear Shania’s new hit, as well as songs from other women artists, on our EQUAL Global playlist.

Show Your Furry (or Scaly) Friend How Much You Love Them With Their Own Pet Playlist

April 11, 2022

Pets may not be people, but it’s hard to imagine them as anything other than members of the family. And often, they’ll do something that makes you wonder if they’re more human-like than they get credit for. For example, ever notice your pet’s ears perk up when you stream a song? Ever wonder if your dog digs jazz or if your cat might be into rap? Well, it’s about time you find out.

Today, on National Pet Day in the U.S., Spotify is making its fan-favorite Pet Playlists experience accessible right within the Spotify app for all users (and their furry, fluffy, and scaly friends) in the U.S. Since the experience first launched in 2020, pet lovers just can’t get enough—in the past year alone, millions of Spotify users have discovered and created Pet Playlists.

Now it’s your turn. After you tell us a little bit about your pet, you’ll be gifted with a fully customized playlist based on your Spotify listening habits and your pet’s personality.

Puppy love

To celebrate, we also took a look at what type of music was trending on Spotify for puppies, dogs, kittens, birds, and more. As it turns out, people love playing music for their pets.

Dogs really are a man’s best friend, and we have the numbers to prove it. Searches for “puppy” on Spotify have increased nearly 700%* since January 2020. And since its launch in early 2021, streams of Spotify’s This Is Calming Music for Dogs playlist have increased by more than 330% in the U.S.

Pet owners are also creating Spotify playlists of their own, and some of the most popular songs added to “puppy” playlists include: “Sugar” by Maroon 5, “Wolves” by Selena Gomez and Marshmello, and “Roar” by Katy Perry.

Kittens & birds & hamsters . . . oh my!

Cat owners might be feeling like it’s all gone to the dogs when it comes to pet-related playlists, but there’s been plenty of love for other animals as well. Since January 2020, there has been an 800% increase in searches for “kitten,” a nearly 700% increase in searches for “hamster,” and a nearly 600% increase in searches for “bird” on Spotify.*

Our feline friends have a more mischievous reputation on-platform, with songs like “Dangerous Woman” by Ariana Grande, “Heathens” by Twenty One Pilots, and “Sweet But Psycho” by Ava Max topping the “kitten” playlist category.

And iguana” and “reptile” playlists have kept listeners on their toes with rock ‘n’ roll songs ranging from “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses and “Reptilia” by The Strokes to “Creep” by Radiohead.

Create your own Pet Playlist

Want a Spotify Pet Playlist of your own? Here’s how you do it:

Visit open.spotify.com/site/pets on your mobile device (please ensure your Spotify app is up-to-date).

Pick Your Pet: Choose from options including a dog, cat, iguana, hamster, or bird.

Tell Us About Them: From relaxed to energetic, shy to friendly, and apathetic to curious, the traits you provide will help make the playlist more personalized for your pet.

Add a Name and Photo: Your playlist will feature your pet’s name and photo, and you’ll also receive a personalized sharecard.
Listen and Share: You’ll be able to access your Pet Playlist right away and use the personalized card to share your pet’s results on social media.

We know you love your pets, and with the help of Pet Playlists, you’ll now have a personalized selection of tunes asto a soundtrack for all those wonderful moments you spend together.

*Data was pulled from January 2021-January 2022, compared to January 2019-January 2020, unless otherwise stated.

Today’s Top Hits Is the World’s Destination for the Very Best in Music

June 24, 2021

Ed Sheeran. Ariana Grande. Kali Uchis. There’s one place fans go to find a mix of music from their favorite groundbreaking artists—and that’s Today’s Top Hits.

Spotify’s Today’s Top Hits (TTH) is the world’s biggest playlist. With over 28 million followers, it’s also the top destination for emerging and established artists across all genres to reach millions of fans and provide them with chart-topping, show-stopping songs each day. And TTH influences more than culture—it has helped kickstart the careers of many emerging artists—like The Kid Laroi, Tate McRae, and Conan Gray—and supported music favorites like Billie Eilish, SZA, and Juice WRLD.

Today’s Top Hits is the leading global destination for popular music, supporting artists across all genres and bringing their music to a wider, global audience. As Spotify’s largest, most international playlist, we identified the opportunity to position Today’s Top Hits as our global music brand, complete with a distinct visual aesthetic and voice. The visual rebrand consists of a fresh, bold, colorful design, including a unique lockup with the TTH acronym, as well as a new brand tagline, “Hits Made Here.” The campaign, which centers around a 60-second video, “The Hit Station,” celebrates the breadth of artists and tracks that are defining culture today, including hitmakers like Billie Eilish, Travis Scott, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny, and BLACKPINK.

“Today’s Top Hits is a true reflection of music culture today, as defined by the fans,” said Ned Monahan, Spotify’s Head of Global Hits. “So many factors go into the process of making a song a hit, and TTH has become a key catalyst and proving ground for a song reaching its full hit potential. Whether you’re emerging or established, no matter the genre—TTH gives artists the opportunity to connect with millions of fans across the globe, and fans a destination to support their favorite artist.”

Check out some notable TTH moments in this new style:

Today’s Top Hits has become so influential due to its diverse curation process, which supports various genres and artists beyond the traditional confines of how popular music has been defined in the past. It showcases the latest top hits driven by fans, combined with specially curated picks from editors who analyze music culture, data, and trends. Artists, industry professionals, and fans alike look to Today’s Top Hits as representative of what today’s music is—and what fans are listening to.

Get to know the world’s top tracks. Stream Today’s Top Hits for the very best in music today.

“Own It,” Says Diane von Furstenberg, Host of Spotify’s New ‘InCharge with DVF’ Podcast

March 12, 2020

Diane von Furstenberg’s life is well-documented. Her work in both the fashion and philanthropic worlds has made her a symbol of female empowerment. And it all started back in 1974 with her revolutionary wrap dress. But there’s one thing that most folks don’t know: since she was a young girl, she wanted to host a radio show.

Now, with her new Spotify podcast InCharge with DVF, von Furstenberg is seizing the opportunity to highlight the journeys of other hardworking women. In each episode, she’ll interview successful forces—from Kris Jenner to Elaine Welteroth to Priyanka Chopra—about overcoming adversity and accomplishing their goals.

We caught up with von Furstenberg in her Connecticut home ahead of today’s podcast release.

Your debut podcast, InCharge with DVF, features intimate conversations that dive into the lives and careers of iconic female figures. What drew you to the podcast medium?

Well first of all, I love intimacy, and I love words. Therefore, I love podcasts. You can talk to people, and they don’t have to worry about how they look or what they’re wearing. Somehow it’s very intimate—both to record and for people to listen to them—whether they’re in their car or working out. I think that podcasts are extremely powerful.

I am now in the part of my life that is my third act. I have had a very, very full life full of experiences and knowledge. I have accumulated wisdom, and I think that it is important to share in an intimate way.

What are some of the universal takeaways of the podcast for people of all genders, ages, and goals?

This summer I thought, “What does ‘in charge’ really mean?” I don’t want people, especially men, to feel like to be “in charge” is to be aggressive. What it is, first and foremost, is a commitment to yourself to be true to yourself, to own it. Because as the woman I know I am now, I can tell you the secret of life is owning it.

Own your imperfections; they become your assets. You own your vulnerability; it becomes your strength. Owning it is very much about that—InCharge is very much about that. It’s about the relationship you have with yourself, which is where you find your own strength, where you find your core.

Own your imperfections; they become your assets. You own your vulnerability; it becomes your strength. Owning it is very much about that—InCharge is very much about that. It’s about the relationship you have with yourself, which is where you find your own strength, where you find your core.

The podcast will be released March 12, in celebration of Women’s History Month. In your career, how have you empowered women to take control and be in charge of their lives, their work, and their passions?

I always mentioned the words “in charge” when I was growing up. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I knew the kind of woman that I wanted to be, and what I wanted to be was a woman in charge. And now, the reason I give for being in fashion is basically to dress the woman in charge or to help her to feel in charge, to give her confidence.

I think it’s important that when you have a voice, you use that voice, plus your knowledge, experience, and connections, in order to help others to have a voice and to be in charge.

What specific topics are you most excited to discuss on the podcast? Are you expecting to find similarities across your conversations? Differences?

The similarity is that all of those women, whenever they were faced with challenges, they owned it. That’s why I said the secret of life is owning it. Most of them had very different lives and everything, but how they dealt with the challenges and the strength and the courage is very similar, and that’s what InCharge is about.

If we were to look at the music that you’ve been listening to, are there any particular genres or artists that you’re a big fan of these days?

I can’t sing at all, I’m the worst, but to be a rock star would certainly have been my fantasy. I love all these young women, like Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande. I just watched the documentary about Taylor Swift—it’s really hard for these young women. You have these crowds that love you and worship you and then two minutes later they criticize you. But they’re great and push through.

Finally, you’re known for the iconic wrap dress. If you were to associate a particular band, musician, or musical genre with your creation, what comes to mind?

Billy Joel. There’s a certain song that Billy Joel wrote called “You’re Always a Woman to Me.” I remember many people gave me that record (at the time we still had records). I would say that that’s the song that spoke to me when the dress was created.

Stream the first episode of Diane von Furstenberg’s new podcast, InCharge with DVF.

This International Women’s Day, Stream the Top Female Voices on Spotify

March 4, 2020

March is all about women’s empowerment. In honor of International Women’s Day, March 8, we’re celebrating female voices by spotlighting the top female artists and female-led podcasts on Spotify.

Taking the number one artist spot is Billie Eilish—and not only among female artists. She’s also the top artist overall this year, based on data from January 1 to March 1. Eilish has more than 10.3 billion all-time streams and more than 60 million monthly listeners. Eilish, whose song “bad guy” has over 1.2 billion streams, also just released the new James Bond theme song “No Time To Die.” Coming in second on our global list is “Lover” superstar Taylor Swift, followed by Ariana Grande, Halsey, and Camila Cabello.

When it comes to podcasts, these female-led shows are fan favorites on Spotify based on hours streamed, and it’s clear that the obsession with true crime reigns supreme. My Favorite Murder, a comedic true crime series from comedians Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, is Spotify’s most popular female-hosted podcast. Crime Junkie, hosted by self-described “crime junkies” Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat, comes in second. Wondering why women are so obsessed with true crime? According to social psychologist Amanda Vicary, “Women are drawn to true crime because of the information they can learn from it, even if they aren’t aware that that may be the reason they are listening!”

And with that, these are the top female artists and female-led podcasts globally on Spotify.

To mark International Women’s Day, we’re creating our first-ever global campaign to highlight the contributions women have made to this industry. Plus, on March 8, a brand-new Women’s History Month hub will be live on Spotify. It will include all-female tracks, playlists, and podcasts, as well as takeovers from some of the most dynamic women in audio, because #MusicNeedsWomen #PodcastsNeedWomen and #AudioNeedsWomen.

In the meantime, be sure to listen to our powerhouse playlist of the top female artists around the world.

These are Spotify’s Top Workout & Wellness Trends – Plus 2020 Predictions to Help Kick-Start Your Resolutions

December 31, 2019

As we enter the New Year—or better yet, new decade—there are endless ways to get on that fitness, wellness, or self-care resolution. Since there are plenty of songs, podcasts, and playlists dedicated to helping people achieve their wellness goals on Spotify, we took a look at how listeners have been using music and podcasts to stay on track. Plus, we made some predictions for what trends the new year will bring.

So, with more than 54 million workout-themed playlists on Spotify, what songs do listeners sweat to the most? Eminem’s “‘Till I Collapse” is the most-streamed track on workout lists at the moment. Ed Sheeran’s “I Don’t Care” with Justin Bieber is second highest, followed by Tones and I’s “Dance Monkey,” “If I Can’t Have You” by Shawn Mendes, and “Beautiful People” by Ed Sheeran and Khalid.

It turns out that our listeners have a particular workout preference—running. Spotify listeners around the world have created more running playlists than any other workout type. Yoga follows in popularity, so you can be sure listeners are staying flexible as well.

We found that people want to learn about wellness from podcasts, too. Listening in the fitness and wellness podcast genre increased 145% in the past year. Plus, listeners are falling asleep—and in love—with sleep podcasts. The most popular podcast in the health and fitness category is Sleepy, where host Otis Gray reads classic stories to help listeners doze off. Is this what sweet dreams are made of?

As for 2020 predictions, we have reason to believe there’s going to be more meditating than ever before. We saw a 113% increase in streams of meditation playlists in the past year, higher than any other workout or wellness type.

Plus, we feel self-love will continue to reign supreme, with pump-up empowerment anthems like Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next,” Lizzo’s “Good as Hell,” and Hailee Steinfeld’s “Love Myself,” popular on self-care playlists. These powerful women are here to say You’ve got this.

Keep up the motivation with even more workout and wellness trends:

Download the infographic here.

Get inspired by our Wellness hub or get your heart racing with Spotify’s most-followed workout playlist, Beast Mode.

Revisit the Biggest Songs, Artists, and Cultural Moments of the Last 10 Years with Spotify’s ‘The Decade Wrapped’ Podcast

December 16, 2019

With 2020 right around the corner—and the 2010s coming to a close—we’re taking a journey through the last decade in music with a new original podcast, The Decade Wrapped.

The podcast’s host, Eric Eddings, will be joined by critics, comedians, influencers, and writers as they look back at the music stories that defined pop culture between 2010 and 2019. This 10-episode series incorporates data and insights from Spotify’s popular Wrapped campaign. Launched earlier this month, the campaign revealed through personal Wrapped e-cards what our listeners have been streaming—not only over 2019, but over the past decade—as well as what the world listened to during that time.

The first three episodes are available starting today, December 16, in the U.S. (The next seven episodes will be released daily over the course of the week.) Get a taste for the episode topics and featured songs:

2010: Nicki Minaj Tells Us to “Check It Out”/Female-Driven Pop

In the early 2010s, women like Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, and Katy Perry took the stage . . . but no one matched the omnipresence of Nicki Minaj. Before even dropping a full album, she was featured on tracks by Lil Wayne, Kanye, will.i.am, and Gucci Mane. Her debut album, Pink Friday, didn’t disappoint—and over the years she became a force in hip-hop.

2011: One Direction (Re)invents the Stan

In 2011, British boy band One Direction recorded their first album, released “What Makes You Beautiful,” and finished up their first tour. One Direction’s teen audience was fully internet literate and ready to make the band their own. Fanfiction and fanart take flight. So of course we had no choice but to stan.

2012: “Gangnam Style” Introduces K-Pop to the U.S.

One of the most-watched videos in the history of YouTube, “Gangnam Style” set the stage for K-Pop hits like BTS to come. The song, which has been streamed over 208 million times on Spotify, is credited with bringing Korean culture into the American mainstream.

2013: Harlem Shake[s the Internet]

If there was any year that your grandma might be caught dancing to an EDM song, 2013 was it. The “Harlem Shake” showcased the immense viral power of crossover appeal and memes, and the song became a mainstream number-one hit, with more than 2.1 million streams on Spotify. The 2010s were the decade of user-created content—and this song embodied that ideal.

2014: “Uptown Funk” and Taylor Swift Go Retro

In 2014, the 1980s came back to the top of the charts as Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” and Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk,” featuring Bruno Mars, battled for number one. “Uptown Funk” propelled producers to the forefront; it became one of Ronson’s biggest hits and underscored the increasingly key role of producers in music then and today.

2015: Kendrick’s To Pimp A Butterfly Takes Flight, Drake Has the Biggest Year Ever, and Hamilton Shoots Its Shot

There were three differing perspectives on what the biggest musical story of 2015 was. Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly cemented Lamar as a cultural icon as it examined race, discrimination, anger, and violence. Meanwhile, Drake’s “Hotline Bling” and his diss track feud with Meek Mill fueled a massive year for him. And Lin-Manuel Miranda turned Broadway upside down when his hip-hop musical Hamilton exploded as a hit inside and outside the theater.

2016: Beyoncé Drops Lemonade

With her release of Lemonade, Beyoncé solidified her status as a powerful force in music. Lemonade appeared to divulge intimate details about her life while at the same time commenting on black life in America. It was universally praised for its personal and political content—and also for crossing genres. Its controversial snub at the Grammys also marked the beginning of a broader conversation around recognizing black musicians.

2017: “Despacito” Gets All the Views

In 2017, “Despacito,” a catchy song from Luis Fonzi and Daddy Yankee, crossed a huge milestone to become the most-watched video. Not music video. Video. Oh, and it surpassed 1.3 billion streams on Spotify, making it the first Spanish-language song to reach the billion-stream milestone.

2018: “thank u, next” and the Evolution of Ariana Grande

The year 2018 was all about Ariana Grande. She returned to music with the One Love Manchester concert and came out on top with “thank u, next,” proving that music has the power to help us process, heal, and face what’s next.

2019: The Yeehaw Agenda

The end of the decade gave us giant breakthroughs for two artists. For Lizzo, it’s a story of years of hard work that culminated in the artist’s becoming a mainstay in the mainstream. And for Lil Nas X, it was the perfect storm of a catchy song on TikTok and a cowboy hat.

Take it all the way back with a listen to the first episode on Nicki Minaj and female-driven pop below.

https://open.spotify.com/show/4C9SyDbX6N7HfgxYAVs9NP?si=DSOxhIGkQsa7bQGpREV_cw

The Top Songs, Artists, Playlists, and Podcasts of 2019—and the Last Decade

December 3, 2019

As 2019 draws to a close, so too does a stellar year of streaming on Spotify. You may be reflecting back on the past 12 months, thinking about your own music discoveries and the songs you repeated over, and over, and over. (You’ll be able to check them out on your personal Wrapped cards later this week). We’re doing the same—but for the entire world.

We dove into the newcomers, showstoppers, and top performers who united the globe with music and podcasts this year. And ahead of the brand-new decade, we also looked back on the last 10 years in music to reveal who dominated global listening.

So, what did the world listen to in 2019?

This year, Post Malone claimed the spot of most-streamed artist with over 6.5 billion streams from fans around the globe. It’s the rapper-singer-songwriter’s first time topping Spotify’s Wrapped list, and he did it just 12 weeks after dropping his album Hollywood’s Bleeding (which also happens to be the second most-streamed album globally this year). His collaboration with Swae Lee on “Sunflower” from Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse rounded out the top three most-streamed songs of the year, which gives the artist a spot in each of our three major music categories (top artists, top songs, and top albums).

The second-most-streamed artist of the year is 17-year-old singer-songwriter and first time Grammy nominee Billie Eilish, who by now, definitely deserves that crown. In this year alone, she dropped her album WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? and surpassed 6 billion streams. The album has proven to be the top-streamed release of 2019, marking a milestone—Billie is the first female artist to have her album top the Wrapped most-streamed album category. Her dark staccato hit “bad guy” also ranks as the second-most-streamed song of the year.

Finally, Ariana Grande released her immensely popular album thank u, next in February, propelling her to number three on Spotify’s list of most-streamed-artists globally. Her song “7 rings” was also in the top five most streamed this year, giving Ariana a strong two years in the top 10 of Spotify’s Wrapped list. Listeners also showed Taylor Swift lots of love, making her the year’s third top-streamed female artist after her album Lover generated popular tracks like “ME!” and “You Need to Calm Down.”

When it comes to the most-streamed female artist of the decade, Ariana once again takes the cake. Only tears of joy left to cry for this one. (And the top male artist? Last year’s Scorpion king, Drake.)

The year’s top song comes from the duo that took the Northern Hemisphere’s summer by storm: “Señorita” by Shawn Mendes and Camilla Cabello saw more than 1 billion streams. After “Señorita,” “bad guy,” “Sunflower,” and “7 rings,” the year’s fifth-most-streamed track came from Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus. They took their horse all the way to the front with “Old Town Road – Remix.”

This year was a big one for podcast growth on Spotify. There are now more than 500,000 podcast titles available, and our podcast audience has grown by more than 50% since the start of the year. We’ve also seen a 39% increase in podcast hours consumed by listeners quarter over quarter. People are clearly loving podcasts, tuning in the most to Spotify Original The Joe Budden Podcast with Rory and Mal, followed by My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark and Germany’s Gemischtes Hack. The most-streamed podcast genre of 2019 was comedy, showing that laughter is truly universal.

Take a look at some of the world’s top songs, artists, genres, and trends:

Can’t get enough of the chart toppers? Check out our lists of the top artists, songs, albums, groups, podcasts, and more below—and don’t forget to tune in later this week to the Wrapped microsite to see your personal favorites and receive a playlist based on your tastes. Plus, we’ve also created the ultimate Playlist of the Decade: the biggest songs of the past 10 years according to fan streaming.

So without further ado …

Spotify’s Global Top Lists 2019:

Most-Streamed Artists

Most-Streamed Female Artists

Most-Streamed Male Artists

Most-Streamed Tracks

Most-Streamed Albums

Most-Streamed Podcasts

Most-Streamed Spotify Original Podcasts

“A Decade Wrapped” Spotify’s Top Lists 2010–2019

Most-Streamed Artists of the Decade (Global)

Most-Streamed Female Artists of the Decade (Global)

Most-Streamed Male Artists of the Decade (Global)

Most-Streamed Tracks of the Decade (Global)

Click here to download the infographic.

Blastoff Songs to Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing

July 15, 2019

There are more than 185,000 tracks on Spotify with “Moon” in the title—any of which are appropriate to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing. On July 15, we’re queueing up the most popular of these “Moon” tunes, alongside some illuminating insights from NASA on how music is enjoyed in space. Songs like “Talking to the Moon” by Bruno Mars and Frank Sinatra’s iconic duet with Count Basie “Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)” are among the lunar tunes listeners love most.

David Bowie’s “Moonage Daydream” and Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Bad Moon Rising” are among listeners’ favorites, in addition to R.E.M.’s “Man On The Moon.” The list features several tunes titled “Moonlight,” including ones from Ariana Grande and Grace VanderWaal.

According to NASA, it was customary for flight crews to be roused with wake-up songs played from Mission Control—tunes alluding to space or the sun rising were common choices. Along with being music lovers, quite a few astronauts also possess musical skill—and have even demonstrated it by rocketing instruments into space. Yet mastery of music in orbit is an even greater challenge than down on Earth.

“Playing a guitar without gravity is…messy,” says retired Canadian astronaut and former commander of the International Space Station, Colonel Chris Hadfield. “There’s nothing to hold it on your knee, or to suspend it by the strap, so it floats free, and every time you move your hands it wants to take off. I eventually learned to pinch it against my chest with my right bicep to hold it still. Even still, accurate picking was hard, and the muscle memory up and down the fretboard was wrong without the arm’s weight, so I overshot.”

Our Streaming Data Suggests Who Might Take Home a 2019 BRIT Award

February 15, 2019

The BRIT Awards 2019, the British Phonographic Industry’s annual celebration honoring the best in British and International music, takes place just a few days from now on February 20. Who will walk away as the big winners of the night? We’re taking this opportunity to speculate, based on Spotify streaming data.

Although the BRITs have three categories for international artists, most are dedicated to British singers and groups. Our guesses at the winners are based solely on which artists racked up the most streams from our UK listeners in 2018. So, without further ado, drumroll, please:

British Male Solo Artist:

George Ezra, 257 million streams in the UK in 2018

Fun fact: Both of George’s studio albums topped the charts in the UK, and also cracked the top ten in several other countries.

British Female Solo Artist:

Jess Glynne, 212 million streams in the UK in 2018

Fun fact: Jess is the first British female singer to have seven singles hit the number-one spot on the UK charts.

British Group:

Arctic Monkeys, (pictured above), 285 million streams in the UK in 2018

Fun fact: Arctic Monkeys’ 2006 album, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, was the fastest-selling album in British music history.

Mastercard British Album of the Year:

George Ezra, Staying at Tamara’s, 189 million streams in the UK in 2018

Fun fact: The second single from this album, “Shotgun,” topped the charts in the UK, Ireland, and Australia.

International Male Solo Artist:

Drake, 821 million streams in the UK in 2018

Fun fact: Nearly one million Londoners listen to Drake on Spotify each month, second only to Angelenos (just over one million).

International Solo Artist:

Ariana Grande, 356 million streams in the UK in 2018

Fun fact: Ariana’s single “thank u, next” clocked more than 376 million worldwide streams on Spotify in just the last eight weeks of 2018.

International Group:

Twenty One Pilots, 108 million streams in the UK in 2018

Fun fact: In 2016, Twenty One Pilots became only the third rock act to have two songs in Billboard’s top five at the same time. The previous two: The Beatles and Elvis Presley.

Don’t forget to tune in to see if our predictions—and UK streamers—were spot on.

Get excited for the big show in London with our exclusive BRIT Awards 2019: The Nominees playlist, teeming with hits from Rita Ora, Ella Mai, Jorja Smith, Travis Scott, and many more.

ASMR’s Soft Sounds Are Making Noise on Spotify

January 22, 2019

Shhh, come closer and listen to chill whispers and the sound of tapping on pineapples. No, this isn’t a joke—those are the soothing vibes ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) fans can’t get enough of. Whether you find it captivating or cringeworthy, ASMR is a hit on Spotify, clocking 2.1 million streams every day for the past three months.

ASMR is often described as a relaxing “braingasm” sensation that washes over devotees when they hear certain sounds like whispers, crumpling paper, tapping fingernails, jingling coins, or popping bubble wrap. Even the crunch of pickles being chewed has a sizeable audience.

So why are these goosebump-inducing, short streams of trigger noises attracting so many fans?

For some, it’s all about the effect. Listeners who find ASMR meditative can experience immediate mental and physical relaxation, according to David Kaplan, chief professional officer of the American Counseling Association. “You can’t be relaxed and stressed out at the same time,” he says. “Meaning, if you’re positively affected by ASMR, chances are your stresses will at least momentarily melt away.”

Celebrities are succumbing to the sound of semi-silence, too. Ariana Grande, Cardi B, Janet Jackson, and Jake Gyllenhaal all have held press interviews entirely in whispered tones.

Plenty of people, however, feel like their skin crawls when they listen to the sounds of ASMR. And anyone with misophonia, also called selective sound sensitivity syndrome, can’t stand ASMR. Sounds like chewing, lip-smacking, or swallowing will instantly trigger annoyance and anxiousness. Yet they’re pure bliss to ASMR lovers.

The most-listened-to sounds on Spotify comprise as obscure an ASMR hit list as you might imagine. Tongue-clicking, blowing in ears, folding nylon fabric, and the aforementioned tapping on pineapples top the chart. And they all transcend generations as well as geography. But ASMR is most popular in English-speaking countries (i.e., US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada), and listeners ages twenty-five to forty-four comprise the lion’s share of the streaming totals.

Curious if you’ll find ASMR soothing or strange? Check out our ASMR playlists, including Sleep Sounds, Trigger Sounds, and Binaural Beats—pineapple tapping included, of course.

Interested in giving ASMR a try, but not sure where to start? Try a tapping playlist.

Queen Will, Queen Will, Rock You (and Your Kids, and Their Kids …)

January 3, 2019

Let’s say you were a twenty-something Londoner in 1985, and lucky enough to score a ticket to Live Aid at Wembley Stadium on July 13. There you witnessed what’s considered one of the greatest-ever rock performances: Queen’s incredible 21-minute set. Today, as you stream the soundtrack from the Golden Globe-winning Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, you’re embracing more than nostalgia—you’re helping to preserve Queen’s legacy. Not that the band needs much help.

On Spotify, Queen is more popular than ever—not only among baby boomers and Gen Xers, but with millennials, too. Since the release of the Bohemian Rhapsody film, streams of Queen songs on Spotify have surged 333 percent, with 70 percent of those listeners under the age of 35. Last month, Queen enjoyed a two-week run as the No. 1 global artist on Spotify—and when they “dropped” in the rankings to No. 3, the group remained in good company behind 6ix9ine and Ariana Grande.

What’s Queen’s secret to cultural relevance, seemingly set on repeat? Two words: “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

The first time “Bohemian Rhapsody” nearly topped the charts, in 1992, was when the song reached the No. 2 spot after Mike Myers and Dana Carvey lip-synced the operatic section in Wayne’s World—the ranking was higher than the No. 9 spot the song peaked at during the original release in 1976. Today, Wayne and Garth remain in our collective memory: After the release of the Bohemian Rhapsody film, streams of the Wayne’s World soundtrack were up 361 percent—perhaps thanks to Myers’ cameo in the biopic.

In 2009, the song hit No. 2 on the first-ever karaoke chart. Guardian music critic Tom Service explained at the time that the song’s appeal was the result of a classic composer’s trick that makes “Bohemian Rhapsody” work across several different styles, from ballad to hard rock, to reflective conclusion. “Bohemian Rhapsody is … hugely demanding as a test of anyone’s vocal brilliance, let alone the boozed-up denizens of karaoke-dom all over the country,” Service said. “[I]t’s fun to fail at ‘Bohemian Rhapsody.’”

But even when “Bohemian Rhapsody” is on hiatus from the zeitgeist, Queen remains a staple of streaming classic rock among all music lovers, regardless of age. From 2010 to July of 2018 (before the trailer for the film was released), Queen held the spot of top catalog artist on Spotify.

Queen remains popular among listeners under 35 because of their relevance in pop culture; the band has definitively secured its place in the immortal canon of rock. And “Bohemian Rhapsody” in particular is enjoying a pronounced resurgence in 2018 for the same reason it’s always come roaring back into the spotlight: It’s as dynamic as it is fun.

Despite the hundreds of thousands of songs and artists available on Spotify, no track comes close to resembling “Rhapsody”—either as a whole or in parts. It has a little something for everyone, at any point in their lives—even if they were born well after July 13, 1985.

Stream the Bohemian Rhapsody soundtrack below.

Update, Jan 7, 2019: This post now includes mention that Bohemian Rhapsody won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture—Drama.

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