Tag: Asia

Spotify’s GM of Asia Pacific, Gautam Talwar, Discusses the Music of a Rapidly Growing Region

October 17, 2023

The Asia Pacific region seems to never sleep on Spotify. From events celebrating Kalye HipHop, our flagship Pinoy hip-hop playlist, to the tenth anniversary of Spotify in Taiwan, we’ve spent a decade developing relevant products and content offerings to deepen our connection with local users. And our work is just getting started.  

This week, Gautam Talwar, Spotify’s General Manager of Asia Pacific, is joining artists and podcasters at SXSW Sydney, the first time the festival has been staged outside of its Austin, Texas, home base. Via panels and performances on everything from music discovery to what’s next for K-Pop— and how we continue to strive for gender equity—we’ll highlight how Spotify helps music move beyond borders at the iconic Lansdowne Hotel.

For the Record sat down with Gautam to learn more about what’s happening in the region. 

What are some factors that make the Asia Pacific region, APAC, a distinct and notable market for Spotify?

Asia Pacific is increasingly central to our global platform as a driving post for global culture—whether music, entertainment, fashion, gaming, technology, or e-commerce. And the region as a whole is one of our fastest-growing regions at Spotify today. There’s three main reasons for that. 

One is that these countries have large youthful populations. You’re talking about one of the largest clusters of Gen Z customers in the world, over 150 million Gen Zs residing in Asia Pacific who are driving this booming creator economy and online music culture. 

The other thing that makes it very unique is diversity. This is our superpower. There’s incredible diversity across languages, religions, and ethnicities. We also see this diversity play out in music and culture. Music is a very central, core part of expression. And since music has an important role of soundtracking daily life in Asia Pacific, music is a reflection of diversity in this region.

The third thing that makes it very unique is artists and creators. We are talking about an incredibly diverse group of genres and artists that are now crossing borders and building an international audience, all thanks to Spotify. We have some great examples of artists born in Asia, who maybe got their footing in Seoul, Sydney, or Jakarta, who have now crossed borders, gone overseas, and built a global audience. 

What trends are emerging globally with music from the region? 

Spotify has evolved from bringing all the world’s audio to Asia Pacific to taking all the audio from Asia Pacific to the world. 

When I joined Spotify about five years ago, the top charts in most of our Asian markets had mostly international music. Today when I look, it’s increasingly local. It’s increasingly K-Pop. And we’re also seeing some regional and hyper-local artists and genres making it to the top. We are seeing artists from all corners of our countries who are working to build an audience on Spotify. We have examples of not only those who are topping charts in their home country, but who are crossing borders to top charts elsewhere.

K-Pop is one of my favorite examples. Traditionally, the home of K-Pop is Seoul. But if you look at the genre’s top markets, it’s actually the United States, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, and Mexico where streaming is outsizing Korea. Similarly, Mandopop, which was born out of Taiwan and China, ends up traveling to all parts of the world where the Chinese diaspora resides—Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and the U.S. We’re seeing this in Aussie music as well, with names like Tones and I, The Kid LAROI, and Troye Sivan finding big audiences in the U.K. and the United States. 

But then there’s country-specific trends, like hyperlocal pop with Javanese Pop in Indonesia and LukThung in Thailand. The countries have rich, vibrant, local ecosystems and creators with big fans on social media. They don’t have to be in a metro region to build a career, but rather could be in any part of the country. Their fandoms help them not only drop music on Spotify but then promote it across social media. Artists care about their expression, they care about their sound, and the story. And what we’re seeing is that great songwriting and storytelling wins. And thanks to the personalization of the Spotify platform and its global distribution, there are numerous examples of artists’ finding an audience outside of their home country. We’re seeing waves. 

Fandoms are a key part of music in the region. How do we embrace and reflect this passion?

Our growth story in the region has always been built on supporting a set of fandoms and really using Spotify as a way for fans to channel and fuel their passions around these fandoms. In many ways, we’ve evolved from marketing to consumers to speaking to and through fans. 

We have a fairly strong presence and investment in K-Pop discovery on the platform. We have a K-Pop hub with a flagship playlist, K-Pop ON! It contains the latest and greatest in K-Pop. It’s what RapCaviar is to hip-hop and Viva Latino is to Latin music. This is for the global K-Pop community of artists and fans. It’s the mothership. It’s where you’ll discover the next big thing on the platform. 

We’ve also evolved this playlist, taking it off-platform to build a strong media network around it, with a YouTube channel, Twitter handle, and Instagram and TikTok distribution. For our fans, it’s really about being very playful and helping create opportunities that let them get closer to their favorite artists. Our storytelling approach is very much speaking to and through fans. They get up close and personal and see artists in their most playful states. And they’re loving it. 

One of the activations we did this year was Bunnyland. NewJeans is a rookie band, a year old, and they’re already commanding an audience as big as BLACKPINK. They are Gen Z, five girls, all incredibly creative and musically strong.  For their debut album release, we created an activation involving a real-life immersive fan experience for called Bunnyland. We had about 100,000 attendees across Bunnyland activations in Seoul, Jakarta, as well as Manila and Tokyo and heavily supported their U.S. debut at Lollapalooza.  So for us it’s about showing up every day, both with playlists and with iconic big-beat moments. 

We’ve also got ideas for how to do this with T-Pop, particularly with the strength of the Boys’ Love fandom, and in Australia, with A1 hip-hop—Aussie hip-hop. This subculture is very strong locally, and I’m very excited about how we’ve taken it to the main stage. 

How about podcasting? 

This is an exciting region for podcasts due to its history of talk radio. Today, markets like Australia, Indonesia, and India are some of the top markets for podcast listening. There’s been a lot of early adopters in this market, especially in Indonesia and the Philippines. When Anchor, now Spotify for Podcasters, launched, we saw radio personalities and social media personalities rally to it as an easy means to express themselves and get onto an audio platform. That has increasingly been going mainstream since.

In Indonesia and the Philippines we’re also seeing a whole new breed of creators who believe in long form as a means of storytelling. (There are some really big commutes in those countries, and podcasts play a role there). The big genres are comedy, horror, and crime, and the audiences tend to be more educated, more affluent, more curious about what’s out in the zeitgeist. Love and relationships is another one—people can use podcasts as a format to talk about subject matter that the mainstream wouldn’t talk about. 

Australia, too, has a very rich podcast ecosystem. We are a lead player there with a thriving ad sales operation. We have a number of original and licensed tentpole shows, both Aussie and American, that really do well. We also just announced the introduction in Australia of our premium audiobook offer. This makes available at least 150,000 audiobooks as part of Spotify Premium subscriptions—something that’s going to be huge in the market. 

What are you most excited to bring to SXSW Sydney?

I’m excited about the platform South By presents for us. It’s at the cutting edge of tech and innovation. It’s one of the most exciting congregations of the sharpest creative minds in the industry. And what I’m excited about is how we are really showcasing our diversity as Spotify, and the things that we are really passionate about, be it our EQUAL or RADAR programs, and how they elevate discovery for artists. 

I’m excited about showcasing artists from multiple genres, everyone from MILLI, one of my favorite Thai hip-hop stars, to, you know, some of the most exciting acts in Korean music and Korean hip-hop.

It’s interesting that Sydney is where the first edition of South By is happening outside of Austin. Sydney is home to musicians, artists, and designers, and there’s a lot of commonalities between Sydney and Austin. I’m hoping to see this become a returning franchise that we can become a part of. 

Hear more from Gautam about our presence at SXSW Sydney on the Spotify: For the Record podcast.

Spotify Launches in South Korea

February 1, 2021

Today, Spotify is launching in the sixth-largest music market in the world: South Korea.* Koreans can now access over 60 million tracks and over 4 billion playlists from around the world, as well as enjoy personalized music recommendations and discover new music. Music lovers in Korea can stream Spotify’s broad music catalogue, spanning everything from the country’s own K-Pop to Latin American reggaeton, European electronic, and beyond. 

Korea’s launch brings Spotify’s global footprint to 93 markets and is a critical next step in our global expansion journey. “We always want to be where the listeners and artists are, and South Korea is rich in both,” says Alex Norström, Chief Freemium Business Officer, Spotify. “This launch presents a massive opportunity for us to not only further our mission of bringing new and quality content to more audiences, but also help local Korean artists tap into Spotify’s 320 million listeners worldwide. We hope to create more opportunities for Korean artists across all genres to be discovered by listeners around the world.”

Since we debuted our first K-Pop playlist in 2014, the share of K-Pop listening on Spotify has increased by more than 2,000%—but music in Korea spans far beyond K-Pop. As a part of today’s launch, we’re introducing a range of new playlists made exclusively for South Korea. These curated collections offer the latest music from our team of Korean music experts across some of the most popular genres. Get ready for:

From Life Hacks to Light Humor, Check Out the Nine Indonesian Podcasts Coming Exclusively to Spotify

May 28, 2020

Podcasts continue to rise in popularity around the world, and there’s one country that’s particularly fond of the medium: Indonesia. Our data shows that the nation’s listeners stream podcasts on Spotify more than any other country in Southeast Asia. Now, to give these users more of what they love, we are announcing a new line-up of Indonesian podcasts that have become exclusive to Spotify.

These shows cover a wide range of genres and topics—from relationships to comedy to horror—with a local flair that makes them relatable and beloved by listeners. Get the inside scoop on each of them, as they feature a variety of well-known Indonesian personalities as storytellers and hosts.

BKR Brothers

BKR Brothers is brought to you by three radio personalities: Bobby Mandela, Molen Kasetra, and Ryo Wicaksono. Having known and worked with one other for a long time, they are indeed brothers in every way but blood, which makes for great chemistry, easy listening, and lots of banter. Thanks to their common background and shared networks, BKR Brothers is the go-to source for what’s happening in food, fashion, and professional life. Prominent episode guests include model Manohara Odelia Pinot, singer Ardhito Pramono, and actor Zack Lee.

Makna Talks

Makna Talks offers candid conversations with fascinating public figures and influential trendsetters. Delivered weekly, the in-depth and curiosity-fueled podcast is hosted by Iyas Lawrence, one of the most well-known interviewers today. A creative himself, Iyas always finds a way to get his guests to discuss the unexpected. From sci-fi and K-drama to political voting and sustainable living, Makna Talks provides a wide breadth of perspectives on things you wish you knew.

DESTAnya Siapa?

DESTAnya Siapa? may be familiar to those who know Deddy “Desta” Mahendra, Indonesia’s beloved TV host, radio presenter, and former member of the Club Eighties band. Now Desta, whose name is synonymous with his witty jokes and loud personality, brings his signature charm to his very own podcast. On the show, he holds nothing back as he discusses everyday topics with humor.

DariTadi Yu Yak Yukk

The idea for DariTadi Yu Yak Yukk began with two celebrity couples: drummer Ditto Percussion and actress Ayudia C., as well as actor/singer Tarra Budiman and his wife Gya P. Sadiqah. Through their frequent chats, they realized that they shared similar obstacles and anxieties in their respective family lives. Understanding that other millennial households may have the same questions, the two couples have taken to the world of podcasting to share lessons and offer solutions, with many laughs along the way.

Malam Kliwon

Malam Kliwon is hosted by two voiceover talents, Bimo Kusumo and Ramadhanu. The podcast tells horror stories about ancient Javanese ghosts straight from the personal experiences of its listeners. True to the country’s deep-rooted love for local horror stories, Malam Kliwon has attracted a large audience. Bimo and Dhanu are confident that the podcast will take the audience to a horror theater of the mind that has never been imagined.

Rintik Sedu

Rintik Sedu is created by Jakarta-based novelist Nadhifa Allya Tsana, and the podcast is titled after her pseudonym. During the course of her career, she has written six novels, one of which is currently being adapted into a movie. In her podcast, she shares her personal love stories and invites listeners to reflect by posing deep questions.

Teman Tidur 

Teman Tidur began in 2019 as its host, influencer and creator Dera Firmansyah, struggled to fall asleep every night. He believed that, like him, others would love to hear stories that usher them to sleep. Through this podcast, Dera shares tales about love and relationships that trigger self-reflection. Some of his podcast episodes are also based on his followers’ questions, which he links back to his own experiences.

Kinosgina

Kinosgina is hosted by Indonesian celebrity, host, and radio announcer Nycta Gina, along with her husband and fellow TV personality Kinos. Kinos and Gina share their experiences and tips about family and relationships and how they solve problems in their own way. The couple started a podcast so they could stay in the entertainment industry but found it so fun and addictive, they decided to keep creating podcasts for their loyal listeners.

Thirty Days of Lunch

Thirty Days of Lunch was created by Ario Pratomo and Fellexandro Ruby, a dynamic duo who are passionate about sharing their experiences, ideas, thoughts, and life hacks on various topics, from technology to self-development. Thirty Days of Lunch also gathers the thoughts and perspectives of its guest speakers from diverse backgrounds, such as Najwa Shihab and Ernest Prakasa.

Dive into these podcasts with an episode of Makna Talks.

From BTS to BLACKPINK, the Power of K-Pop Has No Bounds

February 24, 2020

K-Pop is beloved by fans around the world, so we took to the data to see just how popular the music is globally. The genre, which originated in South Korea, has since taken on a life of its own. Thanks to East-meets-West collaborations from BTS and U.S. singer-songwriter Halsey, whose “Boy With Luv” track has over 380 million streams, the reach continues to grow as more and more fans in countries like Egypt and Colombia connect with the music.

Since Spotify released its first K-Pop flagship playlist, K-Pop Daebak, in 2014 (and then a massive hub dedicated to the genre in 2015), there have been more than 41 billion K-Pop streams on Spotify. From rising artists to international collaborations, there’s something for both new and old K-Pop lovers on the platform.

Top-streamed K-Pop artists on Spotify include BTS, BLACKPINK, EXO, TWICE, and Red Velvet. In 2019, BTS was the first group from Asia to surpass 5 billion streams on Spotify. And, as of February 2020, the boy band reached a new milestone: more than 8 billion streams (8 billion streams!) on the platform.

No “FAKE LOVE” here, folks. See how much Spotify listeners love the genre.

Download the infographic here.

Check out the K-Pop Daebak playlist and stream BTS’ MAP OF THE SOUL : 7 The Enhanced Album, which is exclusively available on Spotify.

5 Questions (And Answers) with Gautam Talwar, Managing Director, Spotify Southeast Asia

May 10, 2019

Southeast Asia is one of the fastest growing and most diverse music markets in the world. From the explosion of K-Pop to the rabid obsession with Taylor Swift in the Philippines, music lovers of Asia are creating and embracing a wide range of trends.

We sat down with Gautam Talwar, our Managing Director of Southeast Asia, in our Singapore office to learn more about the differences in music tastes and streaming habits throughout the region—as well as the opportunities that lie ahead.

Tell us about your professional background, particularly your work in entertainment, and how that prepared you for this role.

I grew up in India and have spent a lot of time both in the US and in Asia. Living and working in both the East and West has had a huge influence on how I look at Southeast Asia and its growing impact on the world. For example, while at Disney in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Los Angeles, I learned that the entertainment business is similar in many ways across the globe. Brilliant storytelling and great songwriting wins out, no matter where you’re from or what device you’re on.

What makes Southeast Asia a unique market, from both a business and consumer standpoint?

What makes Southeast Asia unique, apart from its diverse geography and cultures, is its size and streaming potential. It’s one of the most populous regions in the world, with over 600 million people—nearly 10% of the world’s population. Indonesia alone is the fourth most populated country in the world (just behind the United States). In a word, huge.

What’s also different is that the smartphone has become the first screen for many, but millions of people are limited by their devices, their data plans, and their network conditions. So helping them conveniently get their favourite content is a big focus.

The key to bringing Spotify to audiences across the region is our ability to hyper-localise the experience and ensure users can enjoy our app, regardless of the mobile device they own. Relevant payment options and regional telco partners are also critical.

How would you characterize users’ streaming habits in your region?

Southeast Asia’s smartphone audience is one of the largest globally, but music streaming is only just taking hold. With less than 20% of the region’s users streaming music, there’s a massive opportunity and potential for growth.

That said, it’s a nuanced situation, with music streaming at different stages across the region. In the Philippines, Singapore, and Hong Kong (where Spotify has been for some time), for instance, streaming is a way of life. In fact, Quezon City in the Philippines has the biggest concentration of Taylor Swift fans on Spotify out of any city in the world. And other countries are catching up fast—like Indonesia, where we launched three years ago, and Thailand and Vietnam, where we rolled out in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

Across Southeast Asia, there’s a pattern with much of the growth starting off with young music fans in the major cities, then moving outside of the urban areas.

However, the bedrock of our popularity across Southeast Asia is our users’ ability to choose between free and paid options. Spotify was built on the belief that music should be available to everyone, everywhere, no matter who or where you are. It’s what the emergence of music piracy dictated, it’s what drove the industry to embrace radical change, and it’s Spotify’s recognition of this change and ability to turn it into a positive force for fans and artists that makes us unique.  

How is the music of Southeast Asia transcending boundaries and reaching people around the world?

Spotify makes music available to anyone, instantly – as a result, more and more Asian music is being discovered by our 217 million-plus users across the globe every day.  For example, our top Asian playlists continue to gain popularity, with K-Pop Daebak (close to 2 million followers) and our OPM (Original Pilipino Music) playlist Tatak Pinoy (more than 1 million followers), now go-to destinations for fans everywhere.

Additionally, the explosion of K-Pop on the world scene is one of the biggest genre breakouts of recent years, and undoubtedly the most influential Asian genre to hit the global mainstream. Just last month both BTS and BLACKPINK hit their highest-ever Spotify global chart positions. BTS was also the very first Asian artist to hit the 5 billion streaming mark.

The success of K-Pop has alerted millions of music fans outside of Asia to a new world of music. It’s a trend that will only continue to grow over time as artists realise that the opportunity to get their music heard outside their own country and significantly increase their reach has never been greater. And it’s not just K-Pop breaking Asian boundaries, either. We’re also seeing the rise of a variety of local and regional genres, from Thai rock to Indopop and OPM.

Can you give us a sense of what’s on the horizon and the opportunities ahead for your region?

The March announcement that Spotify will come pre-installed on Samsung devices was one of the more exciting developments in our region, given Samsung’s popularity here. Also, we’re continuing to improve our lyrics functionality on mobile across Asia, as our audience is intensely passionate about lyrics. At the same time, we’re looking at a wide variety of ways to improve the Spotify experience for users.  

Our flagship live entertainment tour, Spotify on Stage, which has seen us bring some of the biggest local and international artists to Asia, returns this year and will be bigger and better than ever. Stay tuned for more news on this in the coming months.

Stream K-Pop Daebak to get a taste of the genre’s global explosion. Also check out Gautam’s Tastebreakers playlist, which spans several genres, including classical, acoustic guitar, and electronic music.