Tag: australia

Spotify Supports Underrepresented Podcasters With ‘Sound Up,’ Now in the US, UK and Ireland, Germany, Australia, Sweden, and Brazil

June 1, 2020

If you’ve ever dreamed of creating your own podcast, this is your chance. Spotify’s Sound Up program, now in its third year, is designed to uplift and amplify the voices of aspiring podcasters from underrepresented backgrounds through education, workshops, and support. Applications for Spotify’s Sound Up 2020 program are now available in the US, with applications for other countries rolling out soon.

Through the workshop, participants will learn the ins and outs of developing and producing their very own podcasts. We’ve seen a huge interest in the program, with 20,000+ applications submitted over the past three years. Ultimately, 60 people have completed the program throughout the UK, Australia, the US, and Germany. Ten of those graduates have since launched their own shows, and three now have Spotify Original podcasts on the platform. To celebrate our graduates’ success, we’ve put several of their podcasts all in one place.

This year’s program, however, will look a little different. Due to the challenges of gathering during this unprecedented time, Sound Up will be divided into two phases. First up is a virtual four-week course that will take place later this year. To ensure everyone has equal access to technology, we’ll be providing computers, WiFi access, and podcast recording equipment to participants. Then, those who demonstrate a particular knack for podcasting will be invited to a future in-person training where they will further develop their ideas.

But that’s not the only new thing in store. Sound Up is also making its grand debut in two countries—Brazil and Sweden—in an effort to bring Sound Up to even more individuals. In Sweden, the program is aimed at women and non-binary people who may experience racism because of their skin color, culture, language, religion, or ethnicity. Applications in Brazil, will be open to young people of color from the Periferias, or outskirts of big cities.

Twenty applicants from each participating country will be chosen to take part in the four-week online program. During that time, they’ll start their podcasting journeys, honing their skills in  storytelling, designing a podcast, editing audio, and learning the business of the medium. At the very end, participants will leave with the tools they need to create a trailer for their show.

This year’s U.S. session will be facilitated by longtime collaborator and Sound Up veteran, Rekha Murthy. She will be joined by co-facilitator Maria Murriel of the production house Pizza Shark.

Thinking about applying but don’t have podcasting experience? Not to worry. To be a part of the program, you don’t need any prior podcasting experience, just something unique to say and a desire to use podcasts to say it. (Plus, you must be a resident of the country where you’re applying and self-identify as a member of the community being served in that country.)

U.S. residents can now apply for this year’s Sound Up here. Those in Sweden, Germany, and Brazil can apply later this month, and applications for the U.K. and Ireland will be available in August. The program will be offered to women and non-binary people of color in the U.S., U.K. and Ireland, and Sweden; young people of color from the Periferias in Brazil; and members of the LGBQTI community in Germany. We can’t wait to hear what these new podcasters have to share.

Applications are now available for residents in the US . Interested applicants in other countries should stay tuned for more updates.

Australian Newcomer Merci, Mercy Discusses Her Big Break

May 4, 2020

As far as career goals go, the 19-year-old Australian singer-songwriter merci, mercy told For the Record that she aims to be “brutally honest” above all else in her songs, celebrating her weirdness in a way that makes others follow suit. Her commitment to smashing taboos comes alive on the rising artist’s debut single, which is the rare kind of debut that feels assured and fully formed. 

The strength of that song, “F*cked Myself Up,” recently led to merci, mercy being handpicked as Australia’s representative in Spotify’s global emerging-artist program, RADAR. The program features artists at all stages of their careers from over 50 markets worldwide and helps them strengthen their connection to audiences via Spotify’s social channels, RADAR playlists curated by Spotify’s editors, and bespoke marketing initiatives. 

On her lead single, merci, mercy sounds self-aware as she sings about heavy issues like substance abuse and alcohol dependency above a deceptively slinky groove flecked with electronic flourishes. The entire track exudes a nonchalant lightness despite lyrics detailing the powerful temptation to overindulge; the song is topped off with pop-bright vocals as charismatic as they are matter-of-fact.

If merci, mercy sounds wise beyond her years, it may be a result of her having lived abroad with her mother, splitting her childhood and subsequent years between Beijing, Thailand, Sydney, and smaller towns in Australia. “It definitely made me who I am today,” she told For the Record. “Being able to live in other countries and experience the way other people live really opens your mind. I feel really grateful I had the opportunity to do that.”

It’s no wonder, then, that the teenage artist is already working with top-flight producers like Edwin White (Vance Joy, Fergus James) and Joel Quartermain (G Flip, Meg Mac), who co-wrote the track. In fact, she had already signed with a management company, a booking agency, and veteran Aussie label Liberation Records before the song even came out in March, all thanks to the strength of an earlier tune called “Be” that she quietly uploaded in 2018.

Her stage name, meanwhile, was suggested by a friend when she couldn’t decide between Merci (French for “thank you”) or Mercy. And though she’s only just released her first worldwide single, she has been writing songs—“in my bedroom, car, shower, and every other good place to procrastinate—since the age of 16, when she realized that singing other people’s material wasn’t for her.

“I started to use it as an excuse to avoid responsibilities such as schoolwork and cleaning my bedroom,” she admitted. “Nothing has changed, apart from the schoolwork and being way better at writing songs.”

What has changed, of course, is working with producers like White and Quartermain to perfect her songs in the studio. “It felt like home, like I was meant to be there,” recounted merci, mercy. “I was obviously nervous each and every time, but I just loved being with such amazing people creating such innovative music.”

As for her inclusion in Spotify’s RADAR program, merci, mercy said it’s been a welcome vote of confidence: “It leaves me in a constant state of empowerment, humbleness, and excitement. It confirms for me that my dreams are indeed coming true. I feel validated in the most wondrous of ways.”

Check out merci,mercy and more of the artists selected for Spotify’s worldwide RADAR program on the On Our Radar playlist. 

From Three New Podcasts to Sound Up 2020, Here’s What’s New on the Podcast Front in Australia

February 27, 2020

With podcast listening on the rise, there’s all the more reason to be excited about what’s coming out of Australia. On February 27, we unveiled a slate of original and exclusive content, as well as the return of Spotify’s Sound Up Australia, our five-day residential podcasting workshop that helps to elevate and amplify First Nations’ voices. 

At Spotify Australia HQ, we announced three new podcasts: Spotify original sex and relationship podcast Search Engine Sex, hosted by Sound Up alumni Rowdie Walden; the second season of VICE Extremes, hosted by Julian Morgans; and the weekly youth news podcast Generation Betoota. This lineup marks the first of many anticipated announcements to come out of Australia.

“Our goal is to become the number one audio platform in the world, providing the best in audio content—customized and accessible, on demand everywhere,” said Cecilia Qvist, Spotify’s Global Head of Markets. “The role our global markets play in this expansion is pivotal and we look forward to making many more announcements in this space.” 

According to Edison Research and Triton Digital (2019), the number of weekly Australian podcast listeners increased by 50% over the last three years, an exciting indicator of steady growth in the world of podcasts. To celebrate the launch of these shows, here’s what Rachel Corbett, head of podcasts at “Mamamia”; Clancy Overell, editor and host of “The Betoota Advocate”; Julian Morgans; and Rowdie Walden have to say about the growth of podcasts and the need for more indigenous voices.

When did you start to notice an uptick in podcast listening in Australia?

Julian: Podcasting seemed to go mainstream around four to five years ago. Remember when Serial became a big deal? I think that was a turning point.

Clancy: The first time I noticed a boost in podcast listening was almost 10 years ago, when Ricky Gervais and Karl Pilkington were making waves all the way to rural Australia. From that point I feel like everyone has liked the idea of podcasts.

Why do you think more Aussies are tuning into podcasts now than ever?

Julian: I just think public awareness has hit critical mass. For a while I used to tell friends about podcasts, and they’d be like, “How do you listen to these things?” That doesn’t happen anymore. Also, you can listen to a podcast while doing something else. That’s a big plus.

Rachel: You don’t have to have your bum on the couch to follow a true crime story or hear the latest news. You can be walking your dog, doing the shopping or driving your car. I think this, coupled with the continued improvement in audio quality, has made taking time to listen to a podcast feel like self-care; and when people feel like consuming your content is a “treat,” that keeps them coming back.

How important are Indigenous voices to audio experiences?

Rowdie: Podcasting is such a fast-growing industry that it’s important we keep the push for diversity and inclusion in this space as well. It’s incredibly white, and as the oldest storytellers, it’s important we have representation in this space. While Search Engine Sex isn’t what you’d think of when you think “Indigenous podcast,” it’s important to show that we can exist in other spaces. Black voices can be mainstream.

Learn more about how Spotify is continuing to amplify First Nations’ voices through Sound Up Australia. 

Spotify’s Sound Up Australia—Amplifying First Nations Voices for a Second Year

February 27, 2020

Update as of May 10, 2021: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sound Up AU program as described below did not occur in 2020. In 2021, we invited Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander podcasters to sign up for The Sound Up 2021 program, which will be facilitated by our new partners Travis De Vries and Brooke Scobie from Awesome Black. Learn more about the 2021 program here.

For Indigenous communities, stories have long been passed down by word of mouth. Podcasting, a much more recent invention, can take the words of storytellers even further. Through Spotify’s Sound Up Australia podcast accelerator program, we’re helping to empower First Nations individuals in Australia to tell their stories using podcasting—and amplifying them across the world. 

Returning for the second year, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, writers, creators, and podcasters are encouraged to apply to our Sound Up accelerator program, a five-day residential podcasting workshop to be held in Sydney from May 11 to 15. Applicants don’t need to have any previous podcasting experience to apply, just something to say, a passion for the medium, and an eagerness to bring a podcast idea to life. 

“First Australians have been passing down their knowledge, culture and history from generation-to-generation through storytelling for tens of thousands of years,” says Natalie Tulloch, Spotify Sound Up Lead. “Spotify wants to harness the power of storytelling and bring it to the next generation through podcasting.”

From the pool of applicants, 10 people will be selected to attend the residential workshop, which will be facilitated by Marlee Silva, podcaster and co-founder of Tiddas 4 Tiddas, and Rekha Murthy, podcast expert. Participants will learn about the art of podcasting, receive mentoring and practical experience, and meet with podcasting and radio greats who also identify as First Nations people. At the end of the week, three finalists will be awarded a cash grant and all participants will be given equipment and software to produce their podcasts.

Sound Up Australia in 2018 awarded four grants for podcast production. One recipient, Rowdie Walden, used it to create Search Engine Sex, the ultimate sex and relationship podcast, and Spotify Australia’s first Spotify Original investment. 

“Sound Up is an incredible opportunity because it’s so rare in the media industry that you get to sit with the platform, the commissioning editors, and the managing director and develop your idea from the ground up,” says Rowdie. “It gives space to minority groups who otherwise wouldn’t get a foot in the door. Podcasting is such a fast-growing industry that it’s important we keep the push for diversity and inclusion in this space as well.” 

Aspiring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander podcasters can apply for this year’s Sound Up program here from May 11 – 15 by March 15. Travel and accommodation will be covered for those living outside of Sydney. 

Spotify Celebrates Women in the Music Business in Australia

November 27, 2019

Allies: Bring One, Be One, Meet Many. That was the theme of the inclusive Spotify gathering held on Monday, November 25, to celebrate women in the Australian music business.

Hosted ahead of the ARIA Music Awards in Australia (a pivotal industry and cultural moment for the country), the event was an opportunity to bring together and celebrate the achievements of women in music, as well as recognize important support from their allies.

4 New Partnerships Bringing Spotify Premium Across the Globe

November 21, 2019

248 million users. 79 markets. One incredible Premium experience. Our goal is to make sure Spotify Premium is available wherever our listeners are. That’s why we’re always teaming up with new partners to enable more users to discover Spotify Premium and enjoy the music and podcasts they love. Just in time for the holidays, today we’re sharing four new ways our fans around the world can enjoy Spotify Premium—and get even more out of it.

“These partnerships will make it even easier for users to experience Spotify Premium and access music and podcasts anytime and on any device,” says Marc Hazan, VP of Premium Partnerships. “We’re committed to working with world-class partners to provide users with innovative offers and the best experience and value.”

Ready to learn more? Here are four new ways users around the globe can access Spotify Premium:*

U.S. and U.K. Users: Stay in the Game with Xbox and Spotify

Gamers know that it’s often the music that makes the experience what it is. So as part of a special holiday campaign, we’re deepening our partnership with Xbox by offering eligible U.S. and U.K. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members a free six-month trial of Spotify Premium. That’s right— you can stay in the game while playing Spotify in the background, as well as control playback with Spotify Connect. Get all the details on this time-limited offer by visiting Xbox. 

French users: Enjoy Spotify en français with Bouygues Telecom

Spotify + Bouygues Telecom on one bill = c’est magique. In France, Spotify and Bouygues Telecom are offering a free six-month trial of Spotify Premium for customers on Bouygues Telecom broadband and eligible mobile plans. And Bouygues Telecom customers on mobile tariffs >1 GB data allowance can add Spotify Premium to their existing mobile plan while paying one convenient bill. Bouygues Telecom’s 4G service covers 99% of the French population and was named the number one operator in rural areas by Arcep, the French telecoms regulator, in 2018, so you know you’re in good hands.

Brazilian users: Get technical with service app Magalu Conecta

Our offer in Brazil is in partnership with Magazine Luiza (“Magalu”), one of the country’s top retailers, and their service app Magalu Conecta. The Magalu Conecta app provides services and benefits including technical support, cloud storage, phone protection and free exclusive Wi-Fi hotspots. As part of our partnership, we’re offering Magalu Conecta customers a free four-month trial of Spotify Premium. 

Australian users: Listen through one of Australia’s largest mobile networks, Vodafone

In Australia, we’re once again joining forces with Vodafone to offer our users there even more value. Eligible Vodafone customers can now receive a free 30-day trial of Spotify Premium when Spotify Premium is added to their existing mobile plan—and pay one convenient bill.

No matter where you are or what you’re listening to, get it on-demand and on-the-go with Spotify Premium. Click here to learn about how to give the gift of Spotify and other holiday offers available through Spotify Premium.

*Trials are subject to Spotify trial eligibility

Your Daily Podcasts Playlist Makes Finding Your Next Favorite Show Easier Than Ever

November 19, 2019

You’ve just binged your favorite podcast and you’re finally caught up. But now you have to wait an entire week until the next episode. Now what? With so many great podcasts on Spotify, it can be hard to know what to listen to next. Thanks to our latest personalized playlist, it’s now easier than ever. 

Spotify transformed music discovery with playlists like Discover Weekly and Daily Mix. Now we’ve created Your Daily Podcasts—our first daily personalized podcast playlist that gives users an easy way to discover new shows while also keeping up with old favorites. If you’ve listened to at least four podcasts in the past 90 days, you’ll find the playlist in the “Your Top Podcasts” shelf on Home or in the “Made For You” hub on browse.

Here’s how Your Daily Podcasts works:

  1. Spotify’s algorithms analyze your podcast behavior—like recent streams and follows.
  2. Then, based on your listening history and the podcast type, we’ll recommend the next best episodes for you.
  3. That might be the next sequential episode in a podcast you’re already listening to (think Dog Tales and How’s Work with Esther Perel), a recent stand-alone evergreen episode in another show (maybe Amy Schumer Presents: 3 Girls 1 Keith or Certified Buckets), or a timely episode from a daily updating podcast (like Horoscope Today or The Journal).  
  4. Don’t worry—no spoilers here! If you’ve never listened to a story-driven sequential show we think you’d like, you’ll get the trailer or pilot episode first—to see if it catches your eye (er, ear).

Free and Premium users in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Sweden, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand can check out their Your Daily Podcasts playlist, now available on Spotify.

Meet Tones and I, the Australian Ex-Busker Who Achieved a Global Hit Thanks to Streaming

October 15, 2019

In the span of just a year, Toni Watson has leapfrogged from working retail to busking full-time to topping the charts in almost a dozen countries—including her native Australia. That’s all thanks to “Dance Monkey,” the viral smash that was the second-ever single for the artist best known as Tones and I.

One listen to the song is enough to grasp its globe-trotting success; animated by an indelible keyboard hook, the stark earworm combines the brightest features of emotive pop and body-moving EDM while subtly addressing Watson’s stint busking to tourists in popular Byron Bay.

“If we’re not entertained in the first minute, we just scroll on,” says Watson. “I could see that reflected in me busking in the street. I wrote the song about the pressure of live performance and how it compares to the instant gratification of social media.”

Spotify Celebrates Australian and New Zealand Hip-Hop with A1 Live

September 25, 2019

Australia and New Zealand have firmly taken their place in the global hip-hop story. The scene was on a slow burn in the ’90s, fueled only by small underground artists catching fire locally. Then in the 2000’s, pioneering artists like Hilltop Hoods and Thundamentals brought the genre onto the global stage. Thanks to that base, today’s talents have kept pace with shifts in hip-hop around the world while also surfacing themes and sounds that are unique to Australia and New Zealand. 

You can get to know this growing movement on Spotify with our flagship playlist, A1 Hip-Hop, as well as through The Drip, Beats n Bars, All Aussie Hip-Hop and Mellow Styles. Plus, join in on the celebration of the Australian and New Zealand hip-hop scene in person with our landmark A1 Hip-Hop live event on November 7 at the Metro Theatre in Sydney.

Live the Playlist IRL

The A1 Live concert will showcase the two countries’ top breakthrough hip-hop talent, bringing Spotify’s A1 Hip-Hop playlist to the stage for the first time.The free 18+ event is inspired by the hottest beats from Australian, New Zealand and International artists and brings the sound to more than 280,000 followers. Some of the local luminaries slated to perform are Manu Crooks, Triple One, Kwame, JessB, Sophiegrophy, and Hooligan Hefs. Register to win tickets here.

“To be able to bring an off-platform experience that heroes and celebrates the importance of homegrown talent is something we are beyond excited about,” says Peter Stevens, Senior Music Editor at Spotify Australia & New Zealand. “With world-class artists breaking through locally and stepping up to show they have their place in the global hip-hop story, hip-hop in Australia and New Zealand has never been healthier. A1 has become a home for local audiences to hear these artists sitting among fellow luminaries from the US, UK, and beyond.”    

Here’s a closer look at the live line-up of rising stars performing at A1 Live.

Four-member Sydney rap crew Triple One displays a defiant blend of brash bars and melodic hooks. With followers from the Harbour City all the way to Chicago, the Inner West supergroup racked up more than 5 million streams with its recent track “Butter.” 

Manu Crooks, a Ghanaian-Australian rapper from the western suburbs of Sydney brings a futuristic global sound that matches his international hip-hop style. Thanks to his popular B Wise collab “Throw It Back,” and hit “Fuego,” he’s amassed 10 million streams.

Kwame is a versatile MC who shared the same church pew as Manu Crooks when they were kids in Sydney. He burst onto the global hip-hop scene with his summer anthem “WOW” from a second EP Endless Conversations, which has more than 6 million streams so far. The rapper and producer has a huge following at home in Australia, and he’s now catching on in New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Los Angeles.  

Also heating up the A1 Live stage is rapper JessB. Debuting out of Auckland, New Zealand, in 2017, the recent commercial and alternative radio favorite made quick work of accumulating nearly 2 million streams. Her EP Bloom was released to acclaim in 2018, followed by her second album, New Views, which has more than 1.5 million streams. 

Rounding out the A1 line-up is Hooligan Hefs, a Southwest Sydney-based Samoan-Chinese emcee whose genre-melting sounds mashup EDM, dubstep, techno and rap. The Doonside native clocked more than 2 million streams right from the get-go with the release of his debut single “The Party.” 

Nigerian-born, New Zealand-raised rapper Sophiegrophy rocketed into the spotlight in 2017 with the debut of her no-holds-barred DIY indie mix tape. With catchy cuts like “Rolls Royce” and “Fa$t Life” and “Bag,” the Brisbane-based artist is attracting fans far from Down Under in American hip-hop hotbeds like Los Angeles and Chicago.  

For your chance to win tickets to A1 Live, register your details here and tell us who your favorite A1 Live artist is—and why—in 25 words or less. And for all the latest essentials in hip-hop, check out Spotify’s A1 Hip-Hop playlist: 

Spotify’s Front Left Live Returns to Australia for a Second Year, Celebrating the Best Genre-Defying New Music

August 6, 2019

Melbourne, Australia, has long been a music epicenter and live music hotspot. In keeping the music discovery game strong Down Under, Spotify has announced the return of our playlist event Front Left Live—moving from Sydney to Melbourne—on Wednesday, October 9.

This is the second consecutive year that Spotify has staged Front Left Live. The show will feature some of the world’s most genre-defying artists from near and far, including Tove Lo, who will perform exclusively in Australia for the Spotify event, Tones And I, girl in red, BENEE, and Electric Fields, with a special international guest soon to be announced. 

The showcase-format event is based on Spotify’s Front Left playlist, which boasts over 500,000 followers and has helped several rising Australian and Kiwi artists expand their fan bases at home and around the world—and vice versa. 

Here’s a look at some of the diverse artists slated to perform at Front Left Live:

  • Swedish pop sensation Tove Lo, best known for her hits “Habits,” “Talking Body,” and “Cool Girl,” is headlining the event in an exclusive Australian live performance. The artist struck a chord with local fans when she collaborated with Aussies Flume and Daniel Johns on “Say It” in 2016.  
  • Up-and-coming Australian indie pop star Tones and I started as a busker in 2018. Yet she has amassed the number one song on Spotify’s Australia Top 50, a number one single on the ARIA chart, tracks in 157 playlists worldwide, and over 40 million streams—in under four months. 
  • girl in red, the Norwegian singer-songwriter and self-produced artist Marie Ulven, is an innovative, authentic voice who’s building a global fan base on Spotify from the confines of her bedroom studio.
  • Auckland, New Zealand-based BENEE melds indie, R&B, and pop on her debut album FIRE ON MARZZ. Her breakout single “Soaked” has been streamed 21.5 million times since its release earlier this year.
  • Electric Fields, the Adelaide, Australia-based duo of producer-composer Michael Ross and vocalist Zaachariaha Fielding, combines an exciting blend of traditional Aboriginal culture and language with modern electronic beats.

Fans around the world can tune in to the exciting sounds of Front Left.

First Nations Voices To Be Spotlighted at Spotify’s Sound Up Bootcamp Australia

October 8, 2018

Storytelling, passed down from generation to generation, is integral to Australia’s history—from its earliest inhabitants to the killer beats and exuberant instrumentation of today’s hip-hop. To better surface First Nations (Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander) voices, Spotify is inviting aspiring First Nations storytellers across Australia to apply for the Sound Up Bootcamp four-day residential podcasting workshop in Sydney from November 26 to 29.

The third installment of our global Sound Up Bootcamp initiative, Sound Up Bootcamp Australia gives fresh talent a creative platform to share their work with the widest possible audience.

First Nations artists have long been on our radar; this year we’ve created and promoted a number of First Nations playlists, including Black Australia, Deadly Beats, and Original Storytellers. We’ve also formed partnerships with Barunga Festival and the National Indigenous Music Awards, where Baker Boy was recently awarded a Spotify studio grant following his Best New Artist award win.

The Australia program follows Spotify’s Sound Up Bootcamp US (which received more than 18,000 applications) and the recently announced Sound Up Bootcamp UK. The US program was successful in “stimulating amazing ideas and facilitating a truly unique and important community of aspiring women of colour podcasters,” says Jane Huxley, Managing Director, of Spotify Australia and New Zealand.

“What Spotify is offering through Sound Up is a hugely exciting opportunity for First Nations producers and storytellers. The podcasting medium in Australia continues to experience massive growth and now is an ideal time for the voices and stories of Indigenous Australia to find their place within the audio landscape,” says Emily Nicol, an Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander radio producer and the curator of Spotify’s flagship First Nations playlist Black Australia. Emily will facilitate the program in conjunction with Audiocraft, a leading Australian podcast organization.

Sound Up Bootcamp Australia will walk participants through the process of podcast creation—turning an idea into a story arc, finding their voice, learning about their audience, and skilling up on recording techniques. Applicants don’t need to have any prior podcasting experience—just something to say, a passion for the medium, and an eagerness to bring their great ideas to life. Attendees will also receive mentoring and networking opportunities with well-known podcasters and radio greats who also identify as First Nations people.

From the pool of applicants, 10 individuals will be chosen to participate in the program. Those selected will receive a round-trip flight to Sydney and accommodation for the duration of the bootcamp if they reside outside of Sydney, and the opportunity to spend four days at Spotify Australia’s headquarters. Three finalists will leave the program with a cash grant, podcast production equipment, and extended mentorship opportunities.

Ready to share your story? To be considered, please apply before midnight on October 29 at https://spoti.fi/soundupsydney. See website for full terms and conditions.

Kendrick, Halsey, Post Malone and Other Surprising Artists on Yoga Playlists Around the World

June 20, 2018

Yoga might be an ancient art, but the 5,000-year-old practice remains as essential to modern life as ever. Yogis throughout the world enjoy both the physical and emotional benefits from yoga, which is thought to be calming and restorative. But that doesn’t mean the soundtrack to accompany it has to be.

While soothing, ambient sounds—like Tibetan singing bowls and chimes, and the serene tones of nature—tend to comprise the traditional yoga soundtrack, some 21st-century practitioners have begun to think outside the box. In fact, when we dug into common unexpected genres found on yoga playlists, we found that pop, hip-hop, rock, R&B, and reggae are being used to inspire yoga practices. For some, yoga is no longer just about mastering asanas (postures), but taking the opportunity to get creative and expressive with the right beats to match.

“There is a growing interest globally on the impact certain music has on performance,” says Dr. Amanda Krause, a psychologist and Research Fellow at The University of Melbourne, Australia, who specializes in the social and applied psychology of music. “We refer to it in the industry as ‘musical fit,’ where the type of music you feel ‘fits’ an activity creates an impact on the way you physically react.”

“A person’s judgement of musical fit relates to their listening preferences, environment, and goal for certain practices,” Amanda explains. “For example, with yoga, the variety of music is chosen with regard to how it helps timing, focus, and motivation, which in turn enhances your overall performance.”

People aren’t just enjoying the unexpected and non-traditional music when practicing yoga, they’re potentially getting performance benefits from it, too. And more than ever—there’s been an 11% increase in yoga playlist streams year-over-year—they’re turning to one of Spotify’s 2.4 million user-generated, yoga-inspired playlists to stream while in downward dog.

“While music has always been a huge part of our lives, the advent of streaming has made it even more so, to the point that nowadays we even shape our yoga practice around it,” says Julie Stevanja, Stylerunner CEO.

“This evolution of using music as the base of our practice has almost become a yoga style of its own. It’s all about tapping into our subconscious, which music allows us to do more freely. Upbeat songs make poses stronger and more dynamic, while relaxing tunes can help us feel more grounded in our resting poses.”

If you’re looking to spice up your own yoga playlist, look no farther than some of the top streamed songs on yoga playlists around the world—from Toronto to Bali—and as you can see from this list, music of all types is being played in the yoga studio.

1. Kendrick Lamar – LOVE. FEAT. ZACARI.

2. Halsey – Now Or Never

3. Post Malone – I Fall Apart

4. Khalid – Location

5. Bob Marley and The Wailers – Is This Love

6. Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton – Say Something

7. Future ft. Rihanna – Selfish

8. The xx – Intro

9. Coldplay – Fix You

10. José González – Heartbeats

11. Sia – Breathe Me

12. ODESZA – Kusanagi

13. Leon Bridges – River

14. Rae Sremmurd – Do Yoga

15. Florence and the Machine – Shake It Out

16. Van Morrison – Into The Mystic

17. Ryan Adams – Wonderwall

18. Andra Day – Rise Up

19. Pearl Jam – Just Breathe

20. The Lumineers – Stubborn Love

“Handstand with Splits”
Image credit: Stylerunner

 

If you’re looking for some more traditional, curated yoga playlists, look no further than one of our many yoga or meditation options.

For many modern yogis, music is fun and motivating; for others, silence is still golden. No matter your preference or style, it’s clear that traditional yoga music is now anything but.