Tag: best of

Fill Your Queue With the Best Podcasts of 2022 (So Far)

August 4, 2022

a bright and colorful collage design that has the number 1 through 7

It’s not unusual to binge a podcast and then be left wondering what you should hit play on next. And with more than 4 million shows on Spotify, there are a lot of options. Spotify’s Podcast Editorial team is constantly tracking new shows, making them the perfect people to recommend great podcasts that will leave you hooked.

As we say goodbye to the first half of 2022, the team put their heads together to determine their picks on the best podcasts of the year . . . so far. “A great podcast transports or immerses the listener in its world,” explained Timothy Cornwall, a lead on the Podcast Editorial team at Spotify. “The best podcasts are thought-provoking, emotionally evocative, and echo in your mind long after you’ve listened to them.” 

From fictional action thrillers to talk shows that explore life’s big questions, this list provides a variety of picks to appeal to any interest. 

This is Dating

Network: Magnificent Noise

Genre: Lifestyle/Relationships

Dating is tough. Throw in a pandemic and mixed bag of dating apps, and it’s even tougher. Yet This is Dating peels back the curtain and lets listeners follow four modern daters on their first dates—surprising us with raw emotion, connection, and community . . . things we all need and deserve.

Batman Unburied

Network: Warner Bros./ Spotify Studios

Genre: Fiction

Welcome to Gotham, where a new serial killer villain has the city absolutely terrified. Brought to life by Winston Duke, Hasan Minhaj, and Gina Rodriguez, Batman Unburied is the perfect chaser to Robert Pattinson‘s grunge twist on the franchise. You’ve never seen Bruce Wayne like this before. 

BEING Trans

Network: Lemonade Media

Genre: Documentary/Reality/Personal Stories

BEING Trans is a deeply layered show about the trans experience. The reality TV audio format is incredibly engaging and breaks down the story of four trans people navigating family, work, and society. It simultaneously normalizes their lives and highlights their day-to-day issues.

Should be Alive

Network: VAULT Studios

Genre: True Crime

Should be Alive investigates the 2019 murder of a transgender teenage girl, Niki Kunhausen. Hosted by Ashley Korslien, the show delivers a devastatingly pertinent look at the wave of violence facing the trans community today. It’s essential true crime listening that dives beyond the headlines.

Normal Gossip

Network: Defector

Genre: Comedy

On Normal Gossip, Kesley McKinney teases out gossip stories with each guest as an entertaining and silly conversation that always seems to get a bit messy. It’s a fun romp through someone else’s lens and drama where you also can ask yourself, “What would you do in this situation?”

The Pivot Podcast

Network: Indie

Genre: Sports

The Pivot Podcast is hosted by three former NFL players (Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder, and Fred Taylor)—which allows for unique, vulnerable, and candid sports conversations that you won’t want to miss.

Dua Lipa: At Your Service

Network: iHeartPodcasts

Genre: Arts & Entertainment

It may seem like every entertainer has a podcast these days, but before you are quick to dismiss, give Dua Lipa’s At Your Service a listen. Dua is an incredibly thoughtful interviewer with a genuine interest in people, social movements, and the arts. And because of her curiosity, we all benefit.

Authentic: The Story of Tablo

Network: VICE

Genre: Music Documentary

Authentic: The Story of Tablo provides a unique take on “music meets the internet” through a cross-cultural lens. When Korean hip-hop star Tablo was about to break into the Western market, a strange rumor began to circle online about his identity as a Canadian-Korean that quickly turned toxic.

Stuck with Damon Young

Network: Gimlet/Crooked Media

Genre: Culture

Award-winning author Damon Young has ventured into the world of podcasting! Joined by the best and the Blackest people he knows, Damon explores an array of topics, from sexuality and religion to internet accountability, and how they ultimately affect human behavior—whether it be hilarious or downright absurd.

Fresh off the Spaceship

Network: KEXP

Genre: Music Documentary

Seattle’s music and art scenes might seem exclusively white, but they’re not. This series explores the city’s Black arts scene through the story of the Black Constellation, the innovative collective that includes Shabazz Palaces’ Ishmael Butler, Stas THEE Boss, and visual artist Maikoiyo Alley-Barnes.

Seventeen

Network: Paradiso Media

Genre: Documentary/Personal Stories

Ever wanted to meet your 17-year-old self? Seventeen‘s host Laura Leigh Abby uses her own diaries from her senior year of high school as a jumping-off point to examine gender dynamics and sexual assault in Y2K culture, speaking with friends and classmates to explore her own identity, then and now.

Which of these podcasts piqued your interest? If you’re having trouble picking just one, check out the playlist below, which includes the first episode of all the podcast shows on our “Best of” list for 2022 . . . so far.

 

From Country Nostalgia to Podcast Partnerships, These Are Our Favorite 2021 ‘For the Record’ Moments

December 16, 2021

From fantastic new music and podcasts to product releases and exciting partnerships, 2021 was packed with high notes—and For the Record was there to cover it all. As we wrap for the year, here are some of the For the Record stories and Spotify moments that resonated with our readers and us.

January signaled emerging trends and artists.

We kicked off the year by exploring emerging music trends and artists. Brazil’s genreless playlist creme, which pulls together the diverse sounds of urbano music, set the tone for a year of genre experimentation. Atlanta-based rapper Flo Milli helped launch another year of Spotify’s global emerging-artist program, RADAR. Check out the U.S. RADAR artist’s advice for other aspiring female rappers.

February brought the streaming power.

Spotify leaders gathered in February for the livestream event Stream On, where we explored the power of audio and the opportunities ahead for millions of creators and billions of fans around the world. Spotify founder and CEO Daniel Ek also announced Spotify’s sweeping expansion to more than a billion people in 80+ new markets around the world. It’s all part of an ongoing commitment to building a truly borderless audio ecosystem that connects creators, listeners, and content.

March mixed it up.

This month we introduced a new family of personalized playlists: Spotify Mixes. We added three newcomers—artist mix, genre mix, and decade mix—that represent the next generation of the platform’s focused, personalized offerings. Check them out in the Made for You hub.

April called for amplification.

On the heels of International Women’s Day, Spotify announced a new global music program designed to turn up the volume on women. Enter EQUAL. Since then, we’ve spoken with impactful women artists around the world like Lido Pimienta and STAYC and reached a six-month milestone. And to highlight one of the fastest-growing music markets in the world, the Spotify: For the Record podcast (now Spotify: Discover This) explored the diverse beats in African music on “Afropop to Amapiano: African Music Ignites.”

May refreshed and flourished.

In May, we launched Spotify’s Fresh Finds program, which focuses on supporting independent artists. Within a few short months, Spotify’s inaugural class of artists had gained over 6 million first-time listeners and had welcomed four more fresh voices to the program. For the Record also took a closer look at a fresh trend and explored the flourishing collection of plant playlists after finding that streams of Spotify playlist Music for Plants had increased by nearly 1,400%.

June buzzed.

Readers were quick to hit the “like” button when American rapper Saweetie was in the hot seat defining hyphy slang on our podcast episode “Celebrating Local Genres: Chopped & Screwed, Go-Go, and Hyphy.”

And fan-favorite podcast Call Her Daddy made things exclusive with Spotify. The buzzy show was the latest addition to Spotify’s ongoing partnerships with beloved entertainment brands like Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert and Bad Robot. Plus, our Only You in-app experience gave listeners a fun-filled, shareable data moment midway through the year. Take a look back at the campaign and the personalized playlists still waiting for you on Spotify.

July jammed out.

Dance and dance music fans, this month was for you. SB19, a group leading the Philippine-style pop movement “P-pop,” chatted with us about their latest EP, Pagsibol, and their creative process. Plus, Spotify’s global team of dance music editors shared the big genre trends on their radars.

August was a friend blend.

In August, two playlists became one as friends and loved ones tapped into the new Blend personalized experience. In case you missed it, two listeners can now merge their musical tastes into one shared playlist created just for them, making it even easier to connect, discover, and bond. Speaking of friendship, members of the Gossip Girl team came together to discuss the sounds and tracks featured on the show—and to spill a few secrets.

September leaned into nostalgia.

Two musical blasts from the past swept through For the Record as we looked back at the ’80s and ’90s. Swedish pop sensation ABBA had listeners around the world crying “Gimme!” when they announced the release of their first new album since 1981. And in celebration of Gen Z’s nostalgic listening, Spotify launched a campaign highlighting the staying power of our country catalog. It’s not too late to take part in the ’90s Country Digital Experience.

October welcomed new growth.

Did you catch Spotify: For the Record’s news? After a year of audio adventures in storytelling, we grew our slate of company news podcasts from one to three. Now our audiences can tune into Spotify: For the Record, Spotify: Mic Check, and Spotify: Discover This for episodes tailored to their interests. Keep your ear to the ground and stream all three.

November shared news you can use.

This month brought a few long-awaited moments to listeners around the world, starting with our redesigned For the Record newsroom. The site debuted with a sleeker, more interactive design and remains a hub for Spotify’s latest and greatest news, podcasts, resources, and more.

Spanish speakers heralded the season two arrival of Caso 63, a Spotify Original podcast that’s setting new records as it draws a growing global audience.

And, sing it with us—lyrics became available on a Spotify for the majority of our extensive library of tracks. Fans can even share a favorite line with friends on social media.

December wrapped with a bang.

That’s a wrap! Spotify 2021 Wrapped, that is. Creators, listeners, and audio enthusiasts around the world joined us in celebrating the large role audio played in the lives of our listeners and creators this year. From unveiling what the world streamed most to marking the fifth anniversary of Artists Wrapped, this was a favorite moment across the Spotify community. For a behind-the-scenes look at how Spotify brought this year’s event to life, listen to “2021: That’s a Wrap!” on Spotify: For the Record.

No matter how you connected with Spotify this year, we’re grateful to have been part of your story. We can’t wait to see the audio innovation 2022 brings and keep sharing it with our For the Record community.