Tag: beyonce

Our 2020 Songs of Summer Predictions Have Arrived Along With Your Summer Rewind

June 23, 2020

Ahh, summer. Time for long days, warm nights, and outdoor adventures. While this year may look a little different in many parts of the world, one thing’s for sure: music will continue to be the backdrop for the best moments the season has to offer.

So what songs are most likely to soundtrack summer 2020? We turned to our global curation team to find out. They took a look into their crystal ball (a.k.a. current streaming numbers and trends) to come up with Spotify’s official Songs of Summer predictions. The songs that rack up the most streams by summer’s end will join the ranks of past top songs, including Drake’s “In My Feelings” and Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello’s “Señorita.”

Speaking of which—for those who are feeling a bit nostalgic for summer days gone by, we’re bringing back an oldie but goodie: Your Summer Rewind. This personalized playlist is comprised of songs listeners had on heavy rotation during previous summers.  

Songs of Summer Predictions

From hip-hop to indie, our 2020 Songs of Summer predictions have a little something for everyone.

Our list includes new hits like DaBaby’s “ROCKSTAR (feat. Roddy Ricch)” and Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage Remix” (featuring Beyoncé), as well as older tracks like “Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles, which was released in 2019 but remains a fan favorite. Plus, as the cultural conversation has shifted on ways to support the Black community, two songs in particular have made a comeback: “This is America” by Childish Gambino and “Alright” by Kendrick Lamar, both of which are likely to be on repeat all summer long.

And now, for the moment you’ve all been waiting for. In no particular order, our list of summer 2020 predictions. 

Ready to get sunglass season started? Stream the official Songs of Summer playlist—which will update all summer long with the hottest hits—below.

Your Summer Rewind

Even if you can’t travel very far this summer, you can take a trip down memory lane with Your Summer Rewind playlist. For each user who has streamed songs during the summer in previous years, we’ve pulled together a personalized mix of past summer jams sure to send you daydreaming. Starting today, the playlist is available to Free and Premium listeners in the Northern Hemisphere on iOS and Android.

 

If you’re looking for even more music, or are new to Spotify this summer, we’ve got you covered like SPF 50 and a wide-brimmed hat. Check out our Summer Hub to find everything from Your Summer Rewind to a mix of the hottest playlists and podcasts to liven up your summer. Stay cool.

This June, Celebrate Black Creators of Past and Present on Spotify

June 16, 2020

When it comes to music, the Black community stands unique in defining the sound of the times and influencing society. Black artists have inspired music for generations across all genres, from hip-hop, R&B, soul, pop, rock, country, jazz, and more. That’s why all year round, Spotify is dedicated to elevating audio from the Black community—and especially so during June, which is Black Music Month. During this time, we’re encouraging listeners to learn about and celebrate the Black musicians, artists, activists, and creators of past and present who gifted us with their work.

Streaming on Spotify often reflects events and happenings in culture and the world at large, and the past two weeks have been no different. Spotify’s Black Lives Matter playlist has seen over a 1,900% increase in followers and a 130,000% increase in streams. A few songs in particular from the playlist are especially resonating with listeners, including “This is America” by Childish Gambino (351% increase), “Alright” by Kendrick Lamar (8,253%), “Freedom” by Beyoncé featuring Kendrick Lamar (371% increase), “Self” by Noname (289% increase), and “Mad” by Solange featuring Lil Wayne (854% increase). 

As we continue to mark Black Music Month, we’ll highlight the musical and cultural contributions of Black creators through new content, including dedicated playlists, guest-curated playlist takeovers, podcasting playlists, and more. Read on for some of the ways we’re amplifying Black voices this month. 

Honoring Juneteenth

To commemorate, celebrate, and recognize the day that slavery ended in the United States, Spotify has made Juneteenth a permanent company holiday for all U.S. employees. To underscore the importance of Juneteenth this year, Spotify’s flagship playlist New Music Friday will exclusively feature Black artists from Friday, June 19, through June 26. Additionally, Spotify’s New Music Friday billboards in Times Square will be dedicated only to Black artists on June 19.

Curated Playlists

Multiple playlists, many of which will be featured in the Black History Is Now hub, will roll out through the month. For Father’s Day, we’ll be launching our KING playlist celebrating Black men and their roles as dads. Kirk Franklin will be taking over the playlist and is featured on the cover. Additionally, look out for Throwback Thursday, which will highlight Black music across genres throughout the decades from the 1950s to now; Black to the Future, a new and improved playlist featuring up and coming Black artists; Black History Salute, which honors the lives of Black music legends lost this year, including Manu Dibango, Little Richard, Tony Allen, Bill Withers, and Betty Wright; and Black, Queer, & Proud, featuring American singer-songwriter Brittany Howard in honor of Pride month. 

Playlist Takeovers

Black Music Month will also include influential playlist takeovers, featuring a deep well of notable Black curators, celebrities, creatives, and more. Tracee Ellis Ross kicked off June by curating Black Girl Magic, and Gabrielle Union-Wade will be taking over to round out the month. Plus, as dance has been influenced by Black youth across generations, our dance playlist 8 Count will be taken over by Black creators of today’s hottest dance trends.

Spotify is elevating this content during Black Music Month to celebrate the individuals who gifted us with their talents and to encourage people everywhere to take the time to listen and to learn.
 

Check out the ever-updating Black History Is Now hub for all the new content, as well as old favorites like Are & Be.

Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade’ Gets a Fresh Take on Season 6 of Spotify’s ‘Dissect’ Podcast

April 23, 2020

Back in 2016, Beyoncé’s Lemonade album and film provoked a worldwide discussion about race, feminism, social media, and the music industry at large. Lemonade became the highest-selling album globally at 2.5 million copies, and it brought Beyoncé’s longstanding themes of female empowerment and camaraderie, emotional vulnerability, and the costs and pleasures of fame to the forefront of pop consciousness. It changed culture, politics, music, and their intersections. And now, it’s the subject of Spotify’s Dissect Season 6 podcast. 

Each season, Dissect, a serialized music podcast found exclusively on Spotify, takes an academic approach to analyzing iconic albums. Every episode focuses on one song in the release that had an undeniable influence on music and hip-hop culture. Beyoncé’s Lemonade now joins the ranks of Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly (S1), Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (S2), Frank Ocean’s Blonde (S3), Tyler, The Creator’s Flower Boy (S4), Ms. Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (Mini Season), and Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. (S5). 

Plus, Season 6 brings new changes worthy of Queen Bey. For the first time ever, host and creator Cole Cuchna will be joined by a cohost, Titi Shodiya (winner of Spotify’s Sound Up podcast workshop and creator and cohost of Dope Labs podcast, a Spotify Original). The two make leaps of interpretative wonder, fusing insights, music theory, instrumentation, and lyric interpretation with social analysis to empower fans to build deeper connections with Beyoncé’s artistry. For the first time in the show’s history, Dissect will also include behind-the-scenes video footage from the hosts’ travels to exclusive music video sites to accompany the episodes. 

Unlike Beyoncé’s previous albums, the 12-track Lemonade is edgy, full of vitriol and real talk. It contains scornful tales and lyrics that address Jay Z’s long-rumored infidelity in the track “Sorry,” as well as references to social injustices and police brutality on “Formation.” The album alongside its accompanying film not only ushered in a new era of surprise releases and visual experiences, but created a ripple effect that kept it front and center in the cultural zeitgeist.

The Dissect series launches on the fourth anniversary of Lemonade’s surprise release. Check out the first two episodes, “Pray You Catch Me” and “Hold Up,” starting today, April 24. All in, the season will include 12 episodes, with a new one airing every Tuesday following today’s two-episode binge drop. 

Get a refreshing take on the album geared for both lifelong Beyoncé fans and Lemonade-era newcomers. Stream the first few episodes below.

Meet Manal, the Moroccan Artist Changing the Game

April 20, 2020

Spend a half hour with Manal, and you get the impression of an artist far more experienced than her 26 years would suggest. The Moroccan singer—who speaks three languages and commands multiple music genres including Maghreb hip-hop, Afro pop, and Afro house—is making a splash in both the local and global music scenes.

Her debut single, “Denia,” earned her the title of Best Female Artist, North Africa, at the African Music Awards in 2015, but it was her first rap song, “Taj,” that put her on most people’s radars as she tackled the region’s historically male-dominated genre.

Manal’s already having a very busy year: she’s in the middle of recording her first album, 360, pursuing a PhD, and growing the record label that she launched with her husband in 2019. For the Record recently caught up with Manal over the phone from her home in Marrakech. Read on for the full interview.   

Spotify Listeners Are Getting Nostalgic: Behavioral Science Writer David DiSalvo and Cyndi Lauper Share Why

April 14, 2020

Photo credit: Helen Maybanks

With all the uncertainties of our current climate, music from decades past is striking a particularly strong chord. From April 1–7, we saw a 54% increase in listeners making nostalgic-themed playlists, as well as an uptick in the share of listening to music from the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s (with ’50s music listening increasing the most). But what exactly is driving this interest?

For the Record spoke with David DiSalvo, a behavioral science writer and author of What Makes Your Brain Happy and Why You Should Do the Opposite, to get his take. “Nostalgia is an extremely powerful force linked to memory,” he noted. “But it has a way of putting a rosier view on our memory. When we smell those chocolate chip cookies, it’s a link to memory that brings us back to a more stable, comfortable place in our lives. We can inhabit it in our minds and feel a level of support that most of us aren’t feeling right now because there is so much instability.”

DiSalvo also explained the powerful role music specifically plays. “Music, like smell, is one of those things with immediate access to that direct, nostalgic memory. It takes you back to that place. For example, everyone can remember the specific song they were listening to during their first kiss.”

Perhaps Spotify listeners are trying to recreate moments from their past to find comfort, calm, and a break from the day-to-day. When making or updating playlists, listeners have been adding plenty of throwbacks—just take a look at the most-added tracks to playlists from each decade:

And they aren’t the only ones feeling the nostalgic vibes. Artists, too, are thinking of days long gone.

We asked Cyndi Lauper, whose upbeat hit “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” is one of the most-streamed songs from the ’80s in the past week, for her thoughts on what’s driving folks down memory lane. “Music marks time for me. So when I hear a song, it brings me back to that exact moment in time. It also helps that I have a really good memory, but music has always been such an important part of my life. Like most, I have a soundtrack. Broadway cast recordings of The King & I and Funny Girl bring me back to when I was 5 and just discovering my voice and love for music.”

Cyndi is also featured prominently on All Out 80s, Spotify’s popular throwback playlist with over 7.1 million followers. She thinks there’s a good reason why the playlist is so popular.

“The music of the ’80s was melodic. That was the common thread and why music from the ’80s is so good. I know for me, my intention was to make music that people would want to listen to for years and years, for decades and decades, long after I was gone.” 

Though many listeners have taken to more “chill” music in the past few weeks, there is also something to be said for pausing on the present and getting down with your favorite oldies. According to DiSalvo, “There is a good part of ‘distraction.’ It plays a healthy role in giving us a break, a reset point when we are in deep anxiety and stress.”

Also looking for a break from the moment? Take a listen to some of the most popular tracks streamed by decade April 1–7:

’50s:

“Put Your Head on My Shoulder” – Paul Anka

“Johnny B. Goode” – Chuck Berry

“I Walk the Line” – Johnny Cash

“Dream A Little Dream Of Me” – Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong

’60s:

“Here Comes the Sun” – The Beatles

“Feeling Good” – Nina Simone

“(What A) Wonderful World” – Sam Cooke

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” – Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell

“Fortunate Son” – Creedence Clearwater Revival

“Brown Eyed Girl” – Van Morrison

“Son Of A Preacher Man” – Dusty Springfield

’70s:

“Don’t Stop Me Now” – Queen

“Hotel California – 2013 Remaster” – Eagles

 “Sweet Home Alabama” – Lynyrd Skynyrd

“Dreams – 2004 Remaster” – Fleetwood Mac

’80s:

“Back in Black” – AC/DC

“Under Pressure – Remastered” – David Bowie, Queen

“Livin’ On A Prayer” – Bon Jovi

“Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) – Remastered” – Eurythmics

“I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) – Whitney Houston

“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” – Cyndi Lauper

’90s:

“Wonderwall – Remastered” – Oasis

“I Want It That Way” – Backstreet Boys

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” – Nirvana

“Wannabe” – Spice Girls

“…Baby One More Time” – Britney Spears

“No Scrubs” – TLC

 2000s:

“Lose Yourself” – Eminem

“Hey, Soul Sister” – Train

“Mr. Brightside” – The Killers

“Hips Don’t Lie (feat. Wyclef Jean)” – Shakira, Wyclef Jean

“Halo” – Beyoncé 

Podcasts more your thing? Get hooked on a ’90s earworm in the popular Reply All episode “The Case of the Missing Hit.”

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

Add These Top-Streamed Moms to Your Mother’s Day Playlist

May 7, 2019

Still searching for the perfect Mother’s Day present? Look no further than the gift she may have given you: a love for music. Creating a homemade Mother’s Day playlist (much like those handmade cards you drew as a kid) can help you show your appreciation.  

This Mother’s Day, give your mom a little extra themed love by stocking that playlist full of the 10 top-streamed artist moms on Spotify. You can check them out below, as well as a song to possibly share with your own mama.

1. Cardi B

Cardi B has it all: style, swag, and a new bundle of joy. Since giving birth to daughter Kulture in July 2018, the Grammy-winning rapper hasn’t slowed down for a second (not surprising, considering last year’s energetic Coachella performance with a giant baby bump).

2. Beyoncé

Beyoncé is no stranger to sharing her family life with the world. She and husband Jay Z have three kids: Blue Ivy (seven), and twins Rumi and Sir (almost two). And who could forget Beyoncé’s beautiful pregnancy announcement?

3. Adele

Adele keeps her home life private, but fans know how dedicated she is to raising her son, Angelo, born in 2012. Three years after becoming a parent, she released her record-breaking third album, 25.

4. P!nk

Since having two kids—Willow (nine) and Jameson (two)—with motocross pro husband Carey Hart, P!nk has continued to churn out emotional dance-floor-ready hits while spreading the empowering messages she’s shared with her daughter.

https://open.spotify.com/track/0Qh38w01QRXK6KHIv0e3hb?si=UN3j7VU9RvO-3GAIzTgnCQ

5. Shakira

For Shakira, the Colombian singer-songwriter, dancer, businesswoman, and philanthropist, every day is busy—but she’s happy to spend time with her two young sons and husband, Spanish footballer Gerard Pique, whenever, wherever.

6. Kehlani

Rising R&B star Kehlani can now add “mom” to her growing resume; her daughter, Adeya, just arrived in March 2019.

7. Britney Spears

It might seem like just yesterday that Britney Spears was a teenager herself, but the superstar singer now has two of her own. Her Instagram is full of sweet tributes to her sons, Sean and Jayden.

8. Alicia Keys

It’s safe to say that Alicia Keys’ children have music in their blood; the multiple-Grammy winner shares two sons, Egypt (eight) and Genesis (four), with fellow musician Swizz Beatz.

9. Christina Aguilera

In between making music and inspiring young talent on The Voice, Christina Aguilera is a mom to two young kids, Max (eleven) and Summer (four).

10. Mariah Carey

Pop queen Mariah Carey is a legend and an icon to fans, and to her eight-year-old twins, Moroccan and Monroe, she’s “Mom.”

But you don’t need to stop with these rockin’ moms. “A Song for Mama” by Boyz To Men is the most-added song to listener-created Happy Mothers Day playlists. It’s followed by Meghan Trainor’s track “Mom” which features vocals from her mom, Kelli. ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” and Bruno Mars’ “Just the Way You Are” are also popular picks. You’ll be in good company: Streams of user playlists titled “Happy Mother’s Day” have grown each year since 2016, increasing 19% from 2016 to 2018.

For more inspiration, take a listen to the official Happy Mother’s Day playlist.