Tag: boy band

Through Breakups and Heartbreaks, TOMORROW X TOGETHER Shares All the Feels in Its New Spotify Enhanced Album

May 9, 2022

K-Pop fans, Spotify has a treat for you. Today, South Korean boy band TOMORROW X TOGETHER is releasing its fourth mini album, minisode 2: Thursday’s Child, and Spotify listeners have access to an exclusive enhanced version of the album.

This new five-track album follows the story of the boy who fell in love in the band’s previous album series, The Chaos Chapter. In minisode 2: Thursday’s Child that boy experiences a breakup with his first love. Fans will experience three themes (hate, end, mess) as they listen to the group’s tracks, which feature a mix of hardcore rock, hip-hop, and R&B.

The enhanced album, available only on Spotify, includes never-before-seen content. Fans have access to new videos, storylines (which are personal written commentaries from the band on each track), and audio liners, where the band members give insight into the songs. The enhanced album also features videos of the individual members of the group talking about the fun they had and the memories they shared while creating the new music.

the playlist cover art for tomorrow x together's enhanced album which depicts TXT in red and black on a beige background

“We are thrilled to present this new, immersive content to MOA and all listeners on Spotify,” said TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s leader, SOOBIN. “We put tremendous effort into making our new album and collaborating with Spotify, so we hope you enjoy the special behind-the-scenes experience and feel a deeper connection through our exclusive, personally curated content.”

For the Record chatted with members of TOMORROW X TOGETHER to learn more about their new album.

What can fans expect in the new album, minisode 2: Thursday’s Child? 

SOOBIN: Through this new EP, we showcase a side of ourselves that we’ve never shown before. We tried to express how one could be corrupted and changed by his first heartbreak. The lead single “Good Boy Gone Bad” has some fantastic choreography that’s sure to make a lasting impression in your minds, so be sure to check it out!

In what ways does the enhanced album share more about the intent behind your new music for fans and new listeners worldwide?

SOOBIN: I hope our fans, MOA [Moments of Alwaysness], will be able to dive deeper into the EP as they listen to the behind-the-scenes stories and the episodes that we reveal for the first time.

YEONJUN: We all had a great time discussing the album in such depth. In the process, I’ve definitely grown more attached to every song.

BEOMGYU: We had a heart-to-heart talk on each of the tracks from the album, and I hope our MOA will love it too. Also, I really enjoyed thinking back to the emotions I had while working on and recording each song. 

TAEHYUN: It’s some great content. We go into detail about how each member tackled the recording process. Listening to how each song came to be definitely makes me appreciate them more. 

HUENINGKAI: I have so much love for this EP, especially with all the effort and passion we all put into it. It’s our first unit track, so the producer and YEONJUN and I talked a lot about how we want this track to feel. I hope our intentions are delivered to you successfully. 

What messages do you want people to take from your music? 

SOOBIN: Through music, we always strive to give voice to what many people feel and experience throughout their lives. We pursue music that many people can empathize with and relate to. We would like to be remembered as artists who are not confined by genre. We want to become artists who linger on in your minds even as time goes by. 

What figures have most influenced your music and your artwork? 

SOOBIN: I watched a lot of shows that deal with love and heartbreak. I took these works as inspiration to delve into and understand these emotions with more depth.

HUENINGKAI: Since I was a child, I have admired my dad. And I have been inspired by many artists, like Bruno Mars and Christopher, since I was a trainee.

YEONJUN: For this album, I was inspired by Post Malone’s music.

BEOMGYU: I referenced some TV shows as well, but I also think all people go through heartbreak or farewell in one form or another, whatever that may be. While working on this album, I tried to think back and put myself in those shoes.

TAEHYUN: I was inspired by The Weeknd’s albums and by a friend who had recently been through a breakup. 

As you look to TOMORROW (the future), what are your goals as a group TOGETHER?

As a group, we still want to meet and enjoy being with MOA from all over the world.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Spotify News (@spotifynews)

 

Start streaming TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s minisode 2: Thursday’s Child, the enhanced album, below:

 

Filipino Boy Band SB19 Brings P-pop to the World With Their New EP

July 21, 2021

Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken, and Justin, the five members of Filipino boy band SB19, are leading the Philippine-style pop movement known as P-pop with lively hits and coordinated dance moves. The band has seen increased popularity around the globe from 2020, when they joined RADAR, our emerging artist program that spotlights rising talent from around the world, to 2021, when they were nominated for a Billboard Music Award. 

With Spotify’s RADAR support, SB19 has found new listeners in markets like the U.S., the United Arab Emirates, and Australia to add to their ever-growing fan base. The popularity of SB19’s music is representative of a love for the genre of Filipino pop music. There’s a growing appreciation and pride for local Filipino music, and Spotify’s Tatak Pinoy playlist has more than 1.3 million followers, with streams continuing to increase year over year. 

Now, SB19 is ready to take the world by storm with their latest EP, Pagsibol. “Pagsibol,” a Filipino word that translates to “germination” in English, celebrates the band’s journey in the music industry. It’s representative of how seeds grow into plants, or germinate. The EP’s tracks symbolize SB19’s beginnings—their roots. 

To celebrate Pagsibol through audio and visual art, Spotify and SB19 collaborated with six Filipino visual artists to bring the EP to life on jeepneys—the iconic Pinoy mode of public transportation. Each jeepney’s design is inspired by a track from Pagsibol. Fans can also look forward to exclusive SB19 content on Spotify’s Tatak Pinoy playlist. 

For the Record chatted with SB19 to learn more about their new EP and the creative process that went into recording it.

What can fans expect from Pagsibol?

SB19: Listeners will get to witness a more bare SB19 as we share our humble beginnings and how we persevere through hardships. Fans will get a glimpse of our paths and what we went through. We consider this EP to be very meaningful as everything is from us: the conceptualization, the creative process, everything in this product. Even though this is our “Ikalawang Yugto” or “Second Chapter,” we regard this as our brand-new start as artists. Also in this EP we offer different types of music to cater to various listeners. We hope to inspire and reach a bigger audience with Pagsibol.

What are the lyrical themes that you’ve tackled in the EP? 

SB19: Since the EP is about our beginnings, the themes we’ve incorporated are everything that got us to where we are right now. We first introduced “What?” as an empowerment song. This was followed by “MAPA,” which is a song for people who have been there with us since the start—our parents. There’s also “SLMT,” which is a play on the Filipino word “salamat” that means “thank you.” This song is dedicated to our fans, who we are eternally grateful for. Each single tackles different subjects, but they all still stay true to the theme of our origination. 

How does the group work together creatively? 

SB19: We are very hands-on with all our art. We make sure that what we release is genuine. The creative direction is mostly by Justin, and then we as a group conceptualize and find our common ground. Pablo will start on the formulation of our songs and we collaborate from there. Since this whole creative process is tedious, we make sure to support each other, hear everyone’s suggestions, and make it an easygoing and cooperative environment. 

What advice would you give fellow Filipino artists and bands looking to make their presence more global? What do you see for the future of P-pop?

SB19: Just YOLO! Find your strength and love what you do. Put your mind and soul in it. You’ll be successful in no time. We see P-pop as another strength for our country to show the world what we are capable of. 

Stream SB19’s new EP, Pagsibol, below.

10 Years, One Direction: Spotify Celebrates the Boy Band’s Streaming Legacy

July 23, 2020

When One Direction stepped onto the music scene 10 years ago in July 2010, they lit up the world like nobody else. Since then, they’ve played sold-out arenas around the world and have become one of the most beloved boy bands of our time. So to celebrate this double-digit milestone, we’re taking a look at their decade of hit singles and chart-topping albums. Plus, we’re revealing 1D’s top five most-streamed songs of all time and have created exclusive on-platform content for listeners. You know—the little things. 

One Direction and Spotify got a whole lot of history. So let’s start with a walk down memory lane to reflect on the group’s notable streaming dates, states, and numbers from throughout the decade.

  • 1D stans have streamed One Direction tracks over 8.8 billion times throughout the past decade. Nobody can drag them down.
  • November 13, 2015—that’s the date the group released their chart-topping most-streamed album on Spotify, Made in the A.M. Almost five years later, fans are still listening to it in the morning and well into the P.M.
  • If One Direction songs could talk, they’d probably say something along the lines of “Baby, I’m perfect for you.” But don’t just take our word for it. 65 million Spotify playlists feature at least one 1D song and listeners have created more than 4.4 million playlists dedicated specifically to the band.
  • Within the U.S., Connecticut currently holds the title of most active 1D listeners with more streams over the past 90 days than any other state. New Jersey and Wisconsin are also up all night listening, coming in second and third respectively.
  • Although One Direction’s last release was back in 2015, they’re more than just midnight memories. The band still racks up over 19 million listeners a month as of July 2020.

Now that we’ve taken a look back, here’s something new to look forward to: Spotify listeners can now check out a new vertical video with behind-the-scenes footage for the 2012 song “What Makes You Beautiful.” There are also more than 80 new looping song visuals and 10 new storylines featuring behind-the-song memories from songwriters Jamie Scott, Ruth-Anne Cunningham and Savan Kotecha. Directioners in New York City will also be able to check out a special billboard located in Times Square dedicated to the group’s 10-year anniversary.