Tag: Charli XCX

Join Spotify at ADE 2023 for Artist Talks, Industry Masterclasses, Networking, and More

October 11, 2023

As the biggest club festival in the world, Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) plays home to more than 1,000 events in nearly 200 locations across its multidisciplinary program. And for five days and nights, the city of Amsterdam truly breathes electronic music.

This is our second year as an official ADE partner, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to continue this extraordinary journey. 

“Our partnership is a testament to the unwavering commitment that ADE and Spotify share for nurturing the growth of the dance and electronic genre to reach even greater heights,” said Lisa Ritchey, Spotify Artist Partnerships Manager, Pop, Dance & Indie. “ADE serves as a haven where enthusiasts and experts converge, and this year, we’re not just celebrating the tunes that make us dance; we’re empowering individuals to explore and harness the immense potential within this ever-evolving scene.”

For the 2023 edition, we’re curating a space to let industry partners take a breather from the ADE hustle.

Spotify Huis @ ADE 2023

Spotify Huis at Het West will be open for all ADE pass holders, industry members, and artists, offering something people need: meeting space, nourishments, networking happy hours, and a content studio to bank content with artists who are in town. 

“The Benelux region is a hotbed of electronic music talent, and together with ADE, we’re creating a unique opportunity for artists, producers, and fans to connect, celebrate, and share their passion,” said Milena Taieb, Spotify Head of Music, France and Benelux. “ADE underscores the deep-rooted importance of electronic music in the heart of Europe, and at Spotify, we’re committed to amplifying this vibrant culture.”

If you’re interested in stopping by Spotify Huis, you can fill out this request form and find additional details below:

Date: Wednesday, Oct 18 and Thursday, October 19

Time: 12:00 – 20:00 CET

Venue:  Herenmarkt 99, 1013 EC 

Spotify Talks @ ADE 2023

In addition to Spotify Huis, we’ll be hosting a number of talks at ADE venues throughout the week. Attendees will discover the art of writing a hit song, learn more about Spotify’s playlist ecosystem and how that fuels music discovery, and receive actionable tips for thriving in today’s music industry. 

“We’re delighted to welcome Spotify back as a valued partner for ADE. This collaboration holds significant value for the artists, DJs, and producers attending ADE, offering them a unique opportunity to access the insights and expertise of the Spotify team,” said Jorinde Boom, ADE Head of Partnerships. “We’re passionate about helping talent advance their careers by harnessing Spotify’s powerful capabilities. Our partnership seamlessly aligns with the shared goals of ADE Pro and Lab audiences—to foster creativity within the music industry through a diverse range of platforms. Together, we’re opening doors for artists and creators, enabling them to reach new heights.”

Take a look at our lineup—there’s something for everyone:

Spotify Presents: Written By (Live with Jin Jin)

Date: Wednesday, October 18 

Time: 17:15 – 18:00 CET

Venue: Main hall De Brakke Grond (ADE Lab)

Details: In a new live interview event series, Spotify engages in thoughtful conversation with some of the industry’s most distinguished songwriters and producers. Join the Spotify team as they welcome renowned songwriter Jin Jin to dissect her chart-topping works, including standout hits like Joel Corry‘s “Out Out,” featuring Jax Jones, Charli XCX, and Saweetie; and Jax Jones’ collaboration with RAYE, “You Don’t Know Me.” Ahead of the talk, you can explore Jin Jin’s “Written By” playlist and explore her catalog of hit songs.

Panelists:

Aaron Buckingham (Spotify Songwriter & Publishing Relations)

Jin Jin (songwriter)

Spotify for Artists Masterclass: Playlists & Music Discovery

Date/Time: Thursday, October 19 

Time: 12:15 – 13:00 CET 

Venue: Main hall De Brakke Grond (ADE Lab)

Details: Take a deep dive into the Spotify playlist ecosystem and how music is discovered with Spotify’s expert team, who will run through how Spotify is supporting the Dance and Electronic community, both on and off-platform. We’re delighted to be joined by Martin Garrix’s management team, Watse De Jong and Steven Hiemstra, who will share valuable insights into how they harness Spotify’s full potential.

Panelists:

Watse De Jong (Manager, Martin Garrix)

Steven Hiemstra (Manager, Martin Garrix)

Ronny Ho (Spotify Head of Electronic Development)

Ashley Graver (Spotify Head of Artist Partnerships, Pop, Dance & Indie)

Laura Kiesow (Spotify Artist and Label Partnerships, Benelux)

Spotify Essential Insider Knowledge: Navigating the Modern Music Industry

Date: Friday, October 20 

Time: 16:15 – 17:00 CET 

Venue: Felix Meritis (Keizersgracht 324, Amsterdam) (ADE Pro)

Details: Reaching and engaging your audience when it matters most is always top of mind for artists. In this session, Spotify’s music team will explore the suite of tools available to artists and their teams to help them find and grow their audiences on Spotify. Through a combination of best practices, essential tips, and case study examples, you’ll gain invaluable insights into harnessing Spotify’s full potential.

Panelists:

Milena Taieb (Spotify Head Of Music, France and Benelux)

Laura Kiesow (Spotify Senior Manager, Artist and Label Partnerships, France and Benelux)

Jesse Jacobsen (Spotify Lead, Indie Label Partnerships)

Gearing up to experience a week of the world’s hottest dance music in Amsterdam? Check out the official ADE 2023 playlist to get your mind, body, and ears ready.

Parties, Playlists, and New Year’s Bops: The Music the World Is Playing to Ring in 2023

December 29, 2022

As the year comes to a close, we can’t help but be amazed at what a landmark year 2022 was for music. But now it’s time to look ahead and ring in 2023 with style.

New year, new hub

We’ve got plenty of music to kickstart your celebration, and it’s all in our freshly launched New Year’s Hub. At this one-stop destination you can find classic party playlists and special takeovers from artists like Charli XCX, Rita Ora, N-Dubz, and Madame Canada herself, Céline Dion. And whether you want a low-key night or a heart-pounding dancefest, we have you set with featured playlists to match the vibe you’re channeling. Plus, on Home starting January 1, you can find content to help you set your resolutions.

So that’s what Spotify is doing . . . but how do Spotify listeners like to ring in the new year? The best way to predict the future is to look at past results, so we checked the data archives to see how the world was celebrating in December 2021.

What the world is playing

There’s always some level of anticipation around the new year and that shows in the playlists fans put together. Last year 82,000 New Year’s Eve playlists were created between Christmas and January 31, with nearly 40,000 created on the night itself. 

When it comes to genres, as expected listeners went straight for the uplifting bops and hits. Pop, hip-hop, trap, k-pop, and indie pop were the top genres played worldwide. Genres that saw the most significant rises in listeners were cumbia, discofox, volksmusik, schlager, and partyschlager (for those who think regular schlager isn’t festive enough.)

NYE 2021 was all about the tracks you could sing and dance along to. “Hey Ya!,” “Uptown Funk”, and “Mr. Brightside” all received plenty of attention. Many of the songs that gained more streams were New Year-specific tracks like Mariah Carey‘s rendition of “Auld Lang Syne – The New Year’s Anthem” and ABBA’s “Happy New Year,” which led the pack with an approximately 2,000% increase in plays.

Whatever your plans are for ringing in the new year, we hope that 2023 is just as fantastic for listening as this one was. 

Plan your party now over on our New Year’s Hub or with the featured New Year’s Eve 2023 playlist.

Charli XCX, Paris Hilton, and Spotify Celebrate an Unforgettable Year of Listening at 2022 Wrapped Playground

December 5, 2022

Whether you discovered your music listening personality, explored new genres, or uncovered the songs and artists that you streamed most, 2022 Spotify Wrapped had plenty for fans to dive into.

This year’s Wrapped was all about self-expression and play, celebrating the two-way connections that bring millions of creators and fans together through audio each and every day. And after a memorable year of listening, what better way to cap it all off than with a one-of-a-kind, playground-inspired Wrapped experience? That’s why we invited Spotify fans to the 2022 Wrapped Playground, which featured custom rides, interactive games, DJ sets from Paris Hilton and Matt FX, and a live performance from Charli XCX. 

It was none other than Paris who got the party started with a special DJ set for our special guests, who enjoyed a drink as the multi-hyphenate spun a mix of dance and pop tracks.  

As fans began to pour into the event space, they had the chance to enjoy a Wrapped-inspired photo moment, like custom carnival-themed activations inspired by some of the most popular artists this year. These included “Bad Habit” Skeeball, inspired by Steve Lacy’s smash hit; Latto’s “Big Energy” Hi-Striker, from the rapper’s megahit; “Good Ones” Claw Grabber, which taps into the energy of Charli XCX’s lead single from her latest album, CRASH; Gravy’s Groovy Funhouse, which draws from by the effortless 70s style of Yung Gravy; and Mitski’s “Stay Soft” Serve, influenced by the singer’s single released this year. 

Fans also took to new heights with rides on a Ferris wheel, treated their taste buds to funnel cake and corn dog bites, and enjoyed a photo booth and custom airbrush trucker hats. Throughout the evening, circus-like acts such as jugglers and stilt walkers performed around the playground. 

 

 

 

Blend With Lizzo, Post Malone, and The Chainsmokers—And Buy Their Merch

July 20, 2022

Lizzo, Post Malone, and the Chainsmokers on a green background

Listen to this story read aloud in 2 minutes and 20 seconds. 


Music fandom is about more than just listening to music and going to shows: It’s connecting with an artist, their songs, and their fellow followers. And what better way to signal your love, and maybe strike up a conversation with another fan, than by repping your favorites with a t-shirt or other merch? 

At Spotify, we’re always looking for new ways to grow the bond between artists and fans. Our latest feature, Blend, combines the best of our personalization capabilities and collaborative playlist functionality to help you create a playlist that syncs your music taste with that of your friend’s or artists’ like BTS, Charli XCX, Kacey Musgraves, and Megan Thee Stallion. 

Now we’re expanding the popular feature to even more artists including Lizzo, The Chainsmokers, and Post Malone. And we’re also adding a new element: the opportunity to shop artist merch from the Blend experience so you can literally wear your love on your sleeve. 

Here’s how you can Blend with one of these artists and then purchase their merch:

  1. Click on an artist’s name in this story to be directed to Blend. Or, check out the artist’s link from their social channels. You can now choose from Lizzo, The Chainsmokers, and Post Malone. 
  2. Let Spotify make a playlist tailored to your shared tastes.
  3. Check out your social sharecard. It contains your Taste Match score, which shows the percentage of music taste you two have in common. Then, share it directly to Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, or Twitter.
  4. After you get your Taste Match score, you’ll have the opportunity to purchase the artist’s featured merch via our integration with Shopify. All the pieces of merch have been selected by the artists themselves and include items such as t-shirts, vinyl albums, and more. 

It’s our mission to build new opportunities for creators to live off their work, and our larger partnership with Shopify makes it easier than ever for artists to sell their merch on Spotify. By putting merch alongside the music experience, we’re increasing purchase opportunities and generating incremental sales for creators.

Blend with Lizzo, The Chainsmokers, and Post Malone by clicking on their names. And find a full list of all available artist Blends here.

Equalizer Project, Now in Its Fourth Year, Makes Strides in Increasing Female Representation in Music

October 27, 2020

In 2017, Spotify launched the Equalizer Project to highlight the underrepresentation of female and non-binary creators in the Nordic music industry—and provide them with the knowledge and inspiration they need to level the playing field. Since then, Equalizer has supported numerous Nordic creators, including Sarah Dawn Finer, Petra Marklund, Sabina Ddumba, Silvana Imam, and Janice, through networking meetings, producer camps, and more.

Initiatives like Equalizer are still much needed: Behind the 50 most played songs on Spotify in Sweden in 2019, only 4.1% of the producers were women. Among the songwriters, only 20% were women. This shows a marked increase from 2018, when only 0.8% of producers and 10% of songwriters were women, and from 2017, when none of the producers were women—but there remains significant ground to be gained.

“It feels more important than ever to continue working with Equalizer when the year has brought such extensive challenges for the entire music industry, says Jenny Hermanson, Nordic MD, Spotify. “Although the statistics show a small step in the right direction, with more women represented as songwriters and producers behind the most-played songs, gender equality is an issue that must constantly be addressed.”

This year, we’ve continued Equalizer by creating a totally virtual program that will continue to give music creators knowledge and inspiration. From new videos that teach music production to a digital inspiration conversation with British hitmaker Charli XCX, here’s what participants have to look forward to:

Equalizer Project landing page

To make all things Equalizer accessible in one place, we’ve created a new landing page, spotify.com/equalizer. Head there for information about the project, including the networking sessions, producer camps, dinners, and Way Out West Festival Talks we’ve put on so far, and how Nordic creators can apply for Equalizer’s upcoming events.