Tag: cosmic playlists

Spotify Celebrates LGBTQIA+ Creators and Fans With Our 2020 Pride Campaign

June 3, 2020

Let’s face it: Pride looks a little different this year, with cities around the world unable to host celebrations in honor of LGBTQIA+ community, representation, and progress. But although queer folks and allies can’t take to the streets with flags, floats, and festivals this summer, we can all celebrate the feelings of pride and togetherness that come from streaming LGBTQIA+ artists and creators.

Spotify has the unique ability to inspire and drive positive change through the power of audio. At this time, we know that feelings of togetherness and shared experiences have never been more important, which is why today we’re unveiling Unlike Any Other—Spotify’s 2020 global Pride campaign celebrating LGBTQIA+ creators and connecting them to fans around the world.

 Unlike Any Other is all about empowering LGBTQIA+ creators to embrace their uniqueness and connect to new and existing audiences through the power of music and podcasts. The Unlike Any Other marketing campaign, which will live in 38 countries where Pride is celebrated, includes a key element—the Progress Flag—designed by Daniel Quasar in 2018. The Progress Flag adds five stripes to the traditional rainbow Pride flag to better include trans and non-binary individuals, marginalized communities of color, those we have lost to AIDS, and those living with HIV today within queer representation.

Plus, our Pride 2020 campaign features new content and experiences on platform, all available in the Amplify: Pride hub on Spotify. Each playlist, song, and podcast is as unique as the individual who created it—which means there’s a little something for everyone. Check out what’s available within the Amplify: Pride hub.  

The House of… Ballroom Playlists

From Kiki to Pose and now Legendary, the house and ballroom community has made a lasting mark on modern pop culture. This playlist series, in partnership with Pose runway choreographer Twiggy Pucci Garcon, celebrates the iconic movement with curated playlists by top figures of ballroom culture, including Jason Ozzie Ash, Byrell The Great, Jack Mizrahi Gucci, and Jonovia Chase.

Pride-Themed Playlists

The hub will include a variety of curated Pride-themed playlists for every listener, such as Pride Classics, Latin Pride, Alternative Pride, Queer as Folk, Disco Fever, queer-themed Cosmic playlists and more. Additionally, our flagship queer playlist Out Now: Unlike Any Other further emphasizes the dynamism of emerging and established queer voices in music. 

For the Record’s Top Stories of 2019

December 23, 2019

It’s been quite a year for Spotify. At For the Record we captured it all—from major milestones and playlist launches to Q&As with the biggest names in the business—plus some “bonus tracks.” But we couldn’t have done it without you, our readers, and your never-ending curiosity. That’s why we’ve rounded up the stories that resonated most around the world in 2019—and make us excited for the year ahead. 

Whether you caught them the first time around or are just joining us now, take a look at some of For the Record’s biggest hits.

Astrologer Chani Nicholas shared how music matches your horoscope 

“What’s your sign?” Whether you love or hate the question, the cultural obsession made its mark this year. Astrology is no longer simply synonymous with bold predictions about love, fame, and fortune. Instead, it’s attracting more and more people who use horoscope readings as a way to reflect and find direction in their lives. Music can provide that same effect, and that’s why we worked with astrologer Chani Nicholas to create Cosmic Playlists. Check it out and see what’s in store.

CEO Daniel Ek wrote that we’re going “Audio-First”

Early this year, our CEO Daniel Ek explained our goal of becoming the world’s number one audio platform—and how that takes us beyond just music. He also announced the addition of podcasting companies Anchor and Gimlet to Spotify. Then, later in 2019, we shared the acquisition of Parcast. We are family.

We introduced Spotify Lite for our users around the world

We believe that music is meant to be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of network connectivity, data plan, or access to the latest phone. That’s why we introduced Spotify Lite earlier this year. Lite is a small, fast, and simplified version of our unparalleled music experience that works much like the main Spotify app. You can still search and play your favorite songs and artists, as well as save them, share with others, discover new music, and enjoy playlists made just for you. But it also includes a few extra features that make it ideal for older devices and operating systems. See if it’s available in your market. 

We got hooked on two new personalized playlists: On Repeat and Repeat Rewind 

This past fall, we released two more personalized discovery options into the mix of Discover Weekly and Release Radar: On Repeat and Repeat Rewind. These playlists let you listen to your favorite tracks from the past 30 days and the not-so-far-off past. They were stuck in your head then; they’ll get stuck in your head now. 

We launched Spotify Kids: A new standalone app for the next generation of listeners 

We’re committed to bringing audio content such as music and stories, to more people in more ways—including the next generation of listeners. That’s why we recently launched a fun standalone app designed with safety in mind specifically for kids and families. If you’re a Family Plan user, check it out for your little ones. 

We revealed the top Songs, artists, playlists, and podcasts of 2019—and the last decade

As 2019 draws to a close, so too does a stellar year of streaming on Spotify. We dove into the newcomers, showstoppers, and top performers who united the globe with music and podcasts this year. And ahead of the brand-new decade, we also looked back on the last 10 years in music to reveal who dominated global listening. Take a look at the toppers—or check out your own Spotify Wrapped.  

While the last decade has come and gone, there’s one thing we know for sure: if 2020 is anything like 2019, it’s going to be a good one. Stay tuned into the For the Record newsletter to stay up-to-date on all things Spotify in the year ahead.