Tag: creators

Spotify Opens Doors for More Underrepresented Podcasters Through New Sound Up Programs

March 31, 2021

Diversity has long been a weak point for podcasting. Yet in order for this golden age of audio to truly shine, it has to include all of us. That’s why, several years ago, Spotify created Sound Up, a global program that gives underrepresented podcasters the tools to boost their platforms and build their own shows. 

You may already listen to some of these beloved shows, perhaps getting your science fix from Dope Labs by U.S. grant recipient Titi Shodiya and cohost Zakiya Whatley or exploring topics you’ve been too shy to look up yourself on Search Engine Sex by Indigenous Australian creator Rowdie Walden. Most recently, plenty of listeners flocked to play You Heard Me Write from U.S. participant Kacie Willis, propelling the creative new format to the 17th slot on Spotify’s Trending Podcasts USA chart.

And there’s plenty more where those came from. A few weeks ago during Spotify Stream On, our Sound Up Global Lead, Natalie Tulloch, announced that in 2021, we’ll be growing our program from 6 to 14 countries—enabling us to support an additional 140+ emerging creators this year alone. 

“The bigger the Sound Up alumni group grows, the more powerful we become,” Sound Up alum and Dope Labs cohost Titi said. 

The new programs include a Latinx U.S. program focused on creating Spanish-language or multilingual podcasts for an ever-growing Spanish-speaking U.S. audience, female creators in India, and lower-income youth from large urban centers in Argentina. Sound Up will also launch in Mexico, Spain, and Italy later this year. 2021 will mark its third year in Germany as well.

But these new programs aren’t the only news for podcasters to get excited about. Spotify also wants to offer opportunities and support to members of underserved communities aspiring to careers as podcast producers, sound engineers, and other behind-the-scenes roles in podcasting. So today, we’re also announcing Behind the Mic, a new apprenticeship program coming later this year to support aspiring Black podcast producers. 

The year-long paid apprenticeship will be led by Behind The Mic Lead Christabel Nsiah-Buadi, an award-winning radio producer, podcaster, and writer. She will oversee the three Black producers chosen for the program. They will get to enjoy a rotational program among show teams and producorial roles, as well as attend a weekly virtual class to refine skills and get exposure to the business and industry. Finally, they’ll each create, produce, and edit a podcast about their experience in the program. This year, two apprentices will be placed: one at Gimlet Studios in New York and another at Spotify Studios in Los Angeles. After the rotation, they will become permanent Spotify employees. 

“I am so thrilled that we will be able to support a yearlong education program and support more creators globally,” says Natalie. “We hope to expand the numbers of participants in the Behind the Mic program and the studios they’re able to work in. This is just the beginning.” 

Speaking of expansion, we’ll also be rolling out a version of Behind the Mic in Australia to Indigenous and First Nations producers in the coming months. But ahead of that, the Sound Up program in its original form is also returning to Australia in 2021. 

Aspiring podcasters who identify as First Nations (Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander) are invited to apply for the four-week virtual podcasting program to be held from May 31 to – June 25, 2021. The Sound Up 2021 program will be facilitated by Travis De Vries and Brooke Scobie from Awesome Black. 

Do you have a great idea for a podcast? Apply now. No experience necessary. 

Dig Into Music Streaming in the Latest Episode of ‘Spotify: For the Record’

March 25, 2021

At Spotify, we believe artists deserve clarity when it comes to the economics of music streaming. That’s why last week we unveiled Loud & Clear, a new microsite that breaks down the players and process involved with the royalty system. 

Artists want the opportunity to make a living from their work. We want that, too: Although more artists than ever are finding success through streaming, we’re nowhere near done, and we’ll keep pushing to grow the industry. As we make those strides, the Loud & Clear site demystifies how the money flows while also sharing more context when it comes to streaming numbers and how they stack up on Spotify in 2020.

In this week’s episode of our podcast, Spotify: For the Record, we continue the conversation about streaming economics and Loud & Clear.

Our first guest is Sammy Andrews, CEO of Deviate Digital and a board member of the Music Managers Forum (MMF) in the UK, who discusses industry reaction to Loud & Clear and where she thinks we should go from here.

We also speak with Charlie Hellman, Spotify’s Head of Marketplace, who provides more context on Loud and Clear and details how more artists than ever are finding success in the music industry.  

Listen to “Loud and Clear: A New Conversation on Music Streaming.” 

Spotify Founder and CEO Daniel Ek Discusses the Economics of Music Streaming

March 18, 2021

Since its 2014 low, the music industry has grown by 44%, driven primarily by streaming revenues, which increased 500% over this same period. In 2020 alone, Spotify paid $5B+ and makes up about 20% of global recorded music industry revenue, more than any other streaming service. That number is massive on its own, and it doesn’t include the other music streaming services, or other sources of music revenue. 

Still, artists ask me all the time why they’re not making more money. If the music industry is generating so much, then where the hell is it going? These are fair questions. So, we’re launching a new site, Loud & Clear, to increase transparency and shed light on the complicated economics of music streaming. 

Streaming is thriving and has been key to helping more artists find a global audience. There are more artists than ever before. That’s awesome. It means new genres, more music crossing borders, and more artists finding new fans. It also means new artists joining Spotify every day, along with the entire history of music that came before them. More artists want to share their art, reach fans and earn a living from music. And it’s happening. 

From streaming on Spotify alone, we’re seeing growth from artists at all stages of their career: since 2017, the number of artists generating

    • more than $50K/yr is up 80%
    • more than $100K/yr is up 85%; 
    • and more than $1M/year is up 90%. 

Today, 57K artists now represent 90% of monthly streams on Spotify — a number that has quadrupled in just six years. This means that the number of the most listened to artists in the world is growing and more diverse.

Our goal is to help musicians that aspire to be, or are professional to make a living. It’s something we take seriously every day. Of course not every one of the millions of artists on Spotify have found the same success. That will never be true. Fans will ultimately decide who succeeds and thrives, but our focus remains clear: Continue to create more opportunities for more artists to reach more fans. 

We know we have much more work to do, but we’re confident in what we’ve built and the innovations we continue to deliver for artists and their fans. We’ll continue to empower the most talented artists in the world to turn their passion into a profession, grow the money paid to rights holders, diversify and expand the number of professional artists succeeding, and propel the music industry forward.

Spotify’s Emerging Artists Program, RADAR, Kicks Off in Russia

March 9, 2021

Last year Spotify launched RADAR, our emerging artist program that spotlights rising talent from around the globe. RADAR’s goal is to help up-and-coming artists in all stages of their development as they connect with new audiences. Now, after working with creators in the U.S., New Zealand, Spain, and many other markets, the program is ready to launch in Russia.

Since Spotify’s launch in Russia in 2020, we’ve seen tremendous success with subscriber growth and service adoption. According to our 2020 Q3 results, Russia has been our most successful new market launch to date and represented the largest portion of subscriber outperformance for the quarter. 

With RADAR, we will amplify emerging artists in the region through ongoing marketing and editorial support. Artists will be featured in the local creative marketing campaigns, and their tracks will be added to the RADAR RUSSIA playlist in the global RADAR hub, helping fans from all over the world discover their music. For the Record had the opportunity to chat with two bands that are a part of Russia’s RADAR program.

Сёстры (pronounced “sestry,” translation: Sisters) is an indie pop duo that debuted their first album, Когда были волны (When There Were Waves), in October of 2020. The group has already seen success, including having recently performed on a popular Russian late-night talk show.

Три дня дождя (pronounced “tri dnia dozhdia,” translation: Three Days of Rain) is an alternative band that released their first album in February of last year. Their most popular track, “Не киряй,” has racked up more than 4.5 million streams on Spotify.

Read what the bands had to say about their music, their experience, and more below.

What are you looking forward to as a Spotify Russian RADAR artist?

Сестры: We have been watching the RADAR program for a long time now, as it’s helped us discover many talented foreign artists, and it is very unlikely we would have discovered them without it. Now, through RADAR, it’s amazing that many more listeners will learn about us—our tracks will become a part of Spotify’s global ecosystem, and our songs will be heard by many people all over the world. We are just at the beginning of getting to know our audience, and it is so important for us to develop strong relations with our fans. 

Три дня дождя: We have big plans and ambitions going forward, and we hope the support of Spotify can help us with establishing our name not only in Russia but also abroad. We are honored to have been chosen as one of the first artists to take part in the program in the country. Russian rock is not dead and we’d love to prove it! We are hopeful that RADAR can help us bring our art to the new audiences.

What advice do you have for fellow emerging artists?

Сестры: Trust yourself and your vision, work hard, and carry on no matter what.

Три дня дождя: First of all, don’t ever give up. Ever! And practice as often as possible. Secondly, try to minimize all factors that restrain you from doing what you love. Lastly, always believe in yourself and your art.

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

Три дня дождя: With my music I’d love to convey the emotions everyone is familiar with. And about showing the listeners that love can be a very dangerous thing at times. 

This past year presented many unprecedented challenges. How has it changed the way you approach your musical career?

Сестры: 2020 is exactly the year when our music career began developing. The music industry turned to online, but it somehow brought us all even closer together. We are definitely looking forward to the day when live concerts and performances become possible again, but our approach to our music career has not changed a bit. We will continue gathering at home or at the studio to make new music together.

 

Ready to give these Russian artists a listen? Check out the new RADAR Russia playlist below.

Two New German Spotify Original Podcasts Are Taking On Marriage—One Before and One After Saying ‘I Do’

March 1, 2021

From rom-com meet-cutes to tailored playlist exchanges, there’s a lot to love about love. Two new German Spotify Original podcasts are ready to bring their take on relationships, but from two different vantage points: One podcast follows a couple’s journey before saying “I do,” while the other takes a look at newlywed life.

First up, the before. While a wedding is often one of the most memorable days in a couple’s life, planning the event is often more stressful than blissful. So Laura Larsson, cohost of the popular show Herrengedeck, decided to document her lead-up to the altar in her new podcast Erstmal für immer. In the 10-episode series, she gives the audience an open and honest look at preparations for her wedding to her fiancé, Nils. “My favorite part of creating the show was talking to Nils,” explains Laura. “In our recordings together, I felt like I got to know a lot of new things about both him and us.” From the proposal to the walk down the aisle, listeners will follow the bride-to-be through the highs and lows of her entire planning process. Laura isn’t sparing any details. As she explains it, you can expect the journey to be “chaotic and emotional, but also quite beautiful.”

And when it comes to life after the vows? German comedians Hazel Brugger and Thomas Spitzer chronicle what happens next on their podcast Nur verheiratet mit Hazel & Thomas. After keeping their marriage a secret from the public for months, Hazel and Thomas give listeners a glimpse into their relationship, one date at a time. Over 17 episodes, the series lets listeners eavesdrop on the couple as they handle their marriage “firsts,” and learn what it’s like to date each other again.  

Whether you’re recently engaged or a few anniversaries in, get a dose of relationship chatter with the Erstmal für immer and Nur verheiratet mit Hazel & Thomas podcasts, available now exclusively on Spotify.

On the Latest Episode of ‘Spotify: For the Record’ Anchor Podcasters Share How They Bring Their Stories to Life

February 25, 2021

In 2019, Spotify acquired Anchor, a platform that makes it easy to hit the ground running in the podcast space. Podcasters around the world can access the platform’s creative tools, free content hosting, and distribution. Last year, we saw that 80% of the new shows on Spotify were made with Anchor. For beginners, the platform can help simplify the steps to getting published, while more experienced creators benefit from Anchor’s wide range of unique features, like including music straight from Spotify’s catalogue to make a Music + Talk show.

In the latest episode of our podcast, Spotify: For the Record, we explore how a variety of podcasters got their start using Anchor.

  • We follow along with Cassandra Bankson, a skincare expert and influencer, as she embarks on her journey to create her first podcast. From getting a microphone to learning how to upload episodes to Spotify, we follow along as her audio story comes to life.
  • Gael Aitor and Kayla Suarez, from the popular podcast Teenager Therapy, join us to share why their series is the perfect forum to highlight the struggles that come with being a teenager.
  • Rizky Ardi Nugroho, host of one of the top podcasts in Indonesia, Do You See What I See, shares how Anchor helped him start his show in 2018 (when he knew next to nothing about podcasting), and how he went from being a rice producer to a podcast producer. 

Michael Mignano, the cofounder of Anchor, also joins us to talk about the innovations that creators can expect to see in the near future. From audience poll functionality to an in-app Q&A format, the platform is opening up new forms of engagement for podcasters.

The episode concludes with a series of tips and tricks from each guest for aspiring podcasters. Ready to give it a listen? Check it out here.

Creators and Storytellers Shine Bright at Spotify Stream On

February 22, 2021

At Stream On, Spotify founder and CEO Daniel Ek was joined by artists, podcasters, and other notable storytellers. We’d like to thank these guests—from all over the world, both established and emerging—for participating in our virtual event earlier today. 

Visit here for more on our commitment to empowering creators—the new, the rising, and the icons—around the world using our unparalleled data, insights, and powerful platform.

From Gaming to Dating, New Star-Studded Filipino Original Podcasts Come to Spotify

February 16, 2021

Last year, Spotify welcomed nine Filipino fan favorite podcasts exclusively to the platform. Now, we are expanding our audio content to bring listeners a star-studded slate of seven brand-new Spotify Original podcasts from Filipino creators.

These new shows, which range in topics from gaming and well-being to dating and friends, feature homegrown personalities and crowd favorites like Pia Wurtzbach, Donnalyn Bartolome, Wil Dasovich, and more. These creators are joining a growing number of podcasters across Asia and the Philippines who are using Spotify as a platform to tell their stories, create content that matters, and connect with listeners in an intimate way. 

Get to know the seven new shows below.

Between Us Queens (English/Tagalog)

Led by Miss Universe 2015 winner Pia Wurtzbach along with fellow beauty queens Bianca Guidotti and Carla Lizardo, this podcast serves as an avenue for these former pageant ladies to share their experiences and talk about what it means to be a modern Filipina.

Itatama Pa Ba or Tama Na?  (English/Tagalog)

Recording artist and internet personality Donnalyn Bartolome went viral for sharing an emotional video that showed her unboxing personal effects returned by her ex. Now, in her new podcast, she’s hoping to help real-life lovers settle the score or mend broken hearts. In each episode, Donnalyn participates in unofficial couples therapy sessions to help mediate the conversation and help guests learn and grow from their heartbreak.

The Raid with Alodia & Ashley (Tagalog)

One of the Philippines’ biggest gaming streamers and OG cosplayers, Alodia Gosiengfiao, is joined by her sister Ashley as they geek out on all things anime and gaming. The podcast also gives people a sneak peek into what an otaku (person who has a keen fondness for Japanese comics or animation) sibling duo’s life is like. 

Superhuman (English)

In this podcast, cancer survivor and renowned vlogger Wil Dasovich dives into the ever-changing world of health. Wil’s main goal is to answer the question “What does it take to be superhuman?”

Huwag ‘tong Makakalabas (Tagalog)

In this podcast, Spoken-word artist, film writer, and certified Pinoy pop culture fanatic Juan Miguel Severo flips through his old journals and hidden letters and gives listeners a peek at what they contain. He lets you into his real, raw, and personal world as he performs spoken-word pieces and shares his afterthoughts on each story—all in a 15-minute (or less) episode.

Payaman Insider (Tagalog)

This weekly podcast follows a spontaneous chat show format with Team Payaman’s Junnie Boy, RogerRaker, Peachy Twice, and Boss Tryke—the country’s largest online collective—who are famously known for their irreverent friendly banters.  

Growing Up with Ben and Kris (English/Tagalog)

Popular vlogger Benedict Cua and his manager, Kristian Somera, are close to hitting their 30s and they use this podcast as a time to reflect on their past. The best friends discuss their early 20s and how they can be and do better as they take on the next chapter of their lives.

Tune in for Spotify Stream On

February 11, 2021

On Monday, February 22, Spotify is hosting Stream On, a virtual live-streamed event  exploring the power of audio creation. Mark your calendar and join us here on For the Record at 11 am EST to hear more about our commitment to empowering creators—the new, the rising, and the icons—around the world. 

Check out the latest episode of “Spotify: For the Record” to learn more.