Tag: daily wellness

What Type of Fan Are You? Celebrate the Arrival of Spotify’s Football Now Playlist in the U.K. and Germany

June 10, 2021

League preferences and team allegiances may differ, but one thing remains consistent in the world of football: the sport’s legion of passionate fans. For those wanting to stay on top of the latest and greatest, Spotify’s new Football Now playlist is the perfect companion.

Similar to Spotify’s Daily Sports and Daily Drive playlists, Football Now gives fans one destination for access to the sport’s best audio content. The playlist also includes music based on a user’s personalized preferences, making it a unique experience that’s tailored to every listener.

Updated daily, this football-specific playlist is currently accessible for fans in the U.K. and Germany. Whether you prefer to yell “goal!” or “gol!” Spotify has plenty of football podcasts to give you the game commentary, latest news, interviews, opinions, and more about your favorite leagues, players, and clubs.

Need help deciding which football podcast to explore first? We’ve rounded up suggestions of some of our favorite U.K. and German podcasts based on their topics. Check it out below:

For the fan who wants to hear stories from the professionals

Einfach mal Luppen (German): This podcast is cohosted by two professional footballers—and brothers—Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos and Eintracht Braunschweig midfielder Felix Kroos. In the episodes, which will be released three times a week, Felix calls up his brother to discuss the latest updates surrounding the German national team.

Welcome to ‘Wrighty’s House’ (U.K.): Former professional footballer and television and radio personality Ian Wright hosts this podcast, where he interviews a variety of guests about the sport, personal experiences, and more.

For the fan who wants real-time updates in a concise format

kicker News (German): This podcast releases regular football updates, summarizing the latest news in brief, 90-second episodes. The show is updated throughout the day so fans can easily stay up-to-date on what’s happening with their favorite sport.

Das EM-Update (German): This Spotify Original podcast, produced in collaboration with Deutsche Presse-Agentur, provides all the Euro tournament updates you want. Episodes will be released twice a day on match days and will offer insight into all 51 matches. In addition to sharing statistics and tactical analysis, episodes will also include reporter interviews from those on and off the field. 

For the fan who wants to hear about football history

GIANT (U.K.): This weekly Spotify Original podcast is hosted by Owen Blackhurst and features guests who share their personal football stories. From the great Arsenal and Manchester United rivalry to the most legendary on-the-field penalty stories, the podcast covers a variety of topics and stories for football fans.

Players (German): This podcast goes behind the scenes of the Euro tournament through short and concise episodes that will be released twice a day. On the show, listeners will learn more about the background and context of the tournament as the host explores questions like “Who actually came up with the idea of a pan-European European Championship?” In the morning edition, host Raphael Späth and European Championship reporter Matthias Friebe will talk about the topic of the day. In the evening, the podcast will dive deeper into another narrative topic.

For the fan who wants a good laugh

The Teamsheet (U.K.): On this Spotify Original podcast, celebrity football fans serve as guest hosts who share their top fantasy picks if they were in charge of building their own football team. Over the course of a week, episodes will be released daily, and in each one guests debate the merits of whom to add for their goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, striker, wildcard, and manager. On the final day, the hosts design their perfect kits. Listeners can expect laughs and legends as they hear from the likes of comedian Elis James, professional footballer Lianne Sanderson, and more.

Ready for more football fun? Germany and U.K.-based listeners can find your personalized Football Now playlist here. 

New Spotify Study Shows Audio Is the Number One Productivity Booster

March 4, 2021

The new normal isn’t so new anymore. With many approaching a year of being at home, we’re all eager to find new ways to maintain our focus and productivity—something that means much more than getting things done at work. According to a recent study commissioned in the U.S. and UK by Spotify, 87% of people believe productivity touches every aspect of their lives, from work and creative pursuits to managing a home and caring for a family. 

The study also found that, no matter the task at hand, audio is a key part of people’s productivity tool kits. It helps individuals achieve certain moods, transform their environments, and get into the right frame of mind. Audio is the number one productivity booster, with 37% of respondents citing it as the key driver to success during productivity moments. This played out on Spotify too: Over the past year of social distancing and spending more time at home, we’ve seen a 26% increase in user-generated “focus” playlists created on-platform globally.*

Looking to find the right audio to help you get in the zone? Read on for some additional key recommendations from the study,** as well as the most popular sounds that might be useful as you get into a task or project.  

Fit the sound to the task

Nearly 75% of respondents agreed that the type of audio they stream needs to be tailored to the activity they’re doing. So whether you’re working on your desktop, going for a walk to clear your mind, or going for a drive to run errands, make sure you have the audio to match. 

  • Study and chill: 69% of respondents said ambient or chill music is better for studying, with 67% indicating ‘slower’ beats are key for their study sessions. The top three most popular playlists within the Spotify Focus Hub across the globe include: Peaceful Piano, Lo-Fi Beats, and Instrumental Study. “Chicago Freestyle (feat. Giveon)” by Drake and Giveon is the top-streamed chill/ambient track, followed by “Mariposa” by Peach Tree Rascals, “Yellow Hearts” by Ant Saunders, “Into the Unknown” by AURORA & Idina Menzel, and “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen. 
  • Foster home improvement: 64% of respondents said that when doing housework or making home improvements, they prefer to listen to high-energy music with a faster BPM. Looking for the perfect jams for just that? Check out Spotify’s “Get Chores Done” and “Housewerk” playlists.
  • Fuel creativity: 43% of respondents said they are more likely to listen to instrumental music when writing creatively or analyzing data/information. 

Get in the right state of mind

The largest barrier to being productive is internal stimuli—things like stress, mood, and level of tiredness. Roughly 80% of respondents said listening to something helps them focus, tune out distractions, and create their own space. 

  • Use audio to help you fight the afternoon slump: Spotify found that streams of its Focus Hub are highest in the afternoons, between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. 
  • Find the right track for you for the moment: Searching for the perfect song or podcast for the moment can be tough—nearly a quarter (24%) of respondents said they struggle to find the right content—but personalized playlists like Spotify’s popular Discover Weekly or Brain Snacks playlists can help you find the right audio, made just for you.
  • Switch off when you need it: Audio isn’t only for laser-focused task completion—it can also help you decompress. In fact, 87% of respondents reported using audio to help switch off and relax. Updated twice daily, the evening edition of Spotify’s Daily Wellness playlist is built to get you ready for a good night’s sleep so you can slip into one of the most crucial acts of wellness and self-care. Or check out Happier with Gretchen Rubin, where Rubin provides practical, manageable advice about happiness and good habits. 

Ready to get in the zone? Find all this and more in Spotify’s Focus Hub.

 

*All Spotify data collected from February 4, 2020 – February 4, 2021 unless otherwise specified.

**Survey was conducted with 4,000 adult respondents across the U.S. and UK, exploring what productivity means to each of them and how they manage productivity in their daily lives. The survey also included a qualitative diary with six American participants.

Daily Sports: A New Mixed-Media Playlist Fans of Any Team Can Root For

August 17, 2020

To the excitement of sports fans, many major athletic leagues are anticipating returning for their seasons this month—meaning a renewed lineup of athletic content and news. So to help fans keep up with all these games, Spotify is throwing the first pitch for Daily Sports, a new playlist designed to entertain listeners with a mix of quick sports commentary and personalities alongside familiar personalized music recommendations.

Daily Sports joins our two other mixed-media playlists, Your Daily Drive and Daily Wellness, to provide you with great audio content at any point in your day. With the addition of Daily Sports, fans will only need to head to one place to keep up with the latest sports news, commentary, and personalities while also enjoying their favorite tracks. Our dedicated team of experts curate the MVP of sports podcasts and shows, and our unique algorithms create a personalized mix of music to get you in the mood.

Stay up to date on the latest games, trades, and news with the very best of sports commentary with curated (and in some cases, exclusive) content from The Ringer, including audio intros from the one and only Bill Simmons. Other highlights include segments from Sports News Minute with Larry Brown, ESPN Daily, The Lead, and more—all in one place. Plus, Daily Sports updates every single day with fresh takes and music just for you. It’s designed to fit seamlessly into your routine and provide you with the best way to not only get up to speed, but to stay in the know on all things sports—especially as all major sports play during the same season. 

Daily Sports is available to both Free and Premium users in the U.S. Fans of any team or league can catch it on your Made For You hub or the Sports hub on mobile and desktop today.

Daily Wellness: A New Mix of Motivational Podcasts and Personalized Music

April 27, 2020

Taking a moment—or two—for yourself is especially important these days. Yet wellness is deeply personal. Some center their wellness around eating healthy and exercising, while others focus on positive thinking and small acts of self-care. With that in mind, Spotify is introducing Daily Wellness, a personalized mix of grounding motivational podcasts and feel-good music that can help you find positivity, mindfulness, or peace throughout your day.

The new playlist, made to fit into your daily routine, updates once in the morning then again in the evening. In it, you’ll find hours of content, from music you might recognize to curated wellness podcasts, plus a few new things we think you’ll like.  

Every morning, the playlist will greet you with positive, motivational content to kickstart your day. In between inspirational podcasts like Daily Quote and Yoga Girl Daily, you’ll find personalized music to help you rise and shine. Our goal? To help you feel like you could conquer the world, one day at a time. 

At night, the playlist refreshes with content that’s a bit more relaxing. Practice mindfulness with  Daily Breath with Deepak Chopra, hear poetry from The Slowdown, and wind down with our music picks. The evening edition is built to get you ready for a good night’s sleep—one of the most crucial acts of wellness and self-care.


No matter how you choose to incorporate wellness into your life, Spotify’s Daily Wellness Playlist makes it easy to add a little “me time” to your routine.

The Daily Wellness Playlist is available now for free and premium users in the U.S. and U.K. Find it on your “Made for You” hub on mobile, web, and desktop.

*Update October 20, 2020: Daily Wellness has also rolled out in Canada, Australia, Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore.

*Update November 24, 2020: Daily Wellness has also rolled out Germany.