Tag: Dan + Shay

Four Days of Country Music at Spotify House During CMA Fest 2022

June 15, 2022

This past weekend, CMA Fest returned to Nashville for the first time since 2019 to celebrate all things country music. Top country stars and emerging artists alike came together at Spotify House to perform and enjoy time in an intimate setting with their fans. Spotify House was located in the unmatched Blake Shelton and Opry Entertainment Group’s Ole Red. With four days of performances across two stages, there was something for everyone in the crowd.

Spotify partnered with Meta throughout the event to bring an exclusive Instagram Reels experience to Spotify House, capturing content with director The Tommy B for artists’ Instagram and Facebook. Adding to the experience for fans were QR codes from Digital Seat Media, which helped attendees receive real-time event updates. 

Also on the ground was our team behind Spotify: Mic Check, which had the opportunity to speak to several returning CMA Fest performers and newcomers alike. The episode featured R&B-inspired country artist Tiera Kennedy, whose song “Found It In You” recently hit 20 million streams after being featured on Spotify’s Hot Country playlist. 

“I remember when I first moved to Nashville, wanting so badly to be on all those playlists. To see my music on all those playlists is really cool and it feels really special.”

Meghan Patrick, who performed at CMA Fest again this year, was also thrilled to be back onstage. “I’ve always looked at CMA Fest as a huge milestone and a huge opportunity to be part of. Every year it feels like I get a few more opportunities to play and show my music and play some different stages. Every year it’s always super exciting and a great opportunity to have some great exposure to a lot of fans in a short amount of time.” 

Check out the episode, which also features Erin Kinsey and Brett Eldredge, below.

Read on for a little more from each day of CMA Fest.

Day 1: Darius Rucker, Dan + Shay, Brett Eldredge, Ashley McBryde, and more

Spotify House got off to an incredible start with Darius Rucker, Dan + Shay, Brett Eldredge, Chase Wright, Brantley Gilbert, Ashley McBryde, Dustin Lynch, Dalton Dover, Nate Smith, Ashley Cooke, Kameron Marlowe, Meghan Patrick, and Nikki Lane taking the stage for day one. 

Superstar Darius Rucker kicked off with a high-energy opening set, performing chart-toppers “Alright” and “This” as well as his iconic Hootie & The Blowfish track “Only Wanna Be With You” and fan favorite “Wagon Wheel.”

Hannah Ellis, Dalton Dover, and Nate Smith soon hit the stage for performances of their own tracks as well as famous covers from fellow country artists. They were followed by a full-circle moment for rising country star Chase Wright, who made his Spotify House debut just a few years after he found himself waiting in line to get into the CMA Fest hot spot. 

Fans were treated to a surprise performance from Jimmie Allen when he joined Ashley Cooke onstage for their song “Good Goodbye” and a duet of his song “Freedom Was a Highway.” Kameron Marlowe dazzled the crowd, as did Meghan Patrick, who serenaded fans with “Heart On My Glass,” accompanying herself on the harmonica. As the sun went down, Brett Eldredge performed two tracks from his upcoming album Songs About You, including the album’s title track and latest single, “I Feel Fine.” This year, we also hosted our Fresh Finds Rooftop for the first time. The rooftop stage featured emerging artists Abby Anderson, Chris Ruediger, Taylor Edwards, Maggie Baugh, Tanner Adell, and Jordan Rowe.

Spotify’s Hot Country Playlist Turns Five and Hits Over 5 Billion Streams

November 24, 2020

If you’re in the mood for the latest and greatest country hits, you don’t have to look further than Spotify’s Hot Country playlist. Since its 2015 launch, it has amassed 6 million followers and seen more than 5 billion streams, making it one of the most influential playlists for the country music genre today. This month, Hot Country is doing a little dance to celebrate its five-year anniversary—so we’re taking a moment to tip our hats to some of the groundbreaking artists who have risen to the top of the playlist over the last half decade.

Top Female Artist

First up, Maren Morris—the Texas native has been the most-streamed female country artist on Hot Country and consistently ranked in the top 10 for most-streamed country artists in 2018, 2019, and 2020.

Singers with Staying Power

Florida Georgia Line has been a fan favorite and remained in the top five for most-streamed country artists since 2015, ranking at number one in 2017 and 2018. 

Top Song

Dan + Shay are the duo behind the top-streamed country track of both 2019 (“Tequila”) and 2020 (“10,000 Hours (with Justin Bieber)”).

Legends Holding Strong

While we saw many newcomers blossom on the playlist, fans still love listening to legends—Brooks & Dunn saw their streams grow by 40% after being added to Hot Country.

Exclusive and Enhanced Content

What has made Hot Country such a success over these five years? Aside from a weekly rotation of the genre’s freshest hits, the playlist features enhanced album video content and cover stories that fans can’t get anywhere else. These exclusive experiences allow listeners to go deeper into new releases, artist-curated playlist takeovers, and exciting live events such as the Hot Country Live concert series and Fans First events. 

Plus, Spotify’s love of country is as expansive as the great outdoors—and we mean that literally. In 2018, Hot Country worked with renowned crop circles artist Stan Herd to produce four custom-designed crop circles featuring top artists and the Spotify Hot Country logo. 

Community Experiences

Each year, we’re finding new creative and impactful ways to celebrate country artists. Hot Country works closely with the Nashville community to host events and create partnerships. One favorite is the Spotify House at the Country Music Association’s annual CMA Fest. In addition to being a great experience for fans, the event allows us to showcase both rising artists and established stars with our signature Hot Country flair.

With 2020 came unexpected and challenging times, and Hot Country made efforts to ensure that the country community was a top priority. From virtual gatherings to a new social series called The Drop In (that featured country stars Tim McGraw and Morgan Wallen), we found a way to bring together fans and artists. We also partnered with the Nashville-based charity Music Health Alliance as part of the Spotify COVID-19 Music Relief project. 

Hot Country has grown a lot in the past five years, and it will continue to do so thanks to its dedicated fan base. If you’ve yet to listen, it’s time to dust off your boots and hit play on Hot Country.