Tag: dance

Spotlighting the Artists To Watch in 2024

January 10, 2024

It’s a new year, and that means it’s time to predict which artists will make their mark in 2024. Continuing our annual Artists To Watch campaign, we’ve expanded the list to feature even more artists across many more genres. 

Along with streaming data, we tapped our North American music team and editors of our playlist brands—Viva Latino (Latin), Pop Rising (pop), Hot Country (country), juniper (folk), New Noise (rock), Lorem (indie), R&B Rising (R&B), Most Necessary (hip-hop), and mint (dance)—to help select the 90 rising talents featured below. You can also find all of our picks rounded up in one convenient spot with our brand-new Artists To Watch playlist. 

You’ll find Musica Mexicana crooner Chino Pacas among Viva Latino’s picks, and introspective hitmaker Teddy Swims included in Pop Rising’s selections. Country and folk singer-songwriters MacKenzie Carpenter and Chance Peña made Hot Country and juniper’s cuts, respectively, while all-women rock band The Beaches and moody indie songstress Chappell Roan were tapped by New Noise and Lorem. Meanwhile, South African vocalist Tyla, Texas rapper That Mexican OT, and Greek electronic producer Argy were recognized by R&B Rising, Most Necessary, and mint, respectively. 

Who else should you keep an eye on in 2024? Keep reading for the full list of Artists To Watch. 

Viva Latino’s Artists To Watch

Bellakath
Chino Pacas
Dei V
Estevie
Gonzy
Jasiel Nuñez
Junior Zamora
Saiko
Xavi
Yami Safdie

Hot Country’s Artists To Watch

Anne Wilson
Dylan Gossett
Graham Barham
Lauren Watkins
Mackenzie Carpenter
Matt Schuster
Michael Warren
Owen Riegling
Sam Barber
Wyatt Flores

Pop Rising’s Artists To Watch

Aidan Bissett
Alexander Stewart
bludnymph
Emei
Isabel LaRosa
Matt Hansen
Meg Smith
METTE
SNOW WIFE
Teddy Swims

juniper’s Artists To Watch

Bo Staloch
Chance Peña
hey, nothing
Jack Van Cleaf
Kara Jackson
Mon RovÎa
Paris Paloma
Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners
Searows
Tiny Habits

New Noise’s Artists To Watch

Amira Elfeky
Destroy Boys
Jack Kays
Jhariah
julie
Scowl
Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers
The Beaches
The Last Dinner Party
ThxSoMch

R&B Rising’s Artists To Watch

Amaria
Bellah
Chxrry22
Elmiene
Jordan Ward
Khamari
Lekan
Leon Thomas
Naomi Sharon
Tyla

mint’s Artists To Watch

Argy
BUNT.
DBN Gogo
HoneyLuv
Knock2
LP Giobbi
Mochakk
Sammy Virji
Shermanology
Uncle Waffles

Lorem’s Artists To Watch

Abby Sage
bar italia
Chappell Roan
Frost Children
Hannah Jadagu
hemlocke springs
Provoker
sign crushes motorist
waterbaby
Wisp

Most Necessary’s Artists To Watch

310babii
41
BabyDrill
BigXthaPlug
Hunxho
Lay Bankz
ODUMODUBLVCK
Skilla Baby
That Mexican OT
Veeze

Press play on our Artists To Watch playlist to discover the sounds of all the artists we’re expecting to make waves in 2024. 

Top EQUAL Artist INNA Reflects On a Standout Year

November 29, 2023

Top EQUAL Artist INNA Dance Cover

Today we kicked off 2023 Spotify Wrapped, our annual campaign that celebrates fans and creators worldwide. And as the good vibes keep coming, we look back on a successful year of EQUAL, which included speaking events, festivals, and both local and global playlists featuring a large roster of talented EQUAL ambassadors. We’re thrilled to announce that Romanian superstar INNA is the most-streamed artist within the EQUAL Global playlist in 2023.

In 2020, Spotify created EQUAL, a global initiative that aims to eliminate the existing gender gap in the music industry so that women artists, composers, and producers have the representation and visibility they deserve. Since then, week after week, we’ve been raising the volume on women artists locally and internationally. 

Along with being named an EQUAL Global ambassador back in April, INNA had quite a landmark 2023. Her Dhurata Dora and Stefflon Don collaborations for the track “Yummy” pleased fans—as did the release of a 10-song EP of remixes for her revival of the 1997 Sash! hit “Rock My Body.” The house music star also released a two-part studio album, Just Dance #DQH1 and Just Dance #DQH2, which showcases an ambitious new direction in the artist’s career, combining elements of other genres and sounds as part of the Dance Queen’s House project.

For the Record caught up with INNA to talk about being the top EQUAL artist, her Wrapped for Artists insights, and her plans for 2024.

What was your reaction to finding out that you’re this year’s top EQUAL artist?

It was a huge surprise! I want to thank everyone who listens to my music and supports me. It’s an absolute honor to have so many people who are there for me. As an artist, this is the love I need to feel! I’m so happy about this!

How has dance music changed since your debut single, “Hot,” topped the charts in 2009? EQUAL Top Artist INNA

There are more and more dance artists in the world now, and a lot of DJs doing dance and EDM songs. It’s an expanding genre that has seen and will continue to see a lot of growth.

I’ve also changed quite a lot. In that time I made it a point to experience different collaborations, genres, and sounds in my music. 

What were some of your 2023 highlights?

2023 was such a great year. My collaboration with R3HAB for “Rock My Body” conquered the charts and became a hit. I released a new album, Just Dance, featuring the music I worked on for the Dance Queen’s House project. And, of course, so many concerts. I couldn’t be more grateful for all that’s happened in 2023. Bring it on, 2024! I’m ready for you!

Tell us about Just Dance, which you’ve previously described as a refresh from your past and an important step in your evolution as an artist.

When we started, we were brainstorming, thinking how this album should sound. And overall we felt that we needed a different vibe and a whole new approach, so we changed the dynamic. I’m honestly super excited about how it all came together. The album complements my 2023 tour on the stages of the biggest electro dance festivals in the world.

What insights have you been able to take away from previous years of Artist Wrapped?

A white background with INNA walking

My team and I always pay attention to everything to improve our work. We work hard to make the most out of the Artist Wrapped insights to create more and more music that resonates with more people.

Which women artists do you currently have in your On Repeat playlist?

I always have P!nk on repeat, she is fabulous, one of my favorite artists ever. Some other women artists are ROSALÍA, FKA Twigs, Billie Eilish, Dhurata Dora, and SZA.

Going into the New Year, what advice do you have for other artists?

Consistency, focus, creativity, inspiration, and a lot of work are important. Surround yourself with people who share the same vibe as you. And most importantly, don’t forget to have fun!

What do you have planned for 2024?

There will be a lot of new music coming in 2024. I’ll be releasing a new album written entirely in Spanish. It’s one of the releases I can’t wait for, because it’s an important part of my work and soul and I’ve been working on it for several years. And of course, I’ll be kicking off a tour in the USA in addition to performing concerts in Mexico and Europe.

Listen to the best of the best from the dance queen herself in our This Is INNA playlist.

South African GLOW Artist Mx Blouse Proudly Combines Hip-Hop Beats With Dance, Kwaito, and Queer Themes

October 24, 2023

Johannesburg-based creative Sandi has been a writer ever since they could remember. Short stories and poetry gave way to a career in journalism, and, eventually, to song lyrics that were inspired by American hip-hop artists like Ms. Lauryn Hill and Nas. In 2016, after quitting their journalism job and traveling in Southeast Asia, Sandi wrote a set of lyrics to layer on top of their friend’s beats. “I didn’t know a thing about music at the time,” Sandi told For the Record. “I didn’t know about mixing or mastering. I just thought the song was done. ” Shortly later, it was posted to Soundcloud.

Suddenly after publication, blogs back home began picking up the song, and called to Sandi to release more songs and perform. Sandi quickly began writing, looking to communicate in their own authentic voice, and then returned to South Africa to begin rapping live.   

“The feeling of being onstage is what convinced me, okay, this is what I want to do,” they said. “I went up to my sister after the show and said, ‘sis, I don’t know how I’m going to pay rent, so I’m moving in with you. And I’m going to try to make this music thing work.’ And she said, ‘after what I saw tonight, go ahead.’” 

Since then, Sandi’s been releasing hip-hop tracks centering their non-binary queer and South African identities as Mx Blouse. They’ve garnered a monthly listening base and picked up steam abroad. And this month, as Spotify’s GLOW spotlight artist, we’re supporting them on our flagship GLOW playlist, as well as through billboards and other efforts. 

As much as Sandi has discovered and developed their voice since sharing that first song, barriers persist. “I kind of feel alienated from hip-hop as a queer person,” they shared. “I don’t really feel like I’m part of that community. A lot of my community are people in the dance music circuit. And I love dance music myself, so I’ve been trying to mold those two worlds together because I do love hip-hop, as much as I feel alienated from it. I’m trying to mix hip-hop with dance music sounds and obviously, talking about my queer experience.”

In addition to drawing inspiration from local queer creators like Athi-Patra Ruga and genres like kwaito, Sandi has found an incredible source of joy and hope in American rapper Lil Nas X. Growing up without much LGBTQIA+ representation, they simply never expected to see a Black, queer, global pop star. “What he’s achieved is something close to impossible,” Sandi shared. 

“It’s a struggle for a lot of queer artists, trying to fit into a music industry that, for the most part, doesn’t see you,” they said. “I’m also very blunt about my gender and my sexuality. If you listen to ‘ICON,’ there’s a part where I’m like ‘I’m not a rapper telling you that I’m an icon.’ It’s me recognizing that I’m not a traditional rapper, and maybe you shouldn’t see me that way. And that’s fine, because this is who I am, and I’m going to do things my way.”

Over the years, Sandi has learned more about the music industry and what it takes to have a career as an artist. “First of all, I learned about mixing and mastering,” Sandi laughed, “but people have also taught me how to consider song structure and putting a song together. It’s not just writing. Anyone who’s paying close enough attention can see the improvements.” 

They’ve also become stronger as a performer, incorporating a band into several of their live shows, and they now serve as their own manager, booking agent, social media manager and producer. They’re also their own advocate, carving out space locally and globally for their work and work of those around them. “Recently, my friends and I got together to do a fundraiser for queer people in Uganda because their existence has been outlawed. Being pushed to do that, first of all, was very scary, but the feeling of being able to contribute to my community is something that really makes me feel proud.”

Sandi unabashedly claims that they “love people,” and “love being around people.” What they love most as an artist is a strong feeling of contributing to their community, and even while still early in their career, they’re advocating for more equity in available opportunities.

“I’ve played at a lot of festivals where the queer stages are always separate from everything else,” they said. “In many ways, we can celebrate that and say, ‘we are being included, we are being given our own space.’ and I think that’s great. But at the same time, we are being alienated. Why can’t the queer artist be on the mainstage? There’s a catch-22, in creating something that is explicitly for queer people, and something where all kinds of people can hear you. I would like to see a world where queer artists don’t have to have that prefix in front of them, where they can be artists, period.” 

Catch Mx Blouse on Spotify’s flagship GLOW playlist.

track IDs: Presents Takes DJ Curation to the Next Level Through Exclusive Pop-Up Shows, Starting With Tale Of Us

March 30, 2023

Photo credit: Daniel Zuliani

Avid dance fans know what it’s like to leave a show and immediately begin searching for a way to relive the experience. That’s why in 2020, Spotify created track IDs, a new suite of playlists co-curated by DJs and Spotify’s editorial team that include the songs DJs play in their sets as well as gems they’ve discovered along the way. In addition to allowing DJs to connect with fans in an entirely new way, these playlists help listeners discover songs they’ve previously heard live and want to find on Spotify.

Last week, we took track IDs to the next level with a new pop-up show series, track IDs: Presents. This yearlong live extension of track IDs capitalizes on the wave of excitement the dance community is feeling as they return to live shows. Fans can look out for pop-up performances featuring select artists and their exclusive sets in unexpected live places—and then find the DJs’ sets reflected in their track IDs Spotify playlists. 

We debuted this series during Miami Music Week and Ultra Music Festival with an exclusive, 200-person show featuring Tale Of Us, an Italian DJ duo based in Berlin. The first-come-first-served performance excited fans, who dropped everything to experience the impromptu, stripped-down set. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Spotify (@spotify)

To understand the ways Spotify engages dance and electronic artists and fans, we spoke to Ronny Ho—Head of Dance and Electronic Development—and Ashley Graver—Head of Dance, Pop, and Indie on the Artist Partnerships Team—fresh off the first track IDs: Presents moment. 

What are track IDs? How have they been used historically?

Ronny: The term track IDs has been used quite a bit for the past few years to refer to how fans and artists alike try to uncover a track that they really like in a DJ set but are unfamiliar with. So today, you’ll see fans across social media or on message boards point out a timestamp on a video of their favorite DJ and say, “What’s the track ID?” For Spotify, specifically, track IDs is a program that we started back in 2020 where we co-create playlists between us and DJs that we select.

Ashley: The playlists really provide DJs with a platform to easily share the tracks from their sets that they would play in live shows. It’s another way for artists to further connect with their fans after the show so fans can rewatch, relive, and listen to their sets on the Spotify platform.

What inspired track IDs on Spotify? What’s been the response?

Ronny: We built the track IDs program during the early days of the pandemic, when there was no live community, nothing that artists could do to share their sets out—except for streaming. So when we launched the track IDs program, it really was a new avenue for fans to connect with the artists who they would normally want to see out at a club or festival. The beauty of naming it “track IDs” was that it was already such a widely used term, so people really were able to gravitate toward it and understand exactly what it was for. Fast-forward to today, we’re working with our global editorial colleagues to continue to launch new track ID playlists that are relevant to their local markets and that really respect the underground culture there.

Fans have been super inspired. The second we started launching these—and we were quite selective about the artists we were working with—we started seeing fans making their own, photoshopping our branding onto homemade versions.

Six Playlists To Get Your Dance on From South Korea’s 1MILLION Dance Studio

September 21, 2022

Based in Seoul, South Korea, 1MILLION Dance Studio originally started in a basement in 2014. It has since grown in both size and cultural significance, welcoming students from all over the world, establishing itself as one of South Korea’s most-prized dance agencies, and representing some of the top dancers and choreographers in Asia and around the globe. 

1MILLION’s dancers have collaborated with companies; choreographed routines for superstars; and appeared in numerous music videos, concerts, and television shows. Its frequently updated YouTube channel has over 25 million subscribers worldwide to date, and now the famed studio is ready to connect with fans on Spotify. 

To celebrate the launch of the official 1MILLION Dance Studio Spotify account, the world-renowned studio has created 1MILLION!—a special playlist consisting of fan-favorite tracks that have appeared in its videos. Tracks include “The Greatest” by Sia, “bloodline” by Ariana Grande, “SUNDOWN (ft. Justin Bieber)” by BEAM, and more.

But 1MILLION Dance wasn’t content to leave fans with just the one playlist. The studio also tapped five of its brightest stars—Yoojung Lee, Bale, Woonha, KOOJAEMO, and K-Chan—to create their own specially themed playlists to help fans get warmed up, cooled off, and in a relaxed state of mind.  

Curious which tracks these top dancers keep on repeat? Let’s find out.

Yoojung Lee 

Yoojung joined the ranks of the 1MDS elite in 2015. She became interested in dance at the age of 16 and went on to immerse herself in everything related, starting with commercial dance and moving on to other genres including street-dance fundamentals.  

With her Mystery Party playlist, Yoojung shares some of her favorite daily warm-up songs, which include tracks from Shawn Mendes, BIBI, and more. 

Bale 

Known for winning first place in Asia’s most prestigious dance competition, the Feedback Competition, Bale has been dancing since he first learned how to pop at the age of 15. He’s gone on to participate in countless competitions and dance battles and joined 1MDS in 2020. 

Before class or practice, Bale likes to listen to his playlist Relax, Warm-Up, which includes hits from Khalid, Daniel Caesar, and Jeff Bernat.

Woonha 

Known for her dark and gothic style of choreography, Woonha began dancing as part of her high school’s junior dance club. She later passed an audition and was invited to perform with 1MILLION Dance, which led to her officially becoming a choreographer at the academy in 2019. 

With selections from Mura Masa and FKA twigs, Woonha’s Low Wave playlist is equally suited for relaxing before or after dance class. 

KOOJAEMO 

Appearing in countless music videos including Solar’s “HONEY,” NCT U’s “Maniac,” AleXa’s “Xtra,” and “Blue Moon” by kyungri, KOOJAEMO is one of the rising street dancers in South Korea. 

Before a 1MILLION Dance class, you need to get pumped. And KOOJAEMO’s playlist All That Hip does just that, with cuts by Ari Lennox, UMI, and Sam Smith.

K-Chan 

While having famously appeared in SUNYE’s “Just a Dancer” music video, K-Chan is a rookie in the dance scene. He notably choreographed for K-Pop artist Hong Eunki and former BESTie member Jung Yu Ji on the hit competition show Sing Again 2 and appeared in Korea Tourism’s famous “Feel the Rhythm of Korea: SEOUL” ad, which has garnered over 48 million views to date.

Get your groove on with Burna Boy, Omah Lay, and more with K-Chan’s Feel Groovy playlist. 

1MILLION aims to break the barrier between dance professionals and enthusiasts to create a dance culture that is accessible to all. And now that it’s officially on Spotify, fans will have a chance to stay up with all the tracks that inspire their favorite dancers.

Want to keep the dance party going? Turn ON the movement with Spotify’s K-Pop On! playlist!

Spotify Partners With Bresh, the Acclaimed Gen Z Trend Party

July 29, 2022

Bresh in pink tesxt on a fuzzy looking pink background

No matter your typical go-to genre, there’s some music that simply makes you want to dance. An emphasis on genre fluidity and variation—alongside a desire for diversity, tolerance, brightness, and freedom—is the concept behind Bresh, a dance party that began in Argentina six years ago and quickly became a global phenomenon. The meeting place for artists, actors, and prominent Gen Z personalities is, in short, a vibe—and Bresh is now a popular dance party in more than 90 cities and 12 countries around the world. 

During the pandemic, thousands of people tuned into Bresh’s livestreams to have a good time from home. Now IRL once again, the party has joined forces with Spotify as its official streaming partner so that Latin American users can enjoy the full experience on their smartphones long after the lights have been switched back on and participants have gone home.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Spotify News (@spotifynews)

This union will enable the promotion of Bresh’s  official playlists on Spotify, “Hitazo Tras Hitazo,” which contains more than 40 hours of the most-listened-to and most-danced-to songs. Plus, through this partnership, we’re also committing to fostering momentum for both recognized and emerging artists and DJs associated with the party. 

Bresh and Spotify share a similar goal: to provide young people with the best audio and the music they love, in one place. The alliance of Bresh and Spotify in Latin America will allow the party to continue to expand in the region, connecting young people from Mexico, Colombia, and Argentina with the values that represent them, such as multiculturalism and belonging.

The most beautiful (and popular) party in the world is now accompanied by the world’s leading audio platform. Together, we’ll work toward our mission of making Bresh a meeting place for all young people united in a shared language of multigenre fluidity, and of course, dancing.

Spotify’s DJ Mixes Provides a Place for Artists To Create Their Music and Grow Their Fan Base

September 29, 2021

Dance and electronic music fans have long enjoyed custom mixes from their favorite DJs as a signature listening experience exclusive to the genre. Today, DJs in eight markets around the world are sharing their own mixed-music content, in addition to high-quality compilations directly on Spotify through its new DJ Mixes, which the company is beginning to test out. 

Available for all users in the U.K., Ireland, the Netherlands, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia, and New Zealand, this latest innovation opens up a completely new format for artists to get their music mixes in the hands of their fans and further expand their global audience. 

DJ Mixes provides one integrated place where artists can seamlessly create and connect with their audiences. 

In celebration of today’s launch, DJs AmyElle, Adam Beyer, Shingo Nakamara, MOTi, and Noisia have each released their own individual mixes on our platform.

In addition to the playlists, you can also check out various existing albums and DJ mixes in the Dance/Electronic microhub. DJ Mixes is just beginning to roll out, so fans should expect the experience to continue to evolve over time. Users on iOS and Android who have the Spotify app downloaded can listen for themselves. 

At D.C.’s National Children’s Museum, Music Inspires Family-Friendly Fun

September 24, 2021

For kids, few things are more fun than dancing it out. That’s why Spotify teamed up with National Children’s Museum to create an unforgettable Dance Party Pod experience, which debuted in Washington, D.C., this month. Together, we combined kid-friendly fun and musical know-how to design an experience that’s dedicated to wiggling and giggling.

Photo Credit: Dan Swartz Photography

 Kids and families can enter the space, located at the museum’s plaza/entrance level, and listen to a Spotify-curated dance party playlist. The Dance Party Pod experience stimulates the imagination as young visitors explore new genres of sound while discovering how different music inspires different movements. It also taps into the arts, an invaluable component of the museum’s science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) programming.

“As an entirely STEAM-focused institution, the arts act as a unifying thread through all of the museum’s experiences,” said Crystal Bowyer, president and CEO of National Children’s Museum. “The music inside the Spotify Dance Party Pod captures young visitors’ imaginations, gives them the opportunity to personalize their own experiences, and helps transport them to a world where they can dream of the impossible.”

Photo Credit: Dan Swartz Photography

While the most important goal of the dance party is to have fun, parents, caregivers, and loved ones can also use the time to connect with their youngsters as they learn and laugh. Kids love to explore sound, and a 2020 Spotify survey found that a whopping 98% of parents listen to music with their kids, with nearly 59% indicating they listen together daily. Of those parents listening to music with their kids, 72% use music to relax and 69% use music to have fun together. It’s clear that music is a core part of many families’ routines, which is all the more reason to incorporate some new tunes and dance moves.

The playlist itself, curated by Spotify music programmer Hilary Giumara, features upbeat party songs from a range of genres and artists that appeal to both parents and kids. Since some of the beats might surprise attendees, the songs will offer plenty of learning opportunities. This is especially important, as the same Spotify study found that nearly 60% of parents say music is an important part of their child’s life, and 65% of parents agree it’s important to them that their child listens to and/or learns about music.

“I like to think I can help change the world by connecting fans and listeners to the music they love!” said Hilary. “I often imagine a kid out there discovering music through a playlist I helped to program. It’s so cool that we get the opportunity to help our users discover their next favorite songs or artists. It’s really rewarding.”

Photo Credit: Dan Swartz Photography

There’s no doubt that music can play an important role in connecting children and their families, enriching education, and making lifelong memories. To better understand the thought and process behind creating musical magic, hosts A.J. and kid interviewer Olivia caught up with Hilary on STEAM Daydream with National Children’s Museum in the episode “The Magic of Music.” Together, they had a can’t-miss kid-friendly discussion about Hilary’s role as a music programmer, the power of music, and the process of building a playlist. 

Tune into the conversation with Hilary and kid interviewer Olivia, and learn more about the playlist featured in the museum experience on the STEAM Daydream with National Children’s Museum podcast below. And if you’re in the D.C. area, don’t forget to put your dancing shoes on and head over to National Children Museum’s Dance Party Pod experience, presented by Spotify—or follow along from home with our dance party playlist.

The State of Dance Music, According to Spotify Editors

July 7, 2021

Spotify’s mint playlist is home to the world’s biggest dance hits, with songs that fall under the genre’s many subcategories, including house, techno, electronica, EDM, U.K. garage, and disco. But even though you’ve likely heard dance songs, this vast genre may still be a bit of an enigma. The best people to dispel some myths and mysteries? Spotify’s global team of dance music editors. 

Our editors make up our Global Curation Groups, or GCG’s. As the name suggests, they sit in offices around the world, and they’re in the know on the content that listeners are streaming the most, the new tracks that are about to break, and the trends that come out of these listening habits. Plus, they’re genre experts—as well as fans themselves—who thrive on deep cultural discussions about the music they curate. 

For the Record spoke to the dance GCG about the trends they’re seeing and some of their predictions for the genre this year.

1. Dance music is global.

Dance has roots everywhere, as well as distinct regional genres. Over the past few years, AmaPiano in South Africa has grown, as has Brazilian bass in South America. Russian rave is also having a moment, with more and more artists finding their way to Spotify. We also recently leased an Italo Disco playlist. “It’s just a time for exploration and expansion for the dance base. We’re all going to dance to it at a festival this or next year.”  

2. We’re going to see a rise in dance music this year.

Our editors predict that as everyone comes out from being holed up during the pandemic, dance music will gain even more momentum across its many diverse genres. There’s already been a rise in exploration and innovation in the space, from house to dance pop to slap house. “As listeners head back to the clubs and producers are able to tour again, expect even more noise.”

3. There’s going to be a resurgence in underground and bedroom production.

Indie production has already been on the rise with producers like U.K. artist Fred again.. His collaboration with The Blessed Madonna, single “Marea (We Lost Dancing),” held at the Top 100 for a handful of weeks. This strengthening voice of the underground is reminiscent of the 2014–2016 dance heyday, where EDM producers broke from the internet to conquer the pop charts. Not only is this a testament to the dance renaissance taking place today, but it also  signals how mainstream listeners’ palettes are evolving and adapting to more mature sonics. “We’re seeing a renaissance in the attention that’s paid to the genre, and it’s changing the sound a little.”

4. EDM isn’t dead.

EDM isn’t dead, but it has moved into a dance category that can best be described as “nostalgic.” And this nostalgic audience is fiercely loyal, with a continuing appetite. The dance editorial team built a playlist called Headliners, full of the EDM heyday artists—Avicii, Swedish House Mafia, Alesso—after seeing a resurgence in plays among those legacy producers. “We created a genre flagship called EDM, and within a week of launch, it was hovering at 8,000 listeners and the skip rate was ridiculously low. It just shows that the pulse is there, and the audience is there.” 

5. Virality is playing a big part in the future of the genre.

It took the classic dance genre dubstep 10 years to travel to the U.S. after its inception in the U.K. Now, trends come and go a lot more quickly, thanks to the power of the internet and to streaming. The sea shanty trend was big for dance artists, and when the Australian dance group Shouse’s “Love Tonight” got picked up by David Guetta, it went viral for a whole new generation of listeners.  

6. Covers have always been big in dance music. Now, they’re helping to break newer genres.

Tropical house covers were a breakthrough point in German dance pop history in the 2010s. Now, covers are happening again, this time with slap house—whether they’re of a Whitney Houston classic, a ’90s eurodance track, or a song that’s just three years old. These covers, which are in the style of the breakout genre, are now helping that genre gain footing in the mainstream, just as classic house sampling disco did. 

7. Pop is adopting dance—and fans can too.

Dance is getting a new group of followers: pop fans. What our editors call “dance pop” is presenting itself in the work of pop stars like Dua Lipa, Jessie Ware, Lady Gaga, and Raye. “Pop is co-opting dance, just like we saw it do last year with disco. Pop artists don’t realize how much of the dance genre it’s taking for itself, but that’s the hit element of pop—the dance strokes are the uplifting aspect.”

If you’re a pop fan who’s interested in diving into dance, the team recommends a new playlist called crying on the dance floor. “We’re experimenting a little bit with crafting spaces that are more approachable. They’re not as genre focused as melodic house or acid techno, which can be pretty daunting for someone who has no idea what they’re looking for. We’re seeing a lot of crossover between indie and dance, and a lot of crossover between pop and dance. I think that a lot of users don’t realize that they’re listening to dance music.”

Get to know dance and start crying on the dance floor.

Kitchen Raves are the New Craze on Spotify in the UK

April 12, 2021

Even though in-person nightclubs have been closed for the past year, the dance music genre is booming around the world. AmaPiano takes the stage in South Africa, Slap music thrives in Germany, and Russian Rave is also keeping the beat going. And in the UK especially, seasoned clubbers and new fans alike have brought the party to their kitchens, living rooms, and gardens—resulting in a boom in dance music streaming.

Since the start of 2021, Spotify has seen almost 80,000 new playlists created with “dance” in the title globally, and in turn, over 143 million hours of dance music have been streamed this year the world. And, in just the last 90 days alone, there has been a 26% increase in the number of UK playlists with “Kitchen Rave” in the title.

Dance music has kept fans going during lockdown. They’re even reminiscing to the sounds of their favorite venues on repeat. Globally, we have seen an increase in streams of official playlists made by nightclubs, with Oval Space in East London seeing an incredible 300% increase in streams of its official playlist, and perennial London favorite Printworks seeing a 110%+ increase of its own playlist. 

“I know I’m not alone when I say I can’t wait to get back into my favorite venues,” says Spotify dance music editor Christie Driver-Snell. “Whilst we all eagerly await doors re-opening, it has been amazing to see the interest in the genre across the platform with both new and loyal fans turning to tracks to lift their mood, mark the arrival of the weekend, and relive dancefloor moments. With festivals and live events set to start taking place this year, excitement is at its peak. We are seeing this reflected on the platform, with dance having an incredible year on Spotify.’’

When it comes to the most popular artists and tracks, commercial dance has seen the biggest surge in fans. Since the beginning of 2021, Scottish DJ and producer Calvin Harris took the crown for the most-streamed commercial dance artist, followed by David Guetta and Travis Scott. “Don’t Play” by Anne-Marie, Digital Farm Animals, and KSI was revealed as the top commercial dance track of 2021 so far, followed by “The Business” by Tiësto and “Paradise (feat. Dermot Kennedy)” by Dermot Kennedy and MEDUZA.

Dance music isn’t just fueling our weekends and evenings; it’s also proving popular with fitness fanatics: Joel Correy’s “Lonely” is the most-streamed dance track within Fitness playlists on Spotify, followed by Becky Hill and Sigala’s “Heaven On My Mind (with Sigala)” and MK and Raphaella’s “One Night (feat. Raphaella).”

Throughout that time, DJs, venues, and producers have also kept the party alive by bringing the club scene into homes as dance has gone virtual. Now, Belfast-born, London-based electronic duo Bicep will be taking over Spotify’s flagship alternative electronic music playlist, Altar. The dance duo have nearly 3 million monthly listeners and over a quarter of a million followers on Spotify, with top listeners coming from London, Dublin, Birmingham, Amsterdam, and Bristol. Their takeover sees Bicep bringing all the heft of their euphoric energy and global sound to the playlist.

Whether you’re listening to Dance Pop or one of the other popular sub-genres of dance (Tropical House, EDM, House, Electro House), these stats show that you can keep the party going from any room you’re in.  

How Who We Be, Altar, and Our Generation Are Propelling UK and Irish Artists to the Top

February 8, 2021

Spotify’s editorial playlists are full of musical collections that fans won’t find anywhere else. Some of these playlists follow moods, while others contain songs curated for a specific genre—many of these playlists highlight emerging artists and help them connect their music with new audiences.

In the UK and Ireland, three flagship playlists are particularly influential. Listeners can find the UK’s biggest rap, grime, R&B, Afrobeat, and dancehall hits on Who We Be. Altar is the destination for the best electronic dance music. And for those looking to experience new and emerging genreless sounds, the Our Generation playlist contains some of the most exciting emerging acts on the UK and Irish scenes.

In 2020, many fans discovered new artists through these lists, and the proof is in the numbers. Read on to learn about some of the standout artists who saw success on these playlists last year. 

Who We Be

The Who We Be playlist has grown significantly since its launch in 2016, and it now has over half a million fiercely loyal and engaged followers. One of the playlist’s biggest breakthroughs in 2020 was Central Cee. The West London rapper commanded more than 200,000 streams from the Who We Be playlist alone, and he saw almost instant success with his single “Day In The Life.” Since he joined the Who We Be Community, the artist’s followers on Spotify have grown by almost 359%.

S1mba is another rapper who made waves last year with his debut single, “Rover (feat. DTG),” which peaked at number two in the UK Top 40 in April. The Zimbabwean-born Londoner is the 15th-most-streamed artist overall on the playlist, and since “Rover” was released, he has seen a 16,435% rise in listens.

After being featured on Who We Be, Tiana Blake’s “Cut Ties” became the best-performing traditional R&B track from a British artist on the playlist. The track went on to make waves in other global Spotify playlists, such as Chilled R&B, and saw a 159% rise in streams.

Altar

Dance and Electronic music isn’t going anywhere. If you need proof, look no further than the Altar playlist, which saw a 193% increase in listens in 2020. One of the biggest artist breakthroughs of 2020 was award-winning producer Fred Gibson, who released tracks under his alias, Fred again... The artist’s unique sound blends raw vocal samples with club-ready euphoria and has been a hit with the Altar audience; they’ve made him one of the top 20 most-streamed artists on the playlist last year.

TSHA was the third-most-streamed UK female on the playlist in 2020. She saw an increase in year-on-year streams of 134%. TSHA’s single “Change” with Gabrielle Aplin, which was recorded at a Spotify Song Writing Camp in 2019, became one of the top-100-streamed tracks from Altar in 2020. 

In May, one of Europe’s most exciting DJs and producers, India Jordan, launched their genre-defining EP For You. Two of the tracks, “For You” and “I’m Waiting,” were featured on the Altar playlist, and over the course of the year, their streams increased by 388%. India was also one of Spotify’s RADAR first listen artists in 2020.

Our Generation

Genreless playlists are growing in popularity around the world, and the case is no different for Our Generation. The playlist, which surfaces the new wave of artists emerging across the UK and Irish musical landscape, saw an 18% increase in streams in 2020. With playlist takeovers from some of the most exciting breakthrough artists on the scene, including beabadoobee, Thomas Headon, and Biig Piig, the home of genre-defying artists has driven huge discovery for fans this year.

Our Generation played an influential role in elevating many artists, including rising star Holly Humberstone, who has grown her audience to over 2 million monthly listeners since her first release, “Deep End,” was added to the playlist in early 2020. 

Other acts that saw great first-time success include Tayo Sound, who was busking on the streets of Reading less than a year before making it onto the cover of the Our Generation playlist in May 2020. His hits “Cold Feet” and “Heartbreaker” were two of the most-streamed tracks on the playlist in 2020, and overall his streams soared by more than 1,000% in the last six months. 

Kamal, an 18-year-old London alternative R&B star, secured the second-most-streamed track on Our Generation with “homebody” after he was featured on his first Spotify playlist cover art in early 2020. Since then, the artist has seen an 84% growth in listens.

With a new year comes more new music. Follow these playlists to discover the latest finds when it comes to emerging artists and hit tracks.

Join Peloton Instructors Olivia Amato and Kendall Toole for Their Power Hour Workout Co-Created With deadmau5

August 28, 2020

Throughout their lives and early careers, Peloton instructors Olivia Amato and Kendall Toole always had a love for fitness. Olivia started out working on Wall Street but quickly noticed that taking her clients out for exercise classes and green juices was her favorite part of the job. Kendall was in theater and tech in Los Angeles before becoming a boxing instructor and eventually moving east to New York for her role at Peloton. And they agree there’s one genre that’s perfect for getting in the zone and breaking a sweat: dance and electronic.

Starting today, Olivia and Kendall will be introducing two new Peloton classes to the sound of one of Spotify’s big dance playlists: Power Hour. Peloton members can stream Kendall’s Power Hour Ride on August 30 or Olivia’s Power Hour Run on August 31 for a guided musical fitness experience on the Peloton Tread, Bike or App. What’s more, electronic music producer deadmau5 will be joining the instructors and Spotify for a takeover of our Power Hour playlist, complete with a new single from the producer himself.

“It’s a cool track and was a total wild card of a collaboration,” says deadmau5 about his new single, “Pomegranate – Jay Robinson Remix.” “I’m glad people got to enjoy it this summer and I’m looking forward to having it be a part of people’s workouts. I think they are going to dig getting to experience it with Jay Robinson’s remix.”

We caught up with each instructor for a few minutes between classes to get to know them and learn how they incorporate music into their routines. 

How do you pick the music that goes with your workouts? What elements do you take into consideration? 

Olivia: It depends on what the workout is and what type of mood I’m in. If I’m going to do a HIIT run, I want to do 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off, and then build from there. I’ll think back to songs I know with three drops that are 30 seconds each. That’s obviously not always possible, and it definitely takes longer to program that, but I think it’s worth being that specific, because music is the most important thing during a workout. It also depends on the cadence of the song, so the beats per minute, or BPM. A lot of electronic songs can be used while climbing up a hill or on a flat road because they’re usually around 128 BPM, which is good for sprints and pushes. And then you can use a different type of music to get a different vibe for cooldowns. 

Kendall: When I am programming a class, I usually start with what’s inspiring me music-wise, what I feel would be energetic to ride to, or even down to something as simple as the energy and vibe of the song. If there are lyrics in a song that I know I can pick up on or use as a jumping-off point for motivation, it always helps. I think a proper ride and a wonderful workout should have a beginning, middle, and end. It should be no different than if you’re at an incredible concert or listening to an album where every piece of music, every moment, has its place, and it’s building into that story. When a beat drops and builds, I want riders to drop it and go into an effort. 

Tell us about the experience of working with Spotify to create playlists for your class.

Olivia: I have worked with a couple of the people who work on Spotify’s mint playlist in the past. We went through the different songs and different playlists to collaborate on what we thought would mix well together and what would fit the vibe of the class. So similarly for Power Hour, we looked at high-energy, fun music that pushes you forward. So just making sure they all flow nicely into each other, that it tells a good story of starting out.

How did deadmau5’s curation of Power Hour inform the workout you put together?

Kendall: First off, there’s nothing better than seeing an artist that you admire put together a playlist. It’s almost like getting movie commentary from a director’s cut. Where you have someone who’s such a pro at what they do and has such a unique perspective, and is just so committed to their craft, almost giving you a behind-the-scenes piece of what they like and what they’re into and what connects to them. What he’s curated for Power Hour are suggestions for what gets him moving. Then we can put fitness into it. It’s cool because I feel like I get to bring my fitness expertise and marry it with his ability to create and craft incredible music.

How does music help bring the runners and riders together, especially when they’re all doing the workout on their separate treads, bikes, and screens? 

Olivia: I think music is a global unifier, which is exactly what we need, especially right now. It evokes memories and creates memories. So it can create or evoke strength, passion, encouragement. And as it’s doing that, it’s bringing people from all around the world together. It’s a universal language that anybody can understand just based on feeling. For example, I don’t just use music for inspiration when working out. When I need courage or motivation, I put on music. It’s really for everything, and I think a lot of people feel that way.

Kendall: What I love about Peloton is transitioning that love of riding on beat with learning something new. That cadence, that BPM is so important in the way that I structure and program my classes because of this ability to be a unifying factor, especially when you’re teaching people from the comfort of their own home. At times, it’s challenging because you’re not present with them to be able to make corrections or adjustments, so you know you can always rely on that beat, on that BPM to be almost an assistant or an assistant coach, if you will, to what you’re creating and wanting to help people take through in a story of a ride. 

Did you know you can connect your Spotify account to Peloton to save songs from class via the Track Love feature? Simply tap the heart icon on Peloton Bikes & Treads next to the song title, then look for your saved tracks under “My Peloton Music by OnePeloton.”

Check out our previous co-curated Peloton classes inspired by mint & Housewerk, available on demand via Peloton, and look forward to more rides inspired by Spotify’s owned and operated playlists coming soon.