Tag: fresh finds

Looking Back at Spotify’s Greatest Hits in 2021

December 13, 2021

In an all-around unforgettable year, 2021 was an especially notable one for Spotify. We’re excited about what we’ve delivered for creators and listeners alike across new features, innovations, and collaborations. As the year comes to a close, we are taking a moment to look back on some of the advances we’ve made over the past 365 days. 

More listeners in more places

We have more listeners than ever. As we announced in our Q3 2021 earnings, as of September 2021, Spotify had increased the number of monthly active users and subscribers on the platform by 19% compared to 2020*. This year, we also doubled our global footprint by expanding into 92 new markets, bringing our total to 184 markets globally. New countries on our roster include South Korea, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and many more across Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and Latin America. This continued expansion means that the music and voices of more people, places, and cultures can be shared with listeners around the world.

Podcasting for all

At Spotify, we believe that podcasting provides a massive opportunity for creators to entertain, inspire, and inform people across the globe. According to Edison Research and our own internal data, we recently surpassed both Apple and YouTube in the U.S.—the largest podcast market globally—to become the number one podcast platform listeners say they use the most.

The appetite for podcasts has grown among listeners, and we are answering that demand with a catalog that includes 3.2 million titles*. That’s 68% more podcasts (as of September 2021) than were on the platform in 2020. Through November of this year, we launched over 400 new O&E podcasts globally, and throughout the year we signed numerous podcast deals and entered into podcast partnerships with some of the world’s biggest creators and beloved entertainment brands like Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert, The Joe Rogan Experience (the number one podcast in the world), and Bad Robot. But our passion for podcasts isn’t limited to the U.S. This year, we expanded podcasts into more than 80 markets, including Russia, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.

Expanding the possibilities for advertising

When we reported earnings in October, we announced that ad revenue had increased 75% year over year. And in November, we surpassed 1 billion euro in annual ad revenue for the first time. New opportunities were created for advertisers with the launch of the Spotify Audience Network, our first-of-its-kind audio advertising marketplace that enables advertisers to connect with listeners enjoying a broad range of music and podcast content. Advertisers now have a way to reach and target audiences listening to Spotify Original & Exclusive podcasts, as well as third-party podcasts from enterprise publishers via Megaphone and Anchor creators. We’ve also introduced podcast ad buying to Spotify Ad Studio, our self-serve ad channel that makes it easy for advertisers of all sizes to reach podcast listeners.

Supporting both established and breakthrough artists

With over 380 million listeners on the platform, there’s a large audience for artists to share their new releases with. The increase in subscribers has led to many major artists, like Drake and Adele, across various genres breaking Spotify records throughout the year. 

Spotify has also continued efforts to support up-and-coming artists. We expanded our exclusive offerings with Spotify Singles (including Pride, BNA, Latinx Heritage Month, Are & Be, mint, and Holiday programs) and Spotify x Electric Lady live EPs. We’re supporting artists at all levels through programs like Fresh Finds (for independent artists), RADAR (for global emerging artists), EQUAL (which fosters equity for women in music globally) and Billions Club.

But those aren’t the only ways we are pushing the industry when it comes to artists. We also launched Loud & Clear to increase transparency by sharing new data on the global streaming economy. And we expanded our Charts feature to include artist, genre, and local charts. This allows artists and listeners to dive even deeper into the data.

Inspiring and enabling creation

In order to be the best audio network, we know we need to provide the best-in-class experience and content for our listeners. This means new features and new opportunities for creators to connect with their fans. We launched Spotify Greenroom, adding live audio as part of Spotify’s ecosystem and providing yet another opportunity for creators of all types to connect with their fans more deeply and meaningfully. In November we announced the acquisition of Findaway, the global leader in digital audiobook distribution, to accelerate our presence in the audiobook space. We also introduced Spotify Open Access, which allows listeners to hear third-party content on Spotify. Finally, we partnered with beloved brands like Peloton, Netflix, and Delta to bring exclusive experiences and curated playlists to our listeners.

Meet the Latest Class of Independent Artists Taking Part in Spotify’s Fresh Finds Program

October 12, 2021

Spotify’s Fresh Finds playlist brand is often the very first level of Spotify playlisting for independent artists. With a main flagship playlist, nine genre lists, and 14 playlists from regions around the world, it has served as a launchpad for countless artists who have gone on to reach widespread success. Back in May, we took it to the next level, launching a brand-new marketing program for independent artists centered around Fresh Finds. Our focus was to help developing artists learn, collaborate, and grow, giving them tools for long-term, sustained career success. 

Since joining the inaugural Fresh Finds class in May 2021, the first four artist partners—Wallice, Unusual Demont, Julia Wolf, and EKKSTACY—have seen a 50% average increase in Spotify followers, a 65% average increase in monthly listeners, and over 6 million discoveries, or first-time listeners. Now, following in the footsteps of the inaugural group of Fresh Finds artists, we’re welcoming four new up-and-comers to the program: Doss, Araya, TOLEDO, and Pom Pom Squad.  

“We are thrilled to welcome this new group of independent artists and producers into the Fresh Finds family,” says Jeff Stempeck, Head of Indies, Artist, and Label Partnerships at Spotify. “The sustained growth we’ve seen from our first Fresh Finds class earlier this year is exactly what we hope to bolster in this program—giving artists the tools to build long-term careers both on and off Spotify.”

Doss, Araya, TOLEDO, and Pom Pom Squad will receive access to opportunities and resources that will allow them to grow their careers, fan bases, and reach. Some of these include: 

  • Education & access to resources: Each artist will have access to personalized Masterclasses and mentorship, best practices and credits for Spotify for Artists tools like Marquee, and more. 
  • Marketing support: All four artists will be featured in a major marketing campaign on- and off-platform that includes a social content series, Spotify Clips, out-of-home advertising, and more.
  • Creative Collaboration: Each artist will be given the opportunity to create a Spotify Singles original song and record it at Electric Lady Studios in New York City for release in November. What’s more, Spotify’s songwriter and publishing Noteable team has paired the four artists with collaborators who understand each of their unique visions:
    • TOLEDO will be paired with producer Gabe Wax. 
    • Pom Pom Squad will be paired with producer Sarah Tudzin (aka illuminati hotties).
    • Araya will be paired with producer Mindchatter.
    • Doss will be paired with songwriter/vocalist Cecilia Gault.

And while these artists are “fresh,” they’ve already been honing their skills for years. Get to know them below.

TOLEDO

The New York City-based duo and BFFs Jordan Dunn–Pilz and Daniel Álvarez de Toledo released their most recent EP, Jockeys of Love, earlier this year. It’s a lush dream-pop soundtrack for those long drives when the entire world seems to be in harmony with you, and your thoughts seem monumental because of it. The pair’s emotional clarity, boldness, and lyrical maturity span across all of their music, including a handful of singles and their 2019 EP, Hotstuff. “A lot of the advice we’ve gotten has come from watching videos and interviews from other producers and artists,” the duo shared. “One of our favorite videos to revisit is the ‘making of’ video for Feist’s album The Reminder. In that video, she records with Chilly Gonzales at La Frette in France, and there are shots of her tracking vocals through guitar amps, recording noise from the outdoors, and to this day we use almost all of the methods we saw in that video. The way they recorded and worked on the songs felt so impulsive, and we often find ourselves trying to capture that impulse. So, although Feist and Chilly Gonzales have no idea who we are, we thank them for giving us the best advice of our career.”

Araya

Araya strikes with precision and heart on his latest Y2K-produced single, “Archon,” and his forthcoming album, Ethos, which will come out in early 2022, less than a year after the Thai-Chilean songwriter’s breakout debut and critically acclaimed Atlas. “The best piece of music advice I’ve gotten was from Thaddeus, my producer,” said Araya. “He told me that as an artist, it’s important to remember to live life, to step outside of my work space and continue to seek inspiration.” As such, Araya grapples with purpose, identity, and spirituality through his music as he mixes vintage and futuristic sounds into a transfixing blend of R&B, soul, hip-hop, and electronic. 

Doss

Raised in Texas and based in New York, Doss first appeared in 2014 with her EP Doss, which evokes the playful maximalism of the early 2000s with equal parts sincerity and humor. Fast-forward to this year. It’s been a full seven years since she released her cult favorite self-titled debut. Following her tours with Porter Robinson and the late SOPHIE, she has returned with an impressionistic dance EP, 4 New Hit Songs, that mirrors a daydream of nights past—equal parts ennui and euphoria. “I come from a collaborative background,” she shared. “I am excited to reconnect with that structure and practice—explore new ideas and ways of working alongside someone I might otherwise not have had the opportunity to meet.”

Pom Pom Squad

Mia Berrin first played under the name Pom Pom Squad in 2015 after moving to New York, where she eventually linked up with Shelby Keller (drums), Mari Alé Figeman (bass), and Alex Mercuri (guitar). “My mom once told me, ‘Any space you want to take up, you’ll have to make yourself,’” Mia told For the Record. “When I first moved to New York, I tried to assimilate into certain social scenes or cliques and always ended up feeling like I was compromising my own wants, needs, or interests to fit in. I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned in my career so far is that I have to forge my own path. It sounds cliché, but it’s a cliché for a reason!” So with their 2021 album, Death of a Cheerleader, Pom Pom Squad offers a cathartic, punk, and decidedly queer take on picking up the pieces—from heartbreak, from injustice—and creating oneself anew.

 

Catch all four Fresh Finds artists on the titular Spotify playlist below.

CEO Daniel Ek and CFO Paul Vogel Break Down Q2 Earnings in Latest Episode of ‘Spotify: For the Record’

July 29, 2021

Spotify announced its second-quarter results yesterday, and there was a lot to unpack. For the story behind the numbers, we tapped the experts to join this week’s episode of Spotify: For the Record. CEO Daniel Ek and CFO Paul Vogel sat down with Dustee Jenkins, Head of Global Communications, to discuss the results and what they mean for the future of the platform.

Daniel Ek Qu

In addition to covering the highlights from the quarter, the impact of COVID-19, and the opportunities ahead, the episode also featured Fresh Finds program artist Julia Wolf, reflected on the rebrand of Spotify’s flagship playlist, Today’s Top Hits, and welcomed Call Her Daddy and Armchair Expert, two globally beloved podcasts, exclusively to Spotify. Daniel also discussed Spotify’s innovative new live audio app Greenroom—and revealed whether he’s dropped into a room himself.

Stream episode “Q2 2021 Earnings: Accelerating Innovation” now.

Spotify Reports Second Quarter 2021 Earnings

July 28, 2021

Today, Spotify announced our second quarter 2021 financial performance. Click here to review the full earnings release, and take a look at the highlights below:

Interested in hearing more? You can listen to the webcast Q&A on the IR site here. 

Click below to check out a sizzle reel of audio trailers from a few of our recent original and exclusive podcasts.

Spotify’s New Fresh Finds Program Helps Independent Artists Build Their Careers

May 26, 2021

For independent artists, sometimes all it takes is having a song in the right place at the right time for a legion of new fans to discover your music. Spotify’s Fresh Finds playlist serves as this type of launch pad for up-and-coming artists who are beginning their careers. 

The playlist, which started in 2016, now has 10 accompanying playlists that have specific focuses, like Fresh Finds: Experimental and Fresh Finds: Latin. These playlists are the place for fan and industry tastemakers alike to find the next big thing in music. Since its launch, Fresh Finds has featured more than 25,000 artists, like Clairo, Omar Apollo, and 100 gecs, who have seen their music take off after their songs were included on the list. Spotify data even shows that artists featured on Fresh Finds see their average monthly listeners increase by 108% in the 28 days following their addition to the playlist. 

Now, Spotify is taking its support of these independent artists to the next level with the Fresh Finds program. Building off the success of the playlist, this new program focuses on giving developing artists the tools and educational resources needed for long-term career success. 

“Independent artists are at the forefront of what’s next in music,” says Rachel Ring, Music Marketing Manager at Spotify. “It’s vital that we continue to create space and opportunities for this wide-ranging group of artists, meet them where they are, provide tools for them to have agency over their careers, and give them a voice in our marketing campaigns.” 

Over the span of six to eight weeks, artists in the program have access to one-on-one mentorship with members of Spotify and a personalized Masterclass to learn how to best use Spotify for Artists tools (like Canvas and Marquee). There will also be collaboration opportunities with songwriters and producers set up in partnership with Noteable, Spotify’s Songwriter and Publishing Relations team. At the end of the program, each of the four groups of artists and producers/songwriters will release an original Spotify Singles track. The collaboration process will be documented through a social content series so fans can follow along as the tracks are created and see the songs come to life.

“It was important for us to build an ecosystem around the artists we’re working with to ensure they have the tools, resources, and support they need to succeed in the short and long term,” continues Rachel. “At the end of this program we want our Fresh Finds artists to leave with a fluency in Spotify’s tools, a connection with other creators, growth across a wide range of new fans, and deeper engagement within their existing fan base.”

Spotify has announced the inaugural four independent artists chosen for the Fresh Finds program. Get to know them below.

Wallice

Wallice, who first started writing songs in middle school, has a sweet and nostalgic sound with a rowdy edge. After completing a year at the New School’s Jazz Vocal Performance program in NYC, the California native moved back to the West Coast to focus on her music. Her first single, 2020’s “Punching Bag,” was influenced by the favorites of her youth (Weezer and Lana Del Rey), as well as her current role models (Vampire Weekend and The Drums). Wallice will be paired with songwriter and producer marinelli and producer Ariel Rechtshaid for the Fresh Finds program’s song collaboration.

 

Unusual Demont

Unusual Demont is a Wisconsin native whose music is effortlessly forward-thinking. His grandfather, who was the drummer for R&B and soul legend Curtis Mayfield, has influenced his work, but the artist also finds inspiration from other sources, ranging from K-Pop to Frank Ocean. Unusual Demont originally started honing his skills as a rapper, but has shifted to singing with a more eclectic pop sound, which can be heard in his 2020 single “Amber.” Unusual Demont will be collaborating with producer Kieran Watters, professionally known as “The Idiot,” for the Fresh Finds program’s song collaboration.

 

Julia Wolf

Julia Wolf hails from Queens in New York City. She’s a singer-songwriter and visual artist whose confident and left-of-center vision for pop music has built her an already rabid fan base since she released her music on social media in 2019. The classically trained pianist had her breakout moment with the single “Hoops,” defying genre conventions with her stream-of-conscious lyrics and unforgettable hooks. Julia will be working with songwriter and producer Jackson Foote for the Fresh Finds program’s song collaboration.

 

EKKSTACY

Canadian singer-songwriter EKKSTACY has found refuge in his music. After a challenging youth that included his parents’ divorce and alcohol abuse, the artist turned to writing and recording music as a way to share his thoughts and feelings. EKKSTACY, who was influenced by the work of Elliott Smith, Bon Iver, and Bedroom, describes his music as fusing elements of indie, post-punk, and synth wave. The artist’s unique sound can be heard in tracks like “i walk this earth all by myself.” EKKSTACY will be paired with Jonny Pierce of The Drums for the Fresh Finds program’s song collaboration.

These artists are only the first to benefit from Fresh Finds, and they won’t be the last. But how to choose who’s next? 

“To select these artists, we utilized a combination of data and editorial decision-making, with our Editorial and Artist & Label Partnerships teams choosing artists for the program that are showing momentum both on and off Spotify,” says Rachel. “Ultimately, we don’t have formalized qualification criteria because being a developing artist is undefinable, and career growth can mean different things to different artists. Our gut instincts are based on what we think is the beginning of an amazing career.”  

Alongside the program’s launch, Spotify is releasing 13 new regional Fresh Finds playlists in Brazil, Spain, Australia/NZ, UK/IE, Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore/Malaysia, Vietnam, India, Italy, Germany/Switzerland/Austria, South Korea, and Turkey to further our mission of disseminating the music of developing artists on a global scale.

Follow the four Fresh Finds artists to be the first to hear their new Spotify Singles, releasing on June 23. In the meantime, discover new music from independent artists in our Fresh Finds playlist below.