Tag: Ireland

Spotify Premium Listeners in Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand Can Soon Access More Than 250,000 Audiobooks

April 2, 2024

Attention booklovers in Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand! Listening to your favorite audiobooks is about to get even easier. Beginning April 9, Spotify Premium users in these markets will have access to up to 15 hours of audiobooks per month, seamlessly integrated alongside music and podcasts, on a single platform through a unified subscription. 

Our Premium audiobook catalog, already available in the U.S., U.K., and Australia, is one of the largest subscription-based audiobook-streaming platforms at 250,000 titles and growing—we’re already up from 200,000 titles since late last year. We’re excited for more listeners than ever to discover and engage with books, and to mark the occasion we asked authors from these markets—Canada’s Carley Fortune, New Zealand’s Chloe Gong, and Ireland’s Rosemary Mac Cabe—to share some of their favorites.

Carley Fortune

Canadian Carley Fortune is the best-selling author of Every Summer After and Meet Me at the Lake. Her new book, This Summer Will Be Different, will be published May 7.

What are three of your favorite audiobooks? 

What do you love most about audiobooks?

I’m not sure if this is a positive trait, but I’m a multitasker, and I love to figure out ways to use my time efficiently. I’m a full-time writer and a parent to two young, energetic boys—I will never be able to read all the books I’d like to, but audiobooks help! I can squeeze in reading while I’m driving or washing the dishes. But it’s not just that audiobooks help me read more. A truly excellent audiobook elevates the reading experience, absorbing you in the story and bringing the emotion to life. And they’re so accessible. Listening to an audiobook is reading: Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. 

Chloe Gong

Raised in Auckland, New Zealand, Chloe Gong is the best-selling author of the Secret Shanghai novels and the Flesh and False Gods trilogy.

What are three of your favorite audiobooks?

What’s your earliest memory of stories’ being read aloud to you, audiobooks or otherwise?

In primary school, we would read a class-selected book quietly, and then we would come together for the teacher to read it aloud while we sat cross-legged on the mat. It was one of the most joyous parts of my day as a five-year-old. I developed such an appreciation for how class read-aloud time held my attention, and I grew more and more intrigued by the act of storytelling until I became an avid reader myself and eventually an avid writer.

Rosemary Mac Cabe 

Irish author and journalist Rosemary Mac Cabe was raised in Dublin and published her book, This Is Not About You: A Menmoir, in summer 2023.

What are three of your favorite audiobooks?

What’s your earliest memory of books’ being read to you? 

One of the few books from my very early childhood that I remember is Smoke and Fluff, a Ladybird book written and illustrated by AJ McGregor, a fact I didn’t even have to look up because it’s now on nightly rotation in my house. I ordered a secondhand copy online for my two-year-old pretty much the month he was conceived.

Opening it up again after so long was weird, though. I hadn’t seen or read it in probably three decades. I remembered it almost word for word. The illustrations were almost as familiar to me as my childhood bedroom, or a scarf my mum has worn every winter for my whole life.

There’s something about reading this same book—which is quite long, for a children’s book—every single night that reminds me just how much time goes into parenting. It makes me feel close to my own mum, too, who put in this same time, this same love, when she read it to me over and over so many years ago. I live in the U.S. now, while she’s still at home in Ireland, but when I’m reading this it’s like she’s there with us.

Spotify’s AI DJ Brings a Personalized Listening Experience to Fans in the UK and Ireland

May 16, 2023

In February we unveiled DJ, a personalized AI guide that understands you and your music taste so well that it does the choosing for you. Now we’re excited to start rolling out DJ in beta to Premium users across the U.K. and Ireland. 

At its core, DJ is all about connection and discovery. And thanks to DJ’s powerful combination of Spotify’s personalization technology, generative AI through the use of OpenAI technology in the hands of our music experts, and a dynamic AI voice, listening has never felt so personal. 

When we were deciding where to offer DJ next, the U.K. and Ireland just made sense. We have a team of local music experts on the ground in the region, and it’s where some of DJ’s fundamental technology has been developed.

We also know there’s demand: While we’ve seen fans across the globe asking for DJ, it was most commonly requested by users on social media in the U.K. and Ireland.* But don’t just take it from us . . .

 

When users in the U.K. and Ireland tune in they will be greeted by a stunningly realistic AI voice, modeled after Spotify’s own Head of Cultural Partnerships, Xavier “X” Jernigan. Plus, they’ll be served songs and context geared towards them. For example, users who tune in right around launch may hear about how Arlo Parks is releasing her newest album, My Soft Machine, at the end of May alongside her collab, “Phoenix,” with friend and longtime role model Phoebe Bridgers. And when it comes to an engaging listening experience, these moments of relevant context are winning DJ users over.

We’ve found that when DJ listeners hear commentary alongside personal music recommendations, they’re more willing to try something new (or listen to a song they may have otherwise skipped). On days when users tune in, fans spend 25% of their listening time with DJ—and they keep coming back. More than half of first-time listeners come back to listen to DJ the very next day.** 

And DJ has especially resonated with Gen Z and Millennials, who make up 87% of DJ users.***

But this is just the beginning. DJ is still in beta, and we’ll continue to iterate and innovate to evolve the experience over time.

Ready to give DJ a try? Just head to your Music Feed on Home in mobile.

*Results based on tweets between February 22, 2023 – May 11, 2023 from users with a publicly identifiable location.
**Results are based on eligible DJ users (Premium users in the U.S. and Canada on mobile) and collected from February 22, 2023 to March 1, 2023.
***Results are based on eligible DJ users (Premium users in the U.S. and Canada on mobile) and collected from April 28, 2023 to May 4, 2023.

How ‘Body’ Became the First U.K. Drill Track to Land Today’s Top Hits

June 28, 2021

Turn up the bass and 808s: U.K. drill has dug a space for itself on Spotify—and across the global music industry at large. The trap sub-genre’s share of listening has grown 351% on Spotify since 2017 across Europe, Australia, and Africa, and especially in cities and countries where listeners can relate to the genre’s unfiltered themes, booming sound, and direct lyrics. As it spreads, it takes root in different languages and locations, making it even more accessible. 

Though the trap sub-genre has been rising in the U.K. for several years—a staggering 442% listening share increase since 2017—2021 has taken it to a new level, complete with prominent features on Spotify playlists, a runaway global hit single, and increased presence in the U.K.’s annual BRIT Awards. 

“Body” then became the first-ever U.K. drill track to be featured on Spotify’s global Today’s Top Hits playlist. This song, which emanated from Spotify’s U.K. rap and hip-hop playlists, then started traversing the globe as a cross-continental remix. Its journey is a strong reflection of the story of drill in the industry as a whole. 

A place on playlists

Drill has long been a feature on U.K. hip-hop playlists like Who We Be and Rap UK, which have been two of the top three playlists in the country since they each launched. New playlists, like Just Dropped, are also increasing in prominence week after week, and the biggest episodes of the Who We Be TALKS_ podcast continue to be ones featuring drill and rap artists. Rap UK has even become the region’s biggest export playlist for U.K. hip-hop.

“Streaming allows the audience to decide exactly what they want to listen to and when. We are seeing this reflected in consumption on platform,” says Safiya Lambie-Knight, Artist & Label Partnerships Lead at Spotify for the U.K. and Ireland. “It has also allowed for the birth of new drill scenes across the globe from Australia to Ghana. Playlists like City to City are great examples of global drill and the audience’s appetite for the genre on an international level.” 

“Body” takeover

“Body,” originally by Russ Millions and Tion Wayne, came out in March 2021, complete with a dance challenge. The next month, the duo released “Body (Remix)” featuring a number of U.K. and U.S. artists, including a new artist from Brighton named ArrDee, U.S. drill artist Fivio Foreign, Bugzy Malone, E1 (3×3), ZT (3×3), Buni, and Darkoo. The track quickly took over, hitting close to 600,000 streams daily in the U.K. and 200,000 daily in the U.S. and Australia. It jumped from its spot on Rap UK, Who We Be, and Hot Hits UK to Australian hip-hop playlist A1, where it cemented its place as the biggest song in the U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand—the first drill song to ever do so. 

Then, overnight, the song was added to Today’s Top Hits, which contributed to the track’s success: It’s now been streamed over 58 million times, in addition to having been streamed over 1 million times in a single day. It also garnered multiple other remixes, featuring artists from all over the world helping to drive more international growth and top 10 prominence in Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Norway.

“U.K. rap has dominated the mainstream for some time now, but ‘Body’ reaching the top of the charts in the U.K. and Australia simultaneously is incredibly significant for drill,” says Safiya. “It shows not only the importance of the U.K. as a key market, but also the export and international potential that U.K. rap now has.” 

2021 BRITs and beyond

While “Body” became the first drill track to reach the top slot, U.K. rap has been topping the charts in the U.K. frequently for many years. The BRITs nominations this year, therefore, were a reflection of the appetite for U.K. rap in popular music culture—featuring the biggest as well as newest names in rap nominated across all of the categories. 

“It’s important that institutions like the BRITs recognize the hip-hop talent they have here and reflect that in awards,” says Joel Borquaye, from Spotify’s U.K. and Ireland Editorial team. “At Spotify we have worked closely with a number of the artists nominated over the past year. This included emerging artists like S1mba, whose support began early on in our playlist Who We Be, and Young T & Bugsey, who were our first RADAR artists in the U.K., as well as album campaigns with Headie One, AJ Tracey, and J Hus, the latter of whom won the coveted male solo artist of the year award.”

Since we launched the Spotify U.K. charts, the popularity of rap has been clear on Spotify. Now, the U.K. music industry has caught up—and the world is next. 

“Rap has always been fast moving and agile, and that has been more evident over the past year with the capacity of releases that we saw on Spotify,” says Safiya. “Consumption habits have evolved, too, and it isn’t just the data that shows us this—it’s culture. Look at the way music spreads across social media. There’s a lot of support across the music and artist community and there’s a huge engaged, young fan base watching that and wanting to be part of it and creating their own content to be involved in the conversation. Artists now know where their audience is and music can travel more easily now than ever.” 

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.

Spotify Listeners in 11 Markets Can Now Ask Alexa to Play Podcasts—Here’s How

December 16, 2020

Last year, we announced that U.S. listeners could ask their Amazon Alexa devices to play their favorite podcasts. Starting today, listeners in 11 new markets—Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, India, Austria, and Ireland—can ask Alexa to do the same. 

Podcasts delight, entertain, inform, and inspire people across the world, and there’s always more to stream, for both Free and Premium listeners. Now with Alexa, you can get listening to any of the millions more on Spotify—just by using your voice.

Ready to get started? Setup is easy, and only takes a few moments:

  1. Go to the Amazon Alexa App.
  2. Open the menu, head to Settings, then Music & Podcasts.
  3. If Spotify is not connected, tap “Link New Service” and select Spotify.
  4. Link your Spotify account to your Alexa account.
  5. If you’re in Brazil, Mexico, Germany, or the UK, tap “Default Services,” and then select Spotify as the default podcast service.
  6. Say “Alexa, play [your podcast of choice] podcast on Spotify” and get listening!


Not sure what to start with? New podcasts from every market and in many languages are increasingly available on Spotify. Just check out a few that have come out in each of the markets where Alexa is available this year:

To learn more about playing podcasts on all your Alexa devices at home, head to the Amazon Alexa Explore Spotify page.

*Update February 4, 2021: Listeners in Japan, Australia, and New Zealand can now ask Amazon Alexa devices to play their favorite podcasts.

*Update March 31, 2021: Listeners in Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, Sweden, Poland, and the Netherlands can now ask Amazon Alexa devices to play their favorite podcasts.

*Update April 28, 2021: Listeners in Belgium and Switzerland can now ask Amazon Alexa devices to play their favorite podcasts.

*Update May 26, 2021: Listeners in Singapore, Denmark, and Norway can now ask Amazon Alexa devices to play their favorite podcasts.

*Update June 16, 2021: Listeners in Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines can now ask Amazon Alexa devices to play their favorite podcasts.

*Update December 8, 2021: Listeners in Saudi Arabia and U.A.E can now ask Amazon Alexa devices to play their favorite songs on Spotify. Users in U.A.E can also enjoy their favorite podcasts.

*Update May 25, 2022: Listeners in Ecuador, Hong Kong, South Africa, Taiwan, and Thailand can now ask Amazon Alexa devices to play their favorite music and podcasts.

Spotify’s Virtual Notting Hill Carnival Microsite Amplifies Black Creators Like Never Before

August 19, 2020

London’s annual Notting Hill Carnival is a 54-year-old celebration of the United Kingdom’s Caribbean community, and it’s often filled with parades, food, and, of course, music. Due to this year’s social distancing recommendations, the Carnival’s in-person events are on hold, but the art and culture of the U.K.’s Black creative community can be heard just as loudly as Notting Hill Carnival goes online. As an official partner for Notting Hill Carnival 2020, Spotify is excited to share our dedicated Carnival microsite, with a full virtual musical lineup, playlist takeovers, art experiences, and more.

That’s right: The party isn’t stopping; it’s just moving from the streets into your home. Our new microsite is filled with playlist takeovers from big names, and it gives fans a chance to explore over 40 of the official Notting Hill Carnival sound systems and on-the-road DJs who spin dub, reggae, soca, soulful house and everything in between. Plus, we’ll be featuring an exclusive portrait and film gallery from renowned photographer Ekua King, podcast episodes covering Carnival’s rich history and a look forward, and ways to tune into live events throughout the weekend.

“Notting Hill Carnival is such an important celebration of Caribbean heritage for communities in London and beyond—enriched in tradition and activism and lived through music and dance,” says Sulinna Ong, Head of Music at Spotify U.K. and Ireland. “While it can’t take place in its usual way, it’s key that the celebration continue—in homes, living rooms and gardens—especially given the current climate.”

Learn how you can celebrate Carnival through some of Spotify’s microsite features.

Playlist takeovers

We’ve worked with some of the U.K.’s leading Black creators in music, film, and entertainment to help guide fans through some of our most popular playlists, which will be dedicated to Notting Hill Carnival for the long weekend event. Fans can enjoy:

  • Lockdown success story No Signal’s take on Who We Be, the U.K.’s biggest hip-hop, Afrobeat, dancehall and R&B playlist
  • The legendary Marleys, who will help fans jam along to One Love
  • Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock’s compilation of tunes for Throwback Thursday
  • Everything from reggae legends to the new school as Koffee introduces our Irie playlist
  • Spice, the Jamaican dancehall artist and star of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta’s Dancehall Queen takeover

Notting Hill Carnival sound systems

Our microsite also gives fans the chance to explore over 40 of the official Notting Hill Carnival sound systems (aka large DJ booths) and on-the-road DJs. Check in with King Tubby’s, Carnival’s oldest sound; Rampage Sound, one of Carnival’s most coveted spots, the prince of U.K. soca, Martin Jay; and even Carnival’s only all-female sound system, Seduction City Sound.

“Last year I celebrated 25 years of being the only female sound system in Carnival,” says Lady Banton of Seduction City Sound. “I’m a woman and a Black woman, and I’m proud to be a Black woman. I’m also a child of the Windrush generation, so we never forget. I thought, ‘What a relief I am here again.’”

Exclusive photo and film gallery from Ekua King

Just as the in-person Carnival has music and art to boot, so will the microsite, thanks to exclusive work from Ekua King. The renowned London-based photographer of Jamaican heritage who shoots for the likes of i-D, Paper, and Vogue, has created an exclusive photo and film gallery on the site. Check out her stunning portraiture of the over 40 sound systems and on-the-road DJs, whose stories come to life through her shots.

Spotify Supports Underrepresented Podcasters With ‘Sound Up,’ Now in the US, UK and Ireland, Germany, Australia, Sweden, and Brazil

June 1, 2020

If you’ve ever dreamed of creating your own podcast, this is your chance. Spotify’s Sound Up program, now in its third year, is designed to uplift and amplify the voices of aspiring podcasters from underrepresented backgrounds through education, workshops, and support. Applications for Spotify’s Sound Up 2020 program are now available in the US, with applications for other countries rolling out soon.

Through the workshop, participants will learn the ins and outs of developing and producing their very own podcasts. We’ve seen a huge interest in the program, with 20,000+ applications submitted over the past three years. Ultimately, 60 people have completed the program throughout the UK, Australia, the US, and Germany. Ten of those graduates have since launched their own shows, and three now have Spotify Original podcasts on the platform. To celebrate our graduates’ success, we’ve put several of their podcasts all in one place.

This year’s program, however, will look a little different. Due to the challenges of gathering during this unprecedented time, Sound Up will be divided into two phases. First up is a virtual four-week course that will take place later this year. To ensure everyone has equal access to technology, we’ll be providing computers, WiFi access, and podcast recording equipment to participants. Then, those who demonstrate a particular knack for podcasting will be invited to a future in-person training where they will further develop their ideas.

But that’s not the only new thing in store. Sound Up is also making its grand debut in two countries—Brazil and Sweden—in an effort to bring Sound Up to even more individuals. In Sweden, the program is aimed at women and non-binary people who may experience racism because of their skin color, culture, language, religion, or ethnicity. Applications in Brazil, will be open to young people of color from the Periferias, or outskirts of big cities.

Twenty applicants from each participating country will be chosen to take part in the four-week online program. During that time, they’ll start their podcasting journeys, honing their skills in  storytelling, designing a podcast, editing audio, and learning the business of the medium. At the very end, participants will leave with the tools they need to create a trailer for their show.

This year’s U.S. session will be facilitated by longtime collaborator and Sound Up veteran, Rekha Murthy. She will be joined by co-facilitator Maria Murriel of the production house Pizza Shark.

Thinking about applying but don’t have podcasting experience? Not to worry. To be a part of the program, you don’t need any prior podcasting experience, just something unique to say and a desire to use podcasts to say it. (Plus, you must be a resident of the country where you’re applying and self-identify as a member of the community being served in that country.)

U.S. residents can now apply for this year’s Sound Up here. Those in Sweden, Germany, and Brazil can apply later this month, and applications for the U.K. and Ireland will be available in August. The program will be offered to women and non-binary people of color in the U.S., U.K. and Ireland, and Sweden; young people of color from the Periferias in Brazil; and members of the LGBQTI community in Germany. We can’t wait to hear what these new podcasters have to share.

Applications are now available for residents in the US . Interested applicants in other countries should stay tuned for more updates.

Spotify Launches the Official ‘Normal People’ Soundtrack

May 28, 2020

Today, Spotify launched the official soundtrack playlist for the Ireland-set drama Normal People, which has become a sensation since premiering on BBC Three and Hulu in late April of this year.

Based on author Sally Rooney‘s 2018 novel of the same name, Normal People follows the turbulent modern-day romance of Marianne Sheridan and Connell Waldron. The former is a studious free spirit who doesn’t quite fit in anywhere; the latter is a brooding aspiring writer who confronts his own misfit status as the series progresses.

As the duo’s relationship shapeshifts between romance and friendship, Normal People uses music in a uniquely sparing fashion, mostly to amplify the day-to-day ups and downs of the main characters’ emotions. For example, the Villagers‘ baroque-folk song “Everything I Am Is Yours“—which starts with introspective acoustic guitar strums—begins playing as Connell emerges from a deep bout of emotional distress. Earlier in the series, Yazoo‘s 1982 synth-pop ballad “Only You” strikes a melancholy chord as Connell realizes his selfish behaviors have cost him dearly.

“That was super purposeful,” says Maggie Phillips to For The Record about the series’ careful musical choices. Phillips is one of Normal People‘s two music supervisors, along with Juliet Martin. “We wanted to be very restrained with the music and only use the songs when we’ve kind of earned them, and use them at points for reflection—points to sit back and sort of reflect and process what’s going on.”

“Music can be way more impactful if you’re economical with the way you use it,” she adds.

The songs in Normal People also reflect that Marianne and Connell are growing up in Ireland—first in the town of Sligo and later as college students at Dublin’s Trinity College. The series highlights many Irish artists, including highly touted indie-folk acts Lisa Hannigan (“Undertow”) and Anna Mieke (“Warped Window“); the pop-leaning rock act SOAK (“Maybe“); the groove-driven soul artist Uly (“redlight“); hip-hop duo Tebi Rex (“I Never Got Off The Bus“); and rapper JyellowL (“Oh Lawd“).

“The music encapsulates the feeling of millennial Ireland that the show sets out to portray,” says JyellowL to For the Record. “With every show and film, it’s very impactful when the sound of the score captures the mood of the visual performance.” Adds Uly: “Countless times throughout the show, we see perfect examples of miscommunication and how a lack of understanding of self and not acknowledging your own negative mental health can not only hurt you, but those around you. That very much ties in with what I’m trying to discuss with myself in [the song].”

 Five Normal People Songs in the Artists’ Own Words

Spotify’s New London HQ Opens Doors with Performances from Dermot Kennedy and Joy Crookes

February 17, 2020

In the spectacular Adelphi Building, just off the Strand in the very heart of London, is Spotify’s newest expansion: a state-of-the-art HQ for the U.K. and Ireland. The office, with its new work spaces, production studios, and listening rooms specifically dedicated to artists, podcasters and creators, also houses our R&D team in the U.K., marking our first major tech center outside of the U.S. and Sweden. This expansion is a great example of our ongoing growth and investment in content and talent—so last night, we invited U.K. and Irish media to a housewarming in the new space to celebrate. 

Our open house gave U.K. and Irish media the chance to get to know us a little better, see where we work, and check out the spaces we have created to energize and inspire all the creative minds who come through our doors. At the event, we introduced our current U.K. and Ireland leads, our new Head of Comms in the U.K. and Ireland, and our Global Head of Comms, in addition to offering office tours of the new production studios, listening rooms, green rooms, Artists Lounge, and more. Our leads shared how the new office space puts us in the best place to continue growing Spotify’s leadership position as the most popular audio-streaming platform.

 

Introducing Spotify Kids, A New Standalone App for the Next Generation of Listeners

October 30, 2019

Spotify is committed to bringing audio content such as music and stories to more people in more ways–including the next generation of listeners. That’s why we decided to launch a fun standalone app designed with safety in mind specifically for kids and families.*

 

We sat down with Alex Norström, Spotify’s Chief Premium Business Officer, to learn a little more about the app. 

1. Why create a Spotify Kids app now? What can users look forward to?

We know that families love listening together—whether it’s while driving in the car or cooking dinner together in the kitchen. But we also know that family members love to listen on their own too. That’s why we’re so excited to welcome the next generation of listeners—kids—into the Family Plan experience. 

Kids consuming audio content, such as music and stories, isn’t a new phenomenon—in fact, they love it. But most audio experiences were built with adults in mind—meaning they’re not simple, easy, or fun for young kids to use. 

Spotify Kids was born out of the desire to create a playground of sound just for kids—to build a place where younger kids can explore their favorite music and stories in a fun environment. The content is ad-free and hand-picked by a team of editors, and the experience is bursting with color. Our visuals help guide young minds through the app with simple navigation and scaled-back text. Before setting out to explore, each kid can also select a custom avatar and color theme to personalize their experience. 

Spotify Kids is a composite of playlists, which makes it easy for kids to find music and stories from their favorite movies and TV shows or hit plays on a playlist to sing along to during their favorite activity—or their least favorite chore.  

We’re thrilled to beta launch in Ireland and look forward to introducing Spotify Kids in all markets that have Premium Family in the coming months. As we evolve the app experience, we’ll roll out enhanced parental settings and controls for even more customization in an effort to give parents peace of mind. 

2. How is the Spotify Kids app different from the original app? Any unique content?

Spotify Kids is a standalone app available exclusively for Premium Family subscribers and intended for kids ages 3+. The content within Kids is hand-picked by a team of editors, who have nearly 100 years of combined experience curating content for kids. They come from some of the most well-respected brands in this space, including Nickelodeon, Disney, Discovery Kids, and Universal Pictures, as well as Public Service in Sweden and BookBeat, which is a family- and kids-oriented audio streaming service.  

Beyond the content, the entire Spotify Kids user experience looks and feels different from the Spotify app. And that’s intentional. It’s built for kids, with their specific cognitive skills in mind, and exudes a fun, familiar, playful, and bright atmosphere. This look and feel also varies by age group—for example, the artwork for younger kids is softer and character-based, while content for older kids is more realistic and detailed. 

3. Why launch in beta? What are you hoping to learn? 

Having a standalone app specifically for younger kids is a new space for Spotify, and we understand the sensitivities around content for children. We are being very deliberate in our launch approach. We’ve started with a beta launch in Ireland, knowing that this initial roll-out phase will yield many learnings from parents, caregivers and other experts as they begin to interact with the app.

As we evolve the Spotify Kids experience over time, we plan to enhance parental control features to allow for even more customization. We’ll also bring our audio expertise to the table with listening experiences that go beyond music—like more stories and audiobooks and eventually podcasts.

4. As you were building the app, did you tap any external resources? Say, consult with any parent organizations or conduct focus groups?

While launching this kids app is an exciting moment for Spotify, creating it was not a task we took lightly. We knew the importance of understanding parents’ needs and making sure they would have peace of mind about the content their kids are consuming. 

Spotify has spent more than two years learning about this space, and we’ll continue to learn as people begin to interact with the app. We have gathered expert insight from a number of organizations, including the National Children’s Museum in Washington, D.C.,  and conducted our own studies with parents around the world and tapped into our Employee Resource Groups here at Spotify.

Spotify Kids is available starting today in Ireland. Ready to get started? Spotify Premium Family master account holders can simply download Kids from the App Store or Google Play, then sign in to their regular Spotify account. (If you’re new to Spotify, you’ll need to sign up for Premium Family before signing in to Spotify Kids.)

For those outside of Ireland, Kids will be rolling out to all markets that currently have Premium Family. Be sure to check back here for more or check out spotify.com/ie/kids.

*Update March 17, 2020: Spotify Kids has also rolled out in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico.

Update February 11, 2020: Spotify Kids has also rolled out in the UK and Australia. 

Update November 27, 2019: Spotify Kids has also rolled out in Denmark, Sweden, and New Zealand.

Update May 12, 2020: Spotify Kids has also rolled out in Germany and Japan.

Stream the Top Tracks of St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland

March 15, 2019

St Patrick’s Day, March 17, is a global celebration of the Irish. Green-clad crowds swarm parade routes from Tokyo to Toronto; in Chicago, the river is dyed green; and in New Orleans, strings of green beads soar through the air along St. Charles Street. In Ireland, however, it’s music that’s central to the St. Patrick’s Day experience.

A look at our users’ listening habits from the past several St. Patrick’s Days shows that Irish music lovers use the holiday to stream songs primarily by their ample homegrown talent. Across artists and genres, most of the songs in the top ten have that classic Celtic twang, historical roots, or both. The tunes also tend to be upbeat and joyful—perfect for a spirited singalong.

From Galway to Dublin and Cavan to Cork, here are the most consistently streamed songs on St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland over the past five years. Feel free to turn up the volume and belt the lyrics as if you’re in a pub in Limerick—or anywhere else.

“Dirty Old Town” by The Pogues

The song was originally written and recorded in 1949 by British folk singer-songwriter Ewan MacColl, but has been covered by countless Irish artists—most famously by The Dubliners in 1968. This 1985 version by British Celtic punk rockers The Pogues tops the list.

“Seven Drunken Nights” by The Dubliners

A St. Patrick’s Day cliché? Not if you listen to the lyrics, which tell the funny tale of a hapless drunkard on a futile mission. The song is actually based on a 1700s Scottish folk song called “Our Goodman,” recorded in a period-perfect accent by Ewan MacColl (see above).

“The Irish Rover” by The Pogues

Everyone loves a tall tale told over drinks, and this one—about a fictional Irish ship overloaded with cargo—is about as wild as they come. The lyrics have been tweaked and recorded by dozens of Irish artists over time, but The Pogues’ version featuring The Dubliners is the most popular. Irish listeners also love this rendition by Ronnie Drew.

“N17” by The Saw Doctors

This song was one of the Irish rock band’s biggest hits, coming from their debut 1991 album. It celebrates a famously picturesque road, the N17, which once extended from Sligo to Galway in the west of the country.

“Mandinka” by Sinead O’Connor

This was one of the singer-songwriter’s earliest hits, a few years before her international sensation “Nothing Compares 2 U.”

“Where The Streets Have No Name” by U2

The most famous Irish musicians have dozens of songs frequently played on St. Patrick’s Day, but this singable and anthemic track from the 1987 album The Joshua Tree is the only U2 song in the top ten.

“Blackbird” by Sharon Shannon

Accordion master and fiddler Sharon Shannon has recorded some of the most popular albums of traditional Irish music. Several of her countrymen and women—including Hothouse Flowers and Sinead O’Connor—have collaborated on her songs.

“Teenage Kicks” by The Undertones

This song about teenage lust was far and away the biggest hit by the ’70s punk-pop band from Northern Ireland. “Teenage Kicks” attracted the band’s first record deal.

“The Rocky Road to Dublin” by The High Kings

This 19th-century folk song—about a man traveling from Tuam, in western Ireland, to Liverpool—has been covered countless times, including renditions by The Pogues, Dropkick Murphys, and even The Rolling Stones.

“Brewing Up A Storm” by The Stunning

The Galway-based rock band released this song in 1990 on their debut album. It remains their biggest hit, thanks in part to the song’s being regularly played in sports stadiums.  

Check out our Happy St. Patrick’s Day playlist for some of these classics and more tunes to fuel your celebrations. Plus, for a more contemporary look at music from Ireland, try A Breath of Fresh Éire, The New Éire, Hands In The Éire and An Alternative Éire.