Tag: joji

bummer summer Is Spotify’s New Playlist for Gen Z Listeners To Tap Into Their Feels

August 21, 2023

Lana Del Rey’s “Summertime Sadness” stuck in your head? You’re not alone. On Spotify this summer, sad songs are getting us in our feels, thanks to our listeners who are unapologetically expressing their emotions. “Sad” is the most-searched term for Gen Z listeners on Spotify globally, and they’re tuning into our sad playlists—including pop-infused sad hour, R&B-inspired All The Feels, rap-heavy tear drop, sad sierreño, sad girl country, and sad girl starter pack—more than any other age group.  

To match the vibe in the U.S. and Canada, we launched bummer summer, the ultimate lineup of moody jams and soul-filling songs. Complete with tracks from d4vd, Frank Ocean, Phoebe Bridgers, Lana Del Rey, Big Thief, and Billie Eilish, the playlist echoes the honesty and transparency that Gen Zs emulate in their lives and listening—and harnesses the ability of emotive, lyrical music to enhance any mood.   

“There’s something really unique about this generation,” says Krista Scozzari, Spotify North American Marketing Lead. “They embrace their feelings so much. They’re really flipping the stigma of vulnerability. Gen Z has brought a raw, authentic new reality to expressing their emotions, and we’re seeing that in how they listen. We wanted to celebrate this powerful thing they’re doing.”

Gen Z listeners are seeking tracks that evoke feelings of nostalgia, wistfulness, and wanting—songs that feel like a warm embrace. “It’s important to note that not everything sounds like Billie Eilish’s ‘What Was I made For?’” says Lizzy Szabo, Spotify Senior Editor for Indie Music. “Though that was one of the breakout sad songs of the summer—probably the biggest—and was given a lot of extra context from being in the Barbie movie. It really took this feeling of nostalgia and met it with current issues and feelings.”  

Lizzy notes that subgenres like indie pop, sad rap, and sad sierreño have all boomed in the past year, with standout artists including Phoebe Bridgers (bonus points for her work with boygenius), Joji, Alex G, Haley Heynderickx, Ivan Cornejo, and Junior H. She’s also seeing a rise in catalog listening for the broody sounds of Cigarettes After Sex, TV Girl, Lana Del Rey, Mitski, and Radiohead. “Artists have a way of putting things better than we ever could, so it’s a way for people to lean in and just fully embrace their emotions and the experiences they’re going through,” she says. 

“Sad music can help us to release, express, channel, or purge our emotions,” says Dr. Michael Bonshor, PhD, music psychology expert. “It often has slower speeds, which slows down our breathing and heart rate when we listen so that we feel more relaxed and tranquil. In addition to hearing slower speeds, hearing music with sad lyrics creates a sense of personal connection with the artists who wrote them—it validates that our human experiences are shared.”

Tinder and Spotify Couple Up for Match-Worthy Anthems and Spotify Premium Trial Offer

June 28, 2023

Love for an artist or song can bring people together—whether as friends or something more. So in 2016, Spotify launched an integration with Tinder that allows members of the dating app to add an “anthem” to their profile, effectively showcasing one song that gives potential new matches a glimpse into their musical world. 

Fans have since fallen in love with the feature (and with each other). And since there’s plenty of music to stream together outside of that one anthem, we’re making three to four months of Spotify Premium available to Tinder Gold and Platinum members on Android devices in over 30 markets.* 

In honor of this offering, we’re taking a look at some of the top trends** and anthems that are making members’ hearts skip a beat. 

  • In the U.S., the most Liked anthem was “Last Night” by Morgan Wallen.
  • Among Gen Z, “Kill Bill” by SZA, “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus, “Creepin (with The Weeknd and 21 Savage)” by Metro Boomin, and “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift were some of the most popular Tinder anthems globally.
  • Singles over 40 in the U.S. have been keeping up with the younger generations’ music by featuring songs like “WAP” by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, “Bad Habit” by Steve Lacy, and “Glimpse of Us” by Joji on their Tinder profiles.
  • In Japan, NewJeans dominated the top three most Liked anthems for women aged 25-30 with their hit songs “OMG,” “Hype Boy,” and “Ditto.”
  • In Europe, millennials (aged 30-40) brought the nostalgia with anthems like Miguel’s “Sure Thing” (Germany and the U.K.), Arctic Monkeys’ “Do I Wanna Know” (Spain), and Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good” (France). 
  • In North America, the most Liked anthem for women aged 30-40 was “Rich Flex” by Drake in Canada, “Don’t Start Now” by Dua Lipa in Mexico, and throwback “Santeria” by Sublime in the U.S.

Can’t get enough Tinder music data? Check out the love songs that made a match in Valentine’s Days past.  

*Offer applies to the Spotify Premium Individual plan, except in South Korea, where the offer applies to the Spotify Premium Basic Individual plan. Offer subject to eligibility and availability. Users must be a new or existing Tinder Gold or Platinum monthly user; users who purchase a one-week subscription will not be considered. Additional terms and conditions can be found here. 

**Insights are based on Tinder data in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Spain, France, the U.K., Indonesia, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, and the U.S. from January 1, 2023–June 6, 2023.

Spotify’s RISE Ushers in a New Wave of Artists … and the Stories Behind Their Songs

October 16, 2018

Every song tells a story—from the indie jam at the coffee shop to the hip-hop hit blasting from the car radio—and so do the artists behind them. Their lyrics, melodies, and soundtracks come from their experiences as musicians and the journeys they took to achieve their musical goals. For these artists, the many stories in their collection becomes the album they share with the world.

Spotify wants to highlight those stories. That’s why we have RISE—an artist development program, sponsored by Aloft, that supports new artists and gives fans a peek behind the scenes of their journeys.

After recently spotlighting country band LANCO, R&B artist Jorja Smith, Latin singer Karol G, and indie artist Rex Orange County, it’s time to pass the baton to a new wave of RISE-ing stars including pop singer King Princess, R&B artist Joji, and Atlanta-based rapper Lil Baby.

RISE will delve into what makes each of these artists unique, from their inspirations to their dreams for the future. For King Princess, motivation comes from the LGBTQ community. “Having a strong community of gay men and women around me has helped me to realize my vision as an artist. It has also helped me stay loved and supported throughout this experience,” the artist told For the Record when asked about who has helped her most throughout her blossoming career.

Joji, on the other hand, knew he wanted to make it in the music industry the moment he heard Soulja Boy sing “Crank Dat” on the radio. “If that song had us going apeshit in middle school, it had to be something special,” he told Spotify.

Here’s a little bit more about Spotify’s New RISE artists:

King Princess: Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, King Princess’s musicality covers singing, songwriting, and various instruments. Having spent a large chunk of her childhood in her father’s music studio, King Princess learned to play bass, drums, and piano, and even got the hang of music production. Her debut single and tribute to the LGBTQ community, “1950,” has over 144 million streams, and her first album, Make My Bed, was released in June 2018.

Joji: The Japanese-Australian producer, singer, and R&B artist launched his fame from his bedroom—which is where he made his debut EP, “In Tongues,” released in November 2017. He credits Dipset and Soulja Boy as being two huge influences on his music.

Lil Baby: Lil Baby is the rookie of the year. Just two years ago he started rapping under the nourishment of Coach K and Pierre “Pee” Thomas. Harder Than Ever marks the 23-year-old rapper and trap artist’s debut album. This musical tour de force debuted at No. 3 on Billboard’s Top 200, and featured the smash single “Yes Indeed” featuring Drake. “Yes Indeed” peaked at #1 at Urban Radio and No. 6 on Billboard’s Hot 100. Since its release, it has amassed over 500 million global streams. In 2018 alone, Lil Baby has clocked in over 2 billion streams and counting across streaming platforms.

Beyond the music, RISE features short-form documentaries that authentically capture these unique artists and their creative processes, collaborations, insight on their own role models, exclusive photoshoots, and more BTS goodies. And let’s be honest—you’ll probably want to “heart” their tracks to save them to your favorites playlist, too.