Tag: justin timberlake

Why *NSYNC’s ‘It’s Gonna Be Me’ Spikes Every April 30

April 30, 2019

Happy last day of April or, as it’s better known on the internet: “It’s Gonna Be May” Day. Thanks to a 2012 meme gone viral, on this day each year, the *NSYNC song “It’s Gonna Be Me” starts to see a spike in streaming. If the data from the past few years is any indication, today and tomorrow, May 1, promise to be no exception.

Chances are, you’ve seen the meme of this unofficial holiday: Over a black background, *NSYNC’s Justin Timberlake sports his classic blonde curly locks and a knowing smile. Text above his head reads “IT’S GONNA BE” and below his chin, “MAY.” It references “It’s Gonna Be Me,” released in 2000 when *NSYNC was at the very top of the pop game and before Timberlake’s successful solo career. The lyric was often misheard as “May” thanks to Timberlake’s notorious pronunciation of “me.”

According to database KnowYourMeme, the “It’s Gonna Be May” meme was first uploaded to Tumblr in 2012. Ever since, Timberlake’s annual arrival on your feed has meant two things: that spring has officially sprung and that the song in question is being played on repeat.

The song grew in popularity between 2014 and 2018, charting a 587% increase in streams over the four years. Its first big annual boost came on April 30, 2014, while the meme was still somewhat new: President Barack Obama posted a picture of himself with Timberlake at the White House with the caption “It’s gonna be May.” That very same day, streams of the song spiked 101% from the daily average. The next day, May 1, 2014, streams rocketed 191%. So began a pattern with streams rising on April 30 and then surging on May 1.

The trend continued in 2015, when plays increased 93% on April 30 and 172% on May 1. In 2017, the streams increased 44% on April 30, and then 134% on the first of May. Last year, on May 1, 2018, “It’s Gonna Be Me” saw a 195% increase from the daily average.

Can 2019 streams surpass last year’s totals? It seems likely. Even though the song is nearly two decades old and memes have evolved, it’s clear that listeners are happy to play along each and every “It’s Gonna Be May” Day.

Get ready for May 1 by streaming “It’s Gonna Be Me” below. For more *NSYNC, stream the band’s official Top Tracks playlist on Spotify.

Rosalía’s Flamenco-Inspired Sound Is Rooted in Tradition, but Fearlessly New

October 30, 2018

Just looking at Rosalía, it’s hard to imagine she has hundreds of years of history behind her. But the 25-year-old Barcelona native, with her cool, commanding voice and wildly colorful style, has crafted a new sound from the pain and passion of traditional flamenco music. “I make music with risk,” she tells us—and she’s doing it like no one else.

Since the release of her debut album Los Ángeles in 2017, Rosalía has enchanted listeners around the world. “Malamente,” the first single from her new album El Mal Querer (out November 2), has racked up over 34 million global Spotify streams. And as her star rises, her sounds continue to evolve; El Mal Querer (The Bad Love), a concept album that chronicles a twisted romance, is vibrant and alive one moment, chill and detached the next. The record’s urban-classic experiments borrow from hip-hop, R&B, and electronic, while spotlighting traditional flamenco features like rhythmic hand claps (las palmas) and romantic guitar (toque). It even samples broken glass and cribs from Justin Timberlake. Per Rosalía, the album’s diverse ranges of expression are driven by one essential element: “attitude.”

Energetic and seductive, Rosalía’s music has crossed borders and smashed language barriers—and the fearless performer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist shows no signs of slowing down. In honor of her latest single, “Di Mi Nombre,” dropping today, we spoke to Rosalía about borrowing from the past, breaking with tradition, and finding her true freedom as an artist.

How does the cultural heritage of flamenco translate to El Mal Querer? How have you reinvented traditional elements to create your own uniquely modern approach to a classic style?

My music is about attitude. I make music with risk and experimentation … In everything I do, I keep in mind that my music needs to reach people. I make music in order to share it with others.

The flamenco cantes (songs) are my foundation, my basis. Without flamenco, my music wouldn’t make sense. As a musician, I always think about growing, and now I want to explore composing and become more involved than ever in the production of my songs. On El Mal Querer, there are songs based in flamenco, but they go beyond just one genre.

How The Shadowboxers Gained 1,200+ New Followers in Two Weeks

May 3, 2018

Once upon a time, an artist built a following by word of mouth: playing for people live, slowly cultivating fans, and hoping that next time one of those fans would bring a friend. But today, artists can develop a fan base across the world through online platforms.

Case in point: Pop group The Shadowboxers has been wildly successful using Kickstarter, Twitter, and Spotify – they drew more than 1,200 new followers to their Spotify page in just two weeks. But if you ask the Nashville, Tennessee-based trio about their social media prowess, they’ll say they just got lucky.

“We kind of feel like we’ve been accidentally good at the internet,” says The Shadowboxers guitarist and singer Adam Hoffman.

In 2012, the group, comprised of Scott Tyler, Matt Lipkins, and Adam Hoffman, used a Kickstarter campaign to fund their first album, “Red Room.” The next year, the band covered Justin Timberlake’s “Pusher Love Girl” and tweeted the YouTube recording to him. Timberlake retweeted it, and signed the group to his label, Villa 40, soon after. This year, The Shadowboxers are opening for Timberlake on his “Man of the Woods” tour across the U.S. and Europe.

“That tweet was absolutely crazy and blew our minds. It’s still kind of hard to wrap our heads around,” says Hoffman. “In a way we felt, from an artist’s side, prepared for that and we had a fan base at that point who were all incredibly stoked to see that tweet. We weren’t existing totally in a vacuum.”

Luck notwithstanding, The Shadowboxers were ready for their big break. The band had been hard at work performing, creating new music, and perfecting their soulful, R&B-leaning sound. Before connecting with Timberlake, they had written albums’ and albums’ worth of unreleased music dating back to when they first connected in 2007. A selection of those tracks was compiled into an EP, “Apollo,” which was released in March. The collection of six songs includes new material and previously released singles, like “Hot Damn!,” with the influence of Timberlake.

The Shadowboxers open for the first leg (33 shows) of Timberlake’s 110-show “Man of the Woods” tour, which kicked off in March. At the beginning of the tour, the trio was looking for a way to engage with as many fans as possible. Their brainstorming led to a text-to-capture communication that encourages fans to follow the group on Spotify and post about it on Instagram.

“We came up with the idea for the Spotify follow because that’s really what we want – to drive people to our music,” says Hoffman.

You know the message you’ll see on a big screen at a concert or pro sports game, prompting you to send a text to a short number for some sort of cool offer? Fans receive that message just after The Shadowboxers set, and those who participate are signed up for an email list. Their first message from the email list prompts them to post a screenshot to Instagram of the band’s page from their Spotify account, showing that they are following the band on Spotify with the hashtag #TSBbacktage. If they do so, they are entered for a chance to meet the band backstage.

“The coolest takeaway from these interactions, which we were not expecting at all, was the relationship and connection after meeting,” says Lipkins. “We just wanted to connect on a more personal level with some fans, but we’ve made lifelong fans from these interactions just by hanging out with people for 30 minutes after a show.”

For fans of The Shadowboxers – whether or not they won the backstage contest – Spotify keeps them up to date on new music releases, tour schedules, and even what the band has been listening to lately. And for musicians, Spotify for Artists allows them to keep track of their most popular music, and where people are listening. For The Shadowboxers, whose music has appeared on Spotify’s Global Viral 50 and New Music Friday curated playlists, the platform has given the band a geographic reach they’ve never had before.

“We get messages on our socials from people from Europe who have heard the songs. We’ve never played over there so the only way they could have heard the stuff is Spotify,” says Tyler. “That’s a really cool feeling for us.”

The Shadowboxers are currently performing for the first leg of Justin Timberlake’s ‘Man of the Woods’ tour. Check out their remaining tour dates, and follow along on Spotify.

Spotify’s Flagship Country Playlist, Hot Country Launches with Original Video Content from Keith Urban, Kacey Musgraves, plus a special performance from Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton

April 27, 2018

Country music may have gotten its start in Nashville, TN, but it has since expanded far beyond. For some time, country music fans around the world have been looking for a way to help them connect to the artists they love, discover new music, and share their love of the Country genre. With Spotify’s Hot Country Playlist—now enhanced with video—they may just find it.

Enhanced playlists, like the previously launched Rap Caviar and ¡Viva Latino!, combine music and video into a single view. This allows users to listen to their favorite audio tracks as well as watch interviews and music videos featuring their favorite artists. Enhanced playlists bring storytelling back to music discovery—a theme that country music emphasizes as well.

After enjoying the constantly refreshing playlist throughout the week, listeners can tune in every Friday to experience new and original country video interviews with an all-new Hot Country look and feel. First up: Grammy Award winner Keith Urban, who takes the wheel today with a feature cover story that coincides with the release of his new album, Graffiti U. On Hot Country, Keith gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at his extensive guitar collection, discusses his love of playing in his new home studio, and dives into the inspiration behind his new album.

While reflecting on the Hot Country playlist, Keith Urban said; “Spotify has been an amazing partner, helping me to connect my music with people all over the planet. On their new Hot Country playlist people will not only hear Graffiti U, they’ll be able to come inside the studio with me and see a bit about the making of the album. Can’t wait for everyone to hear it.”

According to Brittany Schaffer, Head of Artist and Label Marketing at Spotify’s Nashville office, the country music audience has been slower to adopt streaming than audiences of other genres. But, “country artists have been craving the attention of the streaming services to help bring the country audience into streaming and craving a deeper ability to connect with and expand their audiences,” she says. “The enhancement of the Hot Country playlist is Spotify’s first significant step in helping artists do just that.”

Schaffer also notes that the enhanced playlist is only the beginning of Spotify’s collaboration with the country industry. “Spotify is serious about making an impact in country music, and the launch of the Hot Country enhanced playlist is only the first step in showing that commitment,” she says. “This opportunity is opening new doors for current and potential listeners of country music, in Nashville and around the world. Our commitment doesn’t start and end with the launch of Hot Country.”

Through Hot Country and upcoming Spotify partnerships, fans can look forward to behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with their favorite country artists such as Keith Urban, Kacey Musgraves, and Kenny Chesney. From a tour of Keith Urban’s new state-of-the-art home recording studio in Nashville and the making of Kenny Chesney’s stadium tour to video footage from Kacey Musgraves’ Fan-First high tea in London or Justin Timberlake x Chris Stapleton’s Spotify Premium event recording of “Say Something” at the Roundhouse in London, Spotify is dedicated to telling the stories of country’s biggest names.

To bring more Hot Country to its more than 4.5 million followers worldwide, the enhanced playlist feature will also launch in four additional markets outside the U.S.: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Spain (in addition to the UK, Sweden, and Latin America). According to John Marks, Programming Head of Country Music at Spotify, the audience for country music will only keep growing. “There are multiple awakenings happening right now. Streaming is opening a global market. There’s been a hybridizing of other international music into the country playlists, which is opening people’s eyes and minds to country music in other countries. Launching in those markets—which have very active fan bases—will start to speed up the process.”

Marks, who has a long history working in Nashville with country industry and artists, is enthusiastic about the partnership—and he’s not the only one, he says. “The Nashville music industry and Nashville artists have really embraced this idea out of the shoot. We have some big stars on board with Keith Urban and Kenny Chesney, and there are plenty others on queue. It’s really been gratifying to see how quickly and how nimbly everyone in the industry has supported this idea of enhanced playlists and to see it all come together.”

Check out the new Hot Country playlist here.