Tag: listeners

What’s New This Week in Spotify Podcasts

May 1, 2020

Welcome to This Week in Podcasts, where we share what’s new in the podcast world. Here you’ll find a roundup of series debuts, can’t-miss episodes, and so much more—all available to stream on Spotify. Whether you fancy yourself a content connoisseur or an audio amateur, you’re sure to discover something worth listening to. Keep scrolling to check out the latest and greatest in podcasts this week—including Butt Dial, The Window, and The Mogul Mixtapes. 

The Power of Anchor-Made Podcasts in Indonesia: Spotify Highlights Top Shows, Including ‘Do You See What I See’

February 26, 2020

If you think podcasts are all the rage around the world, you’re onto something. Thanks to a new partnership with some of Indonesia’s biggest podcasters, eight of the top-streamed shows in Indonesia (Podcast Raditya Dika (PORD), Do You See What I See, PODKESMAS, Rapot, Menjadi Manusia, Podcast Bagi Horror, Box2Box Football Podcast, and Podcast Suara Puan) are now available exclusively on Spotify—marking the first round of Spotify Exclusive Podcasts in Southeast Asia.

While all of these shows were made using Anchor—the platform where creators have the ability to record, distribute, and monetize their podcasts from any device (for free)—it turns out that 90% of podcast consumption on Spotify in Indonesia comes from Anchor-made programming. This platform, which was acquired by Spotify in 2019, has given more podcasters an opportunity to produce their own original content.

As the number of podcasts continues to grow in Indonesia, the number of hours spent listening to podcasts has also increased—by tenfold in the past year. We asked Rizky Ardi Nugroho, host of one of the top podcasts in Indonesia, Do You See What I See, what it takes to create one of the most popular shows in the country.

What inspired you to start Do You See What I See (DYSWIS)? Did you have any podcast experience prior to this?

It all started with telling my true horror story on Raditya Dika’s show. Radit—who is one of Indonesia’s most famous content creators (and host of Spotify Exclusive Podcast PORD)—happens to be my high school friend. We made five videos in the Rumah Eyang series, and all five went viral with more than 15 million views. From that experience, I saw that audiences liked horror stories delivered directly by those who experienced it. So, when the opportunity came, I would say, I took the chance—and my channel was trending in one week of airing.

I like to try new things; I learned and I did it on my own. I had no experience in the world of content creators, and I had never worked on audio editing, but I have been a podcast listener for a long time.

Why do you think Indonesians are embracing listening to and creating podcasts?

Podcasting is a new media in Indonesia. Oftentimes, something that’s new and viral is exciting for them to try. It occurred almost at the same time anchor.fm started to sprout and gain traction in Indonesia. Given the fact that it is easy and trending, [Anchor] is all they need to start making podcasts on their own.

Most of my listeners are commuters, so this podcast is interesting to listen to on the go. Podcasting also has more benefits, such as light bandwidth and being battery friendly. People don’t need to watch the screen all the time—not to mention there are various themes and categories being offered.

When sharing stories, you go by the name of Mizter Popo. What’s the origin behind the name?

Mizter Popo is a nickname my friend gave me in middle school. It’s taken from a character in the famous Japanese manga comics at the time, Dragon Ball. It turns out that having a nickname helped me develop my character.

You built two businesses: a rice company and a bakeshop. What did it take for you to start one of the biggest podcasts in Indonesia? Can you describe what your process was like?

I don’t like it when I am labeled as a follower and likened to other existing content/channels, so when I first wanted to make Do You See What I See, I did a lot of research on horror podcasts and content that already existed. I wanted my creation to be different from all that.

I change the sound design for each storyteller—different back sound, different SFX, and without a bumper—in the hopes that listeners will always have different experiences in each episode.

Are you still actively running the businesses?

Yes, as of now, I am still actively doing the organic rice business, O-Rice Brand, and 24-hour cake shop, Honey To The Bee.

What is it about DYSWIS that has people hooked? 

I think people like DYSWIS because the concept features different experiences in each episode.

For the uninitiated, what do you hope people take away from this podcast?

I hope this podcast presents entertainment in the form of storytelling that continues to grow and is different from other channels in Indonesia.

Check out Anchor to find out how you can make a podcast of your own, and listen to Do You See What I See? on Spotify now.

Spotify Fêtes Best New Artists at 2020 Celebration

January 24, 2020

For the past four years, Spotify has celebrated the Best New Artist nominees at a one-night-only party to remember. The event is intended to help further amplify the voices of several breakout stars, and this year was no different. All eight members of the 2020 class—Billie Eilish, Black Pumas, Lil Nas X, Lizzo, Maggie Rogers, Rosalía, Tank and The Bangas, and Yola—hit the stage last night and delivered electrifying performances. 

Collectively, the category’s nominees have racked up a total of more than 15 billion Spotify streams to date. We caught up with the artists from the red carpet at The Lot Studios in Los Angeles, California—read on to hear what they had to say and to check out the night’s picture-perfect moments. 

Lizzo

Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Spotify

  • “Aye yi yi” did Lizzo knock her performance out of the park. On the red carpet, Lizzo shared her thoughts on what the Best New Artist nomination meant to her: “For me, it was really cool to be like ‘Oh, I was impactful.’ Not only did I put out a good album, but I really showed the world who I was this year; and the world really fell in love with who that person was.” 
  • Lizzo is the collaboration queen. Everyone wants her voice on their tracks. With 23 collaborations to her name, Lizzo is the most featured artist of all the Best New Artist nominees.

Yola

Credit: Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Spotify

  • Born in Bristol, England, Yola’s country-soul vibe spans across genres, and at last night’s event, she highlighted the impact of her Best New Artist nomination: “It means a sense of validation … It just feels so much like I’m being lifted up by people. People are seeing me for my ability to write, for my ability to perform. Yeah, it’s an utter joy.”
  • Many listeners are discovering Yola’s music on Spotify’s Best Folk & Americana Songs of 2019 playlist. Also, Yola covered Elton John on her debut album—check out her soaring version of “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.”

Billie Eilish

Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Spotify

  • “Don’t say I didn’t warn ya,” but Billie Eilish’s performance was “!!!!!!!” The singer’s stripped-down set, with brother Finneas on piano, included “bad guy” and “everything i wanted.” “The video for this song just came out today,” Eilish told the audience as she introduced the latter. “Very exciting!” 
  • With roughly 55 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Billie conquered the charts in 2019—and then some. Last year the singer had the largest number of songs on our Global Top 50 Chart at the one time. On April 1st—and this is no April fool’s joke—14 of the tracks on the Top 50 were Billie’s, and “bad guy” was in the number one spot. 

Black Pumas

Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Spotify

  • This soul-funk duo from Austin, Texas, said the nomination caught them by surprise. “We just started working on music two years ago with humble goals, you know,” said Black Pumas’ guitarist-producer Adrian Quesada. “‘Let’s just make songs that move us,’ and here we are two years later. It’s exciting.” 
  • Since the Best New Artist nominees were announced, Black Pumas saw the largest percentage increase in the number of playlists their music was added to.

Maggie Rogers

Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Spotify

  • “We’re always searching for language,” Rogers told Spotify before her set. “If you’re an artist, you were born an artist. Everyone here has been working for ten, five, seven, eight, however many years to make music and be at this place; and I think tonight is really about celebrating that work.” 
  • Of all the Best New Artist nominees, Maggie Rogers saw the biggest increase in streams in the week following the announcement of her nomination: Her music shot up more than 103%.

Lil Nas X

Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Spotify

  • Lil Nas X crushed the stage with his performance of “Old Town Road,” with Billy Ray Cyrus beside him. “It means I’m one of the few artists who the Grammys saw as deserving of a nomination in a year of so much amazing music. And I’m thankful for that. With Spotify, it’s easier for a new artist to be heard; and when ‘Old Town Road’ was just coming up, the playlisting helped so much.” 
  • While five of the Best New Artist nominees have remixed versions of some of their tracks, Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road – Remix” with Billy Ray Cyrus is the top streamed, with more than 870 million streams.

Rosalía

Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Spotify

  • Rosalía Vila (aka Rosalía) hails from Sant Esteve Sesrovires, Spain, though she’s certainly made her mark beyond her hometown. At Spotify’s Best New Artist event, she performed a rousing five-song set, which included a surprise appearance by Ozuna for the hit track “Yo x Ti, Tu x Mi.”  
  • Rosalía, who has collaborated with the likes of J Balvin, Pharrell, and James Blake, has the most geographically diverse audience of all the Best New Artist nominees. 

Tank and The Bangas

Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Spotify

  • The night ended with a “banga” performance from Tank and the Bangas, who had noted earlier that the best new artist category is a catalyst for discovery.  “(We) definitely checked out the Black Pumas and … Rosalia, everybody. You really are a Best New Artist because I’m checking out people who I never knew and that’s pretty dope within itself.”  
  • Listeners from Japan to the UK to Germany to Brazil have been streaming this band’s music. Their 2019 album Green Balloon has generated their two most-streamed songs, the curiously titled “Ants” and “Smoke.Netflix.Chill.”