Tag: lizzy mcalpine

Spotify Wrapped Sound Town: All You Need To Know

December 1, 2023

Spotify Sound Town in the 2023 Spotify Wrapped experience

As you may have seen across the internet, we matched listeners to a Sound Town based on their own listening and artist affinity as part of our 2023 Spotify Wrapped personalized experience. If you haven’t launched your own listening journey yet, go check out your 2023 Wrapped here and see if your tastes line up with those of fans in, say, Provo, Utah, or Cuiabá, Brazil, or, well, more than 1,300 spots around the world.

How did Spotify pick your Sound Town, anyway?

Listening is universal, a pastime loved by communities around the world. Streaming habits transcend borders, leading to songs, genres, and artists that achieve new lives in faraway places. 

Sound Towns selected for eligible users are made up of two factors: a user’s most-streamed artists of the year, and the way in which those artists are streamed in other cities. It’s objective and driven by a user’s listening history.

Many cities around the world are highlighted in the experience, but we’ve seen fans around the world make a select few the talk of the town since 2023 Wrapped debuted. If you’ve been wondering what locals listened to in these hot spots, we rounded up the most-streamed songs of the year for each city. 

Although these lists don’t speak to the methodology we used to determine users’ Sound Towns—and don’t necessarily reflect all of the artists that fans had in common as part of their experience—it does paint a picture of each city’s unique tastes.

Berkeley, CA, USA

  1. “Kill Bill” by SZA
  2. “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” by Ice Spice, PinkPantheress
  3. “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift
  4. “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus
  5. “OMG” by NewJeans
  6. “Ditto” by NewJeans
  7. “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift
  8. “Pink + White” by Frank Ocean
  9. “Ceilings” by Lizzy McAlpine” 
  10. “Low” by SZA

Burlington, VT, USA

  1. “Stick Season” by Noah Kahan
  2. “Kill Bill” by SZA
  3. “ceilings” by Lizzy McAlpine
  4. “All My Love” by Noah Kahan
  5. “Northern Attitude” by Noah Kahan 
  6. “Homesick” by Noah Kahan
  7. “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift
  8. “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus
  9. “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” by Ice Spice, PinkPantheress
  10. “Evergreen” by Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners

Cambridge, MA, USA

  1. “Kill Bill” by SZA
  2. “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift
  3. “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus
  4. “Last Night” by Morgan Wallen 
  5. “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift
  6. “Stick Season” by Noah Kahan
  7. “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2” by Ice Spice, PinkPantheress
  8. “Vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo
  9. “As It Was” by Harry Styles
  10. “Calm Down” by Rema, Selena Gomez

Cuiabá, Brazil

  1. “Nosso Quadro” by AgroPlay, Ana Castela
  2. “Leão” by Marília Mendonça
  3. “Erro Gostoso – Ao Vivo” by Simone Mendes
  4. “Oi Balde – Ao Vivo” by Zé Neto & Cristiano
  5. “Seu Brilho Sumiu – Ao Vivo” by Israel & Rodolffo, Mari Fernandez
  6. “Bombonzinho – Ao Vivo” by Ana Castela, Israel & Rodolffo
  7. “Traumatizei – Ao Vivo Em Brasília” by Henrique & Juliano
  8. “Duas Três” by Adriano Rhod, Ana Castela, Guilherme & Benuto
  9. “Não Vitalício (Nunca Mais) – Ao Vivo” by Mari Fernandez, Matheus & Kauan
  10. “Eu Gosto Assim – Ao Vivo” by Gustavo Mioto, Mari Fernandez

Jakarta, Indonesia

  1. “Tak Segampang Itu” by Anggi Marito
  2. “Komang” by Raim Laode
  3. “Sial” by Mahalini
  4. “Tertawan Hati” by Awdella
  5. “Kill Bill” by SZA
  6. “Kau Rumahku” by raissa anggiani
  7. “Runtuh” by Feby Putri, Fiersa Besari
  8. “Here With Me” by d4vd
  9. “Angels Like You” by Miley Cyrus
  10. “Usai” by Tiara Andini

York, Great Britain

  1. “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus
  2. “Kill Bill” by SZA
  3. “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift
  4. “As It Was” by Harry Styles
  5. “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift
  6. “Daylight” by David Kushner
  7. “ceilings” by Lizzy McAlpine
  8. “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” by Ice Spice, PinkPantheress
  9. “Escapism.” by 070 Shake, RAYE
  10. “Sprinter” by Central Cee, Dave

Our New Playlist juniper Cultivates a Space for the Next Generation of Folk Music

October 18, 2023

In every generation, folk music captures the hearts, minds, and souls of its listeners. From Bob Dylan and The Mamas & the Papas to Simon & Garfunkel, Leonard Cohen, and Tracy Chapman, the genre has maintained a strong and comforting presence throughout the ages, one that introduced a capacity for experimentation and innovation. The early 2000s showcased the works of Sufjan Stevens, Fleet Foxes, Sharon Van Etten, and Bon Iver. The 2010s saw the rise of The Lumineers and Mumford & Sons. Now listeners have Noah Kahan, Lizzy McAlpine, Joy Oladokun, and Searows. 

juniper is Spotify’s new home for budding and popular folk and acoustic songs from the latest crop of contemporary artists making the genre their own. It’s a space for handcrafted tracks that rise to the top through both organic cultural conversations and our Fresh Finds ecosystem. 

“While folk music has always maintained its presence, there is a fresh wave of relevance sweeping through Gen Z right now that is hard to ignore,” says Carla Turi, Editor, Folk & Acoustic Programming. “At the heart, folk is rooted in raw authenticity and storytelling, which feels vital in a post-pandemic digital age. It’s always been music for the people, by the people. There is such a timeless nature to the space and its ability to provide a sense of peace to listeners when they need it most. Whether it’s ‘Suzanne’ by Leonard Cohen or ‘Growing Sideways’ by Noah Kahan, listeners are finding their own story within these songs.”

Named for a young green juniper tree, the playlist’s title evokes the cycle of life and the natural environment. Folk’s inherent connection to nature and tradition paired with the genre’s DIY ethos serves as a place for amplification and representation of this budding community.

“This current era of folk music is swiftly growing, thanks to the likes of Noah Kahan breaking boundaries and opening up the funnel for new Gen Z folk artists,” says Jackie Augustus, Lead, Country & Folk, Artist Partnerships. “We’ve seen folk continue to evolve as more and more artists are utilizing elements of the folk sound through fusion with other genres. Artists right now are perpetuating a tradition that’s been alive for centuries, and now they’re driving the narrative with their own experiences that center around personal struggles and navigating the world around them. We are seeing Gen Z react in a big way to relatability and honest songwriting, which is a huge driver for why listeners resonate so hard with Mitski, Lizzy McAlpine, Chance Peña, and other artists included in the juniper playlist.”

To launch the playlist, we hosted a dinner bringing together the emerging Gen Z folk music community that’s leading the resurgence of folk music. Artists Sierra Ferrell, Briston Maroney, John Vincent III, Izzy Heltai, and Odie Leigh joined in for a family-style dinner and a fire pit under the stars.

Discover the Songs that Help Superstar Driver Lando Norris Get Ready for Race Day

May 5, 2023

He might only be 23, but McLaren Racing’s Lando Norris is already one of the world’s biggest motorsport stars. And it’s not just racing enthusiasts who are captivated by the charismatic driver—Lando is attracting new fans to the sport in droves.

Fans are showing their love for the driver through their Spotify playlists. Last fall, searches for Lando spiked more than 400%, and to date, fans around the world have made nearly 25,000 Lando-related playlists, with title themes like “driving with Lando” and “pov: you’re dating Lando Norris.”

From among all Lando Norris–related playlists, some of the top tracks added include “Yellow” and “Speed of Sound” by Coldplay, “Golden” by Harry Styles, “Smooth Operator” by Sade, “Ferrari” by James Hype and Miggy Dela Rosa, and, of course, “Let’s Go Lando!” by Pitstop Boys. 

Meanwhile, top tracks added to Lando Norris “dating” playlists include “London Boy” and “Paper Rings” by Taylor Swift, “Perfect” by One Direction, “Adore You” by Harry Styles, and “Kiss Me More” by Doja Cat (featuring SZA). 

As Lando prepares for the big race in Miami this weekend, he’s created an exclusive Spotify playlist, Sunshine & Tan Lines, that gives fans an inside look at how music helps him get into the right mindset.

Featuring hits from the likes of Bad Bunny, Drake, Burna Boy, Lizzy McAlpine, and even Alan Jackson, Lando’s playlist has a fun and laid-back vibe inspired by the Miami sunshine.

For the Record sat down with Lando to discuss the playlist, his favorite music to listen to before getting in the car, and how he likes to relax when he’s not on the track. 

How do the songs on your playlist help you get ready for a race?

Before a race, I just want to listen to songs with good energy that remind me of good times and make me happy. I like to make sure I’m in a good mood before I go into the garage. 

So there’s a bit of variety on this playlist. There are lo-fi tracks that let me relax and chill out, and upbeat ones that get me focused. But Miami is a hot and fun place, so there are also some fun, quirky, and cheerful tracks that I can have a cheesy sing-along to.  

Are there any songs on the playlist that might surprise people?

Most of them are probably songs that people know, but they may be surprised that I have some sad songs on the playlist. I don’t know why, but I love sad songs for some reason. Not because it connects me to anything. I think a lot of it is just enjoying the lyrics, the melody, and the vibe.

What’s your go-to song when you’re on a drive?

I love a bit of country, so Alan Jackson’s “Drive (For Daddy Gene)” is one of them. Not because it’s about driving necessarily, but it’s more that I like the tune. Miley Cyrus’s “Party In The USA” is another one that I like to throw on. It’s a song that always puts a smile on my face. 

When I’m driving somewhere alone, I love singing along to songs. And typically, slower-paced songs are easier for me to remember and keep up with. It’s a time to be free, so it has to be songs that I know the lyrics to.

How do you like to relax when you’re not focused on racing?

Mostly, it’s about doing ordinary things that let me be a bit more normal and less of a racing driver. My main thing is just hanging out with friends. It doesn’t really matter what we’re doing, but as long as I’m with them, it takes my mind away from racing. As much as it’s good to focus on racing, it’s easy to overthink things. So my time with friends is important.

But when I’m chilling at home, I like to play video games and binge TV shows. I also got back into cycling recently, so when I’m in Monaco, it’s nice to ride down to Cannes or Saint-Tropez and enjoy the coast and countryside.

Golfing with friends is another thing I love. It’s one of the sports I enjoy the most outside of racing. It helps take my mind off racing, but still has a competitive aspect to it where I want to strive to be better.

What’s your favorite song that you’ve discovered recently?

Probably “ceilings” by Lizzy McAlpine. My friend sent this to me yesterday and said I had to listen to it, probably because it’s a sad song. It’s a very different song than what most people would imagine I’d listen to, but we had some good laughs about that. I also watched a documentary about Lewis Capaldi recently, so I’ve also been listening to “Wish You The Best” a lot. 

Are there any Spotify playlists or features that you love?

I probably listen to my Liked Songs playlist the most, so I would say that’s my favorite. I also thank Spotify for enhancing some of my playlists—I like to find a couple of songs that I like, and then Enhance does the rest for me, saving a lot of time.

Stream all of Lando’s favorite race-day jams on his playlist, Sunshine & Tan Lines.