Tag: Mental Health

Spotify Extends Existing Partnership With UNICEF and Donates to UNICEF’s Global Emergency Fund

October 18, 2023

Spotify is deeply saddened by the recent terrorist attacks in Israel and troubled by the growing catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Our hearts are with all of the people caught in the conflict. We acknowledge the important work of UNICEF and its partners, who are doing all they can to help the most affected children and their families.

In June, Spotify announced our three-year partnership with UNICEF to help ensure that young people, including refugees, displaced people, and migrants, can access evidence-based and engaging mental health audio content on Spotify. The initial partnership was focused on helping young people affected by the war in Ukraine, with a long-term goal to extend our work globally both in and outside of times of emergency. 

We are extending this partnership for another two years to continue supporting UNICEF in reaching children and young people exposed to conflict and natural disasters by providing them with tools to promote mental health and well-being.

Spotify is also making a donation to UNICEF’s Global Emergency Fund to help UNICEF and its partners provide immediate humanitarian support—including medical supplies, fuel, mental health—and psychosocial support in response to the conflict.

Finally, we’re matching employee donations to support additional funds for UNICEF’s global humanitarian efforts. We hope that those in harm’s way find peace and safety soon.

This World Mental Health Day, Take a Beat With Spotify

October 10, 2023

World Mental Health Day, observed today, offers people everywhere a chance to reflect, discuss, and destigmatize conversations around mental health and well-being.

Mental health has been a priority here at Spotify since 2018, when we launched our Heart & Soul initiative. For us, mental health is a state of well-being where we are able to cope with the daily stresses of life, function productively, and make meaningful contributions. Heart & Soul’s focus is to create an open and caring environment around mental health issues, an environment where we can do our best work and belong. Heart & Soul aims to raise awareness, enable support, and normalize the conversation to reduce mental health stigma at work. 

We also know our platform can provide a place for listeners to find moments of inspiration and healing through music, podcasts, and audiobooks. We are always seeking new methods to leverage the power of Spotify to break down stigma and raise awareness around mental health and well-being. This World Mental Health Day, we’re encouraging people around the world to take a beat. 

Go ahead and ‘Take a Beat’

On Spotify, listeners can find our Take a Beat global content hub, which includes a collection of podcasts and playlists that promote mental health and wellness. Whether you’re looking to find audio around relaxing, resting, or releasing good vibes, the curations give listeners a refuge from the intensity of our noisy world and provide a chance for them to tune into themselves.

Don’t forget that ‘Our Minds Matter’

Earlier this year, we announced the launch of a new partnership with UNICEF to support the mental health of young people. Focusing on those affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine, we plan to scale this initiative over the next two years to aid in other emergency and nonemergency scenarios. 

As a part of this partnership, we created the Our Minds Matter content hub on Spotify. This destination is designed to support those in Ukraine and Poland, in particular, and also features music and talk playlists to support sleep, study, and relaxation. We also cocreated On My Mind with UNICEF, a podcast available in multiple languages, including Ukrainian, Polish, and English, that provides practical, evidence-based mental health resources.

Making moves with Nike

In the U.K., we’ve taken on a different challenge: partnering with Nike to inspire girls to get more active using the power of music—and in turn, improve their mental well-being—through the Make Moves Fund. Together, we’ll invest in community initiatives that inspire girls to get moving while leveraging the power of music to improve their well-being. With British girl group FLO serving as the fund’s ambassador, we’re hoping to create lasting change by awarding multiple £20K grants to U.K.-based community organizations that propose pioneering and girl-first programs that use music and movement to inspire girls to get active.

Mental health starts with ‘Heart and Soul’ 

This World Mental Health Day at Spotify, we’re acknowledging the occasion a little differently. We’re inviting teams to come together to participate in a mental health–centered workshop led by their managers.

This will bring our teams together in new ways—all with the goal of reducing stigma and encouraging conversations about mental health.

We want to ensure teammates are genuinely looking out for one another, and to do that, it’s important for us to build emotionally aware teams. Creating healthy and thriving workplaces starts with our leadership. When leaders prioritize employee well-being and lead with compassion, the well-being of the collective is elevated.

At Spotify, it’s important for us to come together to cultivate collective care.

Whether within our company or on our global platform, we are finding new ways to highlight the importance of mental health and well-being. If you’re looking to kickstart your mental wellness journey with podcasts, mindful meditation suggestions, or relaxation playlists, check out our Take A Beat destination for everything you need.

Looking to hear more about experiences of mental health within the artist community? Catch this special episode of Best Advice to hear from Hayley Kiyoko, Troye Sivan, Big Freedia, Laura Jane Grace, Princess Nokia, Lykke Li, Rina Sawayama and more. 

Spotify and UNICEF Partner To Support Mental Health by Bringing the Power of Audio to Millions

June 28, 2023

At Spotify, we know that music and audio can help support mental health, so we’re dedicated to using the power of our platform to bring resources to people directly where they are. Today, we are embarking on a three-year partnership with UNICEF to help ensure that young people, including refugees, displaced people, and migrants, can access trusted and engaging mental health audio content. 

To start, our focus will be on responding to the urgent mental health needs of young people who have been affected by the war in Ukraine. UNICEF has been supporting mental health and psychosocial support interventions for over 2.6 million Ukrainian children and caregivers since before 2022. Going forward, we’ll explore opportunities to expand our impact across other emergency and nonemergency contexts around the world.

“Our goal in partnering with UNICEF is to help young people, including refugees and migrants, find the support they need to optimize their mental health and well-being online and offline,” says Elizabeth Nieto, VP, Global Head of Equity and Impact at Spotify. “Our collaboration will particularly focus on harnessing the power of music, audio, and other innovative digital content to deliver trusted and engaging mental health content for young people, their caregivers, and communities.” 

Evidence-based resources for mental health and well-being 

Our partnership will kick off with the youth mental well-being destination Our Minds Matter on Spotify, where listeners will be able to access a combination of existing music and talk playlists. These engaging playlists can provide support for a wide range of mental health and well-being needs—and give young people resources right at their fingertips. 

Understanding the everyday mental health needs of young people directly affected by the war in Ukraine is key to being able to support them. That is why UNICEF, with our support, has been collaborating with a group of Ukrainian and Polish youth to cocreate a new youth-informed, evidence-based mental health podcast called On My Mind. Season one will initially be available in Ukrainian, Polish, and English, with new languages coming online later. 

From episodes on breaking down the stigma around mental health to nurturing healthy relationships, to coping with grief, stress, and loss,​ this co-created podcast will support tangible progress in improving access to mental health services and fostering a nurturing environment for young people. 

Going forward, Spotify and UNICEF will work together to cocreate, adapt, digitize, and translate additional mental health content. We’ll also continue to curate new music and talk playlists that support mental health and well-being and can be featured on this platform.

4 Years of Heart & Soul: Mental Health Support at Spotify

December 20, 2022

heart and soul lockup on purple, pink, green background

At Spotify, we’ve long understood that in order to do your best work, you need to feel your best. But since not every day can be top-notch, it’s important that our employees know that we’ve got their back throughout it all.

Four years ago, we created Heart & Soul, a global mental health initiative for all Spotify employees. We believe that everyone’s experience of mental health, from illness to well-being, should be welcomed, respected, and championed—and that all our employees should be able to access the support and care they need, when they need it. 

In celebration of this anniversary, we’ve released a report on our Heart & Soul accomplishments and learnings to date. The report includes a timeline of the initiative, first-person perspectives from our Ambassadors, recommendations for other companies looking to create similar programs, and more. 

And our work is based on three pillars: raising awareness and building knowledge, enabling self-care and professional support, and normalizing the conversation. Take a look at a sampling of our work: 

Heart and Soul pillars

To read the full report, head to Life at Spotify.

Spotify Teams Up With Artists and Creators To Help You ‘Tune In To Yourself’ on World Mental Health Day

October 7, 2022

There are times when it feels like the world around us gets too loud, distracting us from experiencing the moment and connecting with ourselves. And while mental health has always been important, these last few years have brought it to the forefront. In a sea of demands for our attention, it’s important to take time to get grounded. To help Spotify listeners find quiet amid the chaos, we’re inviting them to turn down the noise and tune in to themselves on World Mental Health Day this year. 

At Spotify, mental health is a top priority. It’s the reason why we started our Heart and Soul mental health initiative in 2018 as a way to raise awareness, build knowledge, encourage self-care and professional support, and normalize the conversation to reduce stigma. And in the years since, we have continued to make mental health conversations and resources available to our employees, as well as to all who come to Spotify looking for the moments of inspiration and healing that music and podcasts can provide.

This year is no exception. We believe that audio is one of many beneficial tools for mental well-being, and so we’re supporting listeners and employees with our lineup of hand-curated content and collaborations with artists, creators, and influencers. We’re also continuing to evolve our partnership with Headspace, the mental wellness provider that promotes health and happiness through mindfulness and meditation. Our hope is that everyone discovers audio that helps them continue to connect with themselves and with others in their everyday lives.

Connect with your favorite artists and creators in our Wellness hub

Across our Wellness hub, we’re highlighting content that can help listeners find some respite from noisy thoughts and buzzing news feeds. We’re also collaborating with artists and podcasters to share their personal experiences of feeling overwhelmed and stressed––along with their ways to bring themselves back to a place of connection. When you first open the Spotify app, you’ll be greeted with a pop-up or banner with a link that will take you to the hub. 

There, you’ll find not only some of our most popular editorial wellness playlists like Calm Vibes, Noise Cancelling, and lofi meditation, but also a wide range of curated playlists from artists and podcasters like J Balvin, Hayley Kiyoko, We Can Do Hard Things’ Glennon Doyle, and Meditation with CurlyNikki’s Nikki Walton.

We’ll also be working with a few of India’s and Sweden’s brightest stars. This includes India’s singer-songwriters Armaan Malik and Hanita Bhambri, actors Rajkummar Rao and Mithila Palkar, and writer Shaheen Bhatt—and from Sweden, artist SHY Martin and Det skaver’s Cassandra Klatzkow, Elsa Ekman, and Nadia Kandil. Each playlist will feature some inspiring words from the artists and creators themselves about the importance of mental health and well-being. 

Additionally, you’ll find exclusive content on our social channels, where creators and influencers such as Zion Clark, Eli Rallo, and Bran Flakezzz will be sharing their own thoughts on mental health awareness and encouraging viewers to visit the Wellness hub.  

Sundays get less scary with Headspace

In addition to having our Wellness hub, we’re also partnering with Headspace to launch the limited podcast series Sunday Scaries Student Edition on October 9. Based on the hit podcast Sunday Scaries, the series pairs Gael Aitor—cohost of the popular Gen Z podcast Teenager Therapy—with Headspace wellness expert Dora Kamau to discuss meditation, mindfulness, and most importantly, life. At the top of each episode, the two tackle a subject that’s affecting students and young people, and Gael has a conversation with Dora about it. 

“It is extremely important to break the taboo surrounding topics such as mental health and anxiety, especially with younger generations,” Gael told For the Record. “This limited podcast series of Sunday Scaries is aimed at reaching young people and teaching them to learn and understand that these feelings are normal, and there are so many tools and techniques to help combat those situations.” 

Whether she’s talking Gael through the feelings of fear that come with following his dreams, or helping him to reframe his thoughts around the idea of being alone, Dora opens up new perspectives in each of the six weekly episodes. And after every conversation, Dora leads Gael through a bespoke meditation on the subject.

“Young people are struggling more than ever with their mental health, with 50% of mental health conditions starting by age 14. Together with Gael, our intention is to help destigmatize and normalize conversations surrounding mental health by providing listeners a space to explore and investigate their feelings, emotions, and unique experiences,” said Dora. Through sharing our own stories, it’s our hope that folks can find a sense of comfort through the advice and resources shared with them.

Finally, Spotify will also be donating directly to Backline, the Music Health Alliance, the MINDS Foundation, and SEARCH.  

Turning down the noise can be tough––especially in moments of stress. If you or someone you know is struggling to safely tune in to themselves, our Mental Health Resources can provide immediate help.

Need a moment to focus on yourself? Take a break with our Calm Vibes playlist below.

Update as of August 21, 2023: We want to help connect listeners who may be thinking about self-harm with the support they need. Anyone who searches for terms that are associated with this type of behavior will receive a localized in-app message prompting them to explore our Mental Health Resources Hub and help them find locally relevant emergency mental health and support services.

How Gen Z Is Using Audio To Hear and Be Heard

June 14, 2022

It’s no secret that the influence of Gen Z is rapidly growing when it comes to culture, commerce, and everything in between. Whether they’re deciding the latest social media trend or the hottest new artist, these young tastemakers are the ones setting the agenda. That’s why each year, Spotify releases our Culture Next report to show how Gen Zs are shaping audio streaming and culture at large—and to explain what that means for advertisers on Spotify.

For the 2022 Culture Next report, we interviewed dozens of Gen Zs around the world—and surveyed thousands more—to identify the most influential audio trends that the world should take notice of. From there, we pulled together the five main takeaways (which you can find in our full report). But we realized that these play into a bigger, overarching idea: Gen Z is blurring the line between creation and consumption.

Redefining the boundaries of creation

While this idea is unfolding in many ways, it’s especially relevant to the relationship between creators and their fans. What was once a dynamic built around a one-way broadcast is now an interactive, two-way exchange. 

On Spotify and Anchor, for example, the recent addition of polls and Q&As allow listeners to instantly weigh in on topics discussed in new episodes. And thanks to the emergence of platforms such as Discord, Twitch, and TikTok, Gen Z creators are hearing from fans as much as fans hear from creators. In fact, 47% of Gen Zs said they’ve joined a digital community, such as a subreddit or Discord, for fans of a particular creator. 

And Gen Zs aren’t just using these digital spaces to get the latest info on their favorite stars. When it comes to up-and-coming stars in particular, fans in these communities are using these platforms to hang out with other fans, as well as with creators themselves. 

 “We’re all just kind of homies” is how 21-year-old singer-songwriter Dreamer Isioma put it.

Emotional-support podcasts

But Gen Z musical acts aren’t the only ones forging these intimate bonds with their fans. The world of podcasting now has its own stable of celebrity hosts, and highly engaged fans are cultivating communities around them. And this interactivity isn’t just serving as an effective way for creators to better reach their audiences—it’s fundamentally changing the way listeners relate to the content they’re consuming. Comparing Q1 2022 to the year prior, we’ve seen an approximate 40% increase in average podcast listenership among Gen Zs on Spotify.  

And podcasts in particular have become more than just entertainment for Gen Z. They’ve become a form of content Gen Z can turn to for perspective and understanding as they tackle the increasingly complex issues they’re facing in their lives. Gen Z creators are finding themselves surrounded by a loyal base of fans who are using these podcasts as a form of support. Mental Health, Gen Z’s top podcast genre, experienced a roughly 62% increase in streams among Gen Zs in Q1 2022 compared to the year before.

Keeping it real

To better understand what makes podcasting such an appealing format for Gen Z to process ideas and topics that might be controversial (or even taboo), For the Record sat down with Kayla Suarez, cohost of Teenager Therapy, to hear her insights on the roles that honesty, authenticity, and vulnerability play in building lasting audiences and communities among Gen Z listeners.

One of the defining traits of Gen Z content creators seems to be how interactive they are with their community—much more so than previous generations. In your eyes, what has led to this dynamic?  

I think with Gen Z, there is such a sense of community, especially online. People can just find groups of people, or podcasts, or even brands that have similar interests. With Teenager Therapy, we’re advocating for mental health and being authentic and vulnerable. And with that comes being honest with our audience and establishing that foundation of trust and honesty. We want to get to know them and then get them to trust us and know that we’re not experts or therapists, but we are going through the same experiences as them. 

I think Gen Z really values that because I think nowadays it’s easy to see if a brand is just doing something just as a facade or if they’re being really honest. And so I think if, you know, a brand or company is just transparent about that, it goes a long way.

We noticed that Teenager Therapy was created with Anchor. Were there any features that attracted you to it, or are there any ways you use it to engage your fans?

Gael was the one who figured that out, but I remember him mentioning that Anchor seemed to be the most efficient way to upload a podcast. It also didn’t cost anything, which was a big factor. And recently, Spotify put an option to ask questions or put polls at the end, which we’ve been using. For example, the last time we were talking about cheating in relationships, we put a question: “Do you consider this to be cheating or not cheating?” It’s just little ways to engage our listeners. 

What is it about podcasting as a format that allows for these conversations to unfold in an honest way? 

Our audience is very open minded, and they’ve built a comfortable space for us to talk about topics that need to be discussed, even if they’re uncomfortable. We always just advocate for being respectful toward each other, regardless of differing viewpoints. I think just acknowledging that not everybody’s going to be correct and encouraging people to have an open mind play a huge role.

I also feel like the fans are very comfortable with this form of media. The hosts are right in your ear, and it feels like you’re just in the conversation with them in a very safe environment. I feel like that really resonates with Gen Z because a lot of us do feel lonely and stressed at times, and we don’t always feel like we can go to certain people for that. 

Going back to the idea of how Gen Z creators build relationships with their communities, do you have any favorite ways of interacting with your listeners?

We use platforms such as Instagram and Discord to ask our listeners questions. And Spotify Live is one of my personal favorite things to use because it brings together our listeners in the same room. It’s a very intimate setting where it feels like I can basically just say anything. And for the most part, it’s a lot of our regular listeners who come on stage to talk about their problems. It’s really nice to be able to put a voice to our listeners’ names, especially if they’ve been there for so long. 

Have there been any episodes or moments from Teenager Therapy that felt particularly impactful? 

One of the more impactful episodes that I remember was when I was about to start college. I was talking about some of the feelings of guilt I was experiencing over leaving home, especially being from a first-generation family. I wasn’t sure how people would react to it because I hadn’t really found a group of people that had really shared that feeling. 

It ended up getting a lot of attention from a lot of people feeling the same way. It felt nice knowing I wasn’t the only one struggling with the transition to college. We even had people giving advice, which was really impactful for me because it was something that I had been struggling with for a long time and still struggle with a little bit. 

Take a deeper dive

While the evolving boundaries between creator and consumer is definitely a theme to keep an eye on when it comes to Gen Z, it’s just one part of the Culture Next 2022 report. 

We’ve also dug up insights and findings on how Gen Zs use audio streaming to help shape their identities, how they’re embracing nostalgia in their own unique way, and how they’re using Spotify to express themselves. And while this report was created with advertisers in mind, we think everyone can learn a few things from these trends.

To get the entire scoop on how this rising generation is transforming culture in real time, be sure to check out the full Culture Next report here.

Five Podcasts for Mental Health Awareness Month From Lemonada Media Founders Stephanie Wittels Wachs and Jessica Cordova Kramer

May 19, 2022

Make Life Suck Less with Lemonada Media playlist art

In recent years, there’s been an increased focus on the importance of addressing and destigmatising mental health publicly; to do so, many people are turning to audio. It’s no surprise: Audio provides space for intimacy, honesty, privacy, and comfort in the stories, reports, and lyrics of others. Some Spotify listeners even see audio as a way to find helpful mental health resources or use their favorite music to feel calmer and more balanced. 

Podcasters, too, see the benefit. For Lemonada Media founders Stephanie Wittels Wachs and Jessica Cordova Kramer, starting a podcast network fit the bill for the stories they needed to get out into the world. 

“Stephanie and I met through a shared tragedy. Both of us lost our beloved little brothers to opioid overdoses two years apart,” Jessica shared with For the Record. “My little brother Stefano passed away in October 2017. Harris Wittels, Stephanie’s little brother, passed away in February 2015, and Steph wrote a book about her experience.” 

The two women were united by a desire to tackle tough topics like mental health, sexual assault, and substance addiction through audio that aims to share an “unfiltered version of the human experience.”

“We realized that the world was really hard . . . just a difficult place to be,” Stephanie shared. “And how can we make it better? How could we have content and community that makes getting out of bed easier in the morning? That makes life suck less for people.” 

The Lemonada founders are just two of the many mental health advocates speaking up on Spotify. This May is Mental Health Awareness Month in the U.S., and we’re spotlighting several impactful individuals through curations on the Play Your Part: Mental Health page, curated by Social Impact Editor Ayo Oti and Black Culture editor Bianca Garwood. It’s also filled with guest curations, including Make Life Suck Less from the founders of Lemonada Media, Your Mental Wellness Toolkit from Jay Shetty, Mental Health Pods with Peloton instructor Kendall Toole (which you can also find on the Fearless hub), and Sun’s Out, Tums Out with Virgie Tovar.

In addition, listeners can find curations focused on trying to thrive, the importance of sleep and rest, using creativity as an outlet, and a special curation on motherhood and mental health. And beyond the Mental Health shelf, Black and Latinx listeners can also find guest curations on the community pages. The Dinner Table (curated by Bianca Garwood) features one from Nosy Neighbors, and PRESENTE (curated by Barbara Gonzalez), features Viv Nunez of Happy to Be Here. 

Read on for more of our conversation with the Lemonada founders. 

Tell us the story of how you two were introduced. 

Jessica: After my brother died, I heard [Stephanie] on a podcast talking about loss. And as only an extremely type A, lightly traumatized mom and big sister could do, I saved this episode of Terrible, Thanks for Asking for my birthday. If you’ve ever experienced a loss, any milestone days are just brutal. Shortly after and sometimes forever after. So on a cold winter’s day in Minnesota, I popped my earbuds in, went for a walk, and listened to Stephanie and her mother talking about Harris and their loss. I could feel my face smiling for the first time in months. At the time, I was an executive producer at Crooked Media. So under the guise of that role, I reached out to Stephanie and said, “Talk to me.” 

Stephanie: We got on the phone, and I think we talked for over an hour. It was a cosmic thing. When you have a shared trauma with somebody, you can bond pretty quickly. And at the very end of the conversation, she was like, “Would you ever want to do a show about the opioid crisis?” And I was like, “Thanks. I’m good. I’m all set.” Four months later, I was scrolling Twitter and saw something about how opioids are killing more people now than car accidents. And I picked up my phone, emailed Jess. I think it was one sentence: “The world is terrible, I want to fix it, let’s do this.” And here we are. 

What show did you start with, and what was the initial response? 

Jessica: Last Day is our flagship series. It tells our origin story. It really is a show about harm reduction in the spirit of The Wire meets Teen Mom, which is how we positioned it from the outset. Though Teen Mom is a reality show by MTV, it had an impact on the conversation around teen pregnancy over the course of its initial run. And we wanted to have that impact around overdose deaths. 

Stephanie: When we started pitching out Last Day, we got feedback that it was really niche. That there’s only a small amount of people that are going to listen to this. We were like, “Oh, no, no, no, this is affecting everybody. They’re not talking about it, but it’s definitely affecting everybody.” 

It’s clear that things were truly affecting people, because you quickly went from one podcast to an entire network. What was it like to take that leap?

Jessica: Making Last Day just clarified for us that this was our particular “barrel of lemons.” There was a space in audio for content that would be healing at a really big level. It was like, let’s do this ourselves, and if we do one show, we can do multiple shows. When the worst thing has happened to you—when you’ve lost your person—it’s certainly not worse to have a failed company or a podcast no one listens to. 

There was a real white space in audio at the time for content that was outside of politics and more about the human experience. So we launched with three shows: Last Day, quickly followed with As Me with Sinéad, and then Good Kids. The shows really were successful from the start, which emboldened us to keep going. 

Why do you think audio makes for such a compelling medium for tough topics like mental health, loss, and grief?

Stephanie: Audio is right into your brain. We like podcasting as our primary medium at Lemonada because we can get something up quickly and we can read the room. We see what’s going on in the world and we want to be able to respond to it fairly immediately. And audio is one of the best ways to do that. But on top of that, it’s so intimate—it’s the way I found Stephanie in the first place. You pop those earbuds in or put those headphones on and you’re walking around and that person is with you.

Leveraging the Power of Our Platform to Support Ukrainian Refugees

April 28, 2022

Over the past two months, unprovoked attacks have continued across Ukraine. The subsequent devastation has affected millions of individuals who have fled their homes in search of safety for themselves and their families. Throughout this time, the global community has sought ways to aid Ukrainian refugees and help them find necessary safety, shelter, resources, and peace. 

Spotify aims to use the power of our platform to further assist in this endeavor. We also know that those in our worldwide network of artists, podcasters, and listeners have been looking for ways to help those affected by war, as have our employees. So, we have taken part in several initiatives to start lending a hand, and we aim to continue this vital work as long as the crisis persists.  

Working with UNICEF

Starting today, Spotify and UNICEF are embarking on a multiyear partnership that will explore innovative ways to use digital media and the power of music and audio to support the mental health and well-being of children, young people, and their caregivers, including those affected by war. 

Together, we’ll also explore ways in which these innovative approaches can alleviate the mental health distress of Ukrainian children and refugees and promote their psychosocial well-being in the long term. Over the course of our collaboration, we will also provide financial support to UNICEF as their partner in this vital work. 

Tech for Refugees

Earlier today, we announced our participation in a new initiative called Tech for Refugees. As a part of this initiative, Spotify Premium will be offered to Ukrainian refugees displaced by the war at no cost. We believe that our platform plays a critical role in providing our users around the world with trusted news and in the beginning of the crisis launched The Source for News and Info on the Spotify platform to do just that. 

We also know how connected music is to memory, healing, and hope. Through Spotify Premium, we can help ensure that Ukrainians have access to both vital information and the music that soothes them wherever they are throughout this time.

It is an understatement to say that we hope this war comes to an end very soon and that peace is restored to Ukraine and the millions of refugees. Until then, we will continue to work with our partners, and on behalf of our employees, creators, and listeners, to use the power of our platform to aid and assist Ukrainians in the many ways we can.

The Self-Care and Wellness Listening Trends on Spotify That We’re Taking Into 2022

January 12, 2022

For some, 2022 brings new mental and physical wellness goals, while others are continuing to hone the mood-boosting skills they learned in 2021. No matter how listeners choose to kick off this season of self-care, we know one thing for certain: their favorite audio is along for the journey. To launch a new year of listening, we took a look at the songs, artists, and creators on Spotify that have helped power listeners’ mental and physical wellbeing. 

One standout finding is that listeners around the world have created more than 97.1 million workout and fitness playlists on Spotify to date. To help bring this trend into 2022, Spotify is working with fitness and wellness experts Amanda Kloots, Liv Lo Golding, Mia Lind, Demi Bagby, Jeanette Jenkins, Corey Calliet, Katie Austin, and Joie Chavis to take over the Spotify At Home hub with fresh curated playlists to sweat, dance, and unwind to.

Each tracklist is geared toward a specific vibe, with a mix of new hits and classic beats. For Katie Austin—fitness personality, model, and host of podcast Austin AF—curating Katie Austin’s Hype HIITs Playlist is all about celebrating favorites. And celebrity trainer and actor Corey Calliet takes a similar approach to Corey Calliet’s HIIT Playlist, finding inspiration in tried-and-true tunes. “In curating this playlist I had to throw in some of my favorite songs I grew up listening to—they always get my energy up,” said Corey. “This is my soundtrack for 2022. No matter the vibe, I’m showing up and not slowing up!”

Here are the other trends helping get listeners’ energy up on Spotify.

Main character moments galore

Listeners are also continuing to exercise their self-confidence, creating playlists dedicated to wellness inside and out. That includes more than 160,000 “that girl” playlists to date created by users on Spotify around the trending aesthetic of sticking with routines and getting things done. Some of the most popular songs added to those playlists include “Good Days” by SZA, “telepatía” by Kali Uchis, “Woman” by Doja Cat, “successful” by Ariana Grande, and “jealousy, jealousy” by Olivia Rodrigo.

Creator Demi Bagby joins the empowerment movement with Demi Bagby’s Vibes Playlist, a playlist that celebrates her love of music and the songs that fuel her. “I chose these songs because no matter where you’re from or what genre you like to listen to, these are all bound to put you in a good mood,” she shared. “I feel so free with all these songs, and it’s definitely ‘main character vibes.’ They feed my soul!”

2021 also welcomed the “hot girl walk” trend and inspired the creation of more than 7,000 playlists on Spotify to date. Walkers around the world took their strolls to the next level by using their time on the trails to self-reflect and set goals. Popular soundtracks to their steps include “Maneater” by Nelly Furtado; “Gimme More” by Britney Spears; “WAP (feat Megan Thee Stallion)” by Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion; “Truth Hurts” by Lizzo; and “good 4 u” by Olivia Rodrigo.

To take the trend a step further, we partnered with the founder herself, Mia Lind, to create Mia Lind’s Hot Girl Walk Playlist, a playlist with the best “hot girl walk” tracks to stream while hitting the pavement. “I curated this playlist to be a combination of songs that make me feel confident and pump me up no matter the time of day,” Mia told For the Record. “They are all upbeat to keep you at a good pace, and there are plenty of them so you never hear the same song twice!”

Hip-hop is a heavy hitter (and lifter)

For some Spotify fans, it wouldn’t be a new year without a new workout. And based on the data, we would guess hip-hop will remain a top choice for workout tunes in 2022. After all, in 2021, the genre reigned supreme when it came to fitness playlists. Some of the top tracks added to user-generated workout and fitness playlists to date include “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton; “Numb / Encore” by JAY-Z and Linkin Park; “HUMBLE” by Kendrick Lamar; “Stronger” by Kanye West; and “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor.

Many workout regimens also feature “leg day”—and Spotify has the user-generated playlists to prove it. Top tracks include: “Anaconda” by Nicki Minaj; “WAP (feat Megan Thee Stallion)” by Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion; “Miss New Booty” by Bubba Sparxxx, Mr. Collipark, Ying Yang Twins; “Get Low” by Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz, Ying Yang Twins; and “Booty” by Jennifer Lopez, Iggy Azalea—which all are all helping to get glutes in gear.

To keep flexing in 2022, fitness and dance personality Joie Chavis brings the same energy to Joie Chavis’ Stronger You Playlist. “I always work out first thing in the a.m., so an upbeat playlist with my favorite music is a great way to wake myself up and start the day,” she explained.

Many minds are on mindfulness

Mindfulness, an important theme from 2021 is still important to listeners in the new year. Last year for World Mental Health Day, Spotify encouraged both listeners and employees to “take a beat” and “tune into yourself” with playlists in the Spotify At Home hub from mental health advocates Chelsea Cutler and WE THE URBAN.

And the data shows that Spotify users are doing just that—creating more than 402,000 self-care, mindfulness, and health and wellness-related playlists to date. Topping those tracklists are “Confident” by Demi Lovato, “Scars To Your Beautiful” by Alessia Cara, “Who Says” by Selena Gomez & The Scene, “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga, and “Rise Up” by Andra Day.

Podcasts are also inspiring new confidence and self-acceptance. The most popular shows worldwide to date are Unlocking Us with Brené Brown, The Mindset Mentor, On Purpose with Jay Shetty, The Self Love Fix, and Radio Headspace.

And trainer Jeanette Jenkins’s tracklist Jeanette Jenkins’ Stretch. Yoga. Playlist supports listeners as they stretch physically and mentally. “For the first 60 minutes of this playlist, I picked some of my favorite R&B, soul, and reggae songs with positive, uplifting lyrics and vibes that will put you in a great mood,” Jeanette explained. “The second half of this playlist is a compilation of some of my favorite instrumental Buddhattitude songs, which can help you release your mind and just be present in your body during your movement practice or meditation. It has the perfect ending—ocean waves and nature sounds—for a final kiss to your spirit and soul.”

Whether this year is all about building physical or mental strength or sticking with self-care, check out the Spotify At Home hub for mood-boosting mindfulness, fitness, and wellness playlists.

Spotify Encourages Everyone To ‘Take A Beat’ on World Mental Health Day and Every Day

October 7, 2021

In recent years, more and more people have been raising the volume on the need to have open, honest discussions around mental health. Artists, athletes, and creators of all types are coming forward with their stories in an effort to encourage others to do the same and to get the help they need. And while there is still a long way to go in destigmatizing the topic, Spotify is proud to use our platform to be a part of the conversation. 

In 2018, we started our Heart & Soul mental health initiative that aims to raise awareness, build knowledge, enable self-care and professional support, and normalize the conversation to reduce stigma. During these last years, we’ve educated our employees on what mental health and mental illness are and provided different resources, since mental health is unique to all of us. With our mental health strategy, we aim to create a stigma-free environment where we look after ourselves and each other and where it’s ok to not be ok. We have worked to make mental health conversations and resources available to our employees, as well as to all who come to Spotify looking for the moments of calm, inspiration, and healing that music and podcasts can provide. 

So as we gear up for World Mental Health Day this Sunday, we’re encouraging both our listeners and our employees to “take a beat”, and “tune in to yourself” in an effort to address mental health—not just today, but every day. 

Tools for our listeners

This World Mental Health Day, we’re bringing back our curated Wellness hub, and it’s better than ever. With this updated hub, listeners can better access mental health resources, connect with themselves, and prioritize their well-being. Starting today, the hub will pop up when users open the mobile app and encourage them to “take a beat” and listen to themselves with a selection of uplifting, insightful, and calming podcasts and playlists.

Listeners will also find special playlists and video content from mental health advocates like Chelsea Cutler and Lyn Lapid. Plus, tune in for WE THE URBAN’s Fall Healing Season and MD Motivator’s Heal & Nourish. Both playlists are filled with the tracks that help creators ground and center themselves and their mental well-being.  Additionally, we have an array of Spotify Creators who are involved in our World Mental Health Day campaign who are sharing original videos on how they are taking a beat and turning inwards. Creators include Cole Cuchna from Dissect, Mark Hugo from Teenager Therapy, Sarah Turney from Disappearances, Kevin O’Connor from The Mismatch, Yasi Salek from Bandsplain, Nia Sioux from Adulting with Teala & Nia, and Garrett Clayton and Blake Knight from A Gay in the Life.

Resources for our employees

This World Mental Health Day we are also encouraging our employees to refocus their attention on themselves, support and be supported by colleagues, and take a much-needed deep breath. During this day we direct our everyday attention to mental health. Every day, we strive to create a safe environment where employees can speak openly about their mental health and foster a culture where we take care of ourselves and each other. We aim to make Spotify a place where employees can be themselves and where they feel they belong no matter what they’re going through. 

For World Mental Health Day in particular, we’ll be hosting virtual talks, workshops, and panels related to our employees’ mental well-being. Individuals will be able to learn new skills, deepen existing self-care practices, and open up in important conversations. We’ll also continue to lean into our Heart & Soul local peer-to-peer ambassador program that enables employees to educate and support each other and reduce the stigma around mental health.

Finding some healing

When it comes to individuals who are speaking up about mental health, WE THE URBAN stands out. The online publication updates frequently with soothing pictures, quotes, and mantras to help followers find a moment of solace in their day—and hopefully capture some skills they can use to address their mental health going forward. For the Record asked Editor-in-Chief Willie Greene about listening to oneself—and about the FALL HEALING SESSION playlist he created.

Your Instagram is filled with self-worth reminders and moments of peaceful pause. How can daily affirmations help an individual get in touch with their emotional state and needs?

The average person in the United States spends more than 1,300 hours on social media a year. If you add that up, that is literally 52 consecutive days of ingesting media—the mundane parts of other people’s lives, news, other people’s thoughts, and everything in between into our subconscious. What we’re taking in each day has real-life consequences on our mental health. Being mindful of this is so important. 

That’s why I created a space on the internet like WE THE URBAN—sort of as an antidote to the onslaught of media that makes us feel bad. Our daily affirmations are shared and viewed up to 12 million times a week, and when I look through the messages we receive from our audience, I see firsthand how taking in positive daily affirmations has improved lives in a very real way. Following content that is supportive and makes you feel better about yourself can only help your emotional state.

Spotify is telling listeners to “take a beat” and “tune into themselves” during World Mental Health Day this year. Why is it important to listen to ourselves even when we might feel lost or as though we don’t personally have the answers?

Intuition is the greatest gift. So is the ability of being present. In my own mental health journey, things only began to improve when I decided to face the symptoms I was experiencing head-on. Having the courage to recognize what I was feeling informed me on how to get the help that I needed. It’s uncomfortable to sit in feelings that are confusing or painful, or to acknowledge that you might be depressed or having some serious mental health battle, but leaning into them, interrogating it, and feeling it out is how we heal. 

A lot of the times when we experience heartbreaks or grieving, it’s easy to dissociate and spiral in thought. Through therapy, I learned that mindfulness and being present was the thing that was going to save me. The cliches really work: meditating, journaling, practicing mindfulness, and gratitude. 

How do you approach collective versus personal struggles, especially as they can impact mental health?

When I think of collective struggles, I think of the issues marginalized communities deal with on a daily basis. I live at the intersection of so many different systematically oppressed identities. I’m Black, queer, and non-binary. When you put it all together, the struggles these communities face take a toll on our mental health. It’s not for everyone, and I definitely have to be careful about how much I do it (for the sake of my own mental health), but my approach to dealing with it is utilizing my platform to bring awareness. There is something to be said about the performance of activism a lot of people do on the internet, but the reality is that change begins with awareness. 

Funny enough, I’ve crafted a career where I can do this for my personal struggles as well. Therapy has been a lifesaver and so has the ability to process what I’m going through and sharing those little nuggets of wisdom with millions of people who can relate. 

What are some of your favorite mood-boosting tools?

Definitely the things I mentioned before. Therapy, journaling, exercise, and mindfulness about what I’m ingesting (on social media, what I eat, etc.) all help me so much. I’d say one of my most effective mood-boosting tools is music. The power sound has to transform how we’re feeling blows my mind, and I’m constantly curating playlists and searching for music to help with what I’m going through.

Tell us about some of the songs on your FALL HEALING SESSION playlist. What approach did you take in crafting this playlist?

It’s a vibe! When I was crafting this, I was thinking about the ups and the downs of our lifelong healing journeys. Every single song is a song that has aided me personally. Sometimes you feel energized and hopeful, other times you find yourself randomly crying about that thing you thought you got over a long time ago. I wanted to honor every kind of feeling with these song selections. 

What songs or artists might listeners be surprised to see on there?

The playlist is very R&B inspired, so some people may be surprised to see “Creep” by Radiohead or “Pretty Girls” by Little Dragon. “Summer Soft” by Stevie Wonder is one of the most beautifully written songs and is so perfect for October. I’m a lover of all genres, and I hope the mix can be of service to each listener. 

‘Tune into yourself’ with WE THE URBAN’S World Mental Health Day playlist.

Headspace’s Mindfulness and Meditation Teacher Dora Kamau Shares Tips and Tactics to Fight the Sunday Scaries

August 23, 2021

Now more than ever before, it’s become critical that we address and support our mental health. It’s not always easy to practice self-care, but doing so can have a major positive impact on our well-being. And right now, one particularly challenging area for many young professionals is work. Workplace anxiety around starting a new work week has become so common that there’s a term for it: “Sunday scaries.”

This has not gone unnoticed by mental health professionals or mindfulness experts—and they want to help. After seeing the popularity and positive impact of their “Sunday scaries” content on social media, Headspace Studios, a global leader in mindfulness and meditation and longtime Spotify partner, has teamed up with us to produce a new microcast, or mini-podcast, called Sunday Scaries by Headspace. It’s hosted by Headspace’s popular Mindfulness and Meditation Teacher Dora Kamau.

“‘Sunday Scaries’ is an all-too-typical feeling,” Dora explained to For the Record. “Especially for those working from home, work life has crept more and more into home life over the last year, which makes [Sunday] that much scarier.”

Starting August 29, Dora will share her knowledge as a registered psychiatric nurse and self-care and wellness artist to help listeners reframe their anxiety and approach the week with a positive outlook. The seven- to nine-minute episodes will also include breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques and tactics. Sunday Scaries by Headspace fans can expect 12 mini-episodes total, released weekly exclusively on Spotify.

For the Record caught up with Dora to learn more about the show, understand the benefits of meditation, and address anxiety.

How can meditation help listeners understand and manage anxiety? What are the benefits of doing so?

Anxiety is an experience that can have a severe impact on our well-being, especially when it’s not understood and is left unaddressed. When we can learn to understand anxiety and familiarize ourselves with its cause and the certain thoughts and emotions that come along with it, we can actually start to change our relationship with anxiety.

Meditation shows us that we aren’t our thoughts and most of our thoughts aren’t real (or as real as they may seem). With enough practice, we can learn to sit with and be at peace with our anxious thoughts and emotions, and even learn to live with anxiety as an everyday part of life instead of treating it like something scary! 

What comes with understanding is empowerment. I think when young people start to understand and address anxiety, it will empower them to take care of their own well-being. This turns into a ripple effect inspiring other young people around them to do the same. 

Can meditation newbies listen to the show? Do you have any advice for people new to or even intimidated by meditation?

Yes, definitely! I think a big misconception with meditation is that we have to be good at it when we first try it, and that’s far from the truth. The practice of meditation is something that we continue to cultivate and strengthen over time, just like a muscle. It’s not that we’re getting rid of every single thought in our mind, but we’re learning how to relate to those thoughts and feelings differently and respond to them in a healthier way. I like to advise people who are new to meditation to start small and stay consistent. So, start practicing for three to five minutes a day until you feel comfortable increasing the time.

And check out the Basics course that we have on the Headspace app! This course is great for beginners and goes over the fundamental practices and principles of meditation.

What is your favorite self-care exercise or tactic Sunday Scaries will share with listeners?

A favourite self-care exercise that I shared with listeners was mindful walking. It’s a practice that is still quite new for me, but something I’m definitely making more time for.

Oftentimes when we walk, we do so on autopilot, and our mind is elsewhere thinking about a million different things. It’s amazing how much something like walking can be turned into a restorative practice, especially when we are fully present with ourselves and our surroundings. With mindful walking, we can try a few things to sync our minds and bodies as we move: observing the body as we walk, noticing what’s going on around us—the cars, people, trees, etc.—listening to sounds close by or farther away, or simply just feeling the soles of our feet touch the ground. 

Burnout is another mental health issue on everyone’s minds. Do you have any tactics you can share for people experiencing burnout?

One of the reasons why I love meditation is the way it invites us to listen to our minds and bodies. Burnout is not just a mind thing and it’s not just a body thing; burnout impacts every aspect of our lives. Even if you’re new to meditation, a simple three minutes of noting your breathing can be beneficial. Why? Because it provides us with the opportunity to pause, reflect, and slow down. Not only that, but we can begin to become aware and understand the different cues of the body that are telling us to slow down as well. 

Another way to address burnout is by identifying your boundaries. Establish terms and standards for the way you show up in the world. Oftentimes, we don’t know our capacities and limitations when it comes to exerting ourselves, and this is what can cause burnout. By setting boundaries surrounding our work-life balance, we can create a more balanced approach to how we work and live our lives. 

Lastly, practicing self-compassion. Practice being kind and gentle with yourself as you navigate this experience. It can be so easy to be hard on ourselves for not being able to do and be more, but that won’t help us feel any better. Befriend your burnout, as silly as that sounds; this allows us to approach burnout in a curious and compassionate way. The same way we would check in and ask a friend how they’re doing, we can look at our experience with burnout in the same way. Get to know it and understand it a bit better so you can relate to it with more compassion.

Ready to relax? Connect your Spotify and Headspace accounts, then mark your calendar for the first mini-episode, which premieres Sunday, August 29. And until then, tune into Radio Headspace now: