Tag: miley cyrus

The Top Songs, Artists, Podcasts, and Listening Trends of 2023 Revealed

November 29, 2023

Musically, 2023 was defined by the return of major female pop stars, sonic diversity that topped the charts, and a global music atmosphere that gave rise to powerful genres. On the podcast front, creators are responding to trends in real time, and audiences are turning to podcasts to join larger cultural conversations. As always, our 2023 Spotify Wrapped campaign reflects these trends, and our toplists showcase how over 574 million people around the world listened this year.

Read on to learn more about the top artists, songs, albums, and podcasts of 2023, then take a look at the personalized Wrapped user experience that celebrates your own year in listening.

The top global artists of 2023

Reimagined rereleases, record-breaking world tours, and colorful friendship bracelets—fans everywhere will be thrilled to see Taylor Swift as this year’s top artist, with more than 26.1 billion global streams since January 1. In the 48 hours leading up to this crowning moment, Spotify revealed 21 puzzle pieces with Taylor Swift-themed easter eggs in billboards from Sao Paulo to Jakarta. These clues culminated in a spotlight video that included nods to her universe—featuring everything from cats to her infamous red lips. For a limited time, when you play one of her songs on Spotify, watch as the progress bar changes and sparkles to match the song’s era color.

Taking second place was reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny, who also had a standout year with a new album, nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana. Rounding up the top five were The Weeknd, Drake, and Peso Pluma.

The top global songs of 2023

The top song of the year, Miley Cyrus’s record-breaking “Flowers,” had incredible momentum from the day of its debut through the summer months and now counts more than 1.6 billion streams globally. In the second and third spots are “Kill Bill” by SZA and “As It Was” by Harry Styles. The fourth and fifth spots come from Jung Kook with “Seven (feat. Latto),” and Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma with “Ella Baila Sola.”

The top global albums of 2023

Listeners looked to the past in choosing which albums to play, as several of this year’s top-five albums were released prior to 2023. The most-streamed album of the year for the second year in a row was Un Verano Sin Ti by Bad Bunny, with more than 4.5 billion streams globally, followed by Taylor Swift’s album Midnights. SZA takes the third spot with SOS. And in the fourth and fifth spots are Starboy by The Weeknd and MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO by KAROL G.

The top global podcasts of 2023

Spotify is the most-used audio podcast platform in many key markets around the world and is also the number-one podcast publisher in the U.S., according to the most recent Edison Research data. And for the fourth time in a row, The Joe Rogan Experience takes the honor of top podcast of the year globally. In second place for the second year is Call Her Daddy, and in third, Huberman Lab, followed by anything goes with emma chamberlain and On Purpose with Jay Shetty. Eight of the top 25 podcasts on the global top lists are Spotify Owned & Licensed podcasts, and nine of the top 25 podcasts in the U.S. are as well.

Throughout the year, these podcasts, as well as many others, spotlighted top moments in pop culture, from music to movies to technology.

The spring and summer were full of girl- and women-powered media. The combinations of Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour, Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour, and the success of the Barbie movie led to cultural conversations across many genres of podcasts about both economics and entertainment.
Throughout the year, the world was fascinated, frustrated, and sometimes frightened by the rise in AI. Podcasts offered a critical and nuanced take on the rising tech trend.

Catch the full year in podcast trends here.

The global trends that shaped our year

These most-streamed artists, songs, albums, and podcasts weren’t the only guideposts to 2023. Pop culture trends also fueled listening, from themed playlists to song spikes.

This year, Eurovision made a huge impact, as “Tattoo” by winner Loreen and “Cha Cha Cha” by runner-up Käärijä both reached the top 10 global daily chart the day after the final.
Gen Z continues to embrace the genreless/genre-hybrid trend, refusing to be defined by only one genre, and instead moving seamlessly between sounds. They also embrace moods, looking for playlists and songs that best describe the mood or moment they’re in.
This year also marked a significant surge in Colombian enthusiasm for Mexican music. Colombia emerged as the fifth-largest consumer of Mexican music in 2023, showcasing an 85% increase in its consumption over the year.
The consumption of Indian classical instrumental music continues to grow on Spotify in India and around the world. In the last 24 months, India’s classical music consumption grew by close to 500% on Spotify. Over 45% of Indian classical music listeners on Spotify are under the age of 25.
Afrobeats is one of the fastest-growing genres on Spotify, growing by 550% since 2017 with new audiences emerging in Mexico and India. In 2023, Rema’s “Calm Down” became the first Afrobeats artist-led track to hit a billion streams on Spotify.
Mandopop, with top artists like Jay Chou, JJ Lin, and Eason Chan, has received more than 500 million monthly streams globally, seeing an almost 45% increase in the past year.

Read on for a few notable trends that spiked throughout the year.

February

The Big Game and Valentine’s Day prompted huge increases in listening around moments that fans couldn’t help but love.

March

Television finales and springtime vibes made way for character playlists and dreamy, twangy tracks.

May

A new sports craze and the return of a beloved children’s movie resulted in two large spikes.

July

Cherry-red tomatoes and hot-pink playlists colored a summer full of girl power.

October

Memes powered by social media played a pivotal role throughout the year in creating buzz and playlists, and this October was no different.

All year long:

Spotify 2023 Wrapped Global Top Lists

Most-Streamed Artists Globally

Most-Streamed Songs Globally

“Flowers” by Miley Cyrus
“Kill Bill” by SZA
“As It Was” by Harry Styles
“Seven (feat. Latto)” by Jung Kook
“Ella Baila Sola” by Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma
“Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift
“Creepin’ (with The Weeknd & 21 Savage)” by Metro Boomin, The Weeknd, 21 Savage
“Calm Down (with Selena Gomez)” by Rema, Selena Gomez
“Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” by Bizarrap, Shakira
“Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift

Most-Streamed Albums Globally

Un Verano Sin Ti by Bad Bunny
Midnights by Taylor Swift
SOS by SZA
Starboy by The Weeknd
MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO by KAROL G
One Thing At A Time by Morgan Wallen
Lover by Taylor Swift
HEROES & VILLAINS by Metro Boomin
GÉNESIS by Peso Pluma
Harry’s House by Harry Styles

Top Podcasts Globally

Spotify 2023 Wrapped U.S. Top Lists

U.S. Most-Streamed Artists

U.S. Most-Streamed Songs

“Last Night” by Morgan Wallen
“Kill Bill” by SZA
“Flowers” by Miley Cyrus
“Ella Baila Sola” by Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma
“Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” by PinkPantheress, Ice Spice
“Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift
“Something in the Orange” by Zach Bryan
“You Proof” by Morgan Wallen
“Creepin’ (with The Weeknd & 21 Savage)” by Metro Boomin, The Weeknd, 21 Savage
“Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift

U.S. Most-Streamed Albums

One Thing At A Time by Morgan Wallen
SOS by SZA
Midnights by Taylor Swift
HEROES & VILLAINS by Metro Boomin
Dangerous: The Double Album by Morgan Wallen
Lover by Taylor Swift
Un Verano Sin Ti by Bad Bunny
folklore by Taylor Swift
GÉNESIS by Peso Pluma
Starboy by The Weeknd

Top Podcasts in the U.S.

Spotify Reports Second Quarter 2023 Earnings

July 25, 2023

Today, Spotify announced our second quarter 2023 financial performance.

Spotify had a very strong quarter. We beat guidance and welcomed more users and subscribers than expected, with growth continuing to come from markets all over the world.

As we previewed on the Q1 earnings call, we expected to incur charges in the second quarter related to our ongoing efforts to become a more efficient and stronger business. These were excluded from the Q2 guidance we provided last quarter.

Monthly Active Users surged 27% to 551 million. Net additions of 36 million were 21 million ahead of guidance and represent an all-time high for the company.
Subscribers grew 17% Y/Y to 220 million. Net additions of 10 million were 3 million ahead of guidance and represent the highest Q2 in company history.
Total Revenue grew 11% Y/Y to €3.2 billion, in-line with guidance.
Adjusted Gross Margin** finished in-line with guidance at 25.5% excluding charges related to our actions in the quarter to streamline operations and reduce costs.
Adjusted Operating Loss** of (€112) million was better than guidance, excluding charges related to our actions in the quarter to streamline operations and reduce costs.

Take a look at additional highlights below:

Interested in hearing more? Click here to review the full earnings release and listen to the webcast Q&A on our Investor Relations site here. And click below to check out a sizzle reel of audio trailers from a few of our recent original and exclusive podcasts.

**Adjusted Gross Margin and Adjusted Operating Loss are non-IFRS measures. See Reconciliation of IFRS to Non-IFRS Results below for additional information.

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.

How Spotify Blend Creates a Connection Between Fans, Friends, and Artists

May 24, 2023

Whether you’re an artist, a listener, or a bit of both, there’s one thing that has been true since time immemorial: Music should be shared. If you’re grabbing the AUX on a car trip with friends or making a playlist for that special someone, there’s just a certain connection that comes with sharing in the genres and songs that have personal meaning to you.

That’s why in 2021, Spotify took that connection to the next level with Blend, our shared new social listening experience that combines the different tastes of friends and family, as well as fans and artists, into one. With Blend, you can create a personalized playlist that balances what you and your friends like to listen to, merging those music tastes to create something everyone can enjoy.

“Sharing music is a really vulnerable thing—but it also brings you closer together,” says Gianna Pisano, a product marketing manager at Spotify. “Those moments when you realize you and your friends have been listening to Stick Season by Noah Kahan on repeat, or have played boygenius’s new record for five days straight—Blend surfaces all of those insights, puts them together, and does all the work to make a playlist for you and your crew, updated daily. All you have to do is listen and explore.”

Connection in Collaboration

The creation of Blend came about via personalized features that were already in use on a smaller scale.

“Our personalization team was already working on a similar feature that we were excited about,” says Ian VanNest, a senior product designer. “Initially we had used it to connect mixes for listeners on Duo or Family accounts and that ended up being an instant hit. Eventually we decided that extending that functionality to everyone was the way to go.”

At launch, Blend allowed two users at a time to combine musical tastes. But the personalization team realized that more people would make for a merrier experience. So in March 2022, we expanded the number of people who can combine to 10, creating an even more powerful, collaborative tool that allowed even more people to feel connected to one another through their shared love for music.

“Increasing the amount of listeners to make use of Blend was a natural next step,” says Maia Ezratty, an engineer who works on personalization at Spotify. “We don’t only connect over music with one person at a time. We listen to music with our families, go to concerts with our friends, and stream music at the office. I love creating a Blend with a group of friends when we’re together—right away, we have something that represents all of our music tastes that we can play while we hang out. And it’s a conversation starter!”

Beyond that, Blend has offered groups of listeners an opportunity to enjoy the music they have in common and celebrate the differences in musical taste on a granular level.

“Blend has a lot of perks to it, but by far the two best parts of creating a Blend with your friends are finding the artists you have in common and discovering artists that you didn’t know about,” says Ward Ronan, Spotify senior data scientist. “Music has always been a powerful way to bring people together, and Blend not only acknowledges that relationship, but actively helps it grow.

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Getting Closer to the Artists We Love

After fans responded enthusiastically to being able to Blend with groups, the personalization team started to think about how to evolve the playlist further. And in an age where it’s easier than ever for fans to connect with celebrities on a more personal level, the team found inspiration for their next innovation. The result was Blend’s new ability to let fans create a deeper bond with artists by combining their tastes.

“We wanted to harness the power of Blend to create a bit of that same sense of connection between celebrities and fans,” explains Maia. “Music taste is so personal, and Blending with our favorite celebrities makes us feel like we’re getting to know them better by giving us a little window into theirs.”

In a few quick steps, fans can now Blend with artists like BTS to discover the songs that get the K-pop group dancing when they’re not onstage, find out which tracks they have in common with Megan Thee Stallion, and—most recently—see how much their overall taste aligns with that of Miley Cyrus. Find a full list of all available Blends here.

Blend has been incredibly popular with fans since it debuted in 2021. Recently, it’s grown significantly in popularity, and since June 2022, the number of Blends with artists has more than doubled. Of the artists fans can Blend with currently, BTS, Post Malone, BLACKPINK, Lizzo, and Stray Kids are the most popular as of May 2023.

Music has always been one of the most powerful ways for artists to share their lives and experiences, and for listeners to connect with one another and feel understood. And through Blend, fans have a magical way to connect with friends, loved ones, and even total strangers, in a shared moment of enjoyment.

Want to compare your favorite anthems with Miley Cyrus’s? Click below and let Blend do the rest.

https://spotify.link/MileyBlend

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.

Miley Cyrus’s “Flowers” Makes Spotify History as It Reaches 1 Billion Streams

May 5, 2023

It’s official: Miley Cyrus’s hit song “Flowers” danced itself into the record books yet again, reaching one billion streams faster than any other song in Spotify history.

Following the single’s release on January 12, it only took 112 days for “Flowers” to join the Billions Club, marking the second time one of Miley’s songs has eclipsed one billion streams—the first being “Party In The U.S.A.”

Adding to Miley’s list of accolades, “Flowers” also holds the record for the most-streamed song in a single week.

“Flowers” joins an elite group of songs across artists and genres in our Billions Club, including Bizarrap’s “Quevedo: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 52,” Rihanna’s “Diamonds,” Doja Cat’s “Need to Know,” The Fray’s “How to Save A Life,” and Bruno Mars’s “Talking to the Moon.” But after hitting the one billion mark in record fashion, “Flowers” is truly in a league of its own.

Stream Miley’s record-setting song and more of this year’s biggest anthems on our flagship playlist Today’s Top Hits.

Black Mirror’s Ashley O is on Spotify—and Her Streams Have Surpassed Fiction

July 30, 2019

The semi-futuristic world of Black Mirror spins stories of revolting robots, carbon copies in alternative digital realities, and even app-rating systems gone awry—thanks to the darker tendencies of human nature. It all seems fairly far off; that is, until the characters from the Emmy award-winning series cross over into our world. Or at least onto our streaming platforms.

In the third episode of the fifth season, “Rachel, Jack, and Ashley Too,” actress and singer-songwriter Miley Cyrus stars as beloved motivational pop artist Ashley O. Yet Ashley’s life isn’t quite as it seems—and everything comes crumbling down around the same time an AI created in her likeness, Ashley Too, is released for her adoring fans.

Fans of the show from our world clamored to watch the episode, which debuted along with the rest of the fifth season on Netflix June 5. By June 12, in an entirely Black Mirror-like move, the fictional pop star had a verified artist profile on Spotify—and plenty of real-life streams to match. Within a day of her Spotify presence, Ashley O had over 970,000 streams. By the end of June, the fictional artist was racking up over a million streams per day. And to date, the Ashley O profile has 9.2 million monthly listeners.

The two songs from the episode that are featured on Ashley O’s Spotify profile, “On a Roll” and “Right Where I Belong,” have each been played into the millions—and tens of millions for “On a Roll,” which saw over 1.68 million streams on July 5 alone. (The streams came mostly from U.S. users, though listeners from the U.K., where the series originated, were the second highest.)

Though the songs are poppy enough to believe Ashley O dreamt them up herself, both “On a Roll” and “Right Where I Belong” are actually takes on “Head Like a Hole” and “Right Where It Belongs,” by the American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails. The band happily gave permission for their songs—which have a much darker, aggressive tone than the Ashley O versions—to be reworked into an upbeat pop style, lyrics and all.

Yet even hidden under the “popified” shine and positivity of Ashley O, fans of the episode were able to identify Nine Inch Nails’ tracks, and the band saw a subsequent bump in their listening as well. Streaming of “Head Like a Hole” shot up 398% from the week before the show debuted to its peak on June 19 and maintained high numbers of streaming over the July 4 weekend. “Right Where It Belongs” increased 278% from the week prior to its peak on June 17.

Miley Cyrus herself also saw a slight peak in streaming over the July 4 weekend—though nothing like when her new EP came out May 31. That, however, could have been due to celebratory streams of the Fourth of July classic “Party in the USA.”

Miley’s been known for other alter egos—namely Hannah Montana—and she’s used to sharing her fans across both profiles. The same proved true for fans of the artist-actress in her newest Black Mirror iteration: Of the 13 million-plus users who streamed at least one Ashley O song since they were released, 68% also streamed a Miley Cyrus track at some point in the same time period.

But at least no one’s making an AI of Miley anytime soon. That we know of, at least.

Jonas Brothers: From Teen Pop to the Top 40 Charts

July 8, 2019

Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Spotify

Jonas Brothers are having a busy 2019. First Joe, Kevin, and Nick’s surprise comeback single “Sucker” debuted at No. 1 in March, and then the group’s fourth album, Happiness Begins arrived in June to rave reviews and monster streaming numbers—tracks from the album have been streamed over 476 million times to date.

The JoBros, as their devoted fans have referred to them since the 2000s, came into the spotlight via Disney, starring in the 2008 flick Camp Rock alongside Demi Lovato before getting cast on reality and scripted television shows on the studio’s cable channel. As they matured, so did their sound. Their 2009 album, Lines, Vines, and Trying Times, which recently turned 10, shows how their expansive, hook-stuffed vision of pop helped them jump from teen idols to grown-up pop stars.

Nick, the youngest, was an omnivorous consumer of pop early on. In 2008, Rolling Stone set up an interview between him and his idol—sardonic Brit Elvis Costello. Over time, he started listening to a lot of funk-pop titan Prince (a fact that became obvious shortly after the release of Lines, when his side project, Nick Jonas and the Administration, was filled out by members of Prince’s former backing band New Power Generation) and soul king Stevie Wonder, as well as country outlaw Johnny Cash and legendary troubadour Neil Diamond. That background is pretty classic-record-collection and, as he noted, it was also ever expanding: “Music, for me, comes in seasons,” he told Rolling Stone in 2009. “I’ll listen to one artist, then move on to the next one and try to learn as much as I can. I enjoy being inspired by other artists, taking what they’ve done and trying to do something with it.”

That idea of constant expansion is, indeed, audible on Lines. The trio’s pop sophistication was apparent on earlier Jonas singles like the taut “Burnin’ Up” and the crackling “S.O.S.” But while Lines has a pop core, it also makes forays into country (with an assist from the JoBros’ former tourmate Miley Cyrus) and hip-hop (on a collab with hip-hop sage Common)—and it expands the group’s sonic world from the first song, “World War III,” which uses big horns to amp up the tension described in its lyrics.

“Paranoid,” the first single from the album, shows how adeptly Nick, Kevin, and Joe absorbed the lessons handed to them by the youngest’s record collection. Its tightly wound descriptions of freaking out, backed by a mid-tempo rumble on the verses, explode on the chorus, with Nick offering a vocal performance that feels more like it came from decades of lived experience than a 16-year-old kid from New Jersey. “Much Better” recalls the glittery soul-tinged pop of the ‘80s, its crystal synths and brisk horns serving as a cushion for Joe’s wound-licking lyrics.

The grungy guitars of “Poison Ivy” lead to a chorus that reminds listeners of the snappiest moments of early Weezer, while “Don’t Speak” has a grandiosity that brings to mind the bigger moments of U2 and Coldplay. “Black Keys,” meanwhile, is a piano-led ballad where Nick shows off the falsetto that would catapult him back into the charts in the mid-2010s with songs like “Jealous,” in which he sings of a girl on the edge. “It’s the first song I ever wrote on the black keys of the piano,” Nick told Rolling Stone in 2009. “I thought it was a cool metaphor for how sometimes in life it’s better to keep things black and white instead of screwing things up with color.” Another ballad, “Turn Right,” is the stripped-down B-side to the Cyrus collaboration “Before the Storm,” using bare-bones fingerpicking, a weepy slide guitar, and Nick’s velvet-lined voice to create a space of comfort.

Lots of artists in pop borrow ideas from their inspirations and peers, but transforming them into something cohesive and original is a tough task. The Jonas Brothers accomplished that on Lines, using their fundamental familial connection and expanding curiosity to make an album that’s ambitious and fun.

“This album is taking steps,” Nick Jonas said in a 2009 teleconference. “We’re trying to learn as much as we can, continuing to grow.” While they’ve had their own trying times in the years since then, their return to pop has been so successful because they’ve sustained their hunger to keep growing.

Take a listen to the album that set up the Jonas Brothers’ graduation from teen sensations to grown pop stars.

Stream the Songs That Motivate TIME’s Most Influential People of 2019

April 17, 2019

Released today, the 2019 TIME 100—the magazine’s list of the world’s most influential people—features plenty of names you’ll recognize instantly. And for those you don’t, chances are you’ll be inspired by the work of these artists, athletes, activists, and more. In either case, TIME asked them each a question: What song inspires you?

Below are songs selected by 10 people on TIME’s list, plus an explanation of why they find meaning in that particular track. From Eminem to Beethoven, the music spans genres and eras, yet all these songs will likely stir something inside you—just as it does for them.

1. “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac

“Fleetwood Mac is one of my favorite bands, and they have always been a main source of inspiration for me. I love Stevie Nicks so much, and her voice is just amazing. ‘Dreams’ is a timeless song, and that represents everything I aspire to be in music.”

—Khalid, singer-songwriter

2. “Nessun Dorma!” from Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot

“My surgeon father would put on the record player and sing along to it at the top of his voice, standing with clenched fists, in the middle of the living room. He sang it to give himself strength.”

—Glenn Close, actor

3. “Downtown” by Petula Clark

“My parents have a home video of me singing it to a spoon. It’s all about getting out, going somewhere and doing something with your life.”

—Ryan Murphy, screenwriter, director, and producer

4. “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus

“It’s one of my favorite songs to run to.”

—Aileen Lee, venture capitalist

5. “Better Together” by Jack Johnson

“It was our wedding song, and I cannot possibly listen to this song without smiling.”

—Alex Morgan, athlete

6. “Not Afraid” by Eminem

“It speaks volumes (to me specifically). I fear nothing.”

—Caster Semenya, athlete

7. “EARTHA” by Jamila Woods

“The song is based on sentiments Jamila shares with Eartha Kitt about compromising with men and holding them accountable.”

—Indya Moore, actor

8. “To Love Somebody” by the Bee Gees

“I’m a big romantic and am someone who believes at my core that the most important thing in life is who you love and who you choose to spend your time with. This song reminds me how important it is to my own happiness to show the people I care about how important they are to me.”

—Jennifer Hyman, CEO and cofounder of Rent The Runway

9. “Lose Yourself” by Eminem

“It talks about how you’ve gotten knocked down before, and you may have failed then, but an opportunity presents itself for you to obtain the thing you desired for so long. When you have that opportunity, will you seize the moment or will it slip away? It spoke to the movement to restore voting rights to returning citizens. Politicians who wanted to deal with this issue presented an opportunity and voters were ready to deal with it. This was the moment, that once in a lifetime chance, to deal with it.”

—Desmond Meade, President of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition

10. “Symphony No. 9” by Ludwig van Beethoven

“There is still reason to be hopeful and courageous.”

—Hoesung Lee, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

For the complete Time 100 list, visit http://time.com/100, and you can check out the corresponding Time 100’s Most Inspiring Songs playlist below.

Why Dolly Parton’s Star Power Works 24-7, Not Just 9 to 5

January 25, 2019

Country music icon Dolly Parton just celebrated her seventy-third birthday, and her megastar status shows no signs of fading. Legions of new listeners are discovering classic Dolly songs due to her enduring—and commanding—presence in pop culture.

Put it this way: If you don’t follow country music, you probably don’t know that Parton released four new albums in the past eight years. But it was hard to miss the buzz over Parton’s instrumental role in the soundtrack of Dumplin’, the recent Netflix movie starring Danielle Macdonald and Jennifer Aniston. Including hits “Here I Am” and “Girl in the Movies,” the soundtrack exposed millions of younger listeners to a wide swath of Parton’s music, particularly chart-topping classics like “Jolene” and “9 to 5.”

Just three days after Dumplin’ premiered on December 7, streaming of Parton’s entire catalog popped 132 percent compared to the previous month. The biggest surges came from listeners under 29 and living in the Northeast of the U.S., outside Parton’s traditional Southern stronghold. All the more impressive is that Parton’s rise into the millions of daily streams came during the heart of the holiday season, when most artists’ hits make way for Christmas music.

It isn’t just Dumplin’ luck, however, that Parton transcends the country genre. It’s consistency. Parton’s star power routinely gets a boost from her heartfelt tunes that enhance TV shows and movies.

Her 2006 song “Travelin’ Thru” for the soundtrack to the film Transamerica was nominated for an Academy Award. (“Girl in the Movies” was up for a Golden Globe this year.) On an episode of “The Voice” in 2016, Miley Cyrus brought down the house crooning “Jolene,” a heartbreaking bluegrass ode to jealousy, alongside Parton. Her tunes have also played on everything from “Dancing With the Stars” to “So You Think You Can Dance” to “Britain’s Got Talent,”and the list goes on.

Parton will continue to pop up in pop culture — and likely once again expand her following — later this year, when Netflix runs a Parton-produced eight-episode series about her life and music. Expect the popularity of her music—old and newer tracks alike—to rise again.

Enjoy Parton’s new songs and updated recordings of her classics on the Dumplin’ soundtrack here. Or take a deep dive with our exclusive This Is Dolly Parton playlist.

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