Tag: MusiCares

Joe Hadley, Spotify’s Global Head of Music Partnerships & Audience, on Company Efforts To Help the Music Community Impacted by the LA Wildfires; Donations to MusiCares and FireAid

January 16, 2025

The devastation of the past week is hard to put into words. I’ve lived in Southern California for 20 years, and my heart aches for our community. Los Angeles is home to hundreds of Spotify employees, millions of music fans, and countless individuals whose lives have been upended by this unprecedented crisis.

We’ve spent the last few days considering how to best show up for LA, the music industry, and the creative community. Ultimately, we’ve decided that the most impactful approach is canceling all our Grammy Week events, including our annual Best New Artist party, and redirecting funds to support efforts to reach local fans and charitable organizations. It’s also important to remember the effect this has on the production industry, so we are ensuring that our vendors are compensated despite this shift. While this year will look and feel different, our commitment to emerging artists is unwavering.

These efforts include Spotify-funded donations to MusiCares, an organization that provides a safety net of critical assistance in times of need, and FireAid, a benefit concert on January 30 with proceeds centered on rebuilding infrastructure, supporting displaced families, and advancing fire prevention technologies. We’re also joining forces with GoFundMe to support and spotlight fundraisers dedicated to helping members of the artist and music community who’ve been affected by the fires. In addition to these donations, we’re dedicating on-platform promotion and offering pro bono ad inventory to drive awareness of causes supporting the relief, and artist and creator support via studio time at our LA office in the Arts District. The summation of these efforts means we are committing a combined total of $5 million.

Thanks to all of our partners for your patience as we decided how best to support. We’ve got each other’s backs here in LA. Let’s keep showing up for each other.

— Joe Hadley

How Spotify Is Addressing COVID-19, On-Platform and Off

March 25, 2020

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve been identifying ways that Spotify can help make an impact around the world. Spotify has always been focused on creating connections between artists and their fans, using music and podcasts to help break down barriers and build stronger communities. That community of support has never been more important. 

We have several COVID-19 efforts already underway, and today we’re announcing a new initiative to support members of the music community with the Spotify COVID-19 Music Relief project. Via our website, Spotify will recommend verified organizations that offer financial relief to those in the music community most in need. Spotify will match dollar-for-dollar public donations, up to a total Spotify contribution of $10 million. 

In addition, we’ve made contributions to public health organizations and donated ad inventory and platform space to share news and health information with our users. We’ve also created a dedicated COVID-19 hub providing our listeners with a go-to place for news and information. And importantly, all the while we’re continuing to support the health, safety and livelihoods of our employees. Check out the below graphic for more information—and know that our support will continue to evolve.

For more on the Spotify COVID-19 Music Relief project, check out the Spotify for Artists blog.

Update as of 4/24/20: The Spotify Covid-19 Music Relief project’s current partners include: MusiCares, PRS Foundation, Help Musicians, Unison Benevolent Fund, and Music Help Alliance. See the rest of our global partners here: https://covid19musicrelief.byspotify.com/

Update as of 8/7/2020: Spotify has made a donation to these organizations and matched donations made via this page dollar for dollar up to a collective total of $10 million. While the project has reached its $10M matching commitment, continued contributions can be made by visiting the Spotify COVID-19 Music Relief project page.