Tag: Nashville

Spotify House Rocks Country Music’s Biggest Weekend at Nashville’s CMA Fest

June 13, 2023

Reba McEntire performs onstage at Spotify House during CMA Fest 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Last weekend, Spotify two-stepped its way back to Nashville’s legendary Broadway thoroughfare for the annual CMA Fest. The event, hosted by the Country Music Association, is one of the biggest live-music weekends. It first began as Fan Fair in 1972, and quickly grew to a multi-day festival that rebranded as CMA Fest in 2004. This year, CMA Fest celebrated its 50th anniversary. Over the span of four days, we invited artists and fans to take in the sights and sounds at our Spotify House multi-stage experience.

For the fourth year, Spotify House took over Ole Red, country music star Blake Shelton’s restaurant, bar, and concert venue, to host a four-day experience featuring over 70 artist performances. The star-studded lineup, which included chart-toppers Sam Hunt, Dierks Bentley, Lady A, and Hailey Whitters, made the venue a revolving door of wide-ranging country sounds and blazing-hot talent. Country music legend Reba McEntire made her return to Nashville’s Lower Broadway at Spotify House for the first time in 10 years for the CMA Fest 50th Spotlight Performance, which also featured Billy Currington, Kimberly Perry, and Craig Morgan. Surprise performers from Spotify House included Kelsea Ballerini and Megan Moroney. 

On the fourth floor, attendees enjoyed the Fresh Finds Rooftop, which was presented in collaboration with The Sims. Spotify is teaming up with The Sims over a shared mission to unlock creative potential and support expression in rising creatives. The Fresh Finds stage was back for its second year and gave fans, press, and industry insiders the chance to discover country music’s next wave of independent stars including Wyatt Flores, Payton Smith, Haley Mae Campbell, and Shaylen.    

Throughout CMA Fest, Spotify Mic Check host Lea Palmieri was onsite chatting with many of the country music artists who performed at Spotify House. 

“​​I’ve been here [in Nashville] ten years now. I think the first thing that shocked me about Broadway is how many amazing artists and singers there are, and how accessible music is walking up and down Broadway any given weekend—it doesn’t seem like you could top it. And then CMA Fest rolls through town and you’re like, ‘Wow, what just happened?’ You accidentally stumble into any room down Broadway and you’re going to find somebody amazing.” — Brett Young, on the Broadway atmosphere.

“I mean, that’s the thing with songwriting: it’s all the production. It’s all in how you perform it. So really, I feel like my music has always been very organic and acoustic, not really that pop, even though I’ve been labeled as the pop genre. I feel like being in the country [genre], has a very nice blend and flow and it’s natural for me.” — Colbie Caillat, on her sound and transition to country music.

“We were very intentional about getting the right song and the follow-up to that and just kind of allowing the process to shape itself really, and allowing the songs to show themselves. And so, yeah, it’s been awesome. I really enjoy performing that song. You have to plan your breaths on that song because it’s like spitfire—it’s nonstop.” — Brian Kelley, on his new music and the release of the single “See You Next Summer.”

Get the full scoop on the happenings of Spotify House by tuning into the full episode.

Want more from the weekend? Turn up Spotify’s Hot Country playlist, which also boasts the best, brightest, and on-the-rise country music talent, and check out a photo gallery of the four guitar-strumming, ballad-belting days.

Spotify House and Hot Country Return to Nashville for This Year’s CMA Fest

May 26, 2022

After a two-year hiatus, CMA Fest is back along with our marquee country-music showcase, Spotify House. Starting June 9, Spotify’s Nashville team and our flagship Hot Country playlist will take over downtown Nashville’s Ole Red for four days of nonstop country music. 

The long weekend will feature a daily lineup of diverse emerging artists and world-renowned stars, plus access to exclusive late-night jam sessions and surprise special performances for fans.

“So much has happened in Nashville since the last CMA Fest, and this includes the rise of some incredible talent and trends within country music. When we were building the lineup for our Spotify House at Ole Red this year, we knew we wanted to curate a group of artists that reflect the trends of our listeners,” said Mary Catherine Kinney, Lead, Strategic Music Partnerships at Spotify. “The genre is growing, and fans will be able to experience the full scope of the genre under our roof. Between our initial lineup announcement today and a few of the surprise guests we have to come, this is truly a set list built by the listeners, and we can’t wait to experience it all in person.”

The full mainstage lineup includes: 

Adam Doleac, Ashland Craft, Ashley Cooke, Ashley McBryde, Bailey Zimmerman, Brantley Gilbert, BRELAND, Brett Eldredge, Callista Clark, Carter Faith, Chase Wright, Cole Swindell, Conner Smith, Corey Kent, Danielle Bradbery, Dalton Dover, Darius Rucker, Dylan Scott, Georgia Webster, Hailey Whitters, Hannah Ellis, Ingrid Andress, Jelly Roll, Jordan Davis, Kameron Marlowe, Kidd G, Lainey Wilson, Lily Rose, Meghan Patrick, MacKenzie Porter, Madeline Edwards, Mickey Guyton, Midland, Mitchell Tenpenny, Nate Smith, Nelly, Nikki Lane, Niko Moon, Restless Road, Riley Green, Russell Dickerson, Ryan Hurd, Spencer Crandall, Steven Lee Olsen, Tiera Kennedy, Tyler Hubbard

We’re also introducing the Fresh Finds stage for the first time this year. As part of Spotify’s commitment to supporting rising talent and music discovery, fans will be able to see new acts from our Fresh Finds Country playlist perform live throughout the weekend. Stay tuned for the lineup reveal coming next week! 

You can also tune in to our Spotify House at CMA Fest 2022 playlist to listen to all your favorite country stars performing at Ole Red—and make it the soundtrack to your summer.

Discover new artists and get reacquainted with your country favorites by listening to the Hot Country playlist:

Spotify Celebrates the Best of Country Music at CMA Fest 2019

June 11, 2019

The Country Music Association’s CMA Fest in Nashville, TN, is country music’s biggest annual gathering. This past weekend, Spotify returned to Ole Red in Nashville for the second consecutive year to celebrate at CMA Fest with “Spotify House.” The weekend was jam-packed with country music, good food, drinks, and much more. Surprise performances, podcast announcements, and even a boxing class made the gathering truly unforgettable. Check out the highlights below.

Day 1: Brunch, Midland Podcast + “Old Town Road”

Day 1 at CMA Fest opened with a welcome brunch and panel discussion featuring Spotify’s Head of Artist & Label Marketing, Nashville, Brittany Schaffer, Spotify’s Global Head of Communications, Dustee Jenkins, and country trio Midland. Trisha Yearwood, Little Big Town and Rascal Flatts joined in on the fun with surprise performances, followed by a set from newcomer-turned-country-star Lil Nas X. Plus, Spotify announced an exclusive new podcast with Midland.

The new podcast is “a discovery and an adventure, jump on board… but get life insurance first.” —Midland Lead singer Mark Wystrach

Country Music Expands its Global Reach

September 16, 2018

Today is International Country Music Day, so we thought we’d dust off the ol’ cowboy boots and dig into some data to see just how widespread country music listening is.

The genre may have originated in America’s South in the 1920s, but in 2018, listeners are as enthusiastic about country music in Hanoi as they are in Nashville, and fill arenas in Sydney as quickly as they do the revered Grand Ole Opry.

While the bulk of country listening takes place in the U.S., we’ve seen a 21 percent increase in the share of country music streaming outside America since 2015. And we expect to see even more growth as streaming continues to allow music of all types to cross borders with greater ease than traditional bastions like country music radio.

Check out this map highlighting how country music listening stacks up around the globe.

And it’s not just the music that travels, it’s the artists themselves. When Texas-born Kacey Musgraves learned she had a sizable fanbase in the U.K., the Grammy-winner made it her mission to meet listeners there face to face. In March, we teamed up with Kacey to invite her biggest London-based fans to an intimate invite-only Spotify Fans First Event, where Kacey joined them for high tea at the stately mansion Spencer House, followed by an acoustic performance.

“Most country artists now understand that in order to expand their businesses, it’s essential to develop followings in markets outside the United States,” says John Marks, Head of Country Music at Spotify. “I’ve seen many established artists start paying attention to audiences in countries where they previously hadn’t considered touring. And many newer artists are working to develop their fan base outside the U.S. and in the U.S. simultaneously, with the goal of being a truly global music artist.”

 

Spotify’s Enhanced Hot Country Playlist Brings the Heat at Nashville’s CMA Fest

May 24, 2018

The common thread among country music artists and fans is the ability to relate to the songs and stories that connect them. Songs about real people, real stories, and real lives. Spotify is committed to being the connection point for these shared experiences, and thanks to Spotify’s recently re-launched, enhanced Hot Country Playlist, country fans are now enjoying even more opportunities to connect with the stars of the genre.

June 7 to 10, tens of thousands of country music fans will descend on Nashville for the Country Music Association’s CMA Fest and will have the opportunity to experience the artist-fan community that Hot Country is fostering live and in-person. Whether you’re watching a live performance from your favorite rising country stars, listening to a new Spotify country playlist through the CMA Fest App, discovering the artist with whom you have the most in common, or making a playlist with the artist you love, Spotify will be on the ground highlighting the stories that connect the past, present, and future of country music community.

New Friends at Ole Red

Thursday through Sunday, members of the public can enjoy a stellar lineup of artists at Ole Red, Blake Shelton’s and Opry Entertainment Group’s highly anticipated new restaurant and music venue, and Spotify’s CMA Fest Headquarters. The packed lineup is curated in collaboration between Spotify, The Grand Ole Opry and Ole Red.

Some of the featured artists include:

  • Trio Midland, ACM New Group of the Year, who will be performing songs from their impressive debut album On the Rocks (Big Machine Records), which went to No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums and features their hit debut No. 1 single “Drinkin’ Problem.”
  • Young country singer-songwriter Michael Ray, whose anticipated sophomore album Amos will be released June 1
  • Talented singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist, five-time Grammy nominee and CMA Award winner Hunter Hayes
  • Canadian country singer and Canadian Country Music Awards’ Female Artist of the Year 2011, Tenille Townes, who recently signed a record deal with Columbia Nashville
  • American Idol runner-up and ACM Awards’ New Female Vocalist of the Year, Lauren Alaina, who topped the country charts in 2017
  • As well as Maddie & Tae, RaeLynn, Mitchell Tenpenny, Jimmie Allen, Cassadee Pope and many more.

For schedule and lineup updates at Ole Red see: visit www.olered.com/spotifyhotcountry.

Making the Most of the CMA Fest Partnership

Spotify has also partnered with CMA Fest to enhance the digital and music discovery experience for fans at the festival. Users who authenticate with Spotify in the CMA Fest mobile app will be able to stream music from each of the performing artists, and will have access to a breadth of co-curated playlists. Spotify users who access the app can generate a unique playlist of select CMA Fest artists, catered to their specific music tastes.

In addition to the app partnership, Spotify will be taking over CMA’s MusicStreaming Lounge on Friday June 8 at Xfinity Fan Fair X at Music City Center. Fans will have the opportunity to come by the lounge, discover Spotify’s new features, and make Spotify playlists in-person with Country artists performing at the festival.

Spotify’s participation at CMA Fest shows Spotify’s commitment to fostering growth in the Country Music audience across the platform and the world. Country fans, whether new or seasoned, young or old, can look forward to a Country Music-filled weekend, complete with new favorite songs, bands, music discovery knowledge, and a commitment from Spotify that no matter where they are, they’ll always have country music to take them home.

How The Shadowboxers Gained 1,200+ New Followers in Two Weeks

May 3, 2018

Once upon a time, an artist built a following by word of mouth: playing for people live, slowly cultivating fans, and hoping that next time one of those fans would bring a friend. But today, artists can develop a fan base across the world through online platforms.

Case in point: Pop group The Shadowboxers has been wildly successful using Kickstarter, Twitter, and Spotify – they drew more than 1,200 new followers to their Spotify page in just two weeks. But if you ask the Nashville, Tennessee-based trio about their social media prowess, they’ll say they just got lucky.

“We kind of feel like we’ve been accidentally good at the internet,” says The Shadowboxers guitarist and singer Adam Hoffman.

In 2012, the group, comprised of Scott Tyler, Matt Lipkins, and Adam Hoffman, used a Kickstarter campaign to fund their first album, “Red Room.” The next year, the band covered Justin Timberlake’s “Pusher Love Girl” and tweeted the YouTube recording to him. Timberlake retweeted it, and signed the group to his label, Villa 40, soon after. This year, The Shadowboxers are opening for Timberlake on his “Man of the Woods” tour across the U.S. and Europe.

“That tweet was absolutely crazy and blew our minds. It’s still kind of hard to wrap our heads around,” says Hoffman. “In a way we felt, from an artist’s side, prepared for that and we had a fan base at that point who were all incredibly stoked to see that tweet. We weren’t existing totally in a vacuum.”

Luck notwithstanding, The Shadowboxers were ready for their big break. The band had been hard at work performing, creating new music, and perfecting their soulful, R&B-leaning sound. Before connecting with Timberlake, they had written albums’ and albums’ worth of unreleased music dating back to when they first connected in 2007. A selection of those tracks was compiled into an EP, “Apollo,” which was released in March. The collection of six songs includes new material and previously released singles, like “Hot Damn!,” with the influence of Timberlake.

The Shadowboxers open for the first leg (33 shows) of Timberlake’s 110-show “Man of the Woods” tour, which kicked off in March. At the beginning of the tour, the trio was looking for a way to engage with as many fans as possible. Their brainstorming led to a text-to-capture communication that encourages fans to follow the group on Spotify and post about it on Instagram.

“We came up with the idea for the Spotify follow because that’s really what we want – to drive people to our music,” says Hoffman.

You know the message you’ll see on a big screen at a concert or pro sports game, prompting you to send a text to a short number for some sort of cool offer? Fans receive that message just after The Shadowboxers set, and those who participate are signed up for an email list. Their first message from the email list prompts them to post a screenshot to Instagram of the band’s page from their Spotify account, showing that they are following the band on Spotify with the hashtag #TSBbacktage. If they do so, they are entered for a chance to meet the band backstage.

“The coolest takeaway from these interactions, which we were not expecting at all, was the relationship and connection after meeting,” says Lipkins. “We just wanted to connect on a more personal level with some fans, but we’ve made lifelong fans from these interactions just by hanging out with people for 30 minutes after a show.”

For fans of The Shadowboxers – whether or not they won the backstage contest – Spotify keeps them up to date on new music releases, tour schedules, and even what the band has been listening to lately. And for musicians, Spotify for Artists allows them to keep track of their most popular music, and where people are listening. For The Shadowboxers, whose music has appeared on Spotify’s Global Viral 50 and New Music Friday curated playlists, the platform has given the band a geographic reach they’ve never had before.

“We get messages on our socials from people from Europe who have heard the songs. We’ve never played over there so the only way they could have heard the stuff is Spotify,” says Tyler. “That’s a really cool feeling for us.”

The Shadowboxers are currently performing for the first leg of Justin Timberlake’s ‘Man of the Woods’ tour. Check out their remaining tour dates, and follow along on Spotify.

Spotify’s Flagship Country Playlist, Hot Country Launches with Original Video Content from Keith Urban, Kacey Musgraves, plus a special performance from Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton

April 27, 2018

Country music may have gotten its start in Nashville, TN, but it has since expanded far beyond. For some time, country music fans around the world have been looking for a way to help them connect to the artists they love, discover new music, and share their love of the Country genre. With Spotify’s Hot Country Playlist—now enhanced with video—they may just find it.

Enhanced playlists, like the previously launched Rap Caviar and ¡Viva Latino!, combine music and video into a single view. This allows users to listen to their favorite audio tracks as well as watch interviews and music videos featuring their favorite artists. Enhanced playlists bring storytelling back to music discovery—a theme that country music emphasizes as well.

After enjoying the constantly refreshing playlist throughout the week, listeners can tune in every Friday to experience new and original country video interviews with an all-new Hot Country look and feel. First up: Grammy Award winner Keith Urban, who takes the wheel today with a feature cover story that coincides with the release of his new album, Graffiti U. On Hot Country, Keith gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at his extensive guitar collection, discusses his love of playing in his new home studio, and dives into the inspiration behind his new album.

While reflecting on the Hot Country playlist, Keith Urban said; “Spotify has been an amazing partner, helping me to connect my music with people all over the planet. On their new Hot Country playlist people will not only hear Graffiti U, they’ll be able to come inside the studio with me and see a bit about the making of the album. Can’t wait for everyone to hear it.”

According to Brittany Schaffer, Head of Artist and Label Marketing at Spotify’s Nashville office, the country music audience has been slower to adopt streaming than audiences of other genres. But, “country artists have been craving the attention of the streaming services to help bring the country audience into streaming and craving a deeper ability to connect with and expand their audiences,” she says. “The enhancement of the Hot Country playlist is Spotify’s first significant step in helping artists do just that.”

Schaffer also notes that the enhanced playlist is only the beginning of Spotify’s collaboration with the country industry. “Spotify is serious about making an impact in country music, and the launch of the Hot Country enhanced playlist is only the first step in showing that commitment,” she says. “This opportunity is opening new doors for current and potential listeners of country music, in Nashville and around the world. Our commitment doesn’t start and end with the launch of Hot Country.”

Through Hot Country and upcoming Spotify partnerships, fans can look forward to behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with their favorite country artists such as Keith Urban, Kacey Musgraves, and Kenny Chesney. From a tour of Keith Urban’s new state-of-the-art home recording studio in Nashville and the making of Kenny Chesney’s stadium tour to video footage from Kacey Musgraves’ Fan-First high tea in London or Justin Timberlake x Chris Stapleton’s Spotify Premium event recording of “Say Something” at the Roundhouse in London, Spotify is dedicated to telling the stories of country’s biggest names.

To bring more Hot Country to its more than 4.5 million followers worldwide, the enhanced playlist feature will also launch in four additional markets outside the U.S.: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Spain (in addition to the UK, Sweden, and Latin America). According to John Marks, Programming Head of Country Music at Spotify, the audience for country music will only keep growing. “There are multiple awakenings happening right now. Streaming is opening a global market. There’s been a hybridizing of other international music into the country playlists, which is opening people’s eyes and minds to country music in other countries. Launching in those markets—which have very active fan bases—will start to speed up the process.”

Marks, who has a long history working in Nashville with country industry and artists, is enthusiastic about the partnership—and he’s not the only one, he says. “The Nashville music industry and Nashville artists have really embraced this idea out of the shoot. We have some big stars on board with Keith Urban and Kenny Chesney, and there are plenty others on queue. It’s really been gratifying to see how quickly and how nimbly everyone in the industry has supported this idea of enhanced playlists and to see it all come together.”

Check out the new Hot Country playlist here.

Taylor Swift Records “Delicate” and Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” for Spotify Singles

April 13, 2018

Hot off the heels of her vertical video release for “Delicate,” Taylor Swift is back with two new Spotify Singles – special acoustic renditions of “Delicate” and Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September,” which were recorded at The Tracking Room in Nashville, TN.

Taylor said, “Delicate” is a song about the vulnerability that immediately surfaces in all of us the minute we meet someone we want to like us. We think about everything they might’ve heard about us, every reason they wouldn’t want us. Every step forward toward that other person scares us, but it thrills us too. Delicate is about the balancing act of the rush and the fear, and hoping it’s really worth it to take that chance.” In addition, Taylor chose “September” for sentimental reasons. She’s always loved the classic tune by Earth, Wind & Fire, written by Maurice White, Al McKay and Allee Willis.

Taylor is a fan of Spotify Singles. Swifties will remember that she incorporated two Spotify Singles tracks on her personally curated Songs Taylor Loves Spotify playlist.

Taylor’s newest Spotify Singles couldn’t come at a better time. As the singer prepares for the Taylor Swift reputation Stadium Tour starting on May 8th in Glendale, AZ, the new recordings are sure to excite fans while they gear up for the concert with their own Taylor-inspired playlists.

Fans can check out Taylor’s two new Spotify Singles HERE.