Tag: One Direction

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.

10 Years, One Direction: Spotify Celebrates the Boy Band’s Streaming Legacy

July 23, 2020

When One Direction stepped onto the music scene 10 years ago in July 2010, they lit up the world like nobody else. Since then, they’ve played sold-out arenas around the world and have become one of the most beloved boy bands of our time. So to celebrate this double-digit milestone, we’re taking a look at their decade of hit singles and chart-topping albums. Plus, we’re revealing 1D’s top five most-streamed songs of all time and have created exclusive on-platform content for listeners. You know—the little things. 

One Direction and Spotify got a whole lot of history. So let’s start with a walk down memory lane to reflect on the group’s notable streaming dates, states, and numbers from throughout the decade.

  • 1D stans have streamed One Direction tracks over 8.8 billion times throughout the past decade. Nobody can drag them down.
  • November 13, 2015—that’s the date the group released their chart-topping most-streamed album on Spotify, Made in the A.M. Almost five years later, fans are still listening to it in the morning and well into the P.M.
  • If One Direction songs could talk, they’d probably say something along the lines of “Baby, I’m perfect for you.” But don’t just take our word for it. 65 million Spotify playlists feature at least one 1D song and listeners have created more than 4.4 million playlists dedicated specifically to the band.
  • Within the U.S., Connecticut currently holds the title of most active 1D listeners with more streams over the past 90 days than any other state. New Jersey and Wisconsin are also up all night listening, coming in second and third respectively.
  • Although One Direction’s last release was back in 2015, they’re more than just midnight memories. The band still racks up over 19 million listeners a month as of July 2020.

Now that we’ve taken a look back, here’s something new to look forward to: Spotify listeners can now check out a new vertical video with behind-the-scenes footage for the 2012 song “What Makes You Beautiful.” There are also more than 80 new looping song visuals and 10 new storylines featuring behind-the-song memories from songwriters Jamie Scott, Ruth-Anne Cunningham and Savan Kotecha. Directioners in New York City will also be able to check out a special billboard located in Times Square dedicated to the group’s 10-year anniversary.

Revisit the Biggest Songs, Artists, and Cultural Moments of the Last 10 Years with Spotify’s ‘The Decade Wrapped’ Podcast

December 16, 2019

With 2020 right around the corner—and the 2010s coming to a close—we’re taking a journey through the last decade in music with a new original podcast, The Decade Wrapped.

The podcast’s host, Eric Eddings, will be joined by critics, comedians, influencers, and writers as they look back at the music stories that defined pop culture between 2010 and 2019. This 10-episode series incorporates data and insights from Spotify’s popular Wrapped campaign. Launched earlier this month, the campaign revealed through personal Wrapped e-cards what our listeners have been streaming—not only over 2019, but over the past decade—as well as what the world listened to during that time. 

The first three episodes are available starting today, December 16, in the U.S. (The next seven episodes will be released daily over the course of the week.) Get a taste for the episode topics and featured songs:

2010: Nicki Minaj Tells Us to “Check It Out”/Female-Driven Pop

In the early 2010s, women like Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, and Katy Perry took the stage . . . but no one matched the omnipresence of Nicki Minaj. Before even dropping a full album, she was featured on tracks by Lil Wayne, Kanye, will.i.am, and Gucci Mane. Her debut album, Pink Friday, didn’t disappoint—and over the years she became a force in hip-hop.

2011: One Direction (Re)invents the Stan

In 2011, British boy band One Direction recorded their first album, released “What Makes You Beautiful,” and finished up their first tour. One Direction’s teen audience was fully internet literate and ready to make the band their own. Fanfiction and fanart take flight. So of course we had no choice but to stan.

2012: “Gangnam Style” Introduces K-Pop to the U.S.

One of the most-watched videos in the history of YouTube, “Gangnam Style” set the stage for K-Pop hits like BTS to come. The song, which has been streamed over 208 million times on Spotify, is credited with bringing Korean culture into the American mainstream.

2013: Harlem Shake[s the Internet]

If there was any year that your grandma might be caught dancing to an EDM song, 2013 was it. The “Harlem Shake” showcased the immense viral power of crossover appeal and memes, and the song became a mainstream number-one hit, with more than 2.1 million streams on Spotify. The 2010s were the decade of user-created content—and this song embodied that ideal.

2014: “Uptown Funk” and Taylor Swift Go Retro

In 2014, the 1980s came back to the top of the charts as Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” and Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk,” featuring Bruno Mars, battled for number one. “Uptown Funk” propelled producers to the forefront; it became one of Ronson’s biggest hits and underscored the increasingly key role of producers in music then and today.

2015: Kendrick’s To Pimp A Butterfly Takes Flight, Drake Has the Biggest Year Ever, and Hamilton Shoots Its Shot

There were three differing perspectives on what the biggest musical story of 2015 was. Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly cemented Lamar as a cultural icon as it examined race, discrimination, anger, and violence. Meanwhile, Drake’s “Hotline Bling” and his diss track feud with Meek Mill fueled a massive year for him. And Lin-Manuel Miranda turned Broadway upside down when his hip-hop musical Hamilton exploded as a hit inside and outside the theater.

2016: Beyoncé Drops Lemonade

 With her release of Lemonade, Beyoncé solidified her status as a powerful force in music. Lemonade appeared to divulge intimate details about her life while at the same time commenting on black life in America. It was universally praised for its personal and political content—and also for crossing genres. Its controversial snub at the Grammys also marked the beginning of a broader conversation around recognizing black musicians.

2017: “Despacito” Gets All the Views

In 2017, “Despacito,” a catchy song from Luis Fonzi and Daddy Yankee, crossed a huge milestone to become the most-watched video. Not music video. Video. Oh, and it surpassed 1.3 billion streams on Spotify, making it the first Spanish-language song to reach the billion-stream milestone. 

2018: “thank u, next” and the Evolution of Ariana Grande

The year 2018 was all about Ariana Grande. She returned to music with the One Love Manchester concert and came out on top with “thank u, next,” proving that music has the power to help us process, heal, and face what’s next.

2019: The Yeehaw Agenda

The end of the decade gave us giant breakthroughs for two artists. For Lizzo, it’s a story of years of hard work that culminated in the artist’s becoming a mainstay in the mainstream. And for Lil Nas X, it was the perfect storm of a catchy song on TikTok and a cowboy hat.  

Take it all the way back with a listen to the first episode on Nicki Minaj and female-driven pop below.

https://open.spotify.com/show/4C9SyDbX6N7HfgxYAVs9NP?si=DSOxhIGkQsa7bQGpREV_cw