Tag: pop music

Your Exclusive Look Inside Our Charli xcx and Troye Sivan SWEAT Tour Afterparty

Since Charli xcx and Troye Sivan kicked off SWEAT, their joint tour of North America, in September, the live shows have become part of the cultural canon. Together, the longtime friends and occasional collaborators take pop music to new heights, transforming arenas into full-on raves. And on Tuesday, after Charli and Troye took the stage at the Kia Forum for the first of two shows in Los Angeles, Spotify teamed up with the pair for a SWEAT tour afterparty.

The co-headliners kept the night going and celebrated with their teams and friends at the Forum Club. It was a star-studded affair with artists like JENNIE, Halsey, Benny Blanco, Fergie, Dom Dolla, and The Dare in attendance, plus Kesha, who made an appearance after her surprise performance at the show.

Meanwhile, Charli helped provide the soundtrack for the event while DJing with her fiancé (and The 1975 drummer) George Daniel and Zoe Gitter.

It’s Never Too Early To Spread Festive Cheer, Our Spotify Holiday Singles Are Here

The air is turning crisp, and it won’t be long until everyone is walking around with an extra jingle in their step. As our listeners are continuing to seek holiday music earlier and earlier each year, Spotify is ready to give listeners an additional dose of holly jolly with our newly released Spotify Singles as part of our Holiday Collection.

Every year, a selection of artists can choose to record a cover of a classic holiday hit, or an original song that channels the spirit of the season. For 2024, we have five tracks to add to your holiday playlist. “We worked very carefully with each of our artists to pick the perfect holiday song for them—taking into account things like production style, voice, tone, and personality,” explained Talia Kraines, Senior Editor of U.S. Pop at Spotify.

This year’s festive hits are:

“Run Rudolph Run” by Mark Ambor

“Holiday Road” by Kesha

“River” by Max Richter

“Driving Home for Christmas” by Dasha

“Emanuel” by Miel San Marcos

Each track brings a sense of nostalgia as listeners hear some of their favorite seasonal lyrics in a whole new way. “Mark Ambor’s ‘Run Rudolph Run’ is a really rootsy, fun version of the song where you can hear the production he uses in his album, Rockwood, shine through,” said Talia. “It’s authentic and feels very real to him.”

“‘Driving Home for Christmas’ is a holiday song that is huge in the U.K. and Europe but isn’t known very well in the U.S. We saw this as a great opportunity to give this holiday song a whole new audience in America with Dasha while sharing a new version for countries where the song is already beloved,” she adds

And while the ’80s hit “Holiday Road”—despite its name—isn’t a traditional favorite, Kesha’s pop twist makes it a fun, upbeat track perfect for the season. “Her vocals make me think of The Go-Gos or The Bangles here,” noted Talia. “It feels like a monumental year for Kesha, and we’re thrilled to be a part of it—she’s reclaiming her joy and owning her own voice.” 

Find these tracks, as well as past Spotify Holiday Singles in our Holiday Collection playlist.

Meet the Newest Stars of Colombian Pop Music

With its diverse sounds, music from Colombia has connected with a range of audiences from all around the world—and Colombian pop is no exception. This genre has seen rapid growth over the past five years, with streams doubling in Colombia and increasing by over 250% globally. On Spotify, it’s the second-most-listened-to genre from the country, surpassed only by reggaetón.

The world is familiar with the talents of Colombian stars Shakira, Sebastián Yatra, and Morat, and now there’s a new wave of artists revolutionizing Colombian pop with their unique sounds, heartfelt performances, and catchy lyrics. With the help of Spotify, these artists have been connecting with fans both locally and globally.

As this genre continues its rise, we’ve notably seen female voices taking center stage. Here are a few that should be added to your queue:

Ela Taubert

Hailing from Bogotá, Ela Taubert has rocketed to stardom with her emotive pop and personal lyrics. She has over 3 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and her hit “¿Cómo Pasó? has surpassed 78 million streams, ranking it third among the top 30 most-listened-to Colombian songs abroad so far in 2024. Other popular tracks include “¿Y Si Eras Tú?(over 15 million streams) and “Crecer” (over 11 million streams). More than a million playlists feature at least one of her songs!

Most of Ela’s streams come from Mexico, Peru, Colombia, and Chile, but she is also gaining traction in countries like Egypt, India, Austria, Australia, and Ireland.

Laura Pérez

Another Bogotá native making her mark in pop is Laura Pérez. A singer and guitarist, Laura released her first EP, Retazos, in 2020 and has been unstoppable since, amassing over 125,000 monthly listeners. “Buenos días is her most-streamed song, with over 3 million plays, followed by “Vuela,” with over 1 million streams, and “La Luna y Tú,” with over 790,000 streams on Spotify.

Over the past year, her melodies have seen a notable increase in streams in countries like Nicaragua, Canada, the U.K., Japan, and the Netherlands.

Jules

With a background in musical theater, Jules combines her vocal talent with a unique and distinctive narrative in her music. This year, she released MELODRAMÁTICA, her first solo album, which blends pop, R&B, orchestral arrangements, and ambient sounds.

Jules has over 39,000 monthly listeners on the platform, and her most popular songs on Spotify include “ENCONTRARME,” with over 931,000 streams; “CUMPLEAÑOS (ira),” with over 688,000 streams; and “AUTOSABOTAJE (avaricia),” with 262,000 streams.

Her songs are included in over 37,000 playlists worldwide, from Colombia and Peru to Italy and Uruguay.

Lina Sanabria

Colombian singer-songwriter Lina Sanabria has captivated over 50,000 monthly listeners on Spotify with her emotive music and personal lyrics. Over the past year, her popularity has grown in countries such as El Salvador, Italy, Nicaragua, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic.

On Spotify, Lina’s music is featured on more than 21,000 user-created playlists, and her most-streamed songs include “Hasta Cuando” with Simon Savi (over 578,000 streams); “por la herida” in collaboration with Analu Dada (over 398,000 streams); and “Cobarde” with Jota E (over 370,000 streams).

Antonia Jones

This young artist began her musical career recording covers and has since evolved her style, blending organic and acoustic pop sounds with her own lyrics.

Songs like “Sexto Sentido,” with over 500,000 streams; “Pago Yo,” with over 160,000 streams; and “Aventurera,” with over 80,000 streams, are her most popular tracks on Spotify. This year, she released her self-titled album Antonia Jones, which includes songs like “19y33” and “Pedazos,” each of which has surpassed 80,000 and 19,000 streams, respectively.

Antonia has almost 9,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, primarily from Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, and the United States.

Find more music from the country’s top artists on the Pop Colombia playlist:

 

6 Artists Taking Mexico’s Pop Scene to the Next Level

a series of artists looking at the camera with a graphic treatment that resembles a school yearbook

Music from Mexico boasts talent across many genres, including Música Mexicana and hip-hop. But like many markets, pop remains a staple. In fact, Mexico ranks fourth as the country that consumes the most pop on Spotify, and many of the world’s beloved Spanish-language pop stars hail from Mexico.

Now Spotify is featuring the latest wave of Mexican pop stars in a new campaign: La Gen 23. “For many decades, Mexico has led the Latin pop movement,” explains Uriel Waizel, Spotify Mexico’s Head of Editorial. “We are excited to amplify a new era of pop by showcasing the talented and creative Mexican artists who are captivating a new generation through music.” With an identity marked by collaboration and authenticity, this new generation of talent has made an impact on its Gen Z audience. On Spotify, listeners only have to go to one place to find the latest music from them: the la pop~wave playlist

Our campaign kicks off with RENEE, Kevin Kaarl, Bruses, Bratty, Humbe, and Leon Leiden, six artists whose monthly streams have increased by more than 9,000% since June 2020. They have a combined total of 18.4 millions monthly listeners—more than double the population of Mexico City. By bringing these artists to the fore, we’re giving fans a look at the newest and hottest pop stars coming out of Mexico. Get to know them. 

Kevin Kaarl

Kevin Kaarl has become one of the leading figures of the pop wave. His emotional indie-folk songs have hooked more than 7 million fans who relate to the heartbreak he shares in his tracks. Last year, his album, Paris Texas, debuted at #5 on the Global New Releases list on Spotify. 

RENEE 

RENEE, a Spotify EQUAL ambassador, is one of the most electrifying artists of her generation. Her songs have become anthems for women, and she has nearly 2 million monthly listeners. “Nunca Tristes (Me vale madre),” her best-known song, has been streamed by fans more than 45 million times.

Bruses 

Bruses was the first Mexican artist to be named a global ambassador for GLOW, Spotify’s music program celebrating and amplifying LGBTQIA+ artists and creators. At the 2022 Latin Grammy Awards, her album Monstruos was nominated for Best Pop Rock Album, and her track “qué voy a hacer conmigo???” was nominated for Best Pop Rock Song.

Humbe 

Humbe, hailing from Monterrey, has a knack for releasing hit songs. His 2021 album, ENTROPÍA, was well received, with all of the songs debuting on the Top 200 of Spotify Mexico.

Leon Leiden 

At 23, artist Leon Leiden has racked up nearly 50 million streams for his song “Gitana (feat Jeis, Pao Alvarado & Charly Romero).” With an unparalleled style, the music of “ESE LION” has grown by more than 2,600% in monthly streams between June 2020 and June 2023.

Bratty 

In 2023, Bratty became the youngest Mexican artist to perform at Coachella. While commanding the stage in Indio, California, Bratty performed hits like “Honey, No Estás,” “Continental,” and “Quiero Estar.”

 

Find fresh new music from these Mexican artists and more on our la pop~wave playlist.

6 artistas que están elevando la escena del pop en México

a series of artists looking at the camera with a graphic treatment that resembles a school yearbook

La música proveniente de México cuenta con talento en muchos géneros, como la música mexicana y el hip-hop. Pero, como en muchos otros mercados, el pop sigue siendo un elemento básico. De hecho, México ocupa el cuarto lugar como el país que más consume pop en Spotify, y muchas de las estrellas de pop en español más queridas del mundo son de México.

Ahora, Spotify presenta la última ola de estrellas del pop en una nueva campaña: La Gen 23. “Durante muchas décadas, México ha liderado el movimiento del pop latino”, explica Uriel Waizel, líder editorial de Spotify México. “Estamos emocionados de amplificar una nueva era del pop mostrando a los talentosos y creativos artistas mexicanos que están cautivando a nuevas generaciones a través de la música”. Con una identidad marcada por la colaboración y la autenticidad, esta nueva generación de talentos ha logrado impactar a su audiencia Gen Z. En Spotify, los oyentes sólo tienen que ir a un lugar para encontrar la música más reciente de estos artistas: la playlist la pop~wave

Nuestra campaña comienza con RENEE, Kevin Kaarl, Bruses, Bratty, Humbe y Leon Leiden, seis artistas cuyos streams mensuales han aumentado más de 9000% desde junio de 2020. En conjunto, suman 18,4 millones de oyentes mensuales, más del doble de la población de Ciudad de México. Al dar a conocer a estos artistas, ofrecemos a los fans una mirada a las estrellas del pop más recientes y atractivas de México. Conócelos.

Kevin Kaarl

Con su guitarra siempre en  mano, Kevin Kaarl se ha convertido en uno de los referentes de la “pop wave”. Sus emotivas canciones indie-folk han enganchado a más de 7 millones de fans que se identifican con las historias de desamor que comparte en sus canciones. El año pasado, su álbum París Texas debutó en la posición #5 de la lista de estrenos globales en Spotify. 

RENEE 

RENEE es una de las artistas más electrizantes de su generación y embajadora EQUAL. Sus canciones se han convertido en himnos para mujeres y tiene alrededor de 2 millones de oyentes mensuales. “Nunca Tristes (Me Vale Madre)”, su canción más conocida, ha sido reproducida por fans más de 45 millones de veces.

Bruses 

Bruses fue la primera artista mexicana en ser nombrada embajadora de GLOW, el programa de Spotify que celebra y amplifica a los artistas y creadores LGBTIQA+. En los premios Latin Grammy de 2022, su álbum “Monstruos” fue nominado a “Mejor Álbum pop-rock” y su tema “qué voy a hacer conmigo???” fue nominado a “Mejor Canción Pop Rock”.

Humbe 

El regiomontano es famoso por su habilidad de lanzar canciones exitosas. Su álbum 2021, “ENTROPÍA”, fue bien recibido, con todas las canciones debutando en el Top 200 de Spotify México.

Leon Leiden 

El artista de 23 años Leon Leiden ha acumulado casi 50 millones de streams por su canción “Gitana (feat Jeis, Pao Alvarado & Charly Romero)”. Con un estilo inigualable, la música de “ESE LEÓN” ha crecido más de 2600% en streams mensuales entre junio de 2020 y junio de 2023.

Bratty 

En 2023, Bratty se convirtió en la artista mexicana más joven en presentarse en Coachella. Mientras comandaba el escenario en Indio, California, Bratty interpretó sus éxitos como “Honey, No Estás”, “Continental” y “Quiero Estar”.

 

Encuentra música nueva de estos artistas mexicanos, y más, en nuestra playlist la pop~wave.

‘See You Again’: Charlie Puth’s Musical Homecoming

Most people visit their alma maters excited to see their old dorms or to catch the homecoming tailgate and football game. But when Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter/producer Charlie Puth stopped by his old stomping grounds at Berklee College of Music in July, it was for slightly more academic reasons: to be a frank, off-the-cuff guest lecturer for students looking to perfect their music and pursue their passion, just as he did.

The Berklee grad (class of 2013) walked away from college with a degree in music production and engineering, as well as knowledge and experience that helped him land his first major label deal, with Atlantic, in 2015. From there, he collaborated with Meghan Trainor on their hit single “Marvin Gaye,” and Wiz Khalifa on the Grammy-nominated number “See You Again.” He released his debut album, Nine Track Mind, in January 2016.

Yet throughout his burgeoning fame he hasn’t forgotten his roots. On July 12, Puth joined up with Spotify and one of his former Berklee teachers, Grammy-nominated hit songwriter and former “American Idol” judge Kara DioGuardi, to host a special workshop and live performance for current top-performing upperclassmen at campus hot spot Cafe 939. He reflected on his time at the school and launching his career, workshopped with students, provided tips for improvement, and even performed some of his hits, including “Done for Me,” “How Long,” “Attention,” “The Way I Am,” and “See You Again.”

“I’m on cloud nine right now, you know why?” Charlie asked the class. “I played a show in front of 15,000 people last night. But my first show ever was in this room. It’s come full circle.”

Listen to Charlie Puth’s newest, self-produced album, Voicenotes.