Tag: quarantine

New Spotify Study Shows Audio Is the Number One Productivity Booster

March 4, 2021

The new normal isn’t so new anymore. With many approaching a year of being at home, we’re all eager to find new ways to maintain our focus and productivity—something that means much more than getting things done at work. According to a recent study commissioned in the U.S. and UK by Spotify, 87% of people believe productivity touches every aspect of their lives, from work and creative pursuits to managing a home and caring for a family. 

The study also found that, no matter the task at hand, audio is a key part of people’s productivity tool kits. It helps individuals achieve certain moods, transform their environments, and get into the right frame of mind. Audio is the number one productivity booster, with 37% of respondents citing it as the key driver to success during productivity moments. This played out on Spotify too: Over the past year of social distancing and spending more time at home, we’ve seen a 26% increase in user-generated “focus” playlists created on-platform globally.*

Looking to find the right audio to help you get in the zone? Read on for some additional key recommendations from the study,** as well as the most popular sounds that might be useful as you get into a task or project.  

Fit the sound to the task

Nearly 75% of respondents agreed that the type of audio they stream needs to be tailored to the activity they’re doing. So whether you’re working on your desktop, going for a walk to clear your mind, or going for a drive to run errands, make sure you have the audio to match. 

  • Study and chill: 69% of respondents said ambient or chill music is better for studying, with 67% indicating ‘slower’ beats are key for their study sessions. The top three most popular playlists within the Spotify Focus Hub across the globe include: Peaceful Piano, Lo-Fi Beats, and Instrumental Study. “Chicago Freestyle (feat. Giveon)” by Drake and Giveon is the top-streamed chill/ambient track, followed by “Mariposa” by Peach Tree Rascals, “Yellow Hearts” by Ant Saunders, “Into the Unknown” by AURORA & Idina Menzel, and “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen. 
  • Foster home improvement: 64% of respondents said that when doing housework or making home improvements, they prefer to listen to high-energy music with a faster BPM. Looking for the perfect jams for just that? Check out Spotify’s “Get Chores Done” and “Housewerk” playlists.
  • Fuel creativity: 43% of respondents said they are more likely to listen to instrumental music when writing creatively or analyzing data/information. 

Get in the right state of mind

The largest barrier to being productive is internal stimuli—things like stress, mood, and level of tiredness. Roughly 80% of respondents said listening to something helps them focus, tune out distractions, and create their own space. 

  • Use audio to help you fight the afternoon slump: Spotify found that streams of its Focus Hub are highest in the afternoons, between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. 
  • Find the right track for you for the moment: Searching for the perfect song or podcast for the moment can be tough—nearly a quarter (24%) of respondents said they struggle to find the right content—but personalized playlists like Spotify’s popular Discover Weekly or Brain Snacks playlists can help you find the right audio, made just for you.
  • Switch off when you need it: Audio isn’t only for laser-focused task completion—it can also help you decompress. In fact, 87% of respondents reported using audio to help switch off and relax. Updated twice daily, the evening edition of Spotify’s Daily Wellness playlist is built to get you ready for a good night’s sleep so you can slip into one of the most crucial acts of wellness and self-care. Or check out Happier with Gretchen Rubin, where Rubin provides practical, manageable advice about happiness and good habits. 

Ready to get in the zone? Find all this and more in Spotify’s Focus Hub.

 

*All Spotify data collected from February 4, 2020 – February 4, 2021 unless otherwise specified.

**Survey was conducted with 4,000 adult respondents across the U.S. and UK, exploring what productivity means to each of them and how they manage productivity in their daily lives. The survey also included a qualitative diary with six American participants.

The Trends Shaping 2020 Summer Streaming

August 13, 2020

After a spring full of tie-dying, gardening, DIY haircutting, quilting, and baking, people headed outdoors to soak up the summer sun. While this year looks a little different from most summers, people are still turning to classic summer pastimes like road tripping, camping, and even roller skating to keep themselves busy. 

We took a look at summer streaming trends to find out which songs are spiking and how listeners are creating playlists to match their moods and activities. Check out what we found below.

You spin me ’round

Between May 5 and July 30, more than 54,000 playlists dedicated to cycling, roller skating, and rollerblading were created globally on Spotify. But they aren’t just popular hobbies, they’re also a great way to squeeze in some exercise and—most importantly—they’re wheelie fun.

The top songs for cycling-themed playlists include “Kolors” by Monte Booker, Smino, “Roses – Imanbek Remix” by Imanbek, SAINt JHN, and “Savage Love” by Jason Derulo and Jawsh 685. Meanwhile “Say So” by Doja Cat feat. Nicki Minaj, “The Less I Know The Better” by Tame Impala, and “Jenny from the Block” by Jennifer Lopez feat. Jadakiss & Styles P. are trendy roller skating and rollerblading picks. 

On the road again

We believe there are only two requirements for a road trip: a vehicle and a good playlist. Listeners seem to agree. Between June and July, there was a 92% increase in the creation of road trip playlists on Spotify.

Popular songs include “Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles, “Here Comes The Sun” by The Beatles, and “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus. Roll-down-the-window-and-belt-it-out jams are also making the cut. Top among them are “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey, “Livin’ On A Prayer” by Bon Jovi, “Hey Ya!” by OutKast, and, appropriately, “Life is a Highway” by Rascal Flatts. 

Podcasts including Stuff You Should Know, Crime Junkie, My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, and Ted Talks Daily are also common playlist additions for listeners hitting the wide open road.

If DIY playlists aren’t your thing, or you just need some inspiration, check out the Spotify-curated playlists Classic Road Trip Songs and 70s Road Trip.

No place like home

Warmer weather hasn’t drawn everyone outside. In fact, there are now more than 1.3 million quarantine-themed playlists on Spotify. Between May 5 and July 30, popular tracks for these playlists included “Stuck With U” by Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber, “Bored In The House” by Tyga and Curtis Roach, “Be Kind (with Halsey)” by Halsey and Marshmello, and “Lockdown” by Anderson Paak. Another popular choice fresh off Taylor Swift’s new album, folklore, is “exile” with Bon Iver. And we can’t forget to mention those spending the summer solo, who may have been responsible for the spike in Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” being added to playlists.

There are also a number of listeners who are turning their summer vacations into staycations. From June to July, there’s been a 120% uptick in the creation of staycation-themed playlists. These homebodies are capturing the feel-good vibes with songs including “Summer Clothes” by Marc Scibilia, “Island In The Sun” by Weezer, “Summertime Magic” by Childish Gambino, “Kokomo” by the Beach Boys, “The Boys Of Summer” by Don Henly, “Paradise” by Bazzi, “Could You Be Loved” by Bob Marley & The Wailers, “Take Me Home” by Bryce Vine, and “Señorita” by Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes.

Hello muddah, hello faddah

Listeners have been heading to the great outdoors in search of fresh air. Naturally, they’ve also been creating playlists to accompany them on their hiking, star-gazing, and marshmallow-roasting adventures. From June to July, there was a whopping 140% increase in camping-themed playlists created on Spotify. 

Top songs for these playlists include “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd, “Fishin’ in the Dark” by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, “Under the Bridge” by Red Hot Chili Peppers, and “Dance Monkey” by Tones and I. The elements are clearly on the mind of campers, with hits like ACDC’s “Thunderstruck,” Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide,” and Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande’s “Rain On Me” appearing on many of their playlists.

Bored in the house

While many summer activities are on hold, some listeners are feeling a little restless. Between May 5 and July 30 more than 127,000 playlists were created with “bored” or “boredom” in the title. Top songs keeping the boredom at bay include “I Don’t Care” by Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber, “when the party’s over” by Billie Eilish, “High Hopes” by Panic! At The Disco, and “The Less I Know The Better” by Tame Impala.

Happy together

If music sets the mood, then July was the happiest month of 2020 . . . so far. During that time, listeners streamed more upbeat tracks than previous months of this year. On the flip side, April was the month when listeners played “sadder” or more downtempo tracks the most. So you can say the sunshine and fresh air is doing us all a world of good.

Streaming with friends

Even though social distancing guidelines are still in place in many parts of the world, you can still make summer memories with friends and loved ones. Spotify is helping bring people together with Group Session, a new feature that allows groups of Premium listeners to tune in to the same playlist or podcast simultaneously. Now you and all your BFFs can BBQ in your own backyards—all while jamming out to the same tunes.

 Whether you’re staying home or heading out for some socially distant fun, you can create a playlist to match your summer vibe. Just open up Spotify to begin or check out our refresher here.

How At-Home Activities Are Inspiring New Playlists

May 27, 2020

People around the world are continuing to spend most of their time indoors—but they’re doing plenty to keep busy. Between baking, homeschooling, crafts, and home improvement, people are finding creative and meaningful ways to make the best use of their time.

We took a look at streaming data between April 17 and May 17 for Spotify users worldwide. As it turns out, listeners are getting in on the latest at-home trends and even creating playlists to match.

Read on for some of the trends, tracks, and playlists marking this unique time.

Hair today, gone tomorrow

With many salons closed over the last month, users have taken their hair into their own hands. There has been a 50% increase in the creation of playlists using keywords like “haircut,” “dying hair,” and “hair dye.” Popular songs on these playlists speak to the seemingly impossible task and include “Complicated” by Avril Lavigne, “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” by Fall Out Boy, “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World, “High Hopes” by Panic! At The Disco, “Stressed Out” by Twenty One Pilots, and (more obviously) “Hair Cutter” by Animal Collective.

DIY

At-home hobbies have also been a huge source of inspiration. Coloring-themed playlists have increased by about 40%, and painting playlists more than 90%. Plus, gardening playlists have grown 430% (with songs like “Avant Gardener” by Courtney Barnett, “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra, and “Sunflower” by Post Malone and Swae Lee). And baking playlists have risen 120%. Listeners are especially going bananas for banana bread, with 2,750 Spotify playlists dedicated to the sweet treat. 

Hobby podcasts are also having a moment. For arts and crafts inspo, listeners are tuning in to Just Wanna Quilt, with streams up more than 125%, while WeCrochet has seen streams increase more than 60%. Those who like to get down and dirty are checking out gardening-themed podcasts, the most popular being The Joe Gardener Show, Epic Gardening: Daily Growing Tips and Advice, and The RHS Gardening Podcast.

School’s out

With kids home from school, parents are facing a whole new set of challenges, and with a more than 1,000% increase in homeschool-themed playlists, it’s clear that many are turning to music to get through the day. “Supalonely” by BENEE and Gus Dapperton, “Sucker” by Jonas Brothers, “Circles” by Post Malone, and “Don’t Start Now” by Dua Lipa are among the most popular songs choices on these playlists.

It’s not all work and no play, though. Users are also combining music with a popular family-friendly, at-home escape that might ring a bell: Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons video game. Animal Crossing-themed playlists are up 1,000%. 

WFH

Anyone who has recently turned their spare bedroom or dining room into their office probably won’t be surprised to learn that working-from-home-themed playlists have seen a massive 1,400% increase compared to the first 10 days of March. Appropriately, the most-added track to these playlists is “Work From Home” by Fifth Harmony (feat. Ty Dolla $ign). Also popular is “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton, “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd, “Light On” by Maggie Rogers, “10,000 hours” by Dan + Shay (with Justin Bieber), “Boss Bitch” by Doja Cat, “Delicate” by Taylor Swift, and “The Less I Know the Better” by Tame Impala.

Those who prefer something a little more old school are turning to Beethoven and Bach, with pianist Lang Lang’s version of “Für Elise” a top classical pick.

Scrub-a-dub

With more than 940,000 cleaning playlists on Spotify, listeners are taking this year’s spring cleaning to a whole new level. Spotify’s Cleaning Kit playlist has seen a 30% increase in streaming, while user-generated cleaning playlists have increased 40%; overall streams have increased more than 65%. Yet, there seems to be a slight reluctance to the chore, as TLC’s “No Scrubs” has been a popular choice for listeners who are scrubbing their homes.

For those who are getting into the groove while cleaning, users are moppin’ and showstoppin’ with songs made for dancing like “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson, “Roar” by Katy Perry, “Toxic” by Britney Spears, “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers, and “Work” by Drake and Rihanna. 

No-bummer summer

While summer might look a little different this year, listeners are still seeking out warm-weather vibes. As the temperatures rise in the northern hemisphere, there has been a 245% increase in summer-themed soundtracks to set the mood. These feel-good jams are ideal for throwing your window open or heading outside to soak up some sun—at a social distance of course.

We hope that Spotify can be used as an escape and source of inspiration during this unprecedented time. Create your own at-home playlist—full of music or podcasts—by opening up Spotify. Need a refresher on how? Check out some recommendations here.