Tag: rock music

Spotify Launches ‘Mi Primer Escenario’ in Argentina, Offering Emerging Artists a Festival Debut

February 5, 2025

Supporting emerging artists is woven into Spotify’s DNA, and we’re amplifying that commitment by bringing our “Mi Primer Escenario” (My First Stage) music contest to Argentina for the first time.

Fresh off a successful launch in Mexico, which saw rising star Mia Salinas take the stage at MEXCLA Spotify, “Mi Primer Escenario” now offers up-and-coming Argentine artists the opportunity to showcase their music and connect with listeners in a whole new way. Local fans will be able to vote for their favorite contestants directly through the Spotify app and help launch the next big Argentine music career.

The grand prize? A performance slot at Quilmes Rock, one of Argentina’s largest rock music festivals, alongside legendary acts including Los Piojos, Andrés Calamaro, Miranda!, Babasonicos, and Los Auténticos Decadentes. The festival takes place at Tecnópolis in Buenos Aires on April 5 and 6, and April 12 and 13. The winner will also snag the cover of Spotify’s Top Verano 2025 playlist.

“National rock continues to leave its mark in Argentina, and with the new wave of emerging artists, the genre continues to evolve and transcend generations,” said Carolina Martin, Spotify’s Artist & Label Partnerships Lead, Southern Cone. “As part of our mission to support local talent, we launched this contest to give participants the chance to showcase their music to the world and debut at one of the most iconic festivals in the country, hand in hand with their favorite audio platform.”

Ready to rock? Here’s how to participate:

Phase 1: February 4 to February 11

Record a video (30 seconds to 2 minutes) of you performing an original rock, indie, or pop-rock song. Upload it to TikTok with the hashtag #SpotifyMiPrimerEscenario. (Make sure you have full rights to the song.) The 20 entries with the most comments will advance to the semifinals.

Phase 2: February 19 to February 28

The Spotify team will select 10 finalists based on their affinity with the Quilmes Rock lineup. These artists will be featured on a special Spotify playlist where users in Argentina will be able to vote for their favorites using a new in-app tool (mobile only). The artist or band with the most votes wins!

To vote, simply open the playlist and listen to the song of the artist you want to support. At the end of the playlist, you’ll see the voting option. Free users will be able to vote once a day during the voting period, while Premium users will get three votes per day.

Phase 3: March 5 to Quilmes Rock

We’ll announce the winner on March 5, and they’ll be featured on the cover of Spotify’s Top Verano 2025 playlist for the following week. Then they’ll make their festival debut with a 30-minute set at Quilmes Rock in April. Additionally, all 10 finalists will be added to a separate Spotify editorial playlist.

Eligibility requirements for artists
  • Be of legal age, of Argentine nationality, and a resident of the Argentine Republic.
  • Be available to travel to Buenos Aires to perform at the event.
  • Have an active Spotify profile with at least six original tracks, and at least two tracks uploaded in the last year. Additionally, you must have fewer than 50K monthly listeners.
  • Have an active TikTok account and include a link to your Spotify artist profile in your bio.

To learn more about “Mi Primer Escenario,” view the terms and conditions here.

Celebrate the Enduring Influence of Argentine Rock With Our Special Series of Spotify Singles

November 7, 2024

In Argentina, rock music has long been a powerful force shaping the country’s cultural and political landscape. Over the past year, however, a new generation of talent has emerged, breathing fresh life into the local rock scene—and younger fans are all ears. In fact, 60% of Gen Z users on Spotify in Argentina have listened to Argentine rock this year, embracing classic hits and newer sounds alike.

To honor both the pioneers and the next wave of Argentine rock, we’re launching a trio of Spotify Singles—each one a unique reimagining of an iconic track that highlights the evolution of the genre. Featuring rapper Dillom, rock band Airbag, alt rock singer-songwriter Marilina Bertoldi, and electro-pop artist Juliana Gattas, this series bridges the past, present, and future of Argentine rock.

Hit play on these exclusive releases:

“¿Qué Vas a Hacer Tan Sola Hoy?” by Dillom, covering the Viejas Locas classic.

“Ella Usó Mi Cabeza Como Un Revólver” by Airbag, covering Soda Stereo’s iconic hit.

“Me Vuelvo Cada Día Más Loca,” a duet by Marilina Bertoldi and Juliana Gattas, covering Celeste Carballo’s timeless track.

These Spotify Singles not only spotlight Argentina’s rising stars but also pay tribute to a genre that has shaped the country’s cultural identity. We’re proud to provide a platform for Argentine rock to continue flourishing across generations.

Discover more up-and-coming talent on our Rock Argentino playlist.

The Hives Celebrate 50 Years of Sweden’s Global Music Success With Spotify Singles Cover

May 24, 2024

On April 6, 1974, the Swedish pop quartet ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest with “Waterloo,” a victory that would propel them to dazzling international fame. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic Ocean, Björn Skifs and Blue Swede’s “Hooked on a Feeling” had just become the first single by a Swedish artist to reach the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S.

As it turns out, that was just the beginning. Today, half a decade later, Sweden is one of the world’s biggest music exporters. To commemorate the outset of the country’s remarkable global success in music, Spotify invited the Swedish rock quintet The Hives to our Stockholm studio to record a Spotify Singles cover of “Hooked on a Feeling,” out now:

Known for their legendary live performances and strict black-and-white dress code, The Hives have been making heavy garage music for more than three decades. As one of the most-streamed Swedish rock bands globally, they’re thrilled to be carrying the storied song into its next chapter.

“I think there’s a synergy effect of Swedish music having made it abroad, and you feel like it’s possible. We can’t make it more perfect than the original is, so we went the other way instead: ruined it but made it sound exciting,” quipped front man Pelle Almqvist.

“Since the iconic year of 1974, when ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest, music from Swedish creators has continued to influence beyond its borders,” said Sophia Olofsson, Music Program Lead at Spotify. “We hear a lot about the Swedish pop wonder, but rock and metal are also two impactful genres for listeners around the world. With this Spotify Singles release, we wanted to celebrate the anniversary of the export of Swedish music while also paying homage to Sweden’s rock talents.”

The original “Hooked on a Feeling” was written by Mark James and performed by American singer B.J. Thomas in 1968. In 1973, Björn Skifs and his Blue Swede band recorded their version, which retained the “ooga-chaka” introduction from an earlier cover by English singer-songwriter Jonathan King.

To date, Blue Swede’s version of the song has racked up more than 670 million streams on Spotify globally. It has continued to gain traction over the years, having been featured in movies like Reservoir Dogs and Guardians of the Galaxy.

A spotlight on Swedish rock

Sweden might be best known for its pop music, but Spotify data shows that rock is also driving the country’s music exports. On our platform, the love for Swedish rock stretches near and far. In the past five years, streams of rock music by Swedish acts have increased by 90% globally, with France, Italy, Mexico, and Australia being the biggest consumers. Over 40% of the consumption comes from listeners aged 18-29.

Stream The Hives’ “Hooked on a Feeling” now, then dive into our Made in Sweden playlist to explore more tracks from Swedish artists.

Rock On During Black Music Month With These Frequency x Spotify Singles Tracks

June 14, 2023

a compilation of song cover art featuring bands: Zulu, Meet Me @ The Altar and Jean Dawson

This June, in honor of Black Music Month, a group of talented Black rockers recorded new tracks as part of a Frequency x Spotify Singles collaboration. Pop-punk darlings Meet Me @ The Altar, hardcore/metal band Zulu, and alternative artist Jean Dawson each showcase their distinct music stylings on a reimagining of one of their original songs and a cover of another artist’s single that they love.

Frequency’s year-round program celebrates Black art, entertainment, creativity, culture, and community both on- and off-platform.

“Frequency was launched in 2021 out of the desire to create a space where listeners and creators can come together to celebrate Black expression in music. Since its inception, we’ve fostered community within diverse subgenres through marketing, editorial, and shared experiences,” explained Kimmy Summers, Lead for Artist Partnerships at Spotify.  “We take pride in our responsibility to partner and invest in artists that redefine what Black artistry looks and sounds like, and are thrilled to support the next generation of rising stars.”

These particular Spotify Singles reflect the diversity and talent within the Black music community and help expand perceptions of the range of genres in which Black artists excel.

“For this iteration of Spotify Singles, we chose to highlight Black artists making waves in Rock— whose contributions, despite the expansiveness of the genre, are not traditionally amplified,” shared Chissy Nkemere, Lead for Rock & Alternative Artist Partnerships at Spotify. “Each artist comes from a different subgenre within rock, and their distinct styles are reflected through the songs they chose and the recordings themselves.”

Get to know these musicians and check out their new Spotify Singles.

Meet Me @ The Altar is a critically acclaimed trio currently on tour for their debut album, Past // Present // Future. They put a new spin on their second single, “Kool,” and covered Kelly Clarkson’s 2003 hit “Miss Independent.” 

How did you choose and add your personal stamp to the song you’re covering?

Kelly Clarkson is an artist that we have looked up to all of our lives. Our favorite Kelly Clarkson era is the early 2000s pop rock she was serving. I mean . . . everyone loves “Since U Been Gone”! We are giving this song [Miss Independent] our personal spin by making it an even more rock ’n’ roll–leaning listen.

How does your music reflect your identity?

The music we make is the manifestation of many forces and influences throughout our lives, but primarily we would say that it’s exactly what we would’ve wanted to hear from the stage when we were kids and started experiencing live music, or playing on the radio on the way to school. It’s reaffirming for us to be able to say it’s fully authentic to what we want our sound to be. Nobody tells Meet Me @ The Altar what we have to sound like or be other than the three of us.

What advice do you have for other Black rockers?

Take up space and be yourself. Be proud of your identity, but don’t let it be the only thing people talk about. At the end of the day, your music is the most important thing. You being Black should be an afterthought, not the first thought. 

 

Zulu, whose sound blends hard-core and power-violence with elements of jazz, hip-hop, funk, and soul, recently released their first full-length album, A New Tomorrow. Their Spotify Singles are a reworking of “Shine Eternally” and a cover of  Slipknot’s “Wait and Bleed.”

How did you choose and add your personal stamp to the song you’re covering?

Honestly, some of us kind of naturally thought of either Slipknot or System Of A Down for some reason, and we ended up going with Slipknot. It’s funny how we all naturally shared that same thought. 

How does your music reflect your identity?

It’s a musical representation of my identity—it is who I am, and no matter what I make, it’s represented. Different styles of music are just different aspects of my identity. 

What advice do you have for other Black rockers?

Don’t let anyone tell you this music isn’t for you, or that you’re playing white-people music. Our ancestors made it possible for this music to exist, and we can’t let people take that away from us.

 

Jean Dawson is a Black and Mexican musician and visual artist whose most recent album CHAOS NOW* debuted in 2022. He reimagined his track “PORN ACTING*” and covered “Window Shopper” by 50 Cent for his Spotify Singles. 

How did you choose and add your personal stamp to the song you’re covering?

“I’ve always looked at this song as a rock song, so I decided I would take it there and add my twist to it. People fail to realize that 50 Cent was an innovator in being hyper melodic while doing a format of music that was known for being more rhythmic. I have always seen him as being very punk rock.