Tag: rosalía

Top EQUAL Artist INNA Reflects On a Standout Year

November 29, 2023

Top EQUAL Artist INNA Dance Cover

Today we kicked off 2023 Spotify Wrapped, our annual campaign that celebrates fans and creators worldwide. And as the good vibes keep coming, we look back on a successful year of EQUAL, which included speaking events, festivals, and both local and global playlists featuring a large roster of talented EQUAL ambassadors. We’re thrilled to announce that Romanian superstar INNA is the most-streamed artist within the EQUAL Global playlist in 2023.

In 2020, Spotify created EQUAL, a global initiative that aims to eliminate the existing gender gap in the music industry so that women artists, composers, and producers have the representation and visibility they deserve. Since then, week after week, we’ve been raising the volume on women artists locally and internationally. 

Along with being named an EQUAL Global ambassador back in April, INNA had quite a landmark 2023. Her Dhurata Dora and Stefflon Don collaborations for the track “Yummy” pleased fans—as did the release of a 10-song EP of remixes for her revival of the 1997 Sash! hit “Rock My Body.” The house music star also released a two-part studio album, Just Dance #DQH1 and Just Dance #DQH2, which showcases an ambitious new direction in the artist’s career, combining elements of other genres and sounds as part of the Dance Queen’s House project.

For the Record caught up with INNA to talk about being the top EQUAL artist, her Wrapped for Artists insights, and her plans for 2024.

What was your reaction to finding out that you’re this year’s top EQUAL artist?

It was a huge surprise! I want to thank everyone who listens to my music and supports me. It’s an absolute honor to have so many people who are there for me. As an artist, this is the love I need to feel! I’m so happy about this!

How has dance music changed since your debut single, “Hot,” topped the charts in 2009? EQUAL Top Artist INNA

There are more and more dance artists in the world now, and a lot of DJs doing dance and EDM songs. It’s an expanding genre that has seen and will continue to see a lot of growth.

I’ve also changed quite a lot. In that time I made it a point to experience different collaborations, genres, and sounds in my music. 

What were some of your 2023 highlights?

2023 was such a great year. My collaboration with R3HAB for “Rock My Body” conquered the charts and became a hit. I released a new album, Just Dance, featuring the music I worked on for the Dance Queen’s House project. And, of course, so many concerts. I couldn’t be more grateful for all that’s happened in 2023. Bring it on, 2024! I’m ready for you!

Tell us about Just Dance, which you’ve previously described as a refresh from your past and an important step in your evolution as an artist.

When we started, we were brainstorming, thinking how this album should sound. And overall we felt that we needed a different vibe and a whole new approach, so we changed the dynamic. I’m honestly super excited about how it all came together. The album complements my 2023 tour on the stages of the biggest electro dance festivals in the world.

What insights have you been able to take away from previous years of Artist Wrapped?

A white background with INNA walking

My team and I always pay attention to everything to improve our work. We work hard to make the most out of the Artist Wrapped insights to create more and more music that resonates with more people.

Which women artists do you currently have in your On Repeat playlist?

I always have P!nk on repeat, she is fabulous, one of my favorite artists ever. Some other women artists are ROSALÍA, FKA Twigs, Billie Eilish, Dhurata Dora, and SZA.

Going into the New Year, what advice do you have for other artists?

Consistency, focus, creativity, inspiration, and a lot of work are important. Surround yourself with people who share the same vibe as you. And most importantly, don’t forget to have fun!

What do you have planned for 2024?

There will be a lot of new music coming in 2024. I’ll be releasing a new album written entirely in Spanish. It’s one of the releases I can’t wait for, because it’s an important part of my work and soul and I’ve been working on it for several years. And of course, I’ll be kicking off a tour in the USA in addition to performing concerts in Mexico and Europe.

Listen to the best of the best from the dance queen herself in our This Is INNA playlist.

Exclusive Artist Merch Drops for Spotify’s Capsule Collection

November 1, 2023

Peso Pluma's merch hanging on a clothing line outside. There is a white tshirt with a skull, a black scarf with a white skull, and a black sweatshirt with Peso Pluma's name

From band tees to vinyl sleeves, music and merch go hand in hand. We’ve seen that when an artist drops some merch, fans flock to their Spotify pages to grab it. That’s why we made it easier than ever for listeners to find merch from their favorite artists with our dedicated Merch Hub in the Spotify app. 

This fall we’re taking our love of merch to the next level with the 2023 Spotify Capsule Collection, a pilot series of Spotify-exclusive drops from some of today’s hottest names in music, to bring creators and fans together in a way that moves beyond just the music. Each week, a new artist will drop a carefully curated selection of limited-edition items ranging from stylish apparel to some less-conventional items. Top fans of each of the artists will have the first chance to shop the drops via Spotify’s Fans First program, which helps artists identify and reward their biggest fans on the platform with special offers.

Man wearing a white long sleeve shirt that says "Peso Pluma" on the back. He is stading and facing a wall of flowers

For those champing at the bit to know which artists we’ll be kicking off the 2023 Capsule Collection with, you don’t need to wait. Peso Pluma, Daft Punk, Tyler, The Creator, ROSALÍA, and Tems will offer more than just their music to fans in the coming weeks.

Starting today, you can buy Peso Pluma’s Dia de los Muertos–inspired Merch. Keep an eye out for these special limited-edition drops on Spotify.

Why Following FC Barcelona Is a Game of Its Own

October 18, 2023

Since 2022, our partnership with FC Barcelona has spanned playlists and football pitches alike. And helping fans connect with their favorite artists and players has been at the heart of that. But Barça faithfuls are no ordinary supporters: They are authentic, emotional, and most of all, exceptionally committed to the club. 

This also means their expectations are very high, and they have a voracious appetite for club-related content that is distinctive and entertaining. So each and every day, FC Barcelona’s social media accounts set out to deliver photos, videos, memes, and team updates that keep hundreds of millions of fans around the world buzzing.

The club’s brand identity and engagement teams, headed up by Barça Identity Director Paloma Mikadze and Fan Engagement Director Eric Serra, are responsible for the playful social media strategies, posts, and videos that keep fans supporting the club through their likes, comments, and reposts. They are the storytellers of FC Barcelona, and working together with Spotify’s own storytellers, like Partner Marketing Lead George Mead, they find new and unique ways to bring Barça players together with music’s biggest stars. (Who can forget ROSALÍA’s epic shirt reveal?) 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by FC Barcelona (@fcbarcelona)

Over the years, FC Barcelona has cultivated a deeply loyal fan following through its social media accounts, and since partnering with Spotify, it only continues to grow stronger. For the Record sat down with Paloma, Eric, and George to talk about their approach to fan engagement, how they get players into the mix, and insights into some of their most memorable campaigns.

No one can forget the incredible artist reveal with ROSALÍA on team kits ahead of an El Clásico match. Can you tell us a little about the process behind that campaign, as well as the results?

Paloma Mikadze: When passion and ambition come together, incredible things happen. That’s a philosophy we truly believe in, and the MOTOMAMI campaign underscores that. Our team makes extraordinary ideas come to life. Bringing sports and music together is wonderful, and we wanted fans around the world to feel and experience that fusion of culture. 

We built a strong journey around the hype phase to capture all the attention we were looking for before the reveal moment—we wanted all eyes to be on us, and that’s what we did. The ROSALÍA shirt reveal was a trending topic all over the world. Our content was being consumed by millions of fans, which multiplied the exposure of our brands around the world.  

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by LA ROSALÍA (@rosalia.vt)

George: That was truly unforgettable! It helps when it coincided with a last-minute match winner to essentially secure the La Liga title, but that really exemplified why this partnership is the first of its kind.

After she featured on the shirt, searches for ROSALÍA on Spotify spiked significantly across the world. Barcelona, meanwhile, got roughly half a billion impressions on content with the singer’s MOTOMAMI logo across all club media channels.

Plus, a TikTok video featuring ROSALÍA remixing the club’s anthem, which was posted on Barcelona’s account to promote the campaign, has now amassed more than 86 million views, further illustrating how Barça have been able to leverage Spotify’s relationship with its artists to better target Gen Z.

How about Anitta’s playlist challenge during this summer’s preseason tour? 

Eric Serra: Can you imagine Anitta playing football, or Gavi, Pedri, Raphinha, and Balde recreating one of Anitta’s trendy dances? Maybe not, but this is where the team comes in to create remarkable content for the fans while achieving commercial goals simultaneously. Connecting all the dots is not easy, but when you have the players and artists on the pitch with big smiles during production, you know that the idea is good, and the content will perform very well.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by FC Barcelona (@fcbarcelona)

George: Again, that was a perfect example of seeing football and music come together in a way that aligned across the markets for both the club and the artist. Barça has such a massive following in the Latin American markets, so to be able to work with some of the biggest artists and celebrate their talents with those of the club was something that we really wanted to do for the preseason tour. The players loved it because it intersects with the music that they like to listen to, and we saw really good engagement across our own channels as a result.

The players are super active on social media. What’s behind their social strategy? 

George Mead: This has been a really fun aspect of our work with the club from the beginning. Working with current players and legends like Ronaldinho to create and share their favorite tracks, which motivate them on match days, in special Spotify playlists—as well as the opportunity for fans to Blend with players—has provided another way for fans to connect with the players via music. 

Paloma: We never miss an opportunity to bring the players into our social media plans. They’re generally aware of how crucial content is in today’s landscape, and we always try to propose innovative and fresh content so they can make the most of it. Highlighting their personality and qualities is key when we draw up our content strategy.

They take part in different ways—whether it’s trends, challenges, choreographies, interviews, or amplification from their own channels. We’d like to send a huge thank you to them for their proactivity and willingness to expose the Barça brand to the fullest. 

Eric: The approach to player activations is a perfect fit for them. We are providing the kind of content that they consume on social media, and the result is more authentic and engaging for the fans.

Eric Serra and Paloma Mikadze

How does your social approach help supplement the established futbol fan community? 

Paloma: It’s about being authentic and engaging at the same time. Fans have a very strong appetite for content and entertainment, but it’s not only about building strategies. It’s also about analyzing insights to readjust the approach and constantly innovating to meet expectations. We try to be one step ahead. Understanding how and why fans react and behave is the first step to establishing a fan community.  

George: As a member of that community myself, I know that that is one of the most engaged demographics out there in terms of social media. We believe that this partnership adds far more than just the Spotify logo across the Barça shirt, and I think we’ve seen from the results so far that we’re speaking to an audience that loves the crossover—and we’re excited to offer more with our projects in the future.

Eric: We don’t have customers, we have fans . . . and we focus on putting the Barça fans at the center of everything we do.

Have your social engagement plans changed at all since partnering with Spotify?

Paloma: Our plans have adapted rather than changed. We know our audience; we understand our fans and we constantly analyze the market. Innovation, flexibility, and insight extraction is essential in our day-to-day work. 

Our teams are persistently seeking new opportunities to elevate our partnership through content. We must be relevant in a landscape that offers infinite options, and joining forces with Spotify has been key. Creating strategies to leverage campaigns from a 360-degree point of view is crucial. Now, more than ever, we believe in reaching fans beyond football. 

Eric: I agree with Paloma; it’s not a redefinition, but rather a way to take advantage of the partnership. Thanks to them, we’re working on big campaigns with great artists like ROSALÍA, Drake, Anitta, Daddy Yankee, Ovy On The Drums, Piso 21, and more. However, without a previous entertainment and lifestyle brand mindset, it would be impossible to fully integrate the partnership into our day-to-day operations.

George: We’re always interested in the engagement and impressions that we’re getting from our campaigns, and what’s really been great is that these are major music marketing campaigns, but they’re still done with amazing value in terms of output. This club has a massive following around the globe, so we’ve definitely looked at that in markets that we’ve previously not reached to a greater extent.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by champagnepapi (@champagnepapi)

What are some fan engagement opportunities you see for this partnership going forward? 

George: I think there’s still so much we can do together with the club. Everyone at Spotify is really excited about the prospect of the Nou Camp being revamped into an entertainment hub as part of the club’s Espai Barça project. We see that as a really exciting opportunity for us.

What is the value of bringing artists and other creators into the Barça brand? 

George: I really think the value is felt through the global reach that this football club has. We’ve seen artists featured on our billboards around the Spotify Camp Nou and obviously our special-edition jersey takeover campaigns. That means they’re reaching new audiences that have previously been untapped for them.

Eric: Music and football, artists and players. If you blend all of these elements to create content and experiences, the primary beneficiary will be the fan. When you bring artists and creators together with players or the Barça brand, you’re merging different fan bases and organically amplifying the impact. Who wouldn’t wonder what happens when an amazing football player interacts with an incredible artist in the same room?

Paloma: Barça is more than a club. That’s the story we want to share globally, and it’s our inspiration. FC Barcelona is a local brand that’s eager to expand its values all over the world. There’s no better way to do that than with credible voices telling our story to specific niches. Our goal is to attract new audiences by amplifying our fan base and creating a solid, loyal relationship with future supporters. 

Check out the other stories in our “Playful” edition of Liner Notes to discover more ways we infuse energy, creativity, and delight into our products.

Spotify’s Interactive Experiences Create the Magic of Wrapped Year-Round

October 18, 2023

Spotify users start chattering on social media about Spotify Wrapped months before the experience is unveiled. The data dive turned cultural phenomenon, in which we unveil global top-listened-to songs, artists, albums, and podcasts, as well as fans’ personal listening trends, is as much of a learning experience for us as it is for our users. It’s an opportunity to see firsthand how much audio impacts our listeners’ lives, and the ways they turn to our platform to dive into this experience even more deeply. 

So the Spotify marketing teams make efforts to leverage our unique abilities and insights for original interactive experiences throughout the entire year. From New Years–inspired Playlist In a Bottle to My Top Five artist experiences with Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, ROSALÍA, BTS, and Taylor Swift, these new campaigns delight our users, more deeply connecting them with the artists they love and with fellow fans. 

“Wrapped really credentialed us in the marketplace in terms of marrying data with creativity and delivering it to users in an interesting way. And it gave us permission to think outside the box,” says Louisa Ferguson, Head of Global Marketing Experience. “There’s a lot of cultural energy on Spotify, and it’s nice to carve out space for Spotify to be more experimental and to try things that we’re not sure if they’re going to work and we want to find out. Our users help us do that.”

Louisa notes that as the team developed ideas for interactive moments, they realized there were opportunities to illuminate new and different insights on our users’ listening behaviors.  

“We want users to more consistently stumble upon these exciting, engaging moments throughout the year,” says Colette McIntyre, an Associate Creative Director at Spotify. “We see the younger generation, in particular, craving more interactivity and more personalization. They want to connect with the artists they love more, they want to connect with their own tastes more, and they want to connect with other fans more. And we wanted to facilitate that more regularly.” 

Playlist in a Bottle is a notable example of a moment of surprise and delight when users aren’t expecting it. It also puts listening ownership in users’ hands by enabling them to create a playlist for their future self. 

“Playlist in a Bottle is a lovely complement to Wrapped, which is a look back, in that it’s a look forward, a prediction of how your year is going to unfold,” said Louisa. The team was floored by the reception and is eyeing January 2024 as an opportunity to reintroduce the experience.

Our platform reflects the cultural zeitgeist

Though Playlist in a Bottle is one example that focuses on a topical moment, New Years, the team also prides itself on keeping abreast of unique trends and cultural conversations. 

Social media is core to this. “We think social first, always,” says Colette. “Social conversation is inherent to these experiences. Part of why these are connecting with people is because they’re built on very real insights of fandom, of genre, of the ways our users or fans react. One of our interactive experiences, GetReadyWithMusic, was inspired by, yes, music’s long-standing relationship with fashion, but also the social phenomenon of ‘Get Ready With Me’ videos on social.” 

“We are very, very focused on tapping into existing cultural conversation,” Louisa agrees. “It is really important that we enable these fans, who are already having this debate in various places, to come to the place where they actually listen to the music, engage with the experience, and then share it out to their friends and spark maybe a little bit of disagreement. We’re okay with that. We like that friction.” 

Having those moments on our platform isn’t necessarily a given, and that’s where Johannes Vuorensola, Director for Tooling, Integrations, and Labs, comes in. Johannes oversees a back-end product that allows Spotify to create these playful experiences in our Android and iOS mobile apps, keeping listeners where they are to enjoy moments like Supergrouper or Pet Playlists 2.0. 

“We want to be able to provide a seamless experience for our users, rather than driving them to another destination on a microsite or web page,” says Johannes. “We know that our users love our app; they want to consume music and other content on our platform. And obviously it’s natural for us to be able to bring these playful elements into their everyday lives, right where they are.” 

Johannes notes that it’s also a boon for the team to be able to develop and get feedback on these experiences across Spotify. “It helps us to take the product onto the next level by pushing it even further. This allows us to continue to innovate and build even more engaging products that truly create these playful and meaningful experiences and connections with our users and artists.” 

Evolving data as the differentiator 

While some interactive experiences are more general, others fall into niche fandoms or favorite genres. All of these are rooted in the habits of the listening communities we see on Spotify. 

“You can’t escape the fact that genre is still a useful organizing principle for music, and it’s a way for fans to come together and convene over a passion and attract a bigger community,” says Louisa. 

In Find Your Flow, listeners discovered which Latin music style best defined them by answering questions specific to their tastes. Then they received a listening persona based on their styles. “For an experience like Find Your Flow, all the details we used were hyper-specific to the reggaeton community, and all those data and listening insights came from a local level to us,” notes Louisa. “That is a real example of how Spotify’s broad reach is enabling us to dive deeper into a specific market, pull out insights, and share them globally.” 

Our My Top 5 franchise focuses on highly visible artist fandoms and also pulls from the way fans naturally debate their fandoms. For the My Top 5 BTS experience, fans were encouraged to not only share their top songs, but to do so using a background that signified their favorite band members. The ease of sharing to social media naturally brought fans together and sparked new interactions. 

We added Spotify data as another layer to our recent My Top 5: Taylor Swift’s Eras. After selecting their Top 5 Eras, fans received a share card, similar to past My Top 5 moments. But after self-identifying, “We’d come in with receipts, as only Spotify can,” says Colette. “Well actually, you’re more of a Reputation fan than you thought.” 

Colette notes this opportunity as a beautiful melding of what we’ve become known for with Wrapped, now applied to the framework of the My Top 5 franchise.

“When I think of Spotify, I think of discovery, and I think of play,” explains Colette. “And I think these experiences are inherently playful, right? They’re fun. They’re light-hearted. They provide unique, surprising ways for fans to look at their own fandom or look at themselves. They capture the spirit of Spotify and what sets us apart and why our users trust us and love us. At the end of the day, music is personal. But it’s also meant to be shared. I can’t think of better ways to have both.”

Celebrate the Sights and Sounds From an Unforgettable FC Barcelona US Preseason Tour

August 3, 2023

Earlier this month, FC Barcelona landed in the U.S. to kick off their preseason tour, get ready for another exciting season of football, and celebrate the second year of our partnership. Over the course of two busy weeks, Spotify and FC Barcelona brought the worlds of music and football together through matches and studio tours, as well as collaborations with artists and fans.

As soon as the FC Barcelona squad arrived in the U.S., we asked fans to help soundtrack the club’s summer adventure and vote on the 10 songs they’d love to see added to the Barça On Tour: US 2023 playlist, which features the players’ favorite tracks. We then invited Anitta and Fuerza Regida to have a little fun with us to determine which tracks made the final list. The iconic artists joined FC Barcelona’s players on the field, where they took part in a playful penalty challenge. Each song was represented by a penalty attempt, and whenever the ball hit the target, that song was added to the playlist. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by FC Barcelona (@fcbarcelona)

And by the end of the evening, Anitta had even taught some moves and had the entire team dancing. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by FC Barcelona (@fcbarcelona)

FC Barcelona then traveled to L.A.’s SoFi Stadium for a preseason match, attended by Daddy Yankee, Anitta, and Fuerza Regida. Other notable attendees who joined Spotify at the match include Sofia Richie-Grainge and Elliot Grainge, Noah Beck, Owen Wilson, Helen Owen and Zack Kalter, Jesus Nalgas, Diego Tinoco, and Jake Shane, as well as artists Kalan.FrFr and Austin Millz.

How Spotify Brings FC Barcelona Players and Passionate Fans Together

June 20, 2023

CANNES, FRANCE - JUNE 19: (L to R) Bradford Ross, VP Global Sports & Entertainment Marketing and Partnerships at The Coca-Cola Company, Cesc Fàbregas, Pola Gomez, Benjamin Braun, Samsung Europe CMO and Jeremy Erlich, Spotify Global Head of Music participate in the Top Hits and Goal-Scoring Kicks: Fans, Football and Media session at Spotify Beach, during Cannes Lions on June 19, 2023 in Cannes, France. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Spotify)

For fans, the world of sports is more than what happens on the field or the outcome on the scoreboard. It’s about bringing people together. In this way, sports and music are similar—especially when it comes to the passion that fans have for each.

This week at Spotify Beach at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, Spotify’s Head of Music, Jeremy Erlich, hosted a conversation between former FC Barcelona player Cesc Fàbregas, freestyle footballer Pola Gomez, Coca Cola’s VP of Global Sports and Entertainment Marketing and Partnerships, Bradford Ross, and Samsung’s European CMO, Benjamin Braun. Together, they dove into the fan culture surrounding sports, music and the ways each brand has harnessed this passion. 

“About a year ago, we signed our partnership with FC Barcelona,” Jeremy said at the start of the conversation. “It’s been an amazing partnership. Together, we set out to bring the world of  Football and Music together. For us, it’s about how we can use FC Barcelona’s huge scale and fanbase to celebrate artists and grow our brand in places like India, Indonesia and Latin America. Football and sport are different from music, but they have the similarities of having very passionate fan bases and having very young fanbases.”

Cesc Fàbregas knows something about an active fanbase. He joined his first professional team, Arsenal, at age 16, coming off the World Cup tournament where he was voted the best player and goal scorer. “Even though we lost the final against Brazil, that’s the first time I started signing shirts and taking pictures with people.” A few years later, Cesc joined his home country’s Football Club Barcelona, and led the team to victory at the world championships at age 23. But he stays humble.

“I always say that in football, you never know everything,” said Cesc. “It’s one of those sports you can always grow, even when you’re 32, 35, 37, and everyone around me has helped me learn. Everyday, I’m thankful for that.” 

Pola Gomez also started playing football at a young age, thanks to her family’s love of the sport. But after sustaining injuries to both knees, she transitioned to football freestyle, where she interacts with most of her fans through social media. “I am on social media first for sharing my passion, sharing my tricks, but also to show off this incredible football freestyle universe. I love being close to my community, to share tips, but also to motivate people, especially girls trying out the sport of their dreams,” she said. 

Jeremy dove deeper into music and branding with each athlete, and how their sport brings fans together. Read on for some top moments from their conversation.

Cesc: It [The Spotify partnership with FC Barcelona] is another level. You see how big the club can be around the world. Everywhere you go, they know you. They know the players, they know the brand. Spotify has made a great choice in joining us.

Jeremy: As part of our Barcelona partnership, twice this past year for the Clásico, which is one of the most watched sports in the world, we replaced the Spotify jersey with an artist logo. We did Drake for the first Clásico, and then we did ROSALiA for the second. And let’s specifically talk about ROSALiA: She’s been a Barcelona fan her entire life. So the emotional connection when we offered her the opportunity to be on the jersey was, I think, one of the most enriching things we’ve done with an artist. She was moved to tears because her family and all her friends could see her on the jersey. But I think that really brings the strength of local connections.

Cesc: I think music has a really big, big part for us in football. Normally, there’s one designated player that will take charge of the music and will play music that everyone likes. But Spain is the place where there’s the most chaos because everyone likes a different type of music. 

So each game, we pick a player who will dictate what’s going to happen musically in the locker room. It’s really, really important because in this half an hour before the game when we listen to music, we also just pump everyone up and we get motivated and excited for the game. 

Sometimes we have one song that we all pick that we all feel identified with and we’ll just go for it. And you know it’s time for action. 

Jeremy: When you think of what you want brands to associate with you, what do you think of? What’s most important to you? 

Pola: Most important for me is to keep my image as a strong woman with my style. I really try to accept only brands with my values and ethics. At first, I posted just for me, and now all people can see my free style and they love and appreciate it. It’s just crazy—I don’t really have words for that, but it’s just so cool to be able to simply enjoy my passion. I can’t imagine my life without my ball. We are like a duo. We express ourselves together.

Cesc: I think it’s most important to bring everyone together and fight for what’s good and fight against what’s not good. Because we always have a big thing to say as sportsmen, as people who represent many, many things around the world in terms of culture and diversity. We just have to always be positive and try to improve as the world is trying to improve.  

Catch all the conversations happening on the ground at Cannes on Newsroom.Spotfy.com/SpotifyBeach2023 and listen to the full conversation on Spotify.

Blend With FC Barcelona and See How Your Musical Tastes Compare to Your Favorite Players

May 30, 2023

The men’s and women’s FC Barcelona teams are celebrating title-winning seasons, and their avid fans are on board for the ride at the stadium, on social media, and on Spotify through our FC Barcelona hub and players’ matchday playlists. Today we’re kicking it up a notch by expanding Spotify Blend to include several Barça stars, allowing fans to combine their musical tastes with those of their favorite players into one shared playlist.

We first gave fans the ability to Blend with their favorite artists last year as a way to forge a deeper bond through the songs they love. Now our first-of-its-kind partnership with FC Barcelona offers fans the opportunity to do the same with the club they love. (For more information on how this experience came to life, check out our Liner Notes feature.)

“Back when we imagined our collaboration with FC Barcelona we thought about how the partnership would bring players and artists closer to fans,” said Marc Hazan, Spotify VP, Partnerships and Business Development. “Blend is delivering on this in a very unique and personalized way, giving Spotify users and Barça fans the tools to see how their listening matches up with their favorite players.” 

Previously, a number of the FC Barcelona stars from the men’s and women’s squads—as well as club legend Ronaldinho—created matchday playlists featuring the songs that get them ready for the kickoff whistle. And when fans Blend with FC Barcelona, these tracks will now be included in a personalized playlist made just for them, providing the opportunity to discover new music and see where their tastes overlap. 

“I loved putting together my playlist for fans so they could gain insight into how I prepare for games,” said star midfielder Pedri. “Now Culers can see how close our music tastes match with their own Blend playlist.”

And according to Barça Femení star—and reigning Ballon d’Or winner—Alexia Puellas, fans better be ready for hits from ROSALÍA, who featured on the club’s shirts in March and is Alexia’s top Spotify artist. 

How To Blend with FC Barcelona 

Ready to get started? Blending with your favorite Barça stars is simple. Just click here to create your FC Barcelona Blend. Plus, you can Blend with any of the following players individually by clicking their names below:

You can also find a full list of all available athlete Blends here.

You’ll also unlock your Taste Match score—allowing you to see the percentage of music that you and your favorite player have in common— that you can screenshot and share on social media. In addition, select Barça players will pick a card from one of their fans to share on their Instagram stories.

Music helps unite people all over the world, and Blending with FC Barcelona is just the latest way we’re helping artists, athletes, and fans connect every day. 

Looking for the hits that helped inspire the men’s and women’s teams to trophy-lifting moments? Stream our Barça: League Winners and Barça Femení: League Winners playlists.

 

Spotify Reports First Quarter 2023 Earnings

April 25, 2023

Today, Spotify announced our first quarter 2023 financial performance, showing outperformance across nearly all key performance metrics. Take a look at the highlights below:




We had our strongest Q1 since going public in 2018, with nearly all our KPIs surpassing expectations:

  • Monthly Active Users grew by 22% year-over-year to 515 million driven by strength in both developed and developing markets, and nearly all age groups. 
  • Premium Subscribers grew 15% year-over-year to 210 million with outperformance across all regions, led by Europe and Latin America.
  • Total Revenue grew 14% year-over-year to €3.0 billion, led by Subscriber gains.
  • Gross Margin finished at 25.2%, reflecting improved music and podcast profitability.
  • Operating (Loss)/Income finished at €(156) million, aided by lower marketing spend.

Interested in hearing more? Click here to review the full earnings release and listen to the webcast Q&A on our Investor Relations site here. 

Click below to check out a sizzle reel of audio trailers from a few of our recent original and exclusive podcasts.

Fans Around the World Celebrate FC Barcelona’s El Clásico Victory With ROSALÍA Tracks

March 28, 2023

Over the last two weekends, both FC Barcelona and FC Barcelona Femení extended their respective title race leads with their El Clásico victories. The highly anticipated matches, hosted on the Spotify Camp Nou pitch, had extra star power thanks to the clubs’ special-edition ROSALÍA shirts.

Kitted out for victory

During the epic showdowns, both FC Barcelona and FC Barcelona Femení players wore the MOTOMAMI shirts to celebrate the first anniversary of ROSALÍA’s latest album. Following the reveal of the special match kit on March 15, searches for “ROSALÍA” and “MOTOMAMI” on Spotify increased more than 100% globally and nearly 200% in Spain compared to the previous day. ROSALÍA herself even earned a social media milestone, with her announcement post on Instagram becoming her most-liked of all time. 

And fans were just getting started.

In the hour following the final whistle of the men’s match, global streams of ROSALÍA tracks climbed on Spotify:

  • More than 220% in Egypt
  • 170% in Morocco
  • Nearly 70% in Nigeria
  • Nearly 60% in Sweden and India
  • 55% in Poland
  • More than 50% in South Africa
  • More than 45% in Chile
  • More than 25% in Australia and Brazil
  • More than 20% in Indonesia, the U.K., South Korea, and Spain*

FC Barcelona players celebrated the win by blasting ROSALÍA’s “Despechá” in the locker room.

Spotify and FC Barcelona Celebrate ROSALÍA’s ‘MOTOMAMI’ With a Special Shirt and In-App Fan Experience

March 15, 2023

One year ago this week, Spanish superstar ROSALÍA released her album MOTOMAMI to massive fanfare—and the accolades quickly followed. In 2022, ROSALÍA was the most-streamed Spanish artist globally, with streams of her tracks on Spotify growing by more than 110% year over year. And in Barcelona, she was also the most-streamed female artist on Spotify last year. 

So when football fans around the world come together on Sunday to watch FC Barcelona take part in another epic El Clásico clash, we’re thrilled the club will be celebrating the first anniversary of her album. Players will step onto the Spotify Camp Nou pitch wearing a special Barcelona home shirt that features ROSALÍA’s MOTOMAMI album logo, much like they did when they commemorated Drake’s landmark achievement of 50 billion streams with a limited-edition OVO shirt. 

FC Barcelona’s Official Spotify Playlists Will Help You Get Hyped for Matchday

January 30, 2023

At the end of 2022, we celebrated an amazing year with FC Barcelona by revealing the artists and tracks that the players streamed the most. Now, the latest exciting moment in the partnership between Spotify and FC Barcelona is here: We’re bringing Barça onto the platform for the first time, creating a direct link between players, artists, and fans. 

Starting today, listeners can stream matchday playlists from both the men’s and women’s teams that showcase the music selections that motivate and inspire the players to perform on game day. 

Spotify Predicts the Latin Grammys Nominees Who Could Win Big in 2022

November 15, 2022

On Thursday night, the Latin Grammys will make its return to Las Vegas to celebrate the artists and industry professionals who make Latin Music the global sensation it is today. With more than 50% of Spotify listeners streaming at least one Latin song per month—amounting to approximately 215 million users globally—this annual awards show features many of the most-streamed artists on the platform.

Leading the pack of nominees is Spotify’s most-streamed artist of 2020 and 2021, Bad Bunny, who has earned 10 Latin Grammy nominations on the back of his blockbuster album Un Verano Sin Ti. Rauw Alejandro and ROSALÍA have each been nominated in eight categories this year, and Christina Aguilera, Jorge Drexler, and Tainy follow closely with seven nominations each.  

When it comes to the big four awards—Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Artist of the Year—the competition is fierce. Any of the nominees could take home the coveted gilded gramophone. But we have a few predictions for who will nab the top awards this year. 

Record of the Year

Often confused with Song of the Year, Record of the Year honors the performing artist on the song as well as the producers, sound engineer, master engineer, and sound mixers. Among those nominated, Spotify data suggests that it’s going to be a close call between Bad Bunny’s “Ojitos Lindos,” KAROL G’s “PROVENZA,” and Anitta’s “Envolver,” all of which have generated millions of streams.

Album of the Year

It’s been a big year for both ROSALÍA and Bad Bunny, who are two of the hottest Latin artists of this generation and our favorites to take home this major achievement.

ROSALÍA’s album MOTOMAMI has been loved by fans across the world, but especially in cities like Mexico City, Santiago, and Madrid. With its futuristic visuals and catchy, genre-bending sounds, fans couldn’t get enough of her music (and even showed their support by getting “tattooed” at our album release event in March).

Meanwhile, Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti has held the top spot on Spotify’s USA Chart for over 20 weeks. And the artist known as “El Conejo Malo” stayed true to his Puerto Rican roots, tapping a mix of rising and legendary acts from his home country to feature on his fifth album. This also marks Bad Bunny’s fourth nomination in this category. 

Song of the Year 

If Spotify streams are any indication, the winner for Song of the Year will come down to two widely loved tracks: KAROL G’s “PROVENZA” and Camilo’s “Indigo.” 

In 2021, KAROL G was Spotify’s most-streamed female artist globally. She currently sits among the top 50 most-streamed artists with more than 37 million monthly listeners. Inspired by the Provenza neighborhood in her hometown of Medellin, “PROVENZA” is nominated in multiple categories this year.

Also hailing from Medellin, Camilo is one of the most influential Latin artists, with five Latin Grammys to his name. And when it’s all said and done, it’s possible “Indigo”—a track about the birth of his daughter that also features his wife Evaluna Montaner—will earn him a sixth award. 

Best New Artist

With 10 nominees in the running, this category is packed with talent. But looking at our data, we think there are three artists in particular who could take home this award. 

Yahritza y Su Esencia have experienced a meteoric rise in 2022. Based out of Washington’s Yakima Valley, their unique brand of Mexican music has attracted nearly 4 million monthly Spotify listeners. 

Pol Granch also had a breakthrough 2022, reaching 6 million monthly listeners made up of fans from Spain, Mexico, Colombia, and Peru.

Silvana Estrada is the young Mexican singer-songwriter who was among the first artists featured on Spotify’s RADAR playlist when it launched in 2020. Her signature voice and emotional lyrics take listeners through feelings of love lost and found, sadness, and anguish.

RADAR artists continue to make an impact

Since the launch of our RADAR program in 2020, more than 50 Latin artists have been featured across our playlists. And over the last 12 months, these artists have collectively generated more than 2.5 billion streams and attracted more than 25 million followers.

But even more impressive, a number of Latin artists featured on RADAR have worked on some of the biggest tracks of the year, and their contributions are being recognized at the Latin Grammys. 

In addition to her nod for Best New Artist, Silvana Estrada’s album Marchita is up for Best Singer-Songwriter album award.

Ovy On The Drums, who was first featured on RADAR Andinos in 2020, is also nominated across several categories as a producer and songwriter. This includes Record of the Year (KAROL G’s “PROVENZA” and Sebastian Yatra’s “DHARMA”), Song of the Year (“PROVENZA”), and Best Urban Song (“DHARMA” and Becky G and KAROL G’s “MAMIII”).

And rounding out this list are Maria Becerra—whose album Animal is nominated for Best Urban Music Album—and Trueno—whose song “Dance Crip” is nominated for Best Rap/Hip-Hop Song. 

Along with these four artists, there are eight other RADAR artists who have been nominated for Latin Grammys in previous years: GIULIA BE, Lasso, Boza, Humbe, Covi Quintana, Los Dos Carnales, Nathy Peluso, and LOUTA.

The party kicks off at Casa Spotify

Given that Latin music streams on Spotify have grown more than 1,000% over the last seven years, November 17 is sure to be a big night. And that’s why we’re also hosting our Casa Spotify experience in Las Vegas.

Open today and tomorrow, Casa Spotify celebrates the achievements of the nominees and those who have pushed Latin music forward. It will also serve as an oasis for invited guests to network and collaborate, with a private room for listening sessions and meetings, a content capture studio, and additional photo-worthy areas throughout the space.

We’ll be sharing more from Casa Spotify as the week unfolds, so stay tuned and check back for the latest happenings. 

Looking for more of the hottest tracks from top Latin artists? Press play on our flagship playlist, Viva Latino: