Tag: search

Spotify Teams Up With Artists and Creators To Help You ‘Tune In To Yourself’ on World Mental Health Day

October 7, 2022

There are times when it feels like the world around us gets too loud, distracting us from experiencing the moment and connecting with ourselves. And while mental health has always been important, these last few years have brought it to the forefront. In a sea of demands for our attention, it’s important to take time to get grounded. To help Spotify listeners find quiet amid the chaos, we’re inviting them to turn down the noise and tune in to themselves on World Mental Health Day this year. 

At Spotify, mental health is a top priority. It’s the reason why we started our Heart and Soul mental health initiative in 2018 as a way to raise awareness, build knowledge, encourage self-care and professional support, and normalize the conversation to reduce stigma. And in the years since, we have continued to make mental health conversations and resources available to our employees, as well as to all who come to Spotify looking for the moments of inspiration and healing that music and podcasts can provide.

This year is no exception. We believe that audio is one of many beneficial tools for mental well-being, and so we’re supporting listeners and employees with our lineup of hand-curated content and collaborations with artists, creators, and influencers. We’re also continuing to evolve our partnership with Headspace, the mental wellness provider that promotes health and happiness through mindfulness and meditation. Our hope is that everyone discovers audio that helps them continue to connect with themselves and with others in their everyday lives.

Connect with your favorite artists and creators in our Wellness hub

Across our Wellness hub, we’re highlighting content that can help listeners find some respite from noisy thoughts and buzzing news feeds. We’re also collaborating with artists and podcasters to share their personal experiences of feeling overwhelmed and stressed––along with their ways to bring themselves back to a place of connection. When you first open the Spotify app, you’ll be greeted with a pop-up or banner with a link that will take you to the hub. 

There, you’ll find not only some of our most popular editorial wellness playlists like Calm Vibes, Noise Cancelling, and lofi meditation, but also a wide range of curated playlists from artists and podcasters like J Balvin, Hayley Kiyoko, We Can Do Hard Things’ Glennon Doyle, and Meditation with CurlyNikki’s Nikki Walton.

We’ll also be working with a few of India’s and Sweden’s brightest stars. This includes India’s singer-songwriters Armaan Malik and Hanita Bhambri, actors Rajkummar Rao and Mithila Palkar, and writer Shaheen Bhatt—and from Sweden, artist SHY Martin and Det skaver’s Cassandra Klatzkow, Elsa Ekman, and Nadia Kandil. Each playlist will feature some inspiring words from the artists and creators themselves about the importance of mental health and well-being. 

Additionally, you’ll find exclusive content on our social channels, where creators and influencers such as Zion Clark, Eli Rallo, and Bran Flakezzz will be sharing their own thoughts on mental health awareness and encouraging viewers to visit the Wellness hub.  

Sundays get less scary with Headspace

In addition to having our Wellness hub, we’re also partnering with Headspace to launch the limited podcast series Sunday Scaries Student Edition on October 9. Based on the hit podcast Sunday Scaries, the series pairs Gael Aitor—cohost of the popular Gen Z podcast Teenager Therapy—with Headspace wellness expert Dora Kamau to discuss meditation, mindfulness, and most importantly, life. At the top of each episode, the two tackle a subject that’s affecting students and young people, and Gael has a conversation with Dora about it. 

“It is extremely important to break the taboo surrounding topics such as mental health and anxiety, especially with younger generations,” Gael told For the Record. “This limited podcast series of Sunday Scaries is aimed at reaching young people and teaching them to learn and understand that these feelings are normal, and there are so many tools and techniques to help combat those situations.” 

Whether she’s talking Gael through the feelings of fear that come with following his dreams, or helping him to reframe his thoughts around the idea of being alone, Dora opens up new perspectives in each of the six weekly episodes. And after every conversation, Dora leads Gael through a bespoke meditation on the subject.

“Young people are struggling more than ever with their mental health, with 50% of mental health conditions starting by age 14. Together with Gael, our intention is to help destigmatize and normalize conversations surrounding mental health by providing listeners a space to explore and investigate their feelings, emotions, and unique experiences,” said Dora. Through sharing our own stories, it’s our hope that folks can find a sense of comfort through the advice and resources shared with them.

Finally, Spotify will also be donating directly to Backline, the Music Health Alliance, the MINDS Foundation, and SEARCH.  

Turning down the noise can be tough––especially in moments of stress. If you or someone you know is struggling to safely tune in to themselves, our Mental Health Resources can provide immediate help.

Need a moment to focus on yourself? Take a break with our Calm Vibes playlist below.

Update as of August 21, 2023: We want to help connect listeners who may be thinking about self-harm with the support they need. Anyone who searches for terms that are associated with this type of behavior will receive a localized in-app message prompting them to explore our Mental Health Resources Hub and help them find locally relevant emergency mental health and support services.

Quiz: This Week on ‘For the Record’

June 4, 2021

Think you're up-to-date on the latest in Spotify news, data, and trends? Take our quiz to test just how well you’ve been following along.

1. Actor and activist Adrian Grenier cofounded the nonprofit Lonely Whale to build community, connect with the ocean, and fight plastic waste. At what unique frequency does the real lonely whale, the organization’s namesake, sing?
2. Does Spotify’s personalized Football Now playlist, available for listeners in the U.K. and Germany, update weekly or daily?
3. Feelin’ Myself is the second-biggest, second-fastest-growing hip-hop playlist on Spotify. Which of these rule-breaking hip-hop artists can you find there?
4. What does EQUAL artist of the month Jorja Smith say is a defining moment of her career?
5. K-pop girl group TWICE fans can get excited for TWICE Presents Taste of Love, the Enhanced Album, a colorful playground of captivating video and audio accompanying each of the group’s six new songs. Fans of TWICE are known as what?
6. Rising artists featured on Fresh Finds see their average monthly listeners increase by what percentage in the 28 days following their addition to the playlist?
7. Spotify Advertising’s annotated audio series Outside Voices kicked off last week with two creators: documentary filmmaker Mike Shum, and Nwaka Onwusa, the Chief Curator and Vice President of Curatorial Affairs at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Who’s the artist both individuals have on their playlist?

How to Get the Most Out of Search on Spotify

May 27, 2021

There’s a lot of great music and podcasts on Spotify. Like a lot. We are talking about over 70 million tracks and more than 2.6 million podcast titles. Having that many songs and episodes at your fingertips is great. Knowing how to find it? Even better. 

Using the search functionality on Spotify can help you find exactly what you’re looking for quickly and efficiently. So to help you become the master of search, we’ve rounded up a few tips and tricks to employ.

Filters on mobile: Categorizing with ease

Just last week, Spotify began rolling out Filters while using search on mobile devices. These filters are designed to help you find information faster and more easily, and allow you to categorize your results by artists, songs, playlists, albums, and more. By clicking on the appropriate tab, you can discover the exact type of music or podcast you’re looking for. For example, if you type in “The Office,” you can filter your results by “Podcast & shows,” where you’ll find content like An Oral History of The Office.

Lyrics search: No need to name that tune

Ready to hear that song you can’t stop singing, but can’t remember the actual name of the song? With Lyrics search, we have you covered. Gone are the days where you need to type the words into a web search engine. Maybe “I’ve been hiding for so long” is stuck in your head. Just start typing the lyrics into the search bar and Spotify will populate the songs that contain the same phrase, which, in this case, is girl in red’s “girls.”  

Using “Hey Spotify” for voice search: Footloose and hands-free

For users in the U.S., take a try at going hands-free by using your voice to search. First, to enable a hands-free voice experience, just tap on the microphone or say “Hey Spotify” when you’re in the Spotify app. Using voice search will allow you to get to your content faster. Next time you’re in the car or busy in the kitchen, give the functionality a go by saying “Hey Spotify, play Discover Weekly” or “Hey Spotify, play ’90s R&B.” You can even play content specific to your account, like “Hey Spotify, play my Liked Songs.”

Now that you’re well versed on the search functionality, it’s time to put that knowledge to use and crank up the tunes or find your next podcast binge.