Tag: Spotify: Discover This

대한민국의 다채로운 음악씬, 스포티파이 자체 제작 팟캐스트 에피소드로 만나보세요

모두들 K팝이라는 장르에 대해 들어본 적은 있을 겁니다. 세계에서 7번째로 큰 음악 시장인 한국에서 탄생한 K팝은, 에너지 넘치면서 화려하고 역동적인 것으로 이미 알려져 있죠. 특히 K팝의 세계적인 성공으로 한국의 다양한 음악 장르 뿐만 아니라 ‘오징어 게임’ ‘기생충’ 등 대한민국에 기점을 둔 문화 · 콘텐츠의 여러 분야 역시 널리 확산되고 있는 추세이기도 합니다. 

스포티파이 자체 제작 팟캐스트 ‘Discover This(디스커버 디스)’의 이번 에피소드는, 특별히 스포티파이 한국 론칭 2주년을 맞아 K팝을 넘어 한국의 컬러풀한 음악씬을 전 세계에 소개하고자 합니다. 

한국어와 영어 두 가지 언어로 공개된 이번 에피소드의 한국어 버전은, R&B 싱어송라이터 JUNNY(주니)가 단독 진행을, 영어 버전은 기존 진행자인 리아 팔미에리(Lea Palmieri)가 함께 진행을 맡았는데요. 타이거JK, 윤미래, 박재범, 다이나믹듀오, pH-1, 신스 등 한국힙합의 레전드 및 라이징 아티스트와의 인터뷰부터 K-R&B, 록, OST, 웹툰, 그리고 트로트 등 – 다양한 이야기를 담고 있습니다. 뿐만 아니라 이번 팟캐스트 에피소드를 통해 박상욱 스포티파이 코리아 매니징 디렉터의 인터뷰 역시 만나볼 수 있습니다.

스포티파이는 한국 런칭 후 지난 2년 간 글로벌 K 사이트K-Pop ON! Track(K팝 온 트랙)’ 론칭, 글로벌 한국힙합 플레이리스트 KrOWN의 리브랜딩, 한국 팟캐스트 서비스 개시 등 다양한 활동을 진행해왔습니다.

박상욱 매니징 디렉터는 “K팝의 태생지이자 세계적인 파급력을 지닌 다채로운 문화 콘텐츠를 보유한 한국에서 스포티파이의 여정은 여전히 초기 단계에 있다”며, “스포티파이는 앞으로도 한국의 아티스트, 음악, 크리에이터, 콘텐츠, 문화를 더 많은 글로벌 리스너와 연결할 수 있도록 지속적으로 노력할 계획”이라고 전했습니다.

더 자세한 내용을 아래에서 확인해보세요!

Two Years Into Spotify’s Launch in South Korea, the K-Wave Is Here To Stay

Album art from spotify milestones in korea over the past year

You’ve probably heard of a little genre called K-Pop, the energetic and highly danceable phenomenon that migrated from South Korea to the world. K-Pop’s success—Korea is the seventh-largest music market on the planet—has not only resulted in a global export of music from the country, but in other pop culture sensations, too. Squid Game and Parasite, anyone?

In the latest episode of Spotify: Discover This, our host Lea Palmieri is joined by Korean Canadian singer-songwriter Junny for a deep dive into the K-Music scene beyond K-Pop. The pair speaks to some of the biggest names in K-Hip-hop, including Tiger JK, Yoon Mirae, Dynamicduo, Jay Park, pH1, and SINCE. From there, they move into K-R&B, K-Rock, and Original Sound Tracks (OSTs). Also appearing: webtoons, a musical foray into the metaverse, and even Trot. We’ve released the episode in both English and Korean.

The episode arrives just as Spotify marks our second anniversary in Korea; it also features an interview with Spotify Korea Managing Director David Park

“Spotify is still in its early stage in Korea, which not only is the birthplace of K-Pop, but also the hub of rich cultural contents with global impact,” says David. “We’ll continue to pave the way by connecting more Korean artists, music, creators, contents, and culture with more listeners worldwide.”

And Spotify has had plenty to celebrate from Korea over the past two years. From K-Pop On! Track and our Korean hip-hop playlist KrOWN, as well as the addition of podcasts, there’s a bit of  K-Culture for everyone. Take a look.

Listen to the K-Wave episode of Spotify: Discover This in Korean here

Listen to U2 Frontman Bono Reflect On His Life as an Artist and Activist in His New Memoir ‘Surrender’

Earlier this year we launched audiobooks on Spotify so that alongside music and podcasts, we can give fans another way to enjoy audio in one convenient place. Now, we’re thrilled that Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story, the new memoir from U2 frontman Bono, is available on Spotify as an audiobook

As the lead singer of one of the most iconic rock bands ever, Bono has led a whirlwind life touring the world to perform for millions of fans. But with the release of his new memoir, the artist, activist, and musician is taking a moment to pause and reflect on his experiences.

Narrated by Bono himself, each of the 40 chapters in Surrender is named after a U2 song. The  book takes readers on a journey that looks back at how Bono’s friends, family, and faith have shaped his upbringing in Dublin, the global success of U2, and his decades of work fighting AIDS and poverty. 

That’s why, for fans who want to go deeper into the life of Bono, we’ve created a special U2 destination that showcases the audiobook and U2’s catalog of albums all in one place. On top of that, listeners will also find the playlist This Is U2, with select songs that showcase the 40 featured songs in Surrender

Bono said that his creative process for the memoir allowed him to express himself in a different way.

“When I started to write this book, I was hoping to draw in detail what I’d previously only sketched in songs. The people, places, and possibilities in my life. Surrender is a word freighted with meaning for me,” Bono said. “Growing up in Ireland in the seventies with my fists up (musically speaking), it was not a natural concept. A word I only circled until I gathered my thoughts for the book. I am still grappling with this most humbling of commands. In the band, in my marriage, in my faith, in my life as an activist. Surrender is the story of one pilgrim’s lack of progress . . . with a fair amount of fun along the way.”

Fans in search of even more background on the creation of Surrender can also check out our most recent episode of Discover This, which features an interview with Dan Zitt, who is the Senior Vice President of Content Production at Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group. In the episode, Dan not only talks about his experiences working in the audiobook industry, but also shares a few stories about working with Bono on the recording sessions for Surrender.

To help listeners discover the audiobook and the new U2 destination, the mobile version of Spotify will feature a banner on Home that will take listeners directly to the hub until November 10. Listeners will also be directed to the audiobook from the U2, Bono, and This Is U2 pages between November 7 and November 27. 

Catch up with all of Bono’s greatest hits with our playlist This Is U2:

 

‘Spotify: Mic Check’ Returns With Teen Breakout Star Sara James

Sara James on the Mic Check background

We’re back! After a brief summer hiatus, Spotify: Mic Check, Spotify: Discover This, and Spotify: For the Record return with new episodes. Whether you’re looking to go behind-the-scenes with your favorite creators, discover music genres or audio trends heating up around the world, or take  a deep dive into all things Spotify, our trio of podcasts has got you covered. 

Our latest Mic Check episode features Sara James, a Polish 14-year-old who captured the hearts of millions by her stunning performances on the popular TV show America’s Got Talent. In June, she also became Spotify’s youngest-ever ambassador for our EQUAL program. (You can read what she has to say about supporting women in music in our June interview). 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Spotify News (@spotifynews)

Tune in as the artist shares her story with Mic Check from Spotify’s Studios in LA—and look out for her new Spotify Singles, including a whole new take on Billie Eilish. 

 

All-Stars Shania Twain, Lauren Alaina, and Lily Rose Join BRELAND in the Debut Episode of ‘Spotify: Discover This’

Country artists and fans can attest that over the last 50 years the genre has grown remarkably. It’s something we’re exploring in Spotify: Discover This, one of our three expanded company news podcasts that’s dedicated to sharing fresh insights on music, podcasting, cultural moments, and trends. And in our inaugural episode, we’re getting a little bit country. 

Twenty-six-year-old artist BRELAND, known for his viral hit “My Truck,” joins us from the road to guest host and explore the evolving sound.

“We look at [the ’90s] as the golden age of country music, but I think we’re in a golden age of country music right now,” the singer shares in the episode. “We have to respect what came before us to be able to have context for moving forward. And I think being able to honor that history is so significant, and this is a really great time to do it.”

Together, BRELAND and his four guests offer an expert overview of the genre’s history and recent trends. Artist Lauren Alaina kicks off the conversation by unpacking the meaning of success and giving BRELAND some hilarious tips on pre-show prep. Spotify’s Head of Artist and Label Partnerships in Nashville, Brittany Schaffer, also digs into an unexpected trend: the rise of nostalgic 90s songs.

Of course, no country conversation would be complete without the one and only Shania Twain. The icon’s ’90s hits have been included in the recent resurgence thanks to a wave of enthusiastic Gen Z listeners. The singer joins the episode to reflect on her expanding audience and changes she’s seen in the genre over the years.

“In my experience, every genre of music evolves over the decades and that goes for country music as well,” Shania shares with BRELAND. “ . . . I’m just really proud and happy to have been a part of that. I like to go with the change, and I like to be part of the change.”

Lily Rose, one of 2021’s fastest-rising stars, concludes the episode with a look to the future, examining modern-day success in the industry and growing diversity and representation in Nashville.

Don’t miss a moment. Buckle up and accompany BRELAND on a unique tour of today’s country music on “Expanding the Sound of Country Music.” And stay tuned for the premiere of Spotify: Mic Check on October 21 and the relaunch of Spotify: For the Record on October 28.

Spotify Expands Our Company News Podcast Slate With Two More Shows for Listeners To Love

In summer 2020, we launched the Spotify: For the Record podcast to accompany our newsroom as we dove behind the scenes into music, podcasts, creators, tech, and trends in the way only Spotify can. In the months to follow, we spoke to K-pop fans around the world, explored how to create a podcast, got into the nitty-gritty of our quarterly earnings, and much more. Now, after a year of storytelling under our belt, we’re excited to share that we’re expanding Spotify: For the Record from one company podcast to three.  

These three separate podcasts are now better tailored to our audiences—from Spotify fans to employees to industry insiders—with important, relevant themes and episodes that are unique to each group. What’s ear-catching to those in the creator and entertainment industries is often somewhat different from what’s interesting to those who are up on consumer and lifestyle trends, as well as from those in the business and finance community. By turning Spotify: For the Record into three shows—Spotify: For the Record, Spotify: Mic Check, and Spotify: Discover This—we’re able to capture stories and entertain our listeners in a whole new way.

“We want to tell stories in a way that’s uniquely Spotify and probably to no one’s surprise, we believe audio provides the perfect medium,” said Spotify’s Head of Global Communications, Dustee Jenkins. “As a company, we strive to bring creators and fans closer together, and our podcasts further that ambition. By moving from one podcast into three segments with distinct audiences, we can ensure that the stories we’re telling and the topics we’re covering reach the people who care about them the most.” 

Check out our new slate of podcasts. 

Spotify: Discover This

Debuts mid-October

Tune in if you love music, podcasts, cultural moments, trends, and inside scoops from experts, artists, and creators.

Spotify: Discover This will share fresh insights on music, podcasting, cultural moments, and trends amplified in a way only Spotify can. This Spotify podcast is a smart mix of great music, artist interviews, and surprises delivered with a healthy dose of humor. The premiere episode will focus on the evolution of country music by showcasing the new emerging artists that listeners are discovering.

Spotify: Mic Check

Turns on mid-October

Tune in if you love artists and creators telling their stories in their own words.

Spotify: Mic Check will connect creators with fans through intimate conversations with musicians and podcasters from around the world. Each episode, artists and podcasters will share exclusive recordings and personal stories in their own words.

Spotify: For the Record

Relaunches on October 28

Tune in if you love exclusives and insights on Spotify from our leaders and teams. 

In the third season of Spotify: For the Record, we will continue to pull back the curtain on our business, taking listeners behind the scenes with earnings reports, breaking news, product launches, and business updates. But this season, we’re going further and making this podcast the only place where our audience can hear certain business updates.

Can’t wait? Make sure to “Follow” each show on Spotify to listen to new episodes as soon as they drop.