Tag: Spotify For the Record Podcast

US Senators, Tech CEOs, and More Make Their Voices Heard in Our Fight for Fair Competition on the Latest ‘For the Record’ Podcast

December 15, 2022

Over the past few years, it’s become abundantly clear that Apple tilts the playing field. It does this in favor of its own services in order to disadvantage rivals and make it harder for companies like Spotify—and so many others—to compete. This behavior harms consumers and app developers—and it stifles innovation from companies just trying to get off the ground.

This is about much more than just Spotify, which is why we have publicly advocated for platform fairness and pushed for expanded payment options, among other things, for a number of years. We are committed to fighting for fair competition, which, in turn, will unleash innovation as well as choice for consumers.

Today, we released a special episode of Spotify: For the Record featuring a chorus of voices who are as passionately focused as we are on creating a level playing field for all. Tune in to hear from our CEO, Daniel Ek; U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut); Agrin Health CEO Karen Thomas; Fanfix CEO Harry Gestetner; Schibsted CEO Kristin Skogen Lund; and ProtonMail CEO Andy Yen as they express their concerns about the impact of Apple’s unfair App Store rules on consumers and innovators alike and discuss the need for action.

Take a glimpse at what each of them had to say. 

“Our view is quite simple. We think that there needs to be regulation in this space. We think it is one where it has to make it clear that you as a developer or a company should be able to interact with your consumers. You should have the ability to bring new innovations to the market on equal terms as the platforms themselves, and that there should be a choice for how these consumers should be able to pay for goods and services on these platforms. And that can’t be dictated by Apple.” – Daniel Ek, CEO, Spotify

“The news that Apple plans to let rival app stores operate on iPhones in Europe shows that the arguments against our bill were simply scare tactics designed to stop it, and that’s why we must pass it.” – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar

“At the end of the day, what I would ask Tim Cook is to please support my bill. If you’re not doing any of these bad things, why not support the bill? If you’re in favor of competition and innovation, support the bill. If you believe that there’s no unfair charges, or rents, or whatever—no copy and kill. Support the bill.” – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal  

“It doesn’t matter if you’re Democrat, or Republican, or another party affiliation, app developers and innovators are saying we have an issue with market access and there is a way to solve this problem.” – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn  

“I think we have to re-envision what an app store is and the boundaries and the barriers that they put up in terms of gatekeepers . . . Status quo isn’t even an option anymore. We’re at a fork in the road. So either we pass this legislation and we send a signal to Apple and Google to say that monopoly won’t work—you’re going to have to behave better and participate in a free market—or we don’t.” – Karen Thomas, CEO, Agrin Health 

“I do think the majority of Gen Z is probably pretty unaware, but it’s going to take things like this and small businesses speaking out, creators speaking out, waking consumers up to the fact that this is going on and this is impacting their daily lives.” – Harry Gestetner, co-CEO, Fanfix 

“Probably almost the worst issue is that Apple blocks us from having access to data about our own customers. So that means we don’t know what kind of subscriptions our customers have bought via the Apple system. It means that we will either lose our business altogether or we will have very unhappy customers.” – Kristin Skogen Lund, CEO, Schibsted 

“The lack of people speaking up isn’t because there is no problem. The lack of people speaking up is actually a sign of the problem because people are so afraid that they’re just afraid to even say anything. And if that is the state of the Internet today, then I think that’s a terrible place for the world to be.” – Andy Yen, CEO, ProtonMail

And they’re all coming together with more than any single company at stake: “I’m fighting not because of just Spotify, but because I truly, at the core of my being, believe this is right,” Daniel Ek noted in the episode. “And it’s very important for the future of the economy and for app developers and creators alike.” 

We know that fair and open platforms enable better consumer experiences and allow developers to grow and thrive. When this happens, everybody wins.

Hear for yourself in the episode below. 

Access the full episode transcript here. 

In Honor of Black Music Month, ‘Spotify: For the Record’ Explores Go-Go, Hyphy, and Chopped and Screwed

June 23, 2021

There are certain types of music essential to the identities of the San Francisco Bay area, Houston, and D.C.—something fans in these cities know well. But for music lovers in other pockets of the world, genres like hyphy, chopped and screwed, and go-go music are likely completely new sounds.

This week, as we continue to celebrate Black Music Month, the Spotify: For the Record podcast hits the road to explore all three styles, each of which is created by Black artists. Shanon Cook, Spotify’s Culture and Trends Expert, and Xavier “X” Jernigan, Host of Spotify’s daily morning show The Get Up, explore the culture and history of each city-specific sound with help from musical guests Saweetie, OG Ron C, Wale, Spotify editor Domo Wells, and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. The show also looks at Spotify’s Frequency program, which aims at celebrating and supporting Black creators.

First, to understand hyphy music, we chat with Bay Area royalty, artist Saweetie, who breaks down the sound’s California origins and its slang.

Next, Domo Wells, a Black Music and Culture Editor at Spotify who is part of the Frequency team, dives into the program’s importance. She also highlights the Ripple Effect playlists, which feature emerging talents and breakthrough artists across genres.

The podcast then visits Houston, Texas, the birthplace of chopped and screwed music. Chopstar OG Ron C joins the show to share the history of the genre and its namesake, DJ Screw. 

Over in the DMV (the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area), D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and popular DMV artist Wale champion the official music of the capitol: go-go.

Listen to our savvy guests and their insights on hyphy, chopped and screwed, and go-go music on “Celebrating Local Genres: Chopped & Screwed, Go-Go, and Hyphy.”

Celebrate the 2021 Best New Artist Nominees in the Latest Episode of ‘Spotify: For the Record’

March 11, 2021

Every year, Spotify goes all out to show our support for the rising stars nominated in the Best New Artist category for music’s biggest night: The Grammys. The breakout artists nominated in the category this year are Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, Ingrid Andress, Noah Cyrus, Phoebe Bridgers, D Smoke, CHIKA, and KAYTRANADA.

In this week’s episode of our podcast, Spotify: For the Record, we explore the Best New Artist category with a few special guests. Listeners get to sit in on an intimate conversation between Noah Cyrus and her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus. The 2021 nominee chats with the iconic country music singer-songwriter about what it means to be selected (Billy Ray was also nominated for the category in 1993), and she reveals some of her favorite advice that’s been passed down from father to daughter.

We also chat with Charles Holmes, cohost of The Ringer Music Show. The former Rolling Stone writer explains the history of the Best New Artist category and how these nominees—which formerly included the likes of The Beatles, Carpenters, Bon Iver, and Kacey Musgraves—often go on to make a name for themselves. 

Marian Dicus, Spotify’s Co-Head of Music, joins us to share how Spotify has supported this category for the last five years. From playlists to parties, our goal is to amplify the developing talent of those nominated for Best New Artist. This year, we are releasing a series of Spotify Singles from five of the nominees: Ingrid Andress, Noah Cyrus, Phoebe Bridgers, D Smoke, and CHIKA.

Gear up for Sunday’s award show by listening to the full episode, “Music’s Biggest Night: The Best New Artists.”

Get in the Holiday Spirit with Dolly Parton, Jose Mari Chan, Black Pumas, and More

November 18, 2020

In a year that’s brought unprecedented challenges, Spotify data suggests that listeners may be seeking comfort from holiday music earlier than usual in 2020. While festive playlists usually snowball in December, we’re seeing our most popular holiday playlist, Christmas Hits, streamed at a higher rate in September and October compared to previous years. Many think it’s never too early to crank yuletide tunes, and it shows: Listeners have already streamed more than 6.5 billion minutes of Christmas tracks this year.

In this episode of our podcast, Spotify: For the Record, we look at which songs are making it to the top of our listeners’ Christmas lists. One favorite is “Last Christmas,” which was originally released in 1984 by Wham! To date, there are about 1,200 covers of the hit on Spotify.

In addition to digging into the data, we also get in the spirit by chatting with some iconic artists about their holiday hits, including Dolly Parton, who recently released her first Christmas album in 30 years. In the episode, the country legend joins us to talk about the inspiration behind A Holly Dolly Christmas and what it was like to duet with Michael Bublé in the song “Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas.”

Aside from Parton, we also chat with beloved Filipino artist Jose Mari Chan. Known as “The Father of Christmas Music” in the Philippines, Chan shares the inspiration behind his iconic holiday tunes, which have been a staple of festive celebration in the country for the last three decades.

 

This episode is no longer available as of November 2021, however you can get more great stories and news delivered audibly by following our podcasts, Spotify: For the Record, Spotify: Mic Check, and Spotify: Discover This.

This Week on the ‘Spotify: For the Record’ Podcast, Tennis Champion Sloane Stephens and The Ringer Founder Bill Simmons Share How 2020 Changed the World of Sports

October 15, 2020

This year, we saw a shift in the world of sports as games, matches, and championships continued—largely without the spectators. But silent stadiums don’t only affect the fans; they also affect the athletes. Just ask American tennis player Sloane Stephens, whom we spoke to in the most recent episode of our podcast Spotify: For the Record. “Not having fans has played a really big role in a lot of people’s wins and losses—because before, you could rely on the crowd a lot more, and now you can’t at all. There’s nothing there. You have to create your own energy, and that’s really difficult.” 

Traveling during this time has also brought some new challenges, especially when it comes to finding the foods that help Sloane bring her A game. Prior to the pandemic, it was easy for the athlete to venture to restaurants and find diverse menu items that are a part of her healthy diet. But now, with many places closed or offering limited items, she has to plan ahead. “If I don’t get a good meal the night before my match, it worries me, wondering if I had enough of a certain food or vegetables. I didn’t realize how much of a big part food played in my mood and my competition vibe,” explains Sloane. 

The pandemic hasn’t just affected the champion’s tennis game—it’s impacted her work off the court as well. The Sloane Stephens Foundation, which seeks to educate and encourage young people about healthy lifestyles, proper nutrition, and participation in physical fitness activities, has learned to adapt its activities into successful online events.

“We’ve had to change a lot. We did our summer camp virtually, and we had a really good time with that. We started doing a lot of virtual fitness classes through Zoom so that our kids could see their teachers and coaches,” shares Sloane. “But I think it’s honestly for the best. The kids actually love it. And it gives them another outlet, which is also a really good thing.”

In this episode, we also talk to U.S. sports podcaster and The Ringer founder, Bill Simmons. Simmons shares how his team reacted to the constant changes in the sports landscape and what it’s been like for sports fans during this time. As he puts it, rooting for teams in your living room is quite different from experiencing the moment with people in a crowd. “Having that removed for seven months has been pretty disorienting. And it’s not the way we’re meant to be.”

In addition to Sloane and Simmons, this week’s episode shares perspectives from other commentators in the sports industry, including former India Women’s Cricket captain Anjum Chopra, Mexican sports commentator Marion Reimers, GIANT podcast host Owen Blackhurst, On the Whistle podcast host Zayn Nabbi, and British sports commentator Nick Heath. We also dug into the science of silence in sports with Texas Tech professor Glenn Cummins. 

Grab your headphones and get in the game with our latest episode, “Fans, Athletes, Podcasts: How 2020 Changed the World of Sports.”

 

This episode is no longer available as of November 2021, however you can get more great stories and news delivered audibly by following our podcasts, Spotify: For the Record, Spotify: Mic Check, and Spotify: Discover This.

This Week on the ‘Spotify: For the Record’ Podcast, Hear From the Artists on Our RADAR

October 1, 2020

September marked six months since the launch of our global emerging-artist program, RADAR. Now, with this week’s episode of Spotify: For the Record, we go on a journey of discovery with Andy Sloan-Vincent from Spotify’s International Music Team to learn more about RADAR and the commitment to spotlighting rising talent.

The episode also dives into the music and backstories of five RADAR artists. Tune in to get to know: 

  • Japan-born, U.K.-based Rina Sawayama, who talks about navigating her Asian and queer identities in music and life.
  • Australian merci, mercy, an introspective, self-aware singer-songwriter who has released two singles since working with Spotify.
  • Young T & Bugsey, Londoners whose song “Don’t Rush” became the soundtrack to a social media sensation and propelled them to their own streaming success.
  • NYC-based J.I the Prince of N.Y, who overcame getting booed off the stage at age 15 to become a national hit, with billboards around the U.S.
  • Lous and the Yakuza, a Belgian-Congolese singer and songwriter who can record in every language from French to Spanish to Congolese—and now has an international fan base to match.  

Listen to “On the RADAR: Emerging Artists Find their Voice” here.

This Week on the ‘Spotify: For the Record’ Podcast, Meet BTS

September 17, 2020

There’s no stopping BTS. The K-Pop band recently released their first all-English single, “Dynamite,” which set a new record on Spotify: 12.6 million streams in the first 24 hours. But long before this upbeat track was released, the group was racking up billions of streams from listeners all around the world.

In this week’s episode of our Spotify: For the Record podcast, the seven-member band joined us to talk about their creative process, how they’re staying positive during these challenging times, and—of course—their new hit. To fully understand the extent of BTS’s global impact on music and culture, Kat Moon, TIME Magazine journalist and K-Pop aficionado, detailed the band’s rise to fame and their deep connection with fans. Speaking of fans, the episode wouldn’t be complete without talking to members of BTS’s dedicated fan base, known simply as ARMY. 

Go behind the scenes with BTS on Spotify: For the Record: “BTS: The Band, The Brand & The ARMY.”

This Week on the ‘Spotify: For the Record’ Podcast, How K-Pop Became a Global Phenomenon

September 11, 2020

Since Spotify debuted our first K-Pop playlist in 2014, listeners have streamed more than 180 billion minutes of the genre and added K-Pop tracks to more than 120 million Spotify playlists. The share of K-Pop listening has increased by more than 2,000% in the last six years—meaning it’s growing really quickly compared to other musical genres. All this to say: K-Pop is huge on Spotify around the world.

That’s why we’re devoting this week’s episode of our new podcast Spotify: For the Record to K-Pop—and talking to some of the biggest fans and names in the business about where the genre has been and where it’s headed.

Tune in to hear from Kossy Ng, Spotify’s Head of Artist Label Partnerships in Southeast Asia, and consider the genre’s domestic origins (prior to world domination). Then, explore K-Pop’s global impact with Babi Dewet and Érica Imenes, a pair of Brazilian K-Pop fans who have founded K-Pop-themed groups, written books, and even created a K-Pop-themed podcast, Kpapo.

Keep listening to get to know Wonho Chung, a Korean actor, singer, and comedian who was born in Saudi Arabia, educated in Jordan, lives in the UAE, and witnessed the rise of K-Pop in the Middle East firsthand. Finally, bring it home with one of the top 10 most-streamed K-Pop artists of all time, Stray Kids, who share how the genre transcends the barriers of language . . . and impersonate a mosquito.

Dive into K-Pop on Spotify: For the Record: “From Seoul to São Paulo: The Global Rise of K-Pop.”

Go Behind the Scenes With Our New Podcast, ‘Spotify: For the Record’

August 13, 2020

For the past two years, For the Record has shared big Spotify moments with you. Now, we’re taking listeners even deeper behind the scenes with our new podcast, Spotify: For the Record. This new series features interviews with Spotify employees and industry experts as we dive into major moments in music, podcasting and tech. We’ve already seen that what’s happening in the world is reflected on Spotify; with this podcast, we take that one step further as we discuss cultural events, listening trends, the tech behind our platform, and more.

Our first three episodes are already live. In the latest one, we talked to Katy Perry, as well as Ariel Rechtshaid, Wesley Bunch, and Ben Jaffe, to see how they’re staying connected to their fans and their music during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Learn more about our episodes below.

Artists & Creativity During COVID-19 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, artists, producers, and venue owners are looking for—and finding—creative solutions to stay connected with fans. Katy Perry gives us a peek behind the curtain on how she adapted to deliver her new album, Smile, while producer Ariel Rechtshaid reveals what happens when the recording studio is silent. Wesley Bunch, lead singer of the Philadelphia-based indie band, Suburban Living, shares the impact of not being on the road. And we hear from Ben Jaffe, who runs Preservation Hall in New Orleans, on his mission to save the venue and support his fellow jazz musicians.

Podcasts: The Medium of the Moment

Podcasting is fast becoming the medium of the moment, with more than 1.5 million shows now on Spotify—half of which launched this year alone. Household names such as Joe Rogan, Kim Kardashian, and now Michelle Obama are attracting millions of new fans to the already booming podcasting world. Spotify’s commitment to all things audio is driving financial results too. In this episode, hear from CEO Daniel Ek and CFO Paul Vogel as they outline the key roles podcasting is playing in the company’s strategy. 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/12CG1dcTe0QUu1lcbj2Uyf?si=6PbjHacBRiuXgT50byHXsQ

Supporting the Black Community

In this episode, we discuss how cultural moments are often reflected in the music we listen to, zeroing in on the racial justice movement of today. Cohosted by Xavier “X” Jernigan, Head of Cultural Partnerships at Spotify, and Shanon Cook, Spotify’s Culture and Trends Expert, we’ll hear from members of the Spotify team including Safiya Lambie-Knight, Artist & Label Partnerships Lead, Dawn Ostroff, Chief Content Officer, and Cherise Bernard, Senior Recruiter and Head of Spotify’s employee resource group BLK. In this episode, we discuss what we’ve seen on our platform and what Spotify is doing to elevate Black voices and support the Black community, both inside and outside our walls. 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2j7oFO9YqMEPelug3KTrx3?si=xKCGJiYOSWCuq9SgXX9hsg

Be sure to follow the show so you’re in the loop when new episodes drop. And check out The Spotify News Hub for additional podcasts and playlists showcasing our news and views.

 

The “Podcasts: The Medium of the Moment” and “Supporting the Black Community” episodes are no longer available as of November 2021, however you can get more great stories and news delivered audibly by following our podcasts, Spotify: For the Record, Spotify: Mic Check, and Spotify: Discover This.