Tag: Spotify Kids

Celebrating Central Park With Spotify and KIDZ BOP

May 25, 2023

Photo credit: BFA/Darian DiCianno/Deonte Lee/Matteo Prandoni

New York City residents and visitors alike have made countless memories in each of Central Park’s 21 playgrounds. While climbing the Egypt-themed jungle gym near the Met or swinging to the sound of hooting monkeys near the zoo, anyone can delight in the beauty and magic of the park, and kids can do what they do best: play.

Keeping the playgrounds clean and safe is an important task, one that the Central Park Conservancy’s Playground Partners takes on with pride. Yesterday, the Playground Partners hosted their Annual Family Party at Heckscher Playground, the largest in the park. Kids and families flocked to games, sports, a magic show, arts and crafts, and much more. And since you can’t have a party without great music, Spotify was in attendance as the Family Party Main Stage Sponsor to entertain the next generation of listeners and their families.

The family-friendly musical performances included a DJ set from 14-year-old Annie Red, the award-winning resident DJ for the Brooklyn Nets. PAW Patrol’s Skye and Rubble were on a roll leading the “Pup Pup Boogie” and a PAWsome game of freeze dance.

KIDZ BOP, the most popular artist on Spotify for families, headlined. Since 2002, KIDZ BOP has recorded kid-friendly versions of today’s biggest pop music hits sung by kids, for kids.

“KIDZ BOP has been an established brand that families love for years—before Spotify even existed!” noted Dustee Jenkins, Head of Public Affairs at Spotify. “Even putting on this event, many of our employees who are twenty- and thirtysomething have been so excited about partnering with them because it’s the music they grew up on. Today, KIDZ BOP is the most popular music on Spotify for families.”

Annual Family Party Co-Chairs Sarah Johnson, Dustee Jenkins, Paige Betz, Sugie Hong Bruttomesso, and Sayuri Ganepola-Kaczynski

“I think KIDZ BOP is such a fantastic example of a group embracing streaming to meet their audiences where they are,” said Dustee. “But I also see it as a reflection of Spotify’s ability to cater to a wide-ranging audience and be a platform that they can grow up on. Music is such a powerful means of connection, especially for young families, where we’ve seen Spotify become a natural fixture in car rides and birthday parties, but also in education and generational connection.”

The KIDZ BOP Kids Live Tour is the first concert experience for many. The group’s most-streamed song on Spotify is “Shake It Off,” followed by “Uptown Funk.” Another popular track is “Dance Monkey,” which the group performed live along with “Never Stop,” “About That Time,” “Good 4 U,” “Shut Up and Dance,” “Break My Soul,” and “Made You Look.”

Head of Kids Audio Content Verdell Walker Explains Spotify’s Partnership With CoComelon—and Introduces Four Exciting New Shows for Families

January 18, 2022

Image credit: Moonbug Entertainment

You’ve definitely heard of CoComelon if you have a toddler. (It’s the number one kids channel on YouTube, for those without kiddos.) CoComelon videos are filled with catchy songs and energetic, colorful stories featuring a kid named J.J. and his friends on various adventures—from show-and-tell to bedtime and beyond. Now, the brand is venturing into the audio medium as CoComelon comes together with Spotify in an exclusive multiyear agreement.

Spotify will partner with CoComelon producer Moonbug Entertainment for a new podcast, CoComelon Story Time, as well as a mix of other original and exclusive “homegrown” shows. Bringing Moonbug Entertainment’s shows to Spotify provides an unparalleled opportunity for families to experience their favorite characters in a brand-new way.

Image credit: Moonbug Entertainment

Since the launch of our stand-alone Spotify Kids app, Spotify has offered compelling and age-appropriate audio content for parents and their children. Through this new partnership, we’re releasing unique podcast content specifically created for families to enjoy together. An array of exciting stories will debut to parents within the Family and Kids Hub on the main Spotify app, as well as on the Spotify Kids app, exclusive to Spotify Premium Family subscribers.

As Head of Kids Audio Content at Spotify, Verdell Walker is responsible for establishing and managing the audio content that serves families. “We have a mission of being the number one audio platform in the world, and a big part of that is making sure that we have something for everyone,” she explained to For the Record. “No matter how old or young you are.”

Read on for more from our conversation.

Why is it so important for Spotify to create content that appeals to families?

There’s so much empty space in the world of spoken word audio for families. There’s a lot of kids music, yes, and audiobook versions of kids books, but there’s a dearth of high-quality audio content out there for parents to enjoy with their children.

With homegrown shows for families, we have an opportunity to create a gold standard for audio that parents will turn to when it comes to playing podcasts with their children. We know that parents are often looking for ways to reduce screen time, so we want to elevate audio to a place where parents will think of it as an option alongside other forms of entertaining and educational media.

There is so much flexibility in this audio experience in terms of stories, characters, formats, narrative structures—and we can really push the envelope when it comes to what spoken word audio can mean. It’s a happy medium between entertainment and education, and it’s a way to engage together.

How will working with CoComelon and Moonbug Entertainment help Spotify grow these content offerings?

CoComelon is one of the most recognizable IPs on earth. This partnership with Moonbug allows us to leverage really beloved stories that delight families, and it also signals to the broader world, to parents, to creators, that we are serious in this space. We are working with recognizable brands and making a splash with names that parents recognize and trust. This partnership and these stories are a new way for new and existing CoComelon fans to interact with this brand in a creative way.

Tell us a bit about the upcoming homegrown shows.

CoComelon Story Time, which is launching on January 24, includes 42 beloved storybook classics with a CoComelon twist. The stories teach positive life lessons and provide families with playful and educational content that they can enjoy together. It’s going to be available in four languages, including U.S. and U.K. English, Spanish, German, and Brazilian Portuguese.

Gardenkeeper Gus, probably my favorite show in the slate, is launching on January 31. It’s designed for families with younger children, and it’s a quiet and contemplative preschool podcast that follows six-year-old Gus and his squirrel best friend, Rel, as they explore and understand the endless and larger-than-life garden behind his family home.

100 Cinderellas, launching on February 14 and designed for families with younger children, is an anthology series of Cinderella stories from around the world and is suitable for bedtime. If you have children or know someone who has children, you know bedtime is a particular source of pain and frustration! We’re releasing this story in two different formats—one that is 30-minutes all the way through, and the other is in shorter parts so you can listen to it over a number of nights and choose which is best for your bedtime.

Deep Blue Sea, launching on February 28, is a fun underwater adventure with two characters named Marina and Reef. Listeners will visit an underwater, oceanic laboratory, Sea Lab Alpha, with an impeccable view of sea life and get to learn about sharks, whales, and more. I’m excited for listeners to learn how to protect the ocean and be good stewards of the ocean.

What are some of your favorite stories from when you were a child?

I loved the Redwall series. Catherine, Called Birdy. I was also into Masters of the Universe, particularly She-Ra. When I was a kid, I would run around the house with a toy sword announcing, “I have the power of the universe; I am She-Ra!” It was so empowering to me. I have watched every episode of the revival and it is incredible. When I got older I loved Totally Spies, Kim Possible . . . you can sense a trend—I love stories with powerful women.

Can’t wait for new CoComelon spoken word audio content to come to Spotify? Catch the trailer below.

And in the meantime, get your fill with CoComelon songs, all in one place.

Quiz: This Week on ‘For the Record’

September 24, 2021

‘Spotify: For the Record’ Explores the Art—and Science—of Lullabies

May 7, 2021

What is it about a lullaby that gently nudges a fussy newborn or rambunctious toddler into a slumber? On the latest episode of our podcast, Spotify: For the Record, we’re on a mission to find out.

Sleep playlists on Spotify attract millions of followers, and some of the top lullaby playlists have hundreds of thousands of listeners. In fact, there are almost 1.5 million playlists on Spotify containing a lullaby.

So how does one go about creating the perfect lullaby? In the episode, hear how Swedish artists Mapei and Timbuktu partner up with Grammy Award-winning producer Pontus Winnberg and sleep expert Helena Kubicek Boye to combine music and science for the perfect tune. In our episode, we find that there are four key steps.

Go on an Adventure With the Spotify Kids Content Explorer

January 26, 2021

Parents, if you’re on the hunt for kid-friendly entertainment options, the Spotify Kids app is a great place to start. If you’re not familiar with the app, you can check out the Spotify Kids Content Explorer, a fun and engaging new way to preview some of the music in the Spotify Kids app before you download it.

Once you’ve landed on the Spotify Kids Content Explorer experience, your adventure begins by selecting the age of your child, just like you would in the app itself. We have audio suggestions for both older and younger kids, and we tailor the experience to match. From there, pick an emoji that represents the mood or routine for your young one and the website will offer up corresponding songs that are popular on the Spotify Kids app.

Are you getting your kids ready for dinner? Pick the bath emoji, where you may hear “Wash Your Hands with Baby Shark” by Pinkfong.

Once you sit down to eat, pick the dinner plate emoji and you might hear a preview of Lil Nas X’s track “Panini.”

Preparing for bedtime and need a way to get your little one to wind down? Pick the bed emoji to get them settled, and you might preview “You Are My Sunshine” by Nursery Rhymes 123.

The tracks you see are just a small sampling of what’s available on Spotify Kids, a standalone app designed specifically for kids ages 3+ and exclusive to Spotify Premium Family subscribers. If you’ve been scouting out Spotify Kids—or if you’re hearing about it for the first time—this new web experience is the perfect way to discover the hand-picked content in the Spotify Kids app for free. The app features a growing library of more than 300,000 kid-friendly tracks and 1,300 playlists curated by Spotify editors.

Love what you see? Sign up for Spotify Premium Family and then download the Spotify Kids app here.

4 Tips to Make the Most of Your 2021 Wrapped

January 12, 2021

Every December, Spotify unveils your yearly Wrapped, a personalized in-app experience that celebrates the music and podcasts you’ve streamed the most that year. It’s something our listeners look forward to all year long. The results are always a surprise—and more so in some ways than others. Last month, when you opened your 2020 Wrapped, did you notice that your kids’ obsession with Elsa took over your Wrapped cards? Or maybe those many hours of listening to soothing audio while you slept skewed your Wrapped results.

If that was the case, check out the four tips below to better ensure your 2021 Wrapped is a true representation of you. After all, it’s less than 11 months away.

1. Remove the audio you fall asleep to with private listening mode

If you’re streaming a lot of music or sounds to help you sleep, it may not be the most accurate representation of your listening habits. So go “incognito” with Spotify’s Private Listening mode. Private Sessions allow you to enjoy whatever it is you’re listening to discreetly—meaning it won’t show up in your Friend Activity. It also won’t influence your personalized music recommendations, like Discover Weekly or Release Radar, or be counted toward your Wrapped roundup.

Simply turn on private listening mode on your mobile device by tapping “Home,” and then heading to “Settings.” From there, under “Social,” switch on “Private Session.” To end the Private Session, simply repeat the steps.

2. Give your children their own musical experience—and preserve your own—with Spotify Kids

If your top song slots in Wrapped went to the latest Disney ballads and nursery rhymes, know that you’re not alone. Parents give up a lot for their kids, and a Wrapped experience exclusive to their listening habits is no exception. Luckily, thanks to the Spotify Kids app, which is exclusive to Spotify Premium Family plan subscribers, children can now enjoy listening to their favorite tunes via a playground of sound that’s separate from their parents’ listening experience. The app is designed specifically for kids, and the content is handpicked by a team of editors. All you need to do is subscribe to the Premium Family plan and then Download the Spotify Kids app to give your kids a music experience of their very own (and reclaim your streaming stats). If your family is looking for songs to get groovin’ to, check out this roundup of the top songs played on Spotify Kids in 2020.

3. Discover more artists, podcasts, and genres with audio for everyone and everything

There’s a world of audio content on Spotify within your reach. So if you’re looking for something new, try the search bar on for size. You can browse playlists—whether Spotify created or user generated—for any activity or mood. These custom creations might speak to you in the moment, as well as help you expand your musical repertoire. In next year’s Wrapped, you might not only see a shift in your top artists, but also in your genres, like exchanging “indie rock” and “pop” for the uniquely specific genres like “permanent wave” and “escape room.” Or, if you’re looking to explore a different type of audio, tap “Podcasts” to browse shows by genre (like true crime or sports), by podcast playlists, or even by podcast charts.

4. Access Wrapped year-round

Wrapped happens once a year—but it doesn’t disappear come January. Access your 2020 Wrapped year-round by heading to the “Search” section of the app and scrolling through “Browse all.” From there, you’ll be able to replay your 2020 Wrapped experience, as well as stream your personalized playlists, such as Your Top Songs 2020, Missed Hits, and On Record. Plus, keep scrolling to find the rest of the top tracks, artists, and podcasts of the year.

For more Wrapped behind the scenes, check out our Spotify: Discover This podcast.

How to Share Your Favorite Songs with Your Child Through Shared Playlists on the Spotify Kids App

January 11, 2021

Since we first unveiled the Spotfy Kids app in October 2019 for Spotify Premium Family subscribers, young listeners have been able to explore a playground of sound and begin a lifelong love of music through a standalone app designed just for them. We’ve also been listening to parents during this time and have been committed to providing increased customization within the app. We started by giving parents the ability to block individual songs or audio stories in the app as well as giving them access to their kids’ “Listening History.” Now, we’re making it possible for parents to share the music they love—from the songs they grew up playing to the family’s dance party playlist—and further curate their child’s audio experience with Shared Playlists on Spotify Kids.

Being able to share your love of music with your children may feel as essential as teaching them to ride a bike. Shared Playlists—a highly-requested and pin-protected parental settings feature—lets parents share music playlists they’ve created in their Spotify account directly with their child in Spotify Kids, allowing them to further curate their child’s listening experience.

We know that parents often have their own views on which content is and is not appropriate for their kids. The Shared Playlists feature gives parents more control, supplementing the growing library of more than 300,000 kid-friendly tracks and 1,300 playlists on Spotify Kids—all handpicked by our experienced team of editors.

Here’s how to share playlists with your little one using the Spotify Kids app:

Create a playlist of your family’s favorite tunes on the Spotify app (or choose one you made in the past). Make sure to review the lyrics, album cover artwork, and any possible explicit tracks (which will be marked with an ‘E’).
If there are individual songs within the playlist you don’t want to share with your kid, remove them from your playlist in the Spotify app.
Next, head to the parental settings section of the Spotify Kids app and enter your four-digit pin.
Tap the “Shared Playlists” section in your kids’ profile. Then, you’ll be able to see your Spotify playlists and select the ones you want to share with each child.
The first time you do this, a pop-up screen will appear to confirm that you want to share the playlist. After, the child can access the playlist on their homepage from a new “Shared with You” section.

Note that if you update the playlist in the Spotify app, the playlist in Spotify Kids will be automatically updated too. Plus, you can revisit the PIN-protected parental settings on Spotify Kids at any time to remove a playlist, access your child’s listening history, and block or unblock tracks.

Not sure where to begin? Check out some of the top-shared songs in family playlists on Spotify:

Ready to jump into Spotify Kids? Sign up for Spotify Premium Family and then download the app here.

Here’s What Families Streamed Most in 2020 on Spotify Kids

December 7, 2020

As 2020 comes to a close, we can’t help but recognize that it was a year unlike any other—especially for families. Remote learning and virtual birthday parties became the new normal as families developed new routines and ways to keep kids engaged. From lullabies for bedtime to beloved film and TV soundtracks for playtime, this year families around the world turned to Spotify Kids, our stand-alone app designed for kids ages 3+ and exclusive to Spotify Premium Family subscribers, for entertainment and even distraction.

For parents, this means reclaiming their own Spotify libraries and all the personalization that they enjoy, while their kids can develop a love for music and stories through an experience that’s meant just for them. This means your end-of-year Wrapped no longer has to include your children’s favorite hits instead of yours.

Today, we’re unveiling for the first time Spotify Kids’ top tracks, artists, and even stories that families have been enjoying the most throughout the year. Here’s what got kids (and their parents) excited to press play:

2020’s top track in the U.S. was Tones And I’s “Dance Monkey.” The love for this catchy, upbeat hit makes sense: a global Spotify survey* revealed that parents said their kids’ favorite genre was pop. Other pop artists also ranked among the top 10 in the U.S., including Dove Cameron from The Descendants (also the top artist in Canada) and JoJo Siwa. The top artist in Sweden this year was Dolly Style, while in New Zealand it was The Wiggles.

When it comes to the top artist in the U.S., that honor goes to KIDZ BOP Kids. “It’s been amazing to see how music has helped bring people together this year,” said the group (Alana, Ayden, Egan, and Layla) when they heard the news. “We’ve loved seeing kids singing and dancing along to their favorite KIDZ BOP songs at home with their families—just like us!”

This year, we also saw movie soundtracks dominate the top spots on Spotify Kids. Here are some of the hits that kids put on repeat in the U.S.:

Frozen 2’s “Into the Unknown” by Idina Menzel and AURORA
Zombies 2’s “Flesh & Bone” by Baby Ariel, Carla Jeffery, Chandler Kinney, Kylee Russell, Meg Donnelly, Milo Manheim, and Pearce Joza
Zombie 2’s “Like the Zombies Do” by Chandler Kinney, Kylee Russell, Milo Manheim, and Pearce Joza
Descendants 3’s “Good to Be Bad” by Anna Cathcart, Booboo Stewart, Cameron Boyce, Dove Cameron, Jadah Marie, and Sofia Carson
The Troll World Tour’s “The Other Side” by Justin Timberlake and SZA

Parents turned to Spotify Kids for dreamy lullabies to soothe. In our global survey, 44% of U.S. parents said lullabies are a big part of raising their children. It’s no surprise, then, that several of the top Spotify Kids playlists this year focused on relaxing, dreamy tunes.

But once nap time ends, storytime begins. The Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey, LEGO Ninjago, and Peter Pan all came out on top for Spotify Kids listeners—an audience riveted by tales of adventure.

This year, we updated the amount of content on Spotify Kids to ensure your children aren’t stuck humming the same tune over and over. We now have more than 300,000 kid-friendly tracks and more than 1,300 playlists to accompany moods, moments, activities, and everything in between.

From pop tunes to bedtime stories, Spotify Kids engaged families in a whole new way this year. Ready for more? Head to the Kids & Family hub to finish this year on a high note.

*Spotify conducted a global online survey among 10,200 music-streaming parents with at least one child under the age of 19 in the household. Responses were collected across 11 key markets in March 2020.

Stars from the Wizarding World and Beyond Bring ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s Stone’ to Spotify

May 5, 2020

Today, Wizarding World and J.K. Rowling announced the latest addition to Harry Potter At Home, the collection of free initiatives designed to help bring the magic of Harry Potter to children, parents, and caregivers in lockdown. It will bring weekly recordings of the timeless first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s Stone, to harrypotterathome.com, Spotify, and Spotify Kids.

Some of the best-loved names from the global entertainment, music, sport, and Wizarding World have lent their voices to the story they love. The first chapter, “The Boy Who Lived,” will be narrated by Daniel Radcliffe.

Every week, stars such as David Beckham, Stephen Fry, Dakota Fanning, Claudia Kim, Eddie Redmayne, Noma Dumezweni, and more will read parts of this iconic book, with its themes of family, friendship, bravery, and overcoming adversity aiming to surprise and delight fans around the world.

Harry Potter fans new and returning can expect a stellar and eclectic cast of narrators and some very special cameo appearances. Beginning today with chapter one, all 17 chapters of the book will be released by the middle of the summer.

The audio chapters will be available exclusively on Spotify, for both free and Premium users, and on the new standalone Spotify Kids app that’s exclusively available to Premium Family subscribers in select markets. Videos of those recordings will live solely on Wizarding World.

Tune into chapter one, “The Boy Who Lived,” available on Spotify for all users globally starting today.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Zc9giy2shsUAdjdXU0AbP

Spotify Kids Is Now Available in the U.S., Canada, and France

March 31, 2020

Last year, we helped bring families together with Spotify Kids—our stand-alone app in beta designed specifically for kids ages three and older. The app, which has been exclusive to Spotify Premium Family subscribers in select countries, was developed with safety and privacy in mind. It’s an ad-free experience where young listeners can explore sing-alongs, soundtracks, and stories on their own or with their families. Now, at a time when so many kids are home from school, we’re bringing the experience to even more people as the app rolls out in the U.S., Canada, and France—and we hope parents there will find it useful as well.

This comes off our initial launch of Spotify Kids in beta in Ireland, followed by Sweden, Denmark, the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil. With more than 125 playlists, Spotify Kids makes it easy for families to listen to their favorite songs and stories while also discovering new ones. Everything on Spotify Kids has been hand selected by our editors, so you can be sure that the content is both kid friendly and—most importantly—fun!

We’re constantly working on ways to make the Kids experience even better, and we had the opportunity to take into consideration the ideas and feedback from parents who have already used the app with their kids. So here’s what’s new and launching soon on the app:

More to love

In the U.S. and Canada, there are now more than 8,000 songs available in the Kids app—that’s 30% more than when we first launched. And because variety is the spice of life, every day we’re adding more songs in all markets. We’ve also added more audiobooks and stories to the library, including Disney Music Group Stories, fairytales, classics, and short stories.

Bedtime is even better

Parents told us that they love using Kids around bedtime, so we’ve added more lullabies, calming music and sounds, and bedtime stories to help lull your little ones to sleep. Sweet dreams!

A more customized experience

Parenting is personal. That’s why we’re working on giving parents more control over what kids can (and can’t) listen to and new features that will allow parents to further customize the experience. In addition, half of the content you’ll find in Kids is based on what’s popular in the country you live in.

Even more educational content

There has always been a focus on educational musical content for kids on the app, including a playlist hub called Learning that features songs that teach kids about counting, the ABC’s, science, and more. Recently, we also added a new global playlist with songs to help kids learn general hygiene best practices, like how to wash their hands and cough and sneeze properly into their elbows. This playlist features the newly released song from Pinkfong, “Wash Your Hands with Baby Shark.” Plus, relevant educational content on the app will continue to grow.

We even have some new offerings specifically for our U.S. users. Here are some of the unique features U.S. families can expect:

Diverse content

The U.S. is a melting pot of cultures, and the music our listeners stream reflects that. So in addition to all the core favorites you’d expect, the U.S. Kids app also includes Spanish-language, country, Christian, Motown, and soul dance party playlists.

Pop culture crazy

Just like the main Spotify app, Kids taps into the big cultural moments listeners love. For example, we know that movies and music go hand in hand, which is why you’ll find the Trolls World Tour playlist and an official Frozen playlist featured in the app.

Because two heads are better…

We’re working alongside children’s brands like Disney Music Group, KIDZ BOP, and Nickelodeon to create totally unique Spotify Kids content and experiences. Stay tuned: we think you’ll like what you hear.

The Spotify Kids app is available exclusively for Spotify Premium Family subscribers at no additional charge and can be downloaded on iOS or Android devices. New Premium subscribers are also eligible for one month free of Premium Family—just visit spotify.com/family.

For the Record’s Top Stories of 2019

December 23, 2019

It’s been quite a year for Spotify. At For the Record we captured it all—from major milestones and playlist launches to Q&As with the biggest names in the business—plus some “bonus tracks.” But we couldn’t have done it without you, our readers, and your never-ending curiosity. That’s why we’ve rounded up the stories that resonated most around the world in 2019—and make us excited for the year ahead.

Whether you caught them the first time around or are just joining us now, take a look at some of For the Record’s biggest hits.

Astrologer Chani Nicholas shared how music matches your horoscope

“What’s your sign?” Whether you love or hate the question, the cultural obsession made its mark this year. Astrology is no longer simply synonymous with bold predictions about love, fame, and fortune. Instead, it’s attracting more and more people who use horoscope readings as a way to reflect and find direction in their lives. Music can provide that same effect, and that’s why we worked with astrologer Chani Nicholas to create Cosmic Playlists. Check it out and see what’s in store.

CEO Daniel Ek wrote that we’re going “Audio-First”

Early this year, our CEO Daniel Ek explained our goal of becoming the world’s number one audio platform—and how that takes us beyond just music. He also announced the addition of podcasting companies Anchor and Gimlet to Spotify. Then, later in 2019, we shared the acquisition of Parcast. We are family.

We introduced Spotify Lite for our users around the world

We believe that music is meant to be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of network connectivity, data plan, or access to the latest phone. That’s why we introduced Spotify Lite earlier this year. Lite is a small, fast, and simplified version of our unparalleled music experience that works much like the main Spotify app. You can still search and play your favorite songs and artists, as well as save them, share with others, discover new music, and enjoy playlists made just for you. But it also includes a few extra features that make it ideal for older devices and operating systems. See if it’s available in your market.

We got hooked on two new personalized playlists: On Repeat and Repeat Rewind

This past fall, we released two more personalized discovery options into the mix of Discover Weekly and Release Radar: On Repeat and Repeat Rewind. These playlists let you listen to your favorite tracks from the past 30 days and the not-so-far-off past. They were stuck in your head then; they’ll get stuck in your head now.

We launched Spotify Kids: A new standalone app for the next generation of listeners

We’re committed to bringing audio content such as music and stories, to more people in more ways—including the next generation of listeners. That’s why we recently launched a fun standalone app designed with safety in mind specifically for kids and families. If you’re a Family Plan user, check it out for your little ones.

We revealed the top Songs, artists, playlists, and podcasts of 2019—and the last decade

As 2019 draws to a close, so too does a stellar year of streaming on Spotify. We dove into the newcomers, showstoppers, and top performers who united the globe with music and podcasts this year. And ahead of the brand-new decade, we also looked back on the last 10 years in music to reveal who dominated global listening. Take a look at the toppers—or check out your own Spotify Wrapped.

While the last decade has come and gone, there’s one thing we know for sure: if 2020 is anything like 2019, it’s going to be a good one. Stay tuned into the For the Record newsletter to stay up-to-date on all things Spotify in the year ahead.

Introducing Spotify Kids, A New Standalone App for the Next Generation of Listeners

October 30, 2019

Spotify is committed to bringing audio content such as music and stories to more people in more ways–including the next generation of listeners. That’s why we decided to launch a fun standalone app designed with safety in mind specifically for kids and families.*

We sat down with Alex Norström, Spotify’s Chief Premium Business Officer, to learn a little more about the app.

1. Why create a Spotify Kids app now? What can users look forward to?

We know that families love listening together—whether it’s while driving in the car or cooking dinner together in the kitchen. But we also know that family members love to listen on their own too. That’s why we’re so excited to welcome the next generation of listeners—kids—into the Family Plan experience.

Kids consuming audio content, such as music and stories, isn’t a new phenomenon—in fact, they love it. But most audio experiences were built with adults in mind—meaning they’re not simple, easy, or fun for young kids to use.

Spotify Kids was born out of the desire to create a playground of sound just for kids—to build a place where younger kids can explore their favorite music and stories in a fun environment. The content is ad-free and hand-picked by a team of editors, and the experience is bursting with color. Our visuals help guide young minds through the app with simple navigation and scaled-back text. Before setting out to explore, each kid can also select a custom avatar and color theme to personalize their experience.

Spotify Kids is a composite of playlists, which makes it easy for kids to find music and stories from their favorite movies and TV shows or hit plays on a playlist to sing along to during their favorite activity—or their least favorite chore.

We’re thrilled to beta launch in Ireland and look forward to introducing Spotify Kids in all markets that have Premium Family in the coming months. As we evolve the app experience, we’ll roll out enhanced parental settings and controls for even more customization in an effort to give parents peace of mind.

2. How is the Spotify Kids app different from the original app? Any unique content?

Spotify Kids is a standalone app available exclusively for Premium Family subscribers and intended for kids ages 3+. The content within Kids is hand-picked by a team of editors, who have nearly 100 years of combined experience curating content for kids. They come from some of the most well-respected brands in this space, including Nickelodeon, Disney, Discovery Kids, and Universal Pictures, as well as Public Service in Sweden and BookBeat, which is a family- and kids-oriented audio streaming service.

Beyond the content, the entire Spotify Kids user experience looks and feels different from the Spotify app. And that’s intentional. It’s built for kids, with their specific cognitive skills in mind, and exudes a fun, familiar, playful, and bright atmosphere. This look and feel also varies by age group—for example, the artwork for younger kids is softer and character-based, while content for older kids is more realistic and detailed.

3. Why launch in beta? What are you hoping to learn?

Having a standalone app specifically for younger kids is a new space for Spotify, and we understand the sensitivities around content for children. We are being very deliberate in our launch approach. We’ve started with a beta launch in Ireland, knowing that this initial roll-out phase will yield many learnings from parents, caregivers and other experts as they begin to interact with the app.

As we evolve the Spotify Kids experience over time, we plan to enhance parental control features to allow for even more customization. We’ll also bring our audio expertise to the table with listening experiences that go beyond music—like more stories and audiobooks and eventually podcasts.

4. As you were building the app, did you tap any external resources? Say, consult with any parent organizations or conduct focus groups?

While launching this kids app is an exciting moment for Spotify, creating it was not a task we took lightly. We knew the importance of understanding parents’ needs and making sure they would have peace of mind about the content their kids are consuming.

Spotify has spent more than two years learning about this space, and we’ll continue to learn as people begin to interact with the app. We have gathered expert insight from a number of organizations, including the National Children’s Museum in Washington, D.C., and conducted our own studies with parents around the world and tapped into our Employee Resource Groups here at Spotify.

Spotify Kids is available starting today in Ireland. Ready to get started? Spotify Premium Family master account holders can simply download Kids from the App Store or Google Play, then sign in to their regular Spotify account. (If you’re new to Spotify, you’ll need to sign up for Premium Family before signing in to Spotify Kids.)

For those outside of Ireland, Kids will be rolling out to all markets that currently have Premium Family. Be sure to check back here for more or check out spotify.com/ie/kids.

*Update March 17, 2020: Spotify Kids has also rolled out in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico.

Update February 11, 2020: Spotify Kids has also rolled out in the UK and Australia.

Update November 27, 2019: Spotify Kids has also rolled out in Denmark, Sweden, and New Zealand.

Update May 12, 2020: Spotify Kids has also rolled out in Germany and Japan.

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