Tag: spotify wrapped

Spotify Wrapped Sound Town: All You Need To Know

December 1, 2023

Spotify Sound Town in the 2023 Spotify Wrapped experience

As you may have seen across the internet, we matched listeners to a Sound Town based on their own listening and artist affinity as part of our 2023 Spotify Wrapped personalized experience. If you haven’t launched your own listening journey yet, go check out your 2023 Wrapped here and see if your tastes line up with those of fans in, say, Provo, Utah, or Cuiabá, Brazil, or, well, more than 1,300 spots around the world.

How did Spotify pick your Sound Town, anyway?

Listening is universal, a pastime loved by communities around the world. Streaming habits transcend borders, leading to songs, genres, and artists that achieve new lives in faraway places. 

Sound Towns selected for eligible users are made up of two factors: a user’s most-streamed artists of the year, and the way in which those artists are streamed in other cities. It’s objective and driven by a user’s listening history.

Many cities around the world are highlighted in the experience, but we’ve seen fans around the world make a select few the talk of the town since 2023 Wrapped debuted. If you’ve been wondering what locals listened to in these hot spots, we rounded up the most-streamed songs of the year for each city. 

Although these lists don’t speak to the methodology we used to determine users’ Sound Towns—and don’t necessarily reflect all of the artists that fans had in common as part of their experience—it does paint a picture of each city’s unique tastes.

Berkeley, CA, USA

  1. “Kill Bill” by SZA
  2. “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” by Ice Spice, PinkPantheress
  3. “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift
  4. “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus
  5. “OMG” by NewJeans
  6. “Ditto” by NewJeans
  7. “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift
  8. “Pink + White” by Frank Ocean
  9. “Ceilings” by Lizzy McAlpine” 
  10. “Low” by SZA

Burlington, VT, USA

  1. “Stick Season” by Noah Kahan
  2. “Kill Bill” by SZA
  3. “ceilings” by Lizzy McAlpine
  4. “All My Love” by Noah Kahan
  5. “Northern Attitude” by Noah Kahan 
  6. “Homesick” by Noah Kahan
  7. “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift
  8. “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus
  9. “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” by Ice Spice, PinkPantheress
  10. “Evergreen” by Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners

Cambridge, MA, USA

  1. “Kill Bill” by SZA
  2. “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift
  3. “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus
  4. “Last Night” by Morgan Wallen 
  5. “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift
  6. “Stick Season” by Noah Kahan
  7. “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2” by Ice Spice, PinkPantheress
  8. “Vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo
  9. “As It Was” by Harry Styles
  10. “Calm Down” by Rema, Selena Gomez

Cuiabá, Brazil

  1. “Nosso Quadro” by AgroPlay, Ana Castela
  2. “Leão” by Marília Mendonça
  3. “Erro Gostoso – Ao Vivo” by Simone Mendes
  4. “Oi Balde – Ao Vivo” by Zé Neto & Cristiano
  5. “Seu Brilho Sumiu – Ao Vivo” by Israel & Rodolffo, Mari Fernandez
  6. “Bombonzinho – Ao Vivo” by Ana Castela, Israel & Rodolffo
  7. “Traumatizei – Ao Vivo Em Brasília” by Henrique & Juliano
  8. “Duas Três” by Adriano Rhod, Ana Castela, Guilherme & Benuto
  9. “Não Vitalício (Nunca Mais) – Ao Vivo” by Mari Fernandez, Matheus & Kauan
  10. “Eu Gosto Assim – Ao Vivo” by Gustavo Mioto, Mari Fernandez

Jakarta, Indonesia

  1. “Tak Segampang Itu” by Anggi Marito
  2. “Komang” by Raim Laode
  3. “Sial” by Mahalini
  4. “Tertawan Hati” by Awdella
  5. “Kill Bill” by SZA
  6. “Kau Rumahku” by raissa anggiani
  7. “Runtuh” by Feby Putri, Fiersa Besari
  8. “Here With Me” by d4vd
  9. “Angels Like You” by Miley Cyrus
  10. “Usai” by Tiara Andini

York, Great Britain

  1. “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus
  2. “Kill Bill” by SZA
  3. “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift
  4. “As It Was” by Harry Styles
  5. “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift
  6. “Daylight” by David Kushner
  7. “ceilings” by Lizzy McAlpine
  8. “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” by Ice Spice, PinkPantheress
  9. “Escapism.” by 070 Shake, RAYE
  10. “Sprinter” by Central Cee, Dave

The Trends of 2023 as Told by Podcasts

November 29, 2023

This past year, there was no single trend or topic that commanded the cultural conversation for too long—something new was always emerging. But throughout these massive moments, listeners consistently took the time to slow down, learn about these trends, and connect with other fans through the immersive world of podcasts. 

Spotify is the most-used audio podcast platform in many key markets around the world and is also the number-one podcast publisher in the U.S., according to the most recent Edison Research data. Because of this, podcasters have bigger audiences than ever. 

“Podcasts are the perfect format for audiences and fans to engage in cultural moments due to a few key factors,” says Lizzy Hale, Head of Podcast Editorial at Spotify. “Many of the best podcast hosts are journalists or experts themselves. They are the ones reporting on these stories, and in the podcast format, they can bring their stories to life.” 

According to Lizzy, podcasts are also uniquely positioned to bring people together.

“Podcasts are a place for community,” Lizzy adds. “When there is a viral moment in culture, fans come to podcasts to feel connected to that bigger moment. A podcast feels like you are talking to your best friend about the story you are obsessing about. They also become artifacts of what our culture’s reactions and opinions were in the moment.” 

So as you reflect on your year in listening, check out the podcasts that exemplify what was driving pop culture in 2023 as selected by our podcast editorial team.

How Spotify Made Wrapped More Valuable Than Ever for Artists

November 29, 2023

When 2023 Spotify Wrapped rolls around each year, it’s as much of an event for artists as it is for fans. With Artist Wrapped, musicians can check out a personalized recap of their Spotify stats showing when, where, and how listeners engaged with them on Spotify. 

Since launching Artist Wrapped in 2017, we’ve worked to make this moment bigger and better with each go around, adding data stories with deeper insights, integrations that provide more ways to connect with fans, and delightful moments that extend beyond the core Wrapped experience. 2023 is no exception, and we’re excited for artists to dig into this year’s edition.

“I’m most excited about our efforts to make Artist Wrapped, and Wrapped in general, even more valuable and impactful to artists’ careers this year,” says Rob Fink, Associate Director, Spotify for Artists Brand Marketing. “We’ve built upon many of the foundations established over the past few years so that Wrapped is truly a global platform for artists to effectively connect with their fans.”

Curious what artists can expect from Wrapped this year? For the Record sat down with Rob to get all the details. 

Just like fans, artists love their Wrapped data stories. What can they expect this year?

As usual, we’ll have all the tried-and-true stories artists have come to expect, like total listeners, total number of streams, and total time streamed. But this year, artists can now find out how many listeners discovered them for the first time in 2023. The idea is they can use this data to better understand their listeners and pick out opportunities to expand their audience.

We’re also giving artists more insight into their top fans. Previously we’ve shown artists the number of fans who had them as a top 10, top five, or number one top artist. But this year, we’re also showing artists the average amount of time that each of their top 0.001% fans spent listening to them. This is the first time we’ve ever shown artists a story about the listening time of their very biggest fans, and some of the numbers are quite eye-opening.

Finally, we’re expanding our merch data story to share an artist’s three bestselling items since empowering artist merch stores on Spotify has continued to be a priority for us. We’ve also added a story that reveals the three locations where an artist sold the most concert tickets in 2023. 

Spotify for Artists Associate Brand Marketing Director Rob Fink

Last year’s Wrapped resulted in Spotify’s biggest merch sales week to date. How did Spotify incorporate those learnings into 2023 Wrapped?

Beyond connecting with their top fans, we want Wrapped to be a moment for artists to earn additional revenue as well. And one big thing we’ve learned is that when artists create unique merch offers on Spotify, those tend to outperform the rest.

That’s why this year, for the first time ever, we enabled artists [in the U.S. and Canada] to set up Wrapped-specific merch discounts for their top listeners of the year. We want artists to be able to offer fans something special, and in turn, fans will know they’re receiving a discount for being a top listener.

We’ve also made artists’ merch and ticket offers even more visible by adding them to more places within fans’ Wrapped experience. Listeners will receive personalized offers from their top artists when they open Wrapped, and we’ll also continue to promote those offers via in-app messaging, emails, and beyond after Wrapped launches to make sure fans don’t miss out. 

We also can’t forget about the songwriters and producers out there. What can they expect from their Wrapped this year?

Last year, we sent personalized share cards to all songwriters and producers who have active Written By playlists or Songwriter Pages on Spotify. This group has grown substantially since, and this year we’re introducing a dedicated Songwriter Wrapped microsite experience. We’re excited to continue making Wrapped even exciting for this extremely important audience.

We’re also testing out a new idea and launching a Songwriter Wrapped social campaign to show love to the music makers—regardless of whether they have a Written By playlist on Spotify yet. Artists and music fans alike can fill in the blanks on their favorite songwriters, producers, lyrics, and beats from 2023 to acknowledge and celebrate the creativity and work from their top creators.

Is there anything else you’ve been keeping under wraps?

We’re testing something this year that we’re calling Wrapped Listening Parties. We’ve teamed up with a small handful of artists who will host invite-only live audio rooms for top fans where everyone can interact and listen to music together. Artists will also be able to promote their merch offers there as well. The idea is to put our listening data to good use and offer unique ways for artists and fans to connect on a personal level.

Ready to check out your Artist Wrapped? Head over to Spotify for Artists to get started.

Me in 2023 Reveals the Streaming Habit That Defined Your Listening

November 29, 2023

Who were you as you streamed this past year? Your most adventurous self, dedicated to finding new artists and genres? Or perhaps a more introspective type, focused on creating your own perfect playlist. Maybe you were a combination. Throughout it all, your listening was true to yourself. That realness is something to celebrate and Wrapped serves as your receipt. 

Me in 2023 demonstrates a streaming habit that defined your listening this year. When you flip your card, it reveals a listening character specific to your tastes and habits on Spotify. Then, you can share it with the world so they can see—and celebrate—the true you. 

If you love examining different listening types as we do, dive into the 12 possible Me in 2023 characters that we created for 2023 Wrapped. 

 

Click on the cards below to read each description. Click anywhere to return to the gallery.

4 Reasons Why You Should Keep Your Spotify App Up-to-Date

October 25, 2023

a graphic design of a hand holding a phone with the spotify logo on it. Arrows circle around the hand.

We’ve all been there before. You download an app, use it daily, but never think to check if it needs to be updated. Maybe you hear buzzing from those around you about a new feature that you just can’t seem to find. 

At Spotify, we’re continuously working to provide the best experience for you, and that means pushing app updates that improve your listening journey. And if your app doesn’t have automatic updates, or you don’t check that it’s up-to-date regularly, it’s possible you could miss out. 

Here are four reasons why you should make updating Spotify part of your regular routine.

1. Access to the newest features

We’re constantly dropping new features on the Spotify app to enhance your experience. Now, you can listen along with your friends with Jam, you can receive a personalized playlist that changes with your day with daylist, and Premium users can hear from their very own AI DJ just by pushing play. If your app isn’t updated, you may miss out on the fun. 

2. Keep up with the latest tech

From Tinder and Instagram to BeReal, Spotify has dozens of integrations across some of your other favorite apps. To make the most of these partnerships and link up your Spotify account, both apps need to be updated to the latest versions. 

3. Bug fix

We’re always improving the mobile experience, fixing bugs, and troubleshooting glitches—keeping your app up-to-date is the best way to make sure your streaming experiences run smoother than our Smooth Jazz playlist.  

4. Get ready for Spotify Wrapped 

Last, but certainly not least, an updated app keeps you ready for Wrapped. When the time comes for the big reveal, instead of refreshing your app at the eleventh hour, you can get right into the Wrapped experience by making sure your app is always up-to-date.   

Have we convinced you yet? If you’re not running on the latest app, check out this page for more info on how to update it. 

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.”

Fans Wanting To Wear Merch From Their Top Wrapped Artists Leads to the Biggest Week of Artist Merch Sales in Spotify History

December 8, 2022

Each year when Spotify Wrapped rolls around, listeners eagerly look forward to seeing their top-streamed artists revealed. And 2022 Wrapped was no different. Last week, millions of fans around the globe learned about their unique music listening personalities as well as the patterns behind their plays. But this year, as always, we took Wrapped a step further with new stories and features—including artist merch in the app to help fans get closer to their favorite artists. 

Fans love to rep their favorite artists, and they especially love to do so after seeing their Wrapped results: In the seven days since launching Wrapped, we’ve seen the highest-grossing merch sales week for artists in Spotify history. 

Connecting fans with ways to express their favorite fandoms and lend support to the artists they love is key to fulfilling our mission of enabling artists to live off their art. In the weeks leading up to Wrapped, artists listed their top merch items on their Spotify profiles through Spotify for Artists to capitalize on all the increased attention their profiles would get on the big day. Then, during Wrapped, we debuted a new shelf of merch offers in the Wrapped hub and sent a personalized email to fans with merch from their top artists of the year. Fans of Ghost, Smino, NIKI, Joji, Elton John, Fireboy DML, and Jack Harlow even got early access to exclusive merchandise through Spotify, further underscoring our commitment to helping artists build new revenue streams on Spotify. 

Though selling merch may seem unexpected, it’s impactful. “By our offering merch on Spotify, millions of the world’s most engaged music fans can now support their favorite artists by buying merch right where they’re already listening,” says Alex Lavian, Product Marketing Lead, Spotify for Artists. “This helps us get closer to achieving our goal of providing a million creative artists the opportunity to live off their art.”

We asked Alex to break down these impactful merch sales even further. 

Why merch? 

Merch is an important source of revenue for artists, and we’re actively investing in new revenue opportunities for artists beyond streaming royalties. Enabling artists to sell merch on Spotify drives a deeper connection between them and their fans. Plus, it’s a natural place for fans to buy things from the artists they love. Just like how fans can’t resist the merch table after an amazing live performance, Spotify can share offers with fans at that perfect moment, whether it’s right after streaming an album, discovering an artist for the first time, or learning an artist was your most streamed that year. We think there’s a huge opportunity to help artists reach listeners with their merch at just the right moment. 

How does this contribute to greater earnings for artists?  

The business of being an artist is complex and multifaceted—it relies on multiple income streams from multiple artist-to-fan touch points, including streaming music, selling merch and tickets, collecting tips, and more. Just as we enabled artists to list their merch in the Wrapped Hub, we also did the same with upcoming tour dates, so that fans can easily experience the artist live and in-person as well as—contributing to yet another revenue stream for the creator. There’s a huge opportunity for Spotify to be an impactful sales channel for artists and we’re making lots of progress.

How does merch in Wrapped build brand love with fans? 

This year merch played a central role in the Wrapped campaign to give fans new ways to express their fandom and support the artists they love. Merch is a relatively new vertical for Spotify and one we’re extremely excited about. We aim to build a culture around merch on Spotify, establishing Spotify as a destination for unique offerings, effective promotions, and meaningful revenue.

Find merch from your favorite artists in the Wrapped hub.

Podcaster Wrapped Celebrates Podcast Creators and Their Fans in 2022

December 2, 2022

Earlier this week we revealed 2022 Wrapped, our annual campaign that brings creators and fans together around a shared love of all things audio. And to accompany it, we launched Podcaster Wrapped for creators. 

Podcaster Wrapped is our way to recognize achievements across our podcast creator ecosystem and offer a unique peek into user behavior and listening trends from the past year. And what a year it was! We were blown away by the amount of podcast content created: It would take you over 1,500 years to listen to every minute of the 25 million+ podcast episodes published in 2022. 

As we look back at all the meaningful moments that made up 2022—the milestones, big wins, and one-of-a-kind connection that brings creators and fans together—it’s clear there’s a lot to celebrate. 

More for listeners and creators to love

This year, we saw a more than 50% increase in podcast consumption. Over half of the billions of hours of content played in 2022 was newly published since January.

Meanwhile, we continued to build innovative tools that enable podcasters to create, grow, and monetize their content in new ways. We brought video podcasts to creators in over 180 markets so that listeners can enjoy a visual complement to content and creators have a new way to reach and connect with their fans. We also made it easier for creators to sound better with a new audio enhancement feature, and we expanded our interactivity capabilities by making Q&A and Polls available to creators around the world.

Getting to know you

We launched our first-ever Fan Study for podcasters, giving creators insights into fan behavior so they can make more informed decisions about how to grow their show. Through Fan Study, we learned things like fans who follow your podcast will listen to four times the number of episodes, and Gen Z’s podcast discovery is growing at twice the rate of other generations.  

We elevated dozens of emerging podcasters from around the world with programs like RADAR Podcasters and Sound Up, which both aim to spotlight up-and-coming creators and provide them with support to grow their audiences.

Near and far

And we continued to see that podcasts are truly global. Podcaster Wrapped showed us that the majority of podcasts published are listened to in more than one country, and we’re seeing impressive creation growth in Central and South America, specifically Colombia, Argentina, Guatemala, Ecuador, and Costa Rica. These countries saw a more than 50% increase in new shows created between 2021 and 2022. The top markets in terms of shows published are the U.S., Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia, and India. 

We love seeing creators grow and hit their strides, and we’ll continue to build programs and tools to help podcasters of all kinds find success in 2023 and beyond.

EQUAL Global Ambassador Sara James Celebrates Her First Artist Wrapped After a Breakthrough Year

December 1, 2022

Spotify listeners all over the world are taking part in Wrapped and learning about their listening habits. And just as Wrapped is an exciting time for fans, creators are feeling the anticipation too.

Now in its sixth year, Artist Wrapped delivers a personalized experience through a microsite presented by Spotify for Artists. It’s a moment just for the creators, who can get in on the global Wrapped experience by discovering how their music connected with fans across the world. This includes a breakdown of the total hours their music has been streamed, follower and listener stats, playlist adds, total numbers of shares, and more.

New to Wrapped this year is Songwriter Wrapped: Spotify’s celebration dedicated to the storytellers behind some of the most beloved lyrics that soundtracked 2022. Songwriter Wrapped recognizes a wide range of songwriters who have official Songwriter Pages on Spotify, including the likes of Max Martin [the Swedish mastermind who worked on Lizzo’s Special and The Weeknd’s Dawn FM], Tainy [the Puerto Rican producer who had a major hand in Bad Bunny’s blockbuster album, Un Verano Sin Ti], Louis Bell, Kid Harpoon, and, of course, NSAI Songwriter-Artist of the Decade, Taylor Swift.

One rising star who has been waiting for their Artist Wrapped to drop is Polish singer Sara James, who made history this past June after she became the youngest-ever EQUAL Global Ambassador at age thirteen. 

Since then, Sara’s celebrated her fourteenth birthday, reached the finals on the most recent season of America’s Got Talent, made an appearance on the Spotify: Mic Check podcast, and become the first Polish artist to take part in the Spotify Singles program, with “My Wave” and her cover of Billie Eilish’s “lovely.” Throw in the continued success of her hit single “Somebody,” and Sara will finish the year as the Most Streamed Artist on Spotify’s global EQUAL Playlist in 2022.

For the Record caught up with Sara to talk about her breakout year, her music, and what she’s excited to discover on her 2022 Artist Wrapped.

For the Record caught up with Sara to talk about her breakout year, her music, and what she’s excited to discover on her 2022 Artist Wrapped.

What were some of your personal 2022 highlights? 

I think my favorite highlight was reaching the finals of America’s Got Talent and getting the golden buzzer from Simon Cowell. That was a huge deal to me because I wasn’t just in Poland, but in America. And obviously, being a part of EQUAL was wonderful.

June 2022 saw you named the youngest EQUAL Global Ambassador, and now Wrapped has revealed that you’re the #1 Most Streamed Artist on Spotify’s global EQUAL Playlist in 2022. How are you feeling about your accomplishments this year? 

That’s crazy. Like, actually crazy. And I’m just so happy and so honored to serve as an example for women and younger people, and show that you can do it and nothing’s going to stop you. You just have to follow your dreams.

Which women artists have you been listening to most this year?

There were a lot, but I would definitely say ROSALÍA, that’s for sure. I would also say Billie Eilish, Tems, and Beyoncé’s album RENAISSANCE. 

What are you excited for most in your 2022 Artist Wrapped? How do you think you’ll use the learnings going forward?

This is going to be my first year experiencing my Artist Wrapped. I’m really excited and just want to see what I’m going to find out. I’m super excited and I’ll probably learn a lot of stuff. For example, I’m interested to see where people listen to me. For example, if I discover people in Spain listen to me a lot, then maybe I will release a song in Spanish.

What does Sara James have in store for the world in 2023?

Music, music, music, that’s for sure. I want to go on tour for my new album. I also want to show the world the more mature Sara James.

Want to learn more about one of 2022’s hottest songwriters? Listen to our Wrapped episode of Spotify: Discover This with Tainy.

Brazilian Hitmaker Ludmilla Uses Spotify Artist Wrapped To Track How Far She’s Come

November 30, 2022

Spotify listeners all over the world are taking part in Wrapped and learning about their listening habits. And just as fans are excited for Wrapped, creators are feeling the anticipation too.

Since its inception, Artist Wrapped has become a moment that artists look forward to all year. Now in its sixth year, Artist Wrapped is a personalized microsite presented by Spotify for Artists that allows creators to discover how their music connected with fans across the world that year. They can see how much they’ve grown by viewing their total hours streamed, followers and listeners stats, playlist adds, total number of shares, and more.

One artist who will definitely be checking out her Artist Wrapped is Ludmilla, who since making her musical debut in 2014 with Hoje, has become the first Black singer in Latin America to reach more than one billion streams on Spotify.

With hit studio and live albums including countless collaborations and tracks such as “Maldivas,” “Cheguei,” and “CAFÉ DA MANHĀ ;P” with Luísa Sonza reaching streams in the tens of millions, it’s safe to say that Ludmilla has had some significant growth since the days when she went by MC Beyoncé.

This year was a particularly sterling one for the Brazilian singer-songwriter, with Numanice #2 winning a Latin Grammy for Best Samba/Pagode Album.

For the Record caught up with Ludmilla to talk about her music, advice she’d give to other artists, and what she’s looking forward to most with 2022’s Artist Wrapped.

It’s been about eight years since the release of your first album, Hoje. How has your music evolved since then?

It evolved as I grew up, both as a person and as a professional. With each experience, I acquired more knowledge and I became more confident. Even my way of composing changed over time. With all these life changes, I discovered that I am a multifaceted artist, that I can sing other rhythms and work in other areas as long as it’s something I really believe in that I actually feel able to deliver.

As the first Black singer in Latin America to reach more than one billion streams on Spotify, what advice do you have for other Black Latin artists?

I usually say that there is no recipe, but I really believe that an artist’s authenticity matters so much. Of course, we all have inspirations, but it is extremely important to assume your own identity and give a face to both your project and your career.

What has your experience with Artist Wrapped been like?

Being able to access my data as an artist and know how the audience is consuming my music on the platform is amazing. 

What were some of your personal 2022 highlights?

Wow! I had a really incredible year and many remarkable things happened, starting with the release of the album Numanice #2, which immediately placed all the songs in the top 200. Soon after, I started the celebrations of my 10 years in music, and launched an EP of funk that recalls my days as MC Beyoncé, at the beginning of my career. This was followed by a nomination in the “Best International Act” category at the B.E.T Awards. 

Time passed and the Rock in Rio concert came. And now, finally, the apotheotic edition of Numanice, at Marquês de Sapucaí, in Rio de Janeiro—which broke an audience record with an audience of 33,000 people. And Numanice #2 won the Latin Grammy for best samba/pagode album. 

There were more things, but I think these already give an idea of ​​how wonderful my year has been.

What type of information have you been able to take away from previous years of Artist Wrapped that has helped you plan for the next year?

All. This data is very important to drive the work, to understand what the audience is listening to the most, how the music is performing . . .  In short, it is an incredible tool for the artist’s growth.

Are you a creator? Learn more about your listeners by visiting the Artist Wrapped page.

Ya están aquí: los artistas, canciones y podcasts más escuchados, además de las tendencias de escucha del 2022

November 30, 2022

No hay una sola forma de definir lo que ha sido el 2022. El volver luego de algunos años de incertidumbre nos ha llevado a que cada quien cree una “nueva normalidad” en nuestras relaciones con la cultura, y entre nosotros. Este año, los oyentes de Spotify aprovecharon para redefinir lo que les apasiona. Y ahora es tiempo de relevar lo que colectivamente cautivó y obsesionó a todo el mundo en la suma de todos los Mi 2022 en Spotify. 

Desde la música que nos hace bailar hasta los podcasts que nos mantienen fascinados, este es el audio que llegó a la cima de las playlists de los oyentes de Spotify.

Los artistas más escuchados de 2022 

Es un tricampeonato para Bad Bunny. El cantante y compositor es el artista más escuchado del mundo en Spotify, un lugar que mantiene desde el 2020. Ningún otro artista ha logrado esa hazaña antes, así que para celebrar, convertimos el botón de corazón en Spotify en el icónico corazón rojo de Un Verano Sin Ti. El artista también fue el más escuchado en todos los países hispanohablantes de Latinoamérica.

Taylor Swift  llegó a tiempo a la cita con sus fans a medianoche, y eso la impulsó a convertirse en la segunda artista más reproducida del año globalmente, y en el primer lugar de Australia, el Reino Unido, Irlanda, Malasia, Filipinas, Nueva Zelanda, Qatar, Eslovenia y Singapur. Completando los cinco artistas más escuchados están las dos potencias de Toronto, Drake y The Weeknd, junto con la banda de K-Pop BTS.   

Las canciones más escuchadas de 2022 

El creador de la canción del verano de 2022, Harry Styles, se lleva el codiciado honor de tener la canción más reproducida en todo el mundo con su éxito “As It Was”. La canción “Heat Waves” de la banda británica de indie rock Glass Animals es la segunda canción más escuchada de 2022, y los fanáticos simplemente no tienen suficiente. La colaboración del artista australiano The Kid LAROI con  Justin Bieber en “STAY” es la tercera canción más reproducida del año. “Me Porto Bonito”  feat. Chencho Corleone y “Tití Me Preguntó” de Bad Bunny ocupan el cuarto y quinto lugar, respectivamente.

Los álbumes más escuchados del 2022

Ahora bien, ¿qué obra en formato álbum, se escuchó más en 2022? Del español al inglés, del pop al hip-hop, los oyentes de todo el mundo mostraron una variedad de gustos. Un Verano Sin Ti  de Bad Bunny ocupa el primer lugar como el álbum más reproducido a nivel global para 2022. Harry’s House  de Harry Styles ocupa el segundo lugar. El álbum debut de Olivia Rodrigo, SOUR, ocupa el tercer lugar como álbum más escuchado. El álbum = de la superestrella del pop británico Ed Sheeran sigue siendo un favorito de los fans en el número cuatro. Finalmente, el álbum Planet Her (Deluxe) de la rapera y cantante estadounidense Doja Cat ocupa el quinto sitio.

Los podcasts más escuchados de 2022

Este año, la oferta de podcasts de Spotify se expandió a nuevos mercados, brindando a más oyentes de todo el mundo nuevos programas para maratonear. Con más de cuatro millones de podcasts, la plataforma ofrece algo para cada tipo de oyente de podcasts. Pero, ¿qué programas dejaron su huella especialmente en 2022? A nivel mundial, el podcast más popular por tercer año consecutivo es The Joe Rogan Experience. Call Her Daddy, de Alex Cooper, ocupa el lugar del segundo podcast más popular. Anything Goes with Emma Chamberlain, una futura exclusiva de Spotify que toca una variedad de temas de la popular creadora estadounidense, ocupa el tercer lugar, mientras que Caso 63, un podcast original de Spotify que se estrenó en español, portugués brasileño, hindi, y el inglés ocupa el cuarto lugar con todas sus iteraciones de idiomas combinadas. Crime Junkie, un podcast sobre crímenes reales de Ashley Flowers y Brit Prawat, completa la lista como el quinto podcast más popular.

Las tendencias globales que moldearon el año 

Estos artistas, canciones, álbumes y podcasts no fueron los únicos referentes que dieron forma a nuestro año. También hubo tendencias de audio en Spotify que unieron a las personas a través de la risa y la diversión. 

La nostalgia sigue muy presente en las playlists de los fans 

 

Y, por supuesto, nuestros oyentes realmente dominan todo sobre sus programas y películas.

 

¿Ya revisaste tu propio #Mi2022enSpotify? ¿Estos artistas, canciones, álbumes, podcasts y tendencias aparecen en tu experiencia de fin de año? Obtén más información sobre lo que tenemos reservado específicamente para ti aquí.

Mientras nos despedimos de 2022, puedes encontrar las listas completas de las canciones, los artistas, álbumes y podcasts más escuchados a continuación.

Los artistas más escuchados globalmente 

  1. Bad Bunny
  2. Taylor Swift
  3. Drake
  4. The Weeknd
  5. BTS

Los álbumes más escuchados globalmente

  1. 1. Un Verano Sin Ti by Bad Bunny
  2. Harry’s House by Harry Styles
  3. SOUR by Olivia Rodrigo
  4. = by Ed Sheeran
  5. Planet Her by Doja Cat

Las canciones más escuchadas globalmente 

  1. “As It Was” by Harry Styles
  2. “Heat Waves” by Glass Animals
  3. “STAY (with Justin Bieber)” by The Kid LAROI
  4. “Me Porto Bonito” by Bad Bunny feat. Chencho Corleon
  5. “Tití Me Preguntó” by Bad Bunny

Los podcasts más populares globalmente 

  1. The Joe Rogan Experience
  2. Call Her Daddy
  3. Anything Goes with Emma Chamberlain
  4. Case 63 (All Languages) 
  5. Crime Junkie 

Los artistas de K-Pop más escuchados globalmente 

  1. BTS
  2. BLACKPINK
  3. TWICE
  4. Stray Kids
  5. SEVENTEEN

Las canciones con las letras más compartidas globalmente 

  1. “Heat Waves” by Glass Animals
  2. “Heather” by Conan Gray
  3. “I Love You So” by The Walters
  4. “Summertime Sadness” by Lana Del Rey
  5. “Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane

Los artistas más virales globalmente 

  1. Taylor Swift
  2. The Weeknd
  3. Bad Bunny
  4. BTS
  5. Lana Del Rey

*Artistas virales significa que su música se comparte con mayor frecuencia en las plataformas sociales desde Spotify

Artistas más escuchadas de la playlist EQUAL 

  1. Sara James
  2. Shania Twain
  3. Evangelia
  4. Avril Lavigne
  5. Ethel Cain

Everything You Need To Know About 2022 Wrapped

November 30, 2022

Listen to this story read aloud in 5 minutes and 30 seconds.


What were your 2022 listening milestones? Did you forge a deeper connection to your favorite creators, or explore new avenues of audio discovery that expanded your listening habits? 

Spotify Wrapped is all about celebrating the endless ways that millions of creators and fans connect through audio each and every day. Starting today, we’re commemorating a year gone by and inviting our fans to join in on the fun with the eagerly anticipated, personalized 2022 Wrapped experience. 

This year’s Wrapped experience is filled with fan-favorite features and exciting new ones that spotlight the many-layered elements of listening that make each and every fan unique. We know that no two listeners are the same—so, from the oddly specific to the unapologetically predictable, 2022 Wrapped encourages listeners to peer into the vibrant kaleidoscope of their listening and show it off to the world. Eligible iOS and Android users with the latest version of the Spotify mobile app can celebrate this ultimate combination of self-expression and play with their personalized experiences. (Creators, fear not: Artists and podcasters will also receive their own personalized Creator Wrapped to learn about and celebrate how their fans listened.)

We’re providing fans with some of their favorite Wrapped features plus a slate of new ways to discover and celebrate their year in listening. Just make sure you’re using the most recent version—8.7.78 or higher—of the Spotify app. (You can check this by going to Settings, then About. The app version you have downloaded will show up at the top of the screen.)

Here’s what to look out for:

Dig into your listening more deeply

Alongside our reveal of the top artists, songs, albums, and podcasts of 2022 that delighted our 456 million listeners around the world, fans can also head into the experience to see their own top lists across genres, songs, and podcasts, as well as minutes listened this year. (You can learn more about some of the genres here.) This year, we’re bringing back now-classic data stories and mixing in new features for a whole new way to discover your 2022 listening. 

The two new stories include: 

  • Your Listening Personality: It’s not only about what you listened to—but what that says about your music taste. This year during Wrapped, we’re showcasing 16 different Listening Personality types that Spotify created for 2022 Wrapped. Your Wrapped will showcase your Listening Personality based on how you listened to music throughout the year. Want to better understand how each of these special personas compare to one another? Find out all about them here.
  • Audio Day: An interactive story that gives you a peek into how your music taste evolved throughout the day, Audio Day showcases the niche moods and aesthetic descriptors of the music you listened to during morning, midday, and evening time periods.