Tag: trends

DJ Moore Kismet Uses Spotify Artist Wrapped To Learn About Their Fans—and Themself

December 1, 2021

Wrapped isn’t just for fans—it’s for creators too. And today, Spotify for Artists launched its annual 2021 Artist Wrapped microsite, presenting artists with a custom experience and sharecard showcasing their success on Spotify over the past year. It’s a moment created specially for artists, who can also be delighted by a year’s worth of streaming data driven by their fans worldwide. 

On the microsite, artists can view their total hours streamed; increases in followers, total listeners, streams, or playlist adds; total numbers of top listeners and shares; and information showing the journey of an artist’s top track. This year, artists can also enjoy an Audio Aura that gives them their own aura based on elements of their artwork and sonics; a Throwback Track that showcases their top catalog track that is still streaming strong; and a list of all their collaborators.  

Since its inception in 2017, Artist Wrapped has become a moment that artists and fans alike look forward to all year. It has seen tremendous growth in the five years since its launch:

From year to year, Spotify’s Artist Wrapped has been an opportunity for creators to see how they’ve grown on the platform. One such artist is 16-year-old, LA-based DJ Omar Davis, who creates dreamy dance music under the alias of Moore Kismet. They grew up in a musical family and aspired to be in music or film since childhood. Then, in eighth grade, they created their first piece of music after being inspired by a YouTube video. 

“I came across the official audio video for ‘Hindsight’ by Audien,” Omar explained. “Listening to that song, I was blown away. It made me feel happy; it made me feel energetic. It made me feel safe and uplifted. It was a very eye-opening experience for me. And when I started delving deeper into that, I was like, ‘Hmm, maybe I should try doing this myself.’ So I just downloaded the trial version of FL Studio and I started playing around in it.”

In the nearly five years since, they’ve increased their production, invested in collaborations, and honed their sound. They ultimately posted a single to Spotify in 2018. Now, they have 300,000 plus monthly listeners and two songs with over a million streams. 

For the Record chatted with Moore about creating music during a pandemic, speaking to their audience, and what they look forward to in their 2021 Artist Wrapped. 

Tell us a little about your music. How would you describe your sound? 

If we’re going for a specific vibe, I’ve been using this phrase that a fan once called my music: beautifully controlled chaos. But to put more, genre-specific labels on it: I make experimental electronic pop that touches a little bit with dubstep, R&B, indie folk, soul music, stuff of that nature.

And that’s kind of always been my style. But I’d never truly known how to articulate it in music until the pandemic hit. So, a lot of the music that I’ve been writing more recently feels more like myself than anything I’ve ever written before. So I’m just very grateful for that.

Can you talk a little bit more about how the pandemic allowed you to to find this space for yourself and and claim your music?

When the shutdown first hit, I didn’t know what to do. But my coping mechanism for whenever sh*t hits the fan is always writing music. It creates a kind of catharsis for me. That energy allowed me to access parts of my creativity that I’ve literally never been able to touch before. During that time, I realized that when I was writing something, I could actually get out what I was thinking about in my head—and then make it even crazier. And I’m just like, “Whoa, wait. I’ve literally never been able to do that before. What just happened?” For me, this time has been my way of rediscovering what it truly is I want to create and what I want to put out to the world.

You’ve been on Spotify since about 2018. When did you start looking at your Artist Wrapped?

Right away. I first started because I saw everybody else posting theirs and I was like, “Damn, they have all of these insane streaming numbers! I wonder what mine is.” And then when I went to check, I only had like 3,000. Well that’s anticlimactic! It was kind of disappointing at first. But I’ve been checking every year ever since, especially once I started working on myself, working on my music, and working with Anthony, my manager.

I would honestly have to say that this year is the biggest year I’ve had and I’m really, really, really grateful for that because I was not expecting anything that I released this year to do well or to have as much of an impact on people. I hit my first two million streams this year. “Rumor” is on its way to hitting three million, which is f%#*ing crazy because it hit two million quicker than it hit one million. 

What type of information have you been able to take away from previous years of  Artist Wrapped and then utilize as you go into the next year of work?

Pre-saves, monthly listeners, streams, and followers. Those are the four most important things that I take into consideration every year when I look at my Wrapped. But also, growth is growth. It’s such a crazy feeling to see how far you’ve come since the last time you got one of these things rendered for you.

I also love seeing demographics—like the pie split up—of what specific demographics or gender identities are listening to my music. I’m noticing that the genderqueer categories are starting to grow exponentially, which makes me incredibly happy because I write my music for other queer people. I’ve always tried to do my best to make my Black ancestors and my trans ancestors proud, and it gets hard sometimes when I’m feeling down on myself and my body and my music, and my mind and my ability to do things. 

So I guess I really just try to make sure that people know that I’m doing this for me, and if you resonate with it, then more power to you. Because I wrote it from the perspective of millions of other queer people who feel the same way. So to see that transfer over into my music and how it performs on Spotify, it’s just incredible.

Why are you excited for 2021 Artist Wrapped? 

I’m really excited to see how much everything has changed since 2020. I really am. And you know, every year I check Wrapped because it’s a way to see how much progress you’ve made as an artist on a public platform that can literally make or break your career. 

I’d always been very cognizant of what I was trying to put out into the world up until quarantine. Quarantine was when I realized that I should stop giving a fu%k about other people’s expectations about who I am and what I write for myself and my own mental well-being. I’m just really excited to see how my sudden change of not caring about negligent people’s feelings has translated into the way that people listen to my music and how much people have listened to my music this year. 

It’s really great to get messages from listeners, fans, supporters, and everyone else in between telling me, “Your music has changed my life,” because getting into music and writing music in the first place has changed my life. 

What should the world look forward to from Moore Kismet in 2022?

2022 is the year of the f%#$ing Kismet. Next year, my debut album, Universe, is coming out, hopefully in summer. But of course, everything is still tentative. I’m hoping it can be out during Pride month. That is our goal. I have been working on this for the past four years, and I am so unbelievably excited to show people. I’ve been working with some of my best friends—some of the coolest writers in the world. This is the biggest thing coming out from Moore Kismet to date. 

Take it from Moore Kismet: Artist Wrapped is not to be missed. Artists can log in or sign up for Spotify for Artists to view their sharecard and microsite experience, now available in 31 languages. 

Explore the Power of Plants With Spotify’s First-Ever Collection of Curated Plants Playlists

May 19, 2021

Over the last year, many people found comfort in an unexpected source: plants. Leafy Monstera deliciosas (aka the “Swiss cheese plant”), prickly cacti, and more flew off the shelves as stressed-out humans turned to nature for relief and beauty. And as Spotify listeners around the world transformed their home bases into green spaces, they also streamed music to encourage their seedlings. Streams of Spotify’s playlist Music for Plants, which offers mellow vibrations for green leaves and green thumbs, flourished, increasing by nearly 1,400% as plant parents new and old sought out good vibrations.

To grow our own botanical offerings on the platform, we’re launching Spotify’s first-ever collection of curated plants playlists with the help of horticulture pros Kelly Wearstler, Darryl Cheng, Summer Rayne Oakes, and Black Men With Gardens. Plant Kween is also launching a new exclusive Music+Talk show, Green Gurls Galore, which offers plenty of horticulture help for those who need some tips.

To get to the root of the plant trend, Spotify dug into the platform data and conducted a global survey to see just how listeners connected with their flora through audio. 

Music for plants and people

You may have heard that talking to plants, and even certain vibrations, can help stimulate their growth. Many music lovers took the practice seriously in the last year, and in a survey conducted by Spotify, we found that 21% of people reported speaking to their houseplants more. A significant 12% of people went above and beyond, using audio content (like music or podcasts) to nurture their photosynthesizing friends. 

That’s one of the reasons many Spotify listeners turned to Music for Plants. The playlist features music and soundscapes carefully handpicked to help encourage growth. For the Record spoke with Uriel Waizel, who works at Spotify and is the creator and editor behind the playlist, to get his perspective.

“I’m convinced plants feel human music and human presence,” says Uriel. “Sound waves resonate with the green world. It was a no-brainer to make the playlist and fill the content gap.”

The playlist itself consists of a range of sounds and track lengths, including 43 seconds of birdsong and a 23-minute ambient song. Many of the songs are similar in instrumentation, which means listeners can shuffle without disrupting the experience. Ultimately, Uriel’s goal is to bestow rooms with a figurative “green wallpaper” so that whether or not you own plants, the music “will populate your house with greenness.”

Playlist propagation

Many listeners are also taking their audio choices into their own hands by creating playlists for their leafy friends. There are now more than 2.9 million user-generated Spotify playlists related to plants and gardening.

This is no surprise to architectural designer Kelly Wearstler, who curated a playlist called Parterre Paradise. Kelly listens to a range of music when gardening and was quick to point out the connection between the two to For the Record. “Curating and nurturing plants and making music are both art forms that take time and expertise,” says Kelly. “Music is an amazing accompaniment to creative and meditative activity.”

Looking more deeply at the Spotify listener data, we noticed some interesting trends of what people are doing on the platform. Many listeners are early birds, as most streams happen in the morning. The most popular plants to earn a playlist are ivy, cacti, and ferns. And Spotify listeners gravitate toward a few favorite tunes.

Top five genres of vegetation-friendly music:

  1. Fourth world
  2. Art pop
  3. Background music
  4. Ambient
  5. Lo-fi beats

Some of the most-added botanical beats:

At the core of many of today’s playlists is one perennial favorite: Mort Garson’s classic album Mother Earth’s Plantasia (featuring tracks like “Symphony for a Spider Plant” and “Concerto for Philodendron & Pothos”). Not only did Plantasia inspire Uriel’s original Music for Plants playlist, but streams of the 1976 album are up more than 40% this year. 

Keep vibing and thriving

Through our Spotify survey, we learned that one in four people globally said they believe they will carry on their passion for houseplants into the future. Plus, 28% of respondents felt that caring for houseplants offers people more of a purpose in life.

Those aren’t the only benefits of taking in a succulent or orchid of your own, according to Kelly. “Plants and natural elements have such a healing, meditative power and truly bring life to your space,” Kelly explains. “Adding more plants throughout your home—whether it’s through an indoor herb garden in your kitchen or a landscaped backyard—gives a sense of freshness and livelihood to your environment.”

For those on the hunt for another fresh find, Kelly recommends choosing vegetation that helps express your personality. “Be bold and use vibrant florals or go for a more understated (yet still chic) vibe with a beautiful olive or rubber tree,” Kelly adds.

Growing in a new direction

While many perfected their plant care (30% of those surveyed believe they’ve gotten better at caring for houseplants during the past 12 months), another 70% of respondents reported feeling uncertain about how to keep their plants thriving. One in four respondents didn’t know the best way to help their houseplants grow, and roughly the same did not know how to spot signs of overwatering.

Uriel has advice for those struggling to find their green thumb: Listen to music. “The playlist puts you in the mood and gives you a green finger coating,” he explains. “It makes you feel safe and feel like you’re doing the right thing for your plants. It’s music that nurtures the atmosphere.”

Ready for some good vibrations? Check out the new plant playlists, which can be found on your Soundtrack Your Home hub.

How At-Home Activities Are Inspiring New Playlists

May 27, 2020

People around the world are continuing to spend most of their time indoors—but they’re doing plenty to keep busy. Between baking, homeschooling, crafts, and home improvement, people are finding creative and meaningful ways to make the best use of their time.

We took a look at streaming data between April 17 and May 17 for Spotify users worldwide. As it turns out, listeners are getting in on the latest at-home trends and even creating playlists to match.

Read on for some of the trends, tracks, and playlists marking this unique time.

Hair today, gone tomorrow

With many salons closed over the last month, users have taken their hair into their own hands. There has been a 50% increase in the creation of playlists using keywords like “haircut,” “dying hair,” and “hair dye.” Popular songs on these playlists speak to the seemingly impossible task and include “Complicated” by Avril Lavigne, “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” by Fall Out Boy, “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World, “High Hopes” by Panic! At The Disco, “Stressed Out” by Twenty One Pilots, and (more obviously) “Hair Cutter” by Animal Collective.

DIY

At-home hobbies have also been a huge source of inspiration. Coloring-themed playlists have increased by about 40%, and painting playlists more than 90%. Plus, gardening playlists have grown 430% (with songs like “Avant Gardener” by Courtney Barnett, “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra, and “Sunflower” by Post Malone and Swae Lee). And baking playlists have risen 120%. Listeners are especially going bananas for banana bread, with 2,750 Spotify playlists dedicated to the sweet treat. 

Hobby podcasts are also having a moment. For arts and crafts inspo, listeners are tuning in to Just Wanna Quilt, with streams up more than 125%, while WeCrochet has seen streams increase more than 60%. Those who like to get down and dirty are checking out gardening-themed podcasts, the most popular being The Joe Gardener Show, Epic Gardening: Daily Growing Tips and Advice, and The RHS Gardening Podcast.

School’s out

With kids home from school, parents are facing a whole new set of challenges, and with a more than 1,000% increase in homeschool-themed playlists, it’s clear that many are turning to music to get through the day. “Supalonely” by BENEE and Gus Dapperton, “Sucker” by Jonas Brothers, “Circles” by Post Malone, and “Don’t Start Now” by Dua Lipa are among the most popular songs choices on these playlists.

It’s not all work and no play, though. Users are also combining music with a popular family-friendly, at-home escape that might ring a bell: Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons video game. Animal Crossing-themed playlists are up 1,000%. 

WFH

Anyone who has recently turned their spare bedroom or dining room into their office probably won’t be surprised to learn that working-from-home-themed playlists have seen a massive 1,400% increase compared to the first 10 days of March. Appropriately, the most-added track to these playlists is “Work From Home” by Fifth Harmony (feat. Ty Dolla $ign). Also popular is “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton, “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd, “Light On” by Maggie Rogers, “10,000 hours” by Dan + Shay (with Justin Bieber), “Boss Bitch” by Doja Cat, “Delicate” by Taylor Swift, and “The Less I Know the Better” by Tame Impala.

Those who prefer something a little more old school are turning to Beethoven and Bach, with pianist Lang Lang’s version of “Für Elise” a top classical pick.

Scrub-a-dub

With more than 940,000 cleaning playlists on Spotify, listeners are taking this year’s spring cleaning to a whole new level. Spotify’s Cleaning Kit playlist has seen a 30% increase in streaming, while user-generated cleaning playlists have increased 40%; overall streams have increased more than 65%. Yet, there seems to be a slight reluctance to the chore, as TLC’s “No Scrubs” has been a popular choice for listeners who are scrubbing their homes.

For those who are getting into the groove while cleaning, users are moppin’ and showstoppin’ with songs made for dancing like “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson, “Roar” by Katy Perry, “Toxic” by Britney Spears, “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers, and “Work” by Drake and Rihanna. 

No-bummer summer

While summer might look a little different this year, listeners are still seeking out warm-weather vibes. As the temperatures rise in the northern hemisphere, there has been a 245% increase in summer-themed soundtracks to set the mood. These feel-good jams are ideal for throwing your window open or heading outside to soak up some sun—at a social distance of course.

We hope that Spotify can be used as an escape and source of inspiration during this unprecedented time. Create your own at-home playlist—full of music or podcasts—by opening up Spotify. Need a refresher on how? Check out some recommendations here.

Is It Too Early for Christmas Music?

November 5, 2018

These days stores start cranking out yuletide tunes faster than you can say Black Friday. Santa’s elves (and you know they’re everywhere) have been waiting to hear jingle bells since July. Kids, of course, are counting down. Grinches may protest, much preferring a silent night over little drummer boys a moment before December 24. But with millions of Christmas-themed playlists streaming throughout the festive season, we set out to answer the age-old question: How early is too early for Christmas music?

Depending on where you live, the answer is never.

In our eyes, a country has officially started the jingle bell rocking once festive tunes make up more than 2 percent of all listening in the region. On average, most countries start hitting play on holiday hits towards the end of November. But as you can see in this interactive graphic, that’s not the case for all:

According to holiday streaming in 2017, most countries see the first surge in listening around November 1—unless you live in the Philippines.

The Philippines takes Christmastime very seriously—and kicks off the season months before any other country. To celebrate the holiday for as long as possible, Filipinos start shuffling their holiday playlists as early as September. And while they can’t get enough of the global top holiday hits, they also love to stream local veteran singer Jose Mari Chan, whose song “Christmas In Our Hearts” is a favorite in the region.

Not everyone is in such a rush. Some countries, like Argentina and Uruguay, wait until Christmas Day itself to start listening. The United States and Canada wait until November 13 to start—but once they get going, “All I Want For Christmas is You” is on repeat until the reindeer come home.

But no one gets quite into the Christmas spirit like Liechtenstein: Though off to a slow start, in the few days before December 25th, almost 70 percent of all listening is exclusively Christmas music—triple the global average for Christmas listening.

Yet no matter when they get into the spirit, listeners on Spotify worldwide have created over 21 million Christmas-themed playlists full of tried-and-true Christmas classics, from the likes of Frank Sinatra and Brenda Lee to today’s jingle ball jams by Ariana Grande, Michael Bublé, and Justin Bieber. Also check out our global playlists, Christmas Classics, Christmas Pop, and Christmas Jazz. (Or if Hanukkah is more your style, we’ve got that too.)

Whether your gift-bringer is Santa Claus, the German Christkind, or the Niños Dios of Costa Rica, get ready to turn up the volume on Christmas music in the 50 days to come. (But who’s counting?)