Tag: zach bryan

RADAR US Is Back With the Raw and Unfiltered Raps of Sexyy Red

February 12, 2024

RADAR was launched in 2020 to support artists and creators as they chart their paths to superstardom, and it has since become the global home for what’s next in music.

In recent years, we’ve been proud to support RADAR alumni like Zach Bryan, Tyla, Villano Antillano, Reneé Rapp, and Peso Pluma. And this month we’re proud to name Sexyy Red as our latest RADAR US artist.

 

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All eyes were on the St. Louis rapper in 2023 when she found success with her track “Pound Town”; she later joined SZA on Drake’s single “Rich Baby Daddy.” Influenced by 2000s southern rap from the likes of Three 6 Mafia and Gucci Mane, Sexyy Red collaborated with Nicki Minaj, Lil Durk, NLE Choppa, Summer Walker, Chief Keef, G Herbo, 42 Dugg, Young Nudy, Latto, and Moneybagg Yo in the last year alone.

But Sexyy Red is just getting started, and we’re committed to helping her career grow even bigger. Through RADAR, we’re working to introduce Sexyy Red to reach new audiences, deepen her connection with her Day 1 fans, and amplify her upcoming releases. She’ll not only be the featured artist of our RADAR US playlist but will receive additional support on- and off-platform. 

Sexyy Red’s addition to our list of RADAR artists follows the recent refresh of the program’s look and feel, which invites fans to step into the world of tomorrow’s stars and find out what inspires them and what keeps them going.

Stream RADAR US to check out the irresistible sounds of Sexyy Red and more of our RADAR picks.

How Spotify’s Playlists Captured the Biggest Music Trends of 2023

November 29, 2023

With another year coming to a close, Spotify is back with your personalized Wrapped, our annual recap of your listening highlights from the past 12 months that includes your top songs, artists, and podcasts, as well as your most distinct streaming habits. But we’re also taking a step back and looking at 2023’s biggest music trends on Spotify.

Thanks to the in-the-know editors responsible for creating our editorial playlists as part of the Global Curation Groups, the most iconic musical moments of the year were reflected on Spotify. Whether it was blockbuster movie soundtracks that grabbed the world’s attention, viral social media moments that bubbled up to the mainstream, or classic genres finding new fans in Gen Z, our experts were on top of it all.

For the Record sat down with our editorial team and got the scoop. 

Peso Pluma and Música Mexicana go mainstream

RADAR US artist Peso Pluma made himself known to the world in March with his feature on Eslabon Armado’s “Ella Baila Sola.” Fast-forward to now, and that song is one of the top-five most-streamed songs of 2023 globally—and is about to hit Spotify’s Billions Club. Meanwhile, the Música Mexicana genre at large has enjoyed a surge in popularity, dominating the global charts this summer.

Explore this trend on: Lo Mejor de La Reina 2023, Corridos Perrones, Corridos Tumbados, Today’s Top Hits

Folk rising

In 2023, a slew of indie artists emerged with folk-inspired albums including Mitski, Toro Y Moi, and boygenius. Plus, we heard new folk voices like Searows and 2024 Best New Artist Noah Kahan. 

Explore this trend on: Indie Twang, Juniper

Shoegaze returns courtesy of Gen Z

Shoegaze has been around since the late ’80s, but it experienced a resurgence in 2023 among Gen Z, who found new bands like Wisp as well as aughts stalwarts like Panchiko.

Over the past year, the genre has thrived within various Gen Z internet communities that have fostered pockets of interest and given birth to exciting new acts. Perhaps unknowingly, the emerging class of neo-shoegaze artists is contributing to genre diffusion, blending techniques from various music genres to create something fresh and unique.

Explore this trend on: Shoegaze Now, IRL Angel

Rema carries Afrobeats into Spotify’s Billions Club

Rema has been a hitmaker in Africa since 2019, but it was a collaboration with Selena Gomez on “Calm Down (Remix)” that shot him to international fame in 2023. The global smash earned the Afrobeats star a Grammy nomination, as well as a spot in our highly coveted Billions Club, making “Calm Down” the first African artist-led track to do so. 

Explore this trend on: African Heat, Billions Club, Today’s Top Hits

Taylor Swift’s eras on tour

Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour kicked off in March and was the live-music event of the year. Taylor not only picked songs from all 10 of her studio albums to perform in a stunning three-hour show, but she also set aside time each night for acoustic performances of two surprise songs. And according to Taylor’s rules, no two songs could be repeated unless she messed it up the first time. To capture this epic moment, we collected all of the surprise songs in a playlist, which was updated every weekend during the U.S. leg of her tour.

Explore this trend on: Surprise Song Era

Troye Sivan and Hyunjin’s IRL friendship

This past summer, Troye Sivan posted a TikTok that went viral about trying to find Hyunjin of Stray Kids. We joined in on the fun with a playlist and they eventually collabed on a remix of “Rush,” which also featured PinkPantheress.

Explore this trend on: what a moment

Peggy Gou takes house music to the top of the charts

House, one of the original genres of dance music, has grown in popularity since the pandemic. This summer, we saw massive house hits resonate with fans internationally, including Peggy Gou‘s “(It Goes Like) Nanana.” 

Other huge moments for house music include artists like Fred again.., Black Coffee, Chris Lake, and FISHER, who are breaking records around the world, and breakthrough opportunities for exciting artists like LP Giobbi, John Summit, and Dom Dolla

Explore this trend on: Umami, Housewerk presents…Best House of 2023, Summer House

It’s a Barbie world

Ahead of the Barbie release this summer, we saw “Barbiecore” aesthetics manifest in the pop culture zeitgeist. Once we got word that Barbie was going to feature a star-studded soundtrack with hits like Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice, and Aqua’s “Barbie World” and Dua Lipa’s “Dance The Night,” we brought all things Barbie to life on Spotify through the “pinkification” of several playlist covers, new editorial playlists, and partner playlists.

Explore this trend on: Hot Pink, Barbie Official Playlist

Hyper techno surges

There was an influx of high-BPM dance pop songs in general, and with it came a new wave of tracks that showcased a harder sound using classic techno and big room beats and basslines. We saw a surge in streams—especially from European Gen Zs—of techno-infused songs like Niklas Dee’s “Not Fair,” Creeds’ “Push Up,” and BENNETT’s “Vois sur ton chemin.”

Explore this trend on: rave, techno party

Jersey Club is everywhere 

Jersey Club production became ubiquitous not only in U.S. hip-hop but around the world. We also saw the genre’s influence find its way into K-Pop and thoughtful electronic music. Pioneers such as DJ Smallz 732, UNIIQU3, and Cookiee Kawaii were tapped to remix some of 2023’s biggest hits, and newcomers such as Kanii, keltiey, and Lay Bankz staked their claims as names to watch.

Explore this trend on: Jersey Club Heat presents…Best Jersey Club Songs of 2023

Tyla’s turns her viral moment into crossover success

South Africa’s Amapiano sound has been winning the hearts of electronic and dance fans after TikTok dances and DJ mixes helped it go viral in 2020. In 2023, RADAR Africa artist Tyla took her career to the next level, blending her R&B sound with Amapiano and South African dance genre Bacardi house on her hit song “Water.” After Spotify Africa’s partnership with the Giants of Africa Festival—a basketball event in Rwanda where Tyla’s viral dance was first seen—many posted their own versions of the dance challenge on social media, which led to “Water” skyrocketing around the world and earning a feature from Travis Scott on the remix.

Explore this trend on: RNB X, RADAR Africa, African Heat, RADAR Global 

Women run hip-hop  

Female rappers continued their reign in 2023, with top names like Nicki Minaj, Doja Cat, Latto, Ice Spice, Kaliii, Doechii, and the year’s breakout star, Sexyy Red, making some of the most creative and worthwhile hip-hop this year. 

Explore this trend on: RapCaviar presents…Best Hip-Hop Songs of 2023, Feelin’ Myself 

Pop-punk’s greatest legends return

We witnessed the resurgence of pop-punk’s most iconic figures with mainstays like Fall Out Boy, Sum 41, Green Day, and Neck Deep returning in 2023 with a taste of new music. Additionally, blink-182 welcomed back Tom DeLonge and embarked on a global tour to celebrate their new album, ONE MORE TIME…. 

Explore this trend on: Pop Punk’s Not Dead

The nu-metal revival continues

Nu-metal and alternative metal have made triumphant returns this year, with a younger audience discovering and devouring the catalogs of bands like Deftones, Korn, Slipknot, and more. Additionally, we’re seeing a wave of new nu-metal songs from rising artists who are embracing the sound and paying homage to their predecessors.

Explore this trend on: new nü, ALLURE

Alt country crosses over

This trend in country music had a slow build that reached new heights with the release of RADAR US artist Zach Bryan’s American Heartbreak in 2022, and took off 2023 with hits like Dylan Gossett’s “Coal.” This acoustic, gritty sound was typically reserved for alternative country and folk playlists in the past, but it has fully moved into the mainstream with songs that have been fan favorites across our flagship playlists. 

Explore this trend on: Hot Country presents…Best Country Songs of 2023, Hot Hits USA, Today’s Top Hits, homegrown

Looking for more of the songs that have left their stamp on 2023? Check out our flagship playlist Today’s Top Hits. 

Viral Football Sensation Aidan Hutchinson Reveals the Songs That Inspire Him

September 15, 2022

Image of Aidan Hutchinson

Before he ever played a second of pro football, rookie Aidan Hutchinson found himself in the headlines. As part of a training camp tradition earlier this summer, Aidan was called on to serenade his teammates with an acapella performance, and he chose to go with Michael Jackson’s 1983 hit “Billie Jean.” Little did he know at the time, but he was about to go viral as his teammates joined in on the fun and turned a silly moment at practice into a cultural sensation.

Now with training camp out of the way and his first game under his belt, Aidan is officially a pro. To celebrate the start of the football season, and the start of Aidan’s career, we spoke with the defensive lineman as he created a Spotify playlist full of his favorite songs that he listens to at home and in the locker room. 

An eclectic, laid-back mix of hits from past and present, Aidan’s playlist features the country vibes of RADAR artist Zach Bryan, thoughtful rhymes of J. Cole, iconic glam rock of David Bowie, and even orchestral compositions of Hans Zimmer. “Billie Jean” also made the cut, of course. 

But to learn more about his big viral moment, the start of his rookie season, and the inspiration behind his playlist, For the Record took a few minutes to catch up with Aidan.

What was the inspiration behind the songs you picked for this playlist?

I have very diverse taste in music and I was looking to include every kind of different genre that I listen to. I got just about a little bit of everything on there, and it reminds me of all the different moods that you could be in. I look at that playlist and you can listen to it when you’re happy, sad, chilling, in the car jamming out . . . you know, whatever you really want going. So yeah, I just have a lot of variety in there. That’s what I like. 

Is there a song on your playlist that might surprise your friends or teammates?

So I got a couple instrumental and orchestral songs in there. I don’t think many of my teammates know that’s the kind of stuff I listen to in my pregame playlist. And so for this playlist, I added the Hans Zimmer track “S.T.A.Y.” from Interstellar (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).  

As much as I love music, I don’t need someone talking in my ear in those big moments. I kind of like to talk to myself through some kind of instrumental music. I got some inspirational ones in my pregame playlist, and I think that would be something that would surprise some people who don’t know about my own little routine.

How did you end up singing “Billie Jean” in front of your entire team during training camp? 

That’s a team tradition. I was told in April that I should have a song in mind and I couldn’t think of a song for months. I was like, “I don’t wanna go up there and get booed by singing some stupid song. I want to go up there and make a show.”

So it kind of hit me a couple days before I was asked to go up there and sing the song. I woke up at like 7 a.m., had a little epiphany, and I found “Billie Jean.” 

I just started studying it cuz the lyrics are a little hard to learn. I realized I never really knew what he was saying besides “Billie Jean is not my lover.” It actually took some concentration trying to study that song. I’m just glad I had that realization because if you had asked me a couple days before that, I don’t know what I would’ve sang.  

What was it like to go viral before the season even started? Were you expecting that response from your teammates?

Yeah, it was crazy to have all this buzz in the preseason. I knew it was a good song, but I wasn’t sure how they’d react. I was praying that my teammates would buy into the song while I was singing it. In my head I kind of had this visualization of what actually happened, before it all happened, and the best-case scenario was that they’d all jump in—we’d all be singing. But it went even better than I could ever imagine. So that’s props to them for buying into my song. 

I just tried to go in there and give it my all because that’s the only thing anybody cares about. If you go up there and half-ass it, guys are gonna boo you.

Do you have any favorite Spotify playlists that you follow?

I like Discover Weekly and the other personalized playlists. I usually listen to those when I see them in the app, and I think it’s kind of cool how they create them based on your tastes. I was also listening to a Spotify playlist today called Country Heartache. So yeah, I dive into those a little bit. 

What are you most excited about as you get ready for your first professional season?

Hmm, let me think about this. I would say I’m just most excited about just getting to play against that NFL competition and getting to play very talented linemen. I’ve always been a very competitive person and just being able to go out there, go against the best in the world, gets me excited because I want to prove that I’m one of the best.

For the latest updates on pro football’s top players, hit play and start streaming the latest  episode of The Fantasy Footballers podcast below:

 

Spotify’s RADAR Program Returns With RADAR US and Announces Zach Bryan as First Country Artist

May 17, 2022

Spotify’s RADAR US program, an extension of Spotify’s global artist development program, announces its first-ever RADAR US country artist, Zach Bryan. Since launching in 2020, Spotify’s RADAR program has remained committed in supporting artists on their paths to superstardom, helping rising talent at all stages of their development and strengthening their connection to audiences. 

Zach has an enthusiastic fan base on Spotify, with his hit single “Heading South” helping put him on the map. His highly anticipated third album arrives May 20. Why, then, does he feel the same way about his career now as he did when he wrote music for fun on his days off in the military?

“I started writing songs, and I accidentally blew up. I’m so blessed and honored to be a musician because so many people aspire to be in the position I’m in their entire lives. And not a morning goes by that I don’t think about that,” Zach told For the Record. “But also, that switch has not happened yet. I’m still not sure what I want to do with the rest of my life.”

Just one year after he was honorably discharged from the United States Navy, and two years after he was featured on Spotify’s Indigo playlist, Zach is now Spotify’s first-ever RADAR US country artist.

“We saw that our listeners were responding to Zach early on with his stripped-down, salt-of-the-earth sound and honest lyrics. In 2020, he was one of our key artists for the launch of our Indigo playlist and has been a top performer there ever since,” said Rachel Whitney, Head of Editorial, Nashville. “It has been incredible to see his growth over the past two years. His talent is undeniable, and his new music has already begun to reach chart-topping status. This is just the beginning, and we’re so excited to introduce him to a broader fan base through our RADAR US program.” 

As part of RADAR US, artists receive a mixture of Spotify’s best-in-class editorial; on-platform and out-of-home marketing support, like dedicated RADAR social content capturing the many sides of artists, including acoustic performances and short-form videos; a feature in the RADAR US playlist; and an opportunity to collaborate with Spotify on a number of Fans First experiences such as exclusive live rooms with top fans on Spotify Live.

For the Record caught up with Zach to learn more about his life as an emerging artist. 

From your first experiences with a guitar to now, how has your approach to songwriting changed or stayed the same?

What’s interesting is that my approach to songwriting hasn’t changed even remotely, but my life experience has been amplified times 40. As a kid, you don’t have too much to sing about. But as an adult, things get a lot darker for everybody, and things also get a lot happier. When you grow up, everything grows up around you. So, I don’t think that my approach to songwriting is different. I think that the more I did it, the better I got at it. And the more life I lived, the more I had to write about. So it’s all part of the beautiful evolution of how most things go in life.

Which artists have inspired you the most?

So, I actually have some authors—Jack Kerouac and John Steinbeck. The way they described things in their books, it taught me how to describe everything. I read a lot growing up, and those were the two guys I always leaned on. Musically, I’d say Tyler Childers and Jason Isbell. But I also have a lot of other favorites, like John Vincent III and John Moreland out of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Those are simple guys; they’re guys who have guitars and just like to write.

How does it feel to see the growth of your music with Spotify?

Spotify has been really, really good to me in every phase of this process. It’s weird to watch the progression from the first record, when Spotify was first on my side, to now, when they’ve selected me to be their RADAR artist. I feel like I have someone in my corner. So it’s really, really incredible.

I’m also really thankful for the first fans who listened to my music because without them, I wouldn’t be here at all. I sometimes feel like I’m a vessel, like the experiences and words just come through me. They’re not from me, and that’s why making music is just so strange for me. It’s such a blessing to be the guy who gets to do it.

Any advice for fellow emerging artists?

Don’t settle. For anything. Ever, in life and in music. Go to where you’re most happy. Stay there. If your intentions are good and you don’t settle and you want to see the best in everyone around you, you can’t fail. A rising tide raises all ships. That’s how it should be.

What message do you have for your fans?

I love them so much. At the end of the day, for me, it’s all about that one person who hears the song. So, I just want them to know that I’m a human being, and I’m trying my best for the sake of them. We’re all living this life together and trying our absolute damnedest to be better people every day. That’s really important to me. The humanity of all of it is the most important thing.

 

Fans can catch Zach on a billboard in New York City starting May 17. Keep getting to know him and his fellow RADAR artists by listening to Spotify’s RADAR US playlist.