Tag: Daniel Ek

Introducing the New Miniseries ‘Spotify: A Product Story’

It’s one thing to imagine the future of audio, quite another to actually build it—and yet that’s what Spotify set out to do over the past decade. Along the way, there’s been plenty of previously untold stories filled with colorful characters, product challenges and successes, and many lessons learned. So in our new podcast miniseries, Spotify: A Product Story, our Chief R&D Officer, Gustav Söderström, will bring listeners these insider stories of product strategy and development at Spotify—as told by the people who built it. 

“In this podcast, for the first time, we’ll pull back the curtain on some never-before-heard stories of Spotify’s product journey,” explains Gustav in the series trailer. The miniseries will include “the secrets and strategies behind our biggest product launches and pivots—from the very first desktop app, built in a small apartment in Stockholm, to the brand-new audio formats we’re exploring right now.”

Over the course of the series, Gustav will delve into the art and science of product strategy and development alongside special guests from the music, business, and tech industries—from Lars Ulrich to Mary Meeker to Matthew Ball to Sean Parker. He’ll also interview the current and previous Spotifiers deeply involved in Spotify’s journey, including Daniel Ek, Dawn Ostroff, Sten Garmark and Oskar Stål. These conversations will give an inside glimpse into topics like Spotify’s commitment to problem solving and improving the user experience.

Catch the Spotify: A Product Story trailer and prologue, “The most epic battle in the music history,” available on Spotify today, and look out for the first episode, “How do you steal from a pirate?” premiering soon. 

‘Stream On,’ Q4 Earnings, and Our Launch in South Korea: Learn More on the ‘Spotify: For the Record’ Podcast

Our latest Spotify: For the Record episode dives into our biggest headlines of the week. Dustee Jenkins, Head of Global Communications, sits down with CEO Daniel Ek and CFO Paul Vogel to discuss yesterday’s fourth-quarter earnings results. The trio touches on the company’s outlook, our end-of-year Wrapped campaign, the continued rise in podcasts, and other Q4 highlights.

Dustee also queries Daniel about Spotify’s recently announced “Stream On” event. You can check out their full conversation in the episode, but in the meantime, find a brief behind-the-scenes preview of what will happen on February 22 below.

 

Finally, we travel from Stockholm to Seoul to discuss Spotify’s launch this week in the sixth-biggest music market in the world: South Korea. David Park, our Managing Director there, joins us as we talk about the magnitude of this expansion.

Ready to dig in? Check out the episode here.

CEO Daniel Ek and CFO Paul Vogel Provide Q3 2020 Perspective in Our Latest Episode of “Spotify: For the Record”

In this week’s episode of our podcast, Spotify: For the Record, we dive deeper into Spotify’s third-quarter 2020 results. Tune in to hear Dustee Jenkins, Head of Global Communications at Spotify, take a turn asking the questions as she chats with CEO Daniel Ek and CFO Paul Vogel. From global trends and local launches to exclusive podcasts and new listening formats, the trio digs into the headlines and discusses Spotify’s strategy and performance. 

Just a few of the highlights include:

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

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

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

Learn more about our episodes below.

Artists & Creativity During COVID-19 

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

Podcasts: The Medium of the Moment

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

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

Supporting the Black Community

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

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

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

 

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

For the Record’s Top Stories of 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.

Ciara Takes the Stage at Spotify and Hulu’s Cannes Kickoff Celebration

This week thousands have descended upon the French Riviera for the annual Cannes Lions Festival­ of Creativity. For our seventh year, we’re delighted for partners, artists, podcasters and influencers to join us in relevant conversations—and to celebrate all the creative potential that streaming has to offer. Monday evening Spotify and Hulu did just that, once again co-hosting a kickoff gathering to toast the best in storytelling, culture, and entertainment.

Spotify and Hulu are long-time partners committed to providing users with the best in sight and sound. We showcased this firsthand from the beautiful Villa Mirazur at a few kilometers away from the Croisette. Celebrities Kerry Washington, Wyclef Jean, Russell Wilson and Sophia Bush, (among others) joined Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, Spotify Chief Content Officer Dawn Ostroff, Hulu CEO Randy Freer and Hulu CMO Kelly Campbell for a night of connections, fine dining, and of course, music.

DJ, Author, and Founder of HBFIT Hannah Bronfman first took to the poolside stage with two high-energy sets.

Looking Back on a Year of For the Record

This month, For the Record turns one year old. We couldn’t have gotten to this milestone without support from you, our readers. To mark the occasion, we’re taking a look back at some of our favorite stories—and some of yours.

Take a walk down memory lane or check out a piece you might have missed.

Rosalía’s Flamenco-Inspired Sound Is Rooted in Tradition, but Fearlessly New

Rosalía, a twenty-five-year-old Barcelona native, is combining traditional flamenco and modern beats to make a sound all her own. We sat down with the artist on the heels of her “De Mi Nombre” single drop. Since then, she’s released her second, wildly acclaimed album, El Mal Querer, and her star is only getting brighter.

EQL Resident Roundtable: Meet the Women Behind the Mixers

The EQL Residency was created to help aspiring female and non-binary engineers gain the experience and mentorship needed to take their careers to the next level. We went behind the mic—and the mixer—with the first three members of our EQL Residency to learn a little about their work. Stay tuned for applications for our next cohort.

The Top Songs, Artists, Playlists, and Podcasts of 2018

Our readers tuned in en masse to take a look at the world’s top artists, genres, songs, and playlists for 2018. Be sure to check out some surprising stats—like which age group is the most chill—and some classics, like the year’s top throwback songs. And don’t worry: December 2019, in all its Wrapped glory, will be here before you know it.

Audio First by Daniel Ek

In February our CEO, Daniel Ek, shared our goal of becoming the world’s number-one audio platform and the addition of podcasting companies Anchor and Gimlet. On the heels of those acquisitions, we announced that Spotify also acquired Parcast.

Nadia Dies. Nadia Lives. ‘Gotta Get Up’ Plays. Users Repeat.

We noticed that the late Harry Nilsson’sGotta Get Up” was playing in (almost) every episode of Netflix’s Russian Doll. It turns out that fans were also streaming the song on repeat. Check out the soundtrack, or, namely, the “theme song” to see if you think it’s as catchy too.

4 Questions (and Answers) with Amarjit Batra, Managing Director, Spotify India

India is the most recent addition to the seventy-nine markets that can now enjoy Spotify, following our thirteen new market launches in the Middle East and South Africa. Opening in this region helps us bring the music of artists around the globe to over a billion people and exposes Indian artists from multiple genres to the rest of the world.

And there’s plenty more where that came from. Here’s to another year of discovery!

Spotify Launches in India

Today, we’re excited to announce that Spotify is now available in India. Spotify comes to the world’s second-most-populous country with all-new features that are finely tuned to Indian music fans’ personal tastes. With this launch, we’re offering the best listening experience in local and international music—and the freedom to play it across a wide range of devices and app integrations.

“As Spotify grows, our goal is to bring millions of artists and billions of fans together from every country and background,” says Daniel Ek, Spotify founder and CEO. “India has an incredibly rich music culture and to best serve this market, we’re launching a custom-built experience. Not only will Spotify bring Indian artists to the world, we’ll also bring the world’s music to fans across India. Spotify’s music family just got a whole lot bigger.”

The exclusive features include:

  • Multi-language music recommendations: Many Indians speak several local languages, so Spotify’s music recommendation engine can now be tuned to Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu. Indian users can select their preferred language(s) to receive tailored Daily Mix, Home, Radio, and Search results and recommendations.
  • Spotify Free with full control: For the first time on Spotify Free, smartphone users can play every song on demand.
  • Playlists made for India: Our new playlists, expertly curated and regularly updated by our team of Indian music experts, include Indiestan, Rap 91, Namaste Love, Punjabi101, and Bollywood Butter, as well as Top Hits in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Punjabi. These sit alongside our celebrated international playlists, including mint, RapCaviar, ¡Viva Latino!, and the This is… artist compilations. Add billions of creator and fan-built playlists to the mix, and Spotify has a playlist for any mood or moment.
  • Spotify goes to the movies: Introducing Starring…, a series of playlists featuring the best music from the most popular Bollywood, Tollywood, Kollywood, and Punjabi actors. Spotify’s recommendations will also include songs from India’s favorite movies and actors.
  • City playlists: Find out what’s hot in each city, with new algorithmic playlists tracking what’s trending in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Chennai.

“Spotify’s arrival in India is a big step forward in our overall global growth strategy,” says Cecilia Qvist, Spotify’s Global Head of Markets. “A fundamental piece of that strategy is staying connected to global culture while allowing room for local adaptation, and we’ve certainly achieved that with our India launch. We’ve worked closely with local teams of researchers, engineers, and cultural tastemakers to ensure this global product is going to be loved, used, and favored by people all over India, whether they’re listening to local Bollywood and Punjabi hits, or discovering curated global playlists of K-pop or Brazilian funk.”

Today’s launch comes on the heels of our recent expansion across MENA and Southeast Asia, bringing the total number of Spotify markets to seventy-nine. Spotify now has more than 200 million users, including more than 96 million subscribers.

For the sounds of India, take a listen to Rap 91.

Hear Daniel Ek Trace Spotify’s Origin Story on the ‘Masters of Scale’ Podcast

Spotify was founded in 2008, and in the decade since, millions of people around the world have joined the music streaming revolution. But where did it all begin? According to our CEO Daniel Ek, Spotify was built on the concept of trust, and that idea has remained core to our beliefs.

“At the end of the day, it’s about trust,” Daniel reveals in the latest episode of the podcast Masters of Scale. “If you say what you’re going to do, and then keep on doing that, you will do pretty well.”

Masters of Scale, hosted by investor, entrepreneur, and cofounder of LinkedIn Reid Hoffman, features reflections on success with prominent CEOs and founders. In this episode, Reid and Daniel share a thoughtful conversation about how Swedish values like transparency and honesty first set Spotify apart.

As Daniel says about Swedish society, “You can’t screw people over, and you have to honor your agreements.” In fact, he says it’s normal behavior to walk on other people’s property–and even set up camp. “This notion of private vs. public just doesn’t exist to the same extent,” Daniel explains.

When Spotify first entered the music landscape, trust within the industry was at an all-time low, but Daniel envisioned a future where artists and fans could believe in each other once again.

“I had this idea of the kind of product I wanted to see in the world,” he says. “I told my team, ‘If we can create the feeling that people have all the world’s music on their hard drives, we will have built something that’s much better than piracy.'”

Listen to Daniel’s full Masters of Scale episode right here.

6 Questions (and Answers) with CEO Daniel Ek about Spotify and Samsung’s New Partnership

It’s never been easier to play music on-demand. With your trusty smartphone and handy Spotify app, the music you love is no more than a few taps away. But when it comes to playing across your many devices, things aren’t as simple.

That’s why we’re excited to share that Spotify has been named Samsung’s new go-to music service provider, which gives Samsung users a seamless listening experience between devices. You can look forward to a more meaningful music experience, thanks to integrations across a variety of Samsung products.

We sat down with Spotify CEO Daniel Ek to ask a few questions about Spotify and Samsung’s partnership:

What inspired this integration?

Since Spotify’s inception, we’ve studied how people use Spotify. We know that listeners stream different kinds of music at different times, in different places, and most importantly, on different devices. We think music should be easy to access on ALL of your devices—and we want it to be seamless to switch from one device to another.

Why did you choose to partner with Samsung?

Samsung makes devices for every aspect of our lives – everything from smartphones and TVs, to tablets, speakers, and watches. And we have designed Spotify to deliver personalized music to consumers around the world – wherever they are, across millions of devices. This partnership with Samsung reduces the friction for users to get Spotify up and running on multiple Samsung devices once the accounts have been linked. It allows us to create a seamless music listening experience together for the user that would be hard for either of us to build alone. It’s a great fit.

What can users look forward to right away?

First off, users can get excited about Spotify becoming part of the set-up experience on a Samsung device from the very beginning. For example, when someone buys a phone, the user can easily discover the Spotify app on Samsung Smart Switch. And soon, Samsung Smart TV users will be able to play Spotify through the SmartThings app. It’s a new level of integration that will allow Spotify to be easily accessible and discoverable on Samsung Devices. As you move from room to room, your devices will be aware of your location and prompt you to effortlessly transition your listening between them.

Next, Spotify is excited to be even more deeply integrated with Bixby, Samsung’s premier voice solution, and serve as the only music service to be fully integrated with Samsung Music. When a user asks Bixby for music, Bixby will look to Spotify—even if that user has never used Spotify before—allowing listeners to receive recommendations from Spotify, discover new playlists, and create new musical experiences.

How does this “seamless control” make switching between devices easier?

The short answer is that on several key Samsung surfaces, you’ll be able to link your Samsung and Spotify accounts to play music across all Samsung devices.

The [slightly] longer answer is that – for example – when you buy a new Samsung phone and use the SmartThings app to set up your Samsung Smart TV or Galaxy Home, you will be prompted to link your Spotify account. So right from the beginning, you’ll have that collaboration. It only takes a few simple steps.

Additionally, we’re also making it easier to move playback to various hardware devices with Spotify Connect. When a user enters WiFi while listening to music on mobile with the Spotify app, they’ll be able to move playback from the mobile lock screen, instead of having to go back in the Spotify app.

How will this integration benefit existing Samsung users?

As Samsung’s new go-to music provider, Spotify is giving hundreds of millions of Samsung listeners better access to our 35 million songs, as well as our innovative Discovery and Personalization features, connecting more artists with more fans.

We believe that this significant long-term partnership will provide Samsung users across millions of devices with the best possible music streaming experience, and make discovering new music easier than ever – with even more opportunities to come.

Of course, it will also help artists reach new fans. Our goal has always been to make music accessible to everyone by giving a million creative artists the opportunity to live off their art and billions of fans the opportunity to enjoy and be inspired by it.

Do Samsung and Spotify users have any other features to look forward to going forward?

We’re excited for the future of this incredible partnership. Users will be able to discover and enjoy new music in ways that have never before been possible.

As my friend DJ Koh (President & CEO, IT & Mobile Communications, Samsung Electronics) said today, “With Spotify, Samsung Galaxy users will be able to enjoy seamless music experiences across all our devices. We’re excited about today’s announcement, and it’s just the start of things to come!”