Tag: France

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

March 31, 2020

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

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

 

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

More to love

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

Bedtime is even better

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

A more customized experience

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

Even more educational content

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

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

Diverse content

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

Pop culture crazy

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

Because two heads are better…

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

 

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

4 New Partnerships Bringing Spotify Premium Across the Globe

November 21, 2019

248 million users. 79 markets. One incredible Premium experience. Our goal is to make sure Spotify Premium is available wherever our listeners are. That’s why we’re always teaming up with new partners to enable more users to discover Spotify Premium and enjoy the music and podcasts they love. Just in time for the holidays, today we’re sharing four new ways our fans around the world can enjoy Spotify Premium—and get even more out of it.

“These partnerships will make it even easier for users to experience Spotify Premium and access music and podcasts anytime and on any device,” says Marc Hazan, VP of Premium Partnerships. “We’re committed to working with world-class partners to provide users with innovative offers and the best experience and value.”

Ready to learn more? Here are four new ways users around the globe can access Spotify Premium:*

U.S. and U.K. Users: Stay in the Game with Xbox and Spotify

Gamers know that it’s often the music that makes the experience what it is. So as part of a special holiday campaign, we’re deepening our partnership with Xbox by offering eligible U.S. and U.K. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members a free six-month trial of Spotify Premium. That’s right— you can stay in the game while playing Spotify in the background, as well as control playback with Spotify Connect. Get all the details on this time-limited offer by visiting Xbox. 

French users: Enjoy Spotify en français with Bouygues Telecom

Spotify + Bouygues Telecom on one bill = c’est magique. In France, Spotify and Bouygues Telecom are offering a free six-month trial of Spotify Premium for customers on Bouygues Telecom broadband and eligible mobile plans. And Bouygues Telecom customers on mobile tariffs >1 GB data allowance can add Spotify Premium to their existing mobile plan while paying one convenient bill. Bouygues Telecom’s 4G service covers 99% of the French population and was named the number one operator in rural areas by Arcep, the French telecoms regulator, in 2018, so you know you’re in good hands.

Brazilian users: Get technical with service app Magalu Conecta

Our offer in Brazil is in partnership with Magazine Luiza (“Magalu”), one of the country’s top retailers, and their service app Magalu Conecta. The Magalu Conecta app provides services and benefits including technical support, cloud storage, phone protection and free exclusive Wi-Fi hotspots. As part of our partnership, we’re offering Magalu Conecta customers a free four-month trial of Spotify Premium. 

Australian users: Listen through one of Australia’s largest mobile networks, Vodafone

In Australia, we’re once again joining forces with Vodafone to offer our users there even more value. Eligible Vodafone customers can now receive a free 30-day trial of Spotify Premium when Spotify Premium is added to their existing mobile plan—and pay one convenient bill.

No matter where you are or what you’re listening to, get it on-demand and on-the-go with Spotify Premium. Click here to learn about how to give the gift of Spotify and other holiday offers available through Spotify Premium.

*Trials are subject to Spotify trial eligibility

Let Your Imagination Run Wild with Spotify’s First Original French Fictional Podcast Thriller, ‘L’Employé’

October 21, 2019

Manipulated or manipulator . . . who is L’Employé? That is the question at the heart of our first foray into French fiction podcasts.

L’Employé (The Employee) is a new French language audio series sure to leave audiences on the edge of their seats. Available October 21 exclusively on Spotify, the eight-episode thriller, set in a totalitarian state, is played by French actor Raphaël Personnaz. His character, known only as “The Employee,” is a dark, intimidating, and manipulative figure working to capture law-breakers by any means necessary.

Jonathan Zaccaï, Thibault de Montalembert, Garance Marillier, and Alix Poisson join the roster of folks interrogated by The Employee (some of the characters fight to escape his more-than-questionable methods). The plot later takes on a whole new dimension with the intervention of the character The Superior, played by Virginie Ledoyen.

Tune into L’Employé starting October 21 to discover a new storytelling audio experience exclusively on Spotify.

Legend of French Singer-Songwriter Serge Gainsbourg Looms Large on Spotify

June 24, 2019

Name just about any modern French or international superstar—Phoenix, Sebastien Tellier, Benjamin Biolay, David Bowie, Beck, Arctic Monkeys, Damon Albarn, Jarvis Cocker—and they can probably trace their sound back to Serge Gainsbourg. The singer-songwriter was a trailblazer of multiple genres (pop, rock, funk, disco, chanson, and reggae among them) whose lyrical playfulness, innovative sounds, and overall influence echo through today’s music. Starting June 24 and continuing for several weeks, Spotify is celebrating his incredible legacy with several new Gainsbourg-inspired playlists.

Some of the playlists of his songs are organized into the genres he advanced, with the tracks curated in an order to suit the moment or mood of the day. Other playlists are compilations of songs by artists Gainsbourg influenced across those genres, including chanson, pop, indie, and hip-hop. Listeners can also use a new Which Gainsbourg Are You? tool to generate a customized Gainsbourg playlist.

Gainsbourg didn’t just influence French music. He wrote more than 500 songs that have been covered more than 1,000 times by other artists. He even is responsible for the 1965 hit “Poupée de cire, poupée de son,” performed by France Gall, which won the Eurovision Song Contest for Luxembourg that year.

Among Gainsbourg’s biggest hits was “Je t’aime moi non plus,” which he once called “the ultimate love song.” It was also perhaps an allegory for Gainsbourg’s personal life. He first recorded “Je t’aime moi non plus” with his lover at the time, Brigitte Bardot. They parted ways, and the song was re-recorded and released with Jane Birkin, with whom he had a daughter—the singer-actress Charlotte Gainsbourg. Her father wrote her 1986 album, Charlotte for Ever.

He also wrote songs for Petula Clark, Viktor Lazlo, Alain Chamfort, and dozens more.

Though he passed nearly three decades ago, Gainsbourg still has more than 700,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, and his songs have been streamed more than 170 million times.

Check out the infographic below to further explore Serge Gainsbourg’s enduring popularity.

Listen to Initiales S.G, the new podcast exploring Gainsbourg’s life and work, narrated by French actor Melvil Poupaud, which includes a theme song by French pianist Chassol and interludes by singer Clara Luciani.