Tag: Music

Spotify’s Tunetorials Brings Advertising Strategies to Life With Beats You Won’t Forget

October 7, 2025

Spotify Advertising is launching a new campaign for marketers: Tunetorials, where catchy beats meet proven strategies. It’s the easiest (and most fun) way to learn how Spotify helps advertisers of all sizes reach the right audience, at the right moment, with the right message.

With original songs and music videos, Tunetorials gives advertisers a rundown of Spotify’s full range of ad tools and proof points, plus tips on how to make the most of them. From building a multi‑format strategy to tapping into Spotify’s unique audience insights, Tunetorials turns ad education into bops you’ll want to play on repeat.

Spotify has been hard at work this year making it easier than ever for advertisers to buy, create, and measure campaigns on our platform. During our first Spotify Advance event in April, we introduced a suite of new ad solutions to help brands meet their goals. Tunetorials keeps that momentum going, building on the success of previous campaigns like Spreadbeats and Song for Every CMO—both recognized globally for creativity and effectiveness.

“We created Tunetorials based on a simple idea: What if learning about Spotify Advertising could be as fun as using Spotify?” said Bridget Evans, Global Head of Business Marketing, Spotify. “Tunetorials are our way of blending education with entertainment so it doesn’t feel like a chore. We know our audience loves creativity and music, so we met them there, transforming how-to lessons into original songs and music videos. It’s a surprise-and-delight campaign that showcases the full power of our platform, while also inspiring brands and agencies to see Spotify’s suite of ad solutions in a whole new way.”

In true Spotify fashion, we teamed up with six emerging artists across genres to create the Tunetorials album.

“Linking up with Spotify Advertising on Tunetorials was a much-needed creative challenge,” said artist Carter Ace. “Growing up, I was always more of an auditory and visual learner, and I valued programs that could educate while incorporating modern musical elements. The fact that the team trusted me to be on the project that tackles everything I just mentioned is already a blessing—not to mention that we made a banging song that’ll still fit on your playlist.”

Ready to level up your ad game? Hit play on the tracks below to get started:

“How to Run a Multi-Format Campaign” featuring Carter Ace

Carter Ace’s laid‑back, genre‑blending style is the perfect backdrop for mixing formats. Pair audio, video, and display ads to see sales lift soar—up to 90% higher than audio alone.

“How to Measure Campaign Performance” featuring Alex Lilly

Alex Lilly’s sharp, indie‑pop edge turns measurement solutions into music, showing how brand lift, web traffic, conversions, and even offline sales prove your ads are hitting the mark.

“How to Drive ROI With Your Campaign Setup” featuring BIG SIS

BIG SIS brings bold, high‑energy beats to the art of smart spending, showing how targeted media buys on Spotify can boost your performance and ROI.

“How to Create Ads for Spotify” featuring The Shivers

The Shivers’ punchy vibe makes ad creation feel effortless, from using free tools like Spotify’s Gen AI Ads to repurposing creative assets you already have.

“How to Reach Your Target Audience” featuring Parbleu

Parbleu’s smooth, funky groove sets the tone for perfect timing. This track spotlights how, with more than 696 million users globally, Spotify’s first‑party data helps you reach the right people exactly when they’re ready to listen.

“How to Track Your Ad’s Success” featuring House of EL 

With House of EL’s soulful sound, this track dives into the Spotify Pixel: your tool for retargeting, optimizing, and tracking exactly how listeners respond to your ads.

Bonus content

In addition to dropping the digital album, we’re putting Spotify directly into select media buyers’ hands with a limited-edition Tunetorials vinyl. Each record features all the Tunetorials tracks, plus a bonus insert with even more details and proof points for each tutorial.

But that’s not all. We’re also releasing three music videos to accompany the album, making the Tunetorials experience bigger, bolder, and even more fun. 

Watch and jam along to the Tunetorials music videos below:

From early concepting to big brand moments, Spotify’s Tunetorials makes it easy to fine-tune your strategies and amplify your impact, one beat at a time.

Spotify Strengthens AI Protections for Artists, Songwriters, and Producers

September 25, 2025

Music has always been shaped by technology. From multitrack tape and synthesizers to digital audio workstations and Auto-Tune, every generation of artists and producers has used new tools to push sound and storytelling forward. 

However, the pace of recent advances in generative AI technology has felt quick and at times unsettling, especially for creatives. At its best, AI is unlocking incredible new ways for artists to create music and for listeners to discover it. At its worst, AI can be used by bad actors and content farms to confuse or deceive listeners, push “slop” into the ecosystem, and interfere with authentic artists working to build their careers. That kind of harmful AI content degrades the user experience for listeners and often attempts to divert royalties to bad actors.

The future of the music industry is being written, and we believe that aggressively protecting against the worst parts of Gen AI is essential to enabling its potential for artists and producers.

We envision a future where artists and producers are in control of how or if they incorporate AI into their creative processes. As always, we leave those creative decisions to artists themselves while continuing our work to protect them against spam, impersonation, and deception, and providing listeners with greater transparency about the music they hear.

This journey isn’t new to us. We’ve invested massively in fighting spam over the past decade. In fact, in the past 12 months alone, a period marked by the explosion of generative AI tools, we’ve removed over 75 million spammy tracks from Spotify.

AI technology is evolving fast, and we’ll continue to roll out new policies frequently. Here is where we are focusing our policy work today:

    • Improved enforcement of impersonation violations
    • A new spam filtering system
    • AI disclosures for music with industry-standard credits

Stronger impersonation rules

The issue: We’ve always had a policy against deceptive content. But AI tools have made generating vocal deepfakes of your favorite artists easier than ever before.

What we’re announcing: We’ve introduced a new impersonation policy that clarifies how we handle claims about AI voice clones (and other forms of unauthorized vocal impersonation), giving artists stronger protections and clearer recourse. Vocal impersonation is only allowed in music on Spotify when the impersonated artist has authorized the usage. 

We’re also ramping up our investments to protect against another impersonation tactic—where uploaders fraudulently deliver music (AI-generated or otherwise) to another artist’s profile across streaming services. We’re testing new prevention tactics with leading artist distributors to equip them to better stop these attacks at the source. On our end, we’ll also be investing more resources into our content mismatch process, reducing the wait time for review, and enabling artists to report “mismatch” even in the pre-release state.

Why it matters: Unauthorized use of AI to clone an artist’s voice exploits their identity, undermines their artistry, and threatens the fundamental integrity of their work. Some artists may choose to license their voices to AI projects—and that’s their choice to make. Our job is to do what we can to ensure that the choice stays in their hands.

Music spam filter

The issue: Total music payouts on Spotify have grown from $1B in 2014 to $10B in 2024. But big payouts entice bad actors. Spam tactics such as mass uploads, duplicates, SEO hacks, artificially short track abuse, and other forms of slop have become easier to exploit as AI tools make it simpler for anyone to generate large volumes of music.

What we’re announcing: This fall, we’ll roll out a new music spam filter—a system that will identify uploaders and tracks engaging in these tactics, tag them, and stop recommending them. We want to be careful to ensure we’re not penalizing the wrong uploaders, so we’ll be rolling the system out conservatively over the coming months and continue to add new signals to the system as new schemes emerge. 

Why it matters: Left unchecked, these behaviors can dilute the royalty pool and impact attention for artists playing by the rules. Our new music spam filter will protect against this behavior and help prevent spammers from generating royalties that could be otherwise distributed to professional artists and songwriters.

AI disclosures for music with industry-standard credits

The issue: Many listeners want more information about what they’re listening to and the role of AI technology in the music they stream. And, for artists who are responsibly using AI tools in their creation processes, there’s no way on streaming services for them to share if and how they’re using AI. We know the use of AI tools is increasingly a spectrum, not a binary, where artists and producers may choose to use AI to help with some parts of their productions and not others. The industry needs a nuanced approach to AI transparency, not to be forced to classify every song as either “is AI” or “not AI.” 

What we’re announcing: We’re helping develop and will support the new industry standard for AI disclosures in music credits, developed through DDEX. As this information is submitted through labels, distributors, and music partners, we’ll begin displaying it across the app. This standard gives artists and rights holders a way to clearly indicate where and how AI played a role in the creation of a track—whether that’s AI-generated vocals, instrumentation, or post-production. This change is about strengthening trust across the platform. It’s not about punishing artists who use AI responsibly or down-ranking tracks for disclosing information about how they were made.

This is an effort that will require broad industry alignment, and we’re proud to be working on this standard alongside a wide range of industry partners, including Amuse, AudioSalad, Believe, CD Baby, DistroKid, Downtown Artist & Label Services, EMPIRE, EmuBands, Encoding Management Service – EMS GmbH, FUGA, IDOL, Kontor New Media, Labelcamp, NueMeta, Revelator, RouteNote, SonoSuite, Soundrop, and Supply Chain.

Why it matters: By supporting an industry standard and helping to drive its wide adoption, we can ensure listeners see the same information, no matter which service they’re listening on. And ultimately, that preserves trust across the entire music ecosystem, as listeners can understand what’s behind the music they stream. We see this as an important first step that will undoubtedly continue to evolve.

While AI is changing how some music is made, our priorities are constant. We’re investing in tools to protect artist identity, enhance the platform, and provide listeners with more transparency. We support artists’ freedom to use AI creatively while actively combating its misuse by content farms and bad actors. Spotify does not create or own music; this is a platform for licensed music where royalties are paid based on listener engagement, and all music is treated equally, regardless of the tools used to make it.

These updates are the latest in a series of changes we’re making to support a more trustworthy music ecosystem for artists, for rightsholders, and for listeners. We’ll keep them coming as the tech evolves, so stay tuned.

Spotify Reforça Proteções referentes à IA para Artistas e Produtores

September 25, 2025

A música sempre foi moldada pela tecnologia. Do multipista e sintetizadores às estações de trabalho digitais de áudio e ao Auto-Tune, cada geração de artistas e produtores usou novas ferramentas para expandir o som e a narrativa.

No entanto, o ritmo dos avanços recentes em tecnologia de IA generativa tem parecido rápido e, por vezes, perturbador, especialmente para os criadores. No melhor cenário, a IA está desbloqueando formas incríveis de artistas criarem música e de ouvintes descobrirem sons. No pior, pode ser usada por agentes mal-intencionados e fazendas de conteúdo para confundir ou enganar ouvintes, despejar conteúdo de baixa qualidade  no ecossistema e interferir no trabalho de artistas autênticos que buscam construir suas carreiras. Esse tipo de uso prejudicial degrada a experiência dos ouvintes e muitas vezes tenta desviar royalties para fraudadores.

O futuro da indústria musical está sendo escrito, e acreditamos que proteger de forma agressiva contra os piores usos da IA generativa é essencial para liberar seu potencial em benefício de artistas e produtores.

Visualizamos um futuro em que artistas e produtores estejam no controle de como — ou se — vão incorporar IA em seus processos criativos. Como sempre, deixamos essas decisões aos próprios criadores, ao mesmo tempo em que trabalhamos para protegê-los contra spam, imitação e fraude, e para dar aos ouvintes mais transparência sobre a música que escutam.

Essa jornada não é nova para nós. Investimos maciçamente no combate ao spam na última década. Só nos últimos 12 meses, período marcado pela explosão das ferramentas de IA generativa, removemos mais de 75 milhões de faixas de spam do Spotify.

A tecnologia de IA está evoluindo rápido, e continuaremos a lançar novas políticas com frequência. Estamos focando nosso trabalho hoje em:

    • Reforço na aplicação de violações por imitação
    • Um novo sistema de filtragem de spam
    • Divulgação de uso de IA em músicas com créditos dentro do padrão da indústria

Regras mais rígidas contra imitação

O problema: Sempre tivemos uma política contra conteúdo enganoso. Mas as ferramentas de IA tornaram mais fácil do que nunca gerar deepfakes vocais de artistas populares.

O que estamos anunciando: Introduzimos uma nova política de imitação que esclarece como lidamos com denúncias sobre clonagem de voz de IA (e outras formas de imitação vocal não autorizada), dando aos artistas proteções mais fortes e um processo mais claro de recurso. A imitação vocal só será permitida no Spotify quando o artista imitado tiver autorizado o uso.

Também estamos aumentando os investimentos para combater outra forma de fraude:quando alguém envia músicas (geradas por IA ou não) para o perfil de outro artista de forma fraudulenta em serviços de streaming. Estamos testando novas medidas de prevenção com os principais distribuidores de artistas, para que eles consigam bloquear esses ataques na origem. Do nosso lado, também vamos investir mais recursos no processo de análise de “conteúdo fora do lugar”, reduzindo o tempo de espera para revisão e permitindo que artistas denunciem o problema até mesmo no estado de pré-lançamento.

Por que importa: O uso não autorizado de IA para clonar a voz de um artista explora sua identidade, enfraquece sua arte e ameaça a integridade fundamental do seu trabalho. Alguns artistas podem escolher licenciar sua voz para projetos de IA e essa é uma decisão deles, mas nosso papel é garantir que essa escolha esteja em suas próprias mãos.

Filtro de spam musical

O problema: Os pagamentos totais de música no Spotify cresceram de US$ 1 bilhão em 2014 para US$ 10 bilhões em 2024. Grandes cifras atraem fraudadores. Táticas de spam – como envios em massa, duplicações, truques de SEO, abuso de faixas artificialmente curtas e outros tipos de conteúdo de baixa qualidade — ficaram mais fáceis de explorar conforme as ferramentas de IA permitem a qualquer um gerar grandes volumes de músicas.

O que estamos anunciando: Neste outono, lançaremos um novo filtro de spam musical — um sistema que vai identificar atores que sobem conteúdo e faixas envolvidos nessas práticas, rotulá-los e parar de recomendá-los. Queremos ter cuidado para não penalizar injustamente artistas legítimos, por isso o sistema será implementado de forma gradual nos próximos meses, com novos sinais sendo adicionados conforme surgirem esquemas inéditos.

Por que importa: Se não for contida, essa prática dilui o fundo de royalties e prejudica a atenção que deveria ser dirigida a artistas que seguem as regras. Nosso novo filtro vai proteger contra esse comportamento e impedir que spammers recebam royalties que poderiam ser distribuídos a artistas e compositores profissionais.

Divulgação de uso de IA em créditos musicais

O problema: Muitos ouvintes querem mais informações sobre o que estão ouvindo e sobre o papel da IA no processo criativo. Para artistas que usam IA de forma responsável, não há hoje uma maneira clara nas plataformas de streaming de indicar se – e como – a tecnologia foi utilizada. Sabemos que o uso da IA está cada vez mais em um espectro, e não em uma divisão binária, em que artistas podem optar por usar IA em partes específicas da produção e não em outras. A indústria precisa de uma abordagem mais sofisticada para a transparência no uso da IA, e não de uma classificação forçada entre “é IA” ou “não é IA”.

O que estamos anunciando: Estamos ajudando a desenvolver e vamos apoiar o novo padrão da indústria para divulgação de uso de IA nos créditos musicais, criado pelo DDEX. À medida que essas informações forem submetidas por gravadoras, distribuidores e parceiros, começaremos a exibi-las no nosso aplicativo. Esse padrão permite que artistas e detentores de direitos indiquem claramente onde e como a IA participou na criação de uma faixa – seja em vocais, instrumentação ou pós-produção. A mudança é sobre fortalecer a confiança na plataforma, não sobre punir artistas que usam IA de forma responsável ou rebaixar músicas por serem transparentes.

Esse esforço exige alinhamento em toda a indústria, e temos orgulho de trabalhar nesse padrão ao lado de diversos parceiros, incluindo: Amuse, AudioSalad, Believe, CD Baby, DistroKid, Downtown Artist & Label Services, EMPIRE, Encoding Management Service – EMS GmbH, FUGA, IDOL, Kontor New Media, Labelcamp, NueMeta, Revelator, SonoSuite, Soundrop e Supply Chain.

Por que importa: Ao apoiar um padrão da indústria e ajudar a impulsionar sua adoção, garantimos que os ouvintes tenham acesso às mesmas informações, independentemente do serviço em que escutam. Isso preserva a confiança em todo o ecossistema musical, permitindo que as pessoas entendam o que está por trás da música que ouvem. Vemos isso como um primeiro passo importante, que certamente continuará a evoluir.

Enquanto a IA muda a forma como parte da música é feita, nossas prioridades permanecem as mesmas. Estamos investindo em ferramentas para proteger a identidade dos artistas, aprimorar a plataforma e oferecer mais transparência aos ouvintes. Apoiamos a liberdade criativa dos artistas no uso da IA, ao mesmo tempo em que combatemos ativamente seu uso indevido por fazendas de conteúdo e fraudadores. O Spotify não cria nem é dono da música; somos uma plataforma de música licenciada, em que os royalties são pagos com base no engajamento dos ouvintes, e todas as faixas são tratadas igualmente, independentemente das ferramentas usadas em sua produção.

Essas atualizações fazem parte de uma série de mudanças que estamos implementando para construir um ecossistema musical mais confiável para artistas, detentores de direitos e ouvintes. Continuaremos nesse caminho à medida que a tecnologia evolui, então fique de olho.

Spotify’s Editors Pick Their Best Podcasts of the Year (So Far)

July 16, 2025

Spotify’s podcast editorial team is always on the hunt for shows and episodes that spark conversation, push boundaries, and keep us coming back for more. As 2025 hits its halfway mark, our editors have curated their picks for the year’s standout podcasts so far—spanning celebrity-driven interviews, deep-dive investigations, true crime, comedy, and the best in film and TV commentary.

“It would be impossible to overlook all the famous faces on our ‘Best New Podcasts of 2025 (So Far)’ list. From Michelle Obama’s heartfelt real talk on IMO to Amy Poehler’s star-studded hangouts (did we mention Kylie Kelce and the Living Single ladies also made the cut?), shows hosted by megawatt talent have definitely stepped up their game this year,” said Rachel Selvin, Editorial and Audience Development Manager, Spotify. “But even with all the buzz around viral celebrity moments, the old rules of podcasting still hold true: A great investigation usually equals a great show. That’s why half of our picks focus on a single issue, unspooling it in all its complexity through a compassionate lens.”

From breakout new series to unforgettable episodes, here’s what topped our editors’ lists for 2025 (so far):

Best New Podcasts of 2025 (So Far)

Best Episodes of 2025 (So Far)

Best True Crime of 2025 (So Far)

Funniest Episodes of 2025 (So Far)

Best Movies of 2025 (So Far)

Best TV of 2025 (So Far)

Explore the Best of the Year (So Far) hub on Spotify to find your next favorite show or episode.

Canadian Artists Are Thriving on Spotify—And the World Is Listening

June 4, 2025

Today, Spotify launches its Loud & Clear report—our annual deep dive into the economics of music streaming—in Canada, and with it, a powerful story of how Canadian artists are thriving on a global stage.

The timing couldn’t be better. Just over a decade since Spotify launched in Canada, the country’s music creators have become some of the most influential and most streamed in the world. With global superstars like The Weeknd, Justin Bieber, Céline Dion, Tate McRae, NAV, bbno$, Charlotte Cardin, and Patrick Watson, Canadian talent has not only shaped the sound of the past 10 years—it’s exported it worldwide.

And the numbers prove it. In the last year alone, Canadian artists earned nearly $460M CAD in royalties on Spotify, a 5% increase year over year, contributing to a near doubling of earnings in the past five years alone. 

Since 2017, the number of Canadian artists generating at least $50K, $100K, $500K, and $1M CAD annually on Spotify has more than doubled. And remarkably, 92% of those royalties in 2024 came from listeners outside of Canada—a testament to how Canadian music is resonating far beyond its borders.

As Spotify marks more than 10 years of championing and amplifying Canadian voices, Loud & Clear offers a look at where those voices are going next and why the world is still turning up the volume on Canada.

A record year for Canadian artists

To underscore their gains: Canadian artists earned nearly $460M CAD in royalties from Spotify in 2024—a 5% increase from last year, and nearly double what they made in 2019. That’s not just streams; that’s sustainable careers being built in studios, basements, and tour vans from Vancouver to Halifax.

Spotify is now the number-one source of music royalties in the world and for Canada: It’s the critical engine of the music industry that’s powering the next generation of creators. Not only is Spotify the largest single source of music royalties globally, but Spotify alone paid more in royalties to the Canadian music sector in 2023 than the entire Canadian commercial radio industry combined, including royalties and Canadian Content Development (CCD) contributions. For Canadian artists, it’s helping turn streaming into a sustainable, global career path.

Recorded music revenue in Canada grew 129% between 2014 and 2024, from $397M CAD to $909M CAD. Audio streaming now accounts for nearly 79% of total recorded music revenue, with the majority from paid subscriptions like Spotify Premium.

And this success isn’t limited to major label acts: Indie artists and labels made up around 40% of all Canadian royalties on the platform last year.

“Spotify is more than a streaming service—it’s a springboard for Canadian artists to reach listeners in every corner of the globe,” said Elizabeth Phipps, Head of Artist and Label Partnerships, Spotify Canada.

Canadian sounds, global impact

Here’s what might surprise you: 92% of the royalties earned by Canadian artists on Spotify in 2024 came from outside of Canada. Fifteen million hours of music by Canadian artists are streamed every day on Spotify around the world, and that music features on 2.4B user playlists globally.

That makes Canada one of the world’s top music exporters and a key player in the global soundscape. It also means Canadian artists are making it big not just in Toronto or Montréal, but in cities like Jakarta, Osaka, Melbourne, London, São Paulo, Berlin, Mexico City, and Seoul.

And it’s not just English-language music. French-language artists saw a 15% boost in global Spotify royalties in 2024, a fivefold increase since 2017. In fact, Québécois artist Patrick Watson’s “Je te laisserai des mots” was the most popular francophone track on Spotify globally in 2024, and the first French-language track to pass 1 billion streams. 

Leading with diversity and independence

Canadian women are making both hits and history on Spotify: Since 2020, their global streams on Spotify have nearly doubled, and in 2024, more than 40% of Canadian artists earning over $1M CAD on Spotify were women or in groups with both male and female members. All this puts Canada alongside the likes of Sweden and South Korea as the top countries in the world when it comes to female representation in their top artists.

Spotify is also lifting up independent voices—from singer-songwriters in Saskatoon to label-free rappers in Scarborough—through playlisting, editorial support, and real-world activations like billboards in Sankofa Square and festival stages at Les Francos de Montréal.

“This is what Canada sounds like—diverse, digital, and not just thriving domestically, but leading on the world stage. The data is clear in underscoring the vital role that export plays in sustaining the overall health of Canada’s music industry.” said Xenia Manning, Director of Global Music Policy, Spotify.

As we look to the next 10 years of Spotify in Canada, there’s a fresh opportunity to reimagine how Canada nurtures its cultural economy and what policies it will choose for the future. Spotify is optimistic that leaders will lean into a future-facing, inclusive vision—one that reflects how today’s creators make, share, and grow their art in a digital-first world.

Because Canadian artists shouldn’t just be heard. They should be celebrated. Globally.

Canada’s Own Rupi Kaur Curates the Latest Edition of Local Spot, Revealing the Songs and Artists That Shaped Her

March 11, 2025

For many people, music can serve as a reflection of their roots and upbringing. With Spotify’s playlist series Local Spot, celebrated Canadians are given a cool, eclectic space to introduce fans to their favorite Canadian artists. 

Featuring all-Canadian music curation, Local Spot offers global audiences a glimpse into the unique music tastes of the country’s celebrated figures. For our latest edition of Local Spot, poet, artist, and performer Rupi Kaur takes over as our featured curator. 

A breakout literary phenomenon and number-one New York Times bestselling author, Rupi wrote, illustrated, and self-published her first poetry collection, milk and honey, in 2014, followed by the sun and her flowers, home body, and healing through words. Together, these collections have sold more than 12 million copies and have been translated into more than 40 languages.

Rupi has also made her mark in film and television, producing a first-of-its-kind poetry special, Rupi Kaur Live, the film This Place, and the 2024 Academy Award–nominated film To Kill a Tiger.

For her contribution to Local Spot, Rupi takes listeners on a journey through the songs and artists who inspire her, including Shawn Mendes, Charlotte Day Wilson, The Weeknd, Avril Lavigne, Daniel Caesar, KAYTRANADA, and Celine Dion. Ahead of the playlist’s release, For the Record sat down with Rupi to talk about her experience curating Local Spot, her influences and creative process, and how growing up in Canada has shaped her.

Talk to us about curating Local Spot.

It was so much fun to revisit some of my favorite tracks from the last 15 years or so. I actually felt very at home listening to them and was moved to write. 

In one sentence, how would you describe your playlist?

The songs that raised and healed me. 

What does your Canadian identity mean to you?

As an immigrant, I have always felt like Canada is a place of inclusivity and hope. I have always existed between two worlds—my parents’ homeland and the one we built here. That duality is in everything I write. Now, as I travel the world, I’m often reminded of how much the diversity of Canada has contributed to my art. 

Who are some of your favorite Canadian authors and music artists?

Canadian writers I have deep love for include Michael Ondaatje, Lawrence Hill, Alice Munro. My favorite Canadian music artists are Charlotte Cardin, Charlotte Day Wilson, and The Weeknd. 

What’s your writing process like?

Writing is a conversation with myself. It starts with a feeling—something stirring deep in my gut. I sit with it and let it rise to the surface. My best ideas come when I give them space. They visit in the quiet moments—long walks, in the middle of a conversation, or right before I fall asleep. 

How do you incorporate listening to music into that process?

Music sets the tone and pulls me back into memories of the past or hopes for the future. Sometimes I need silence—to hear the rhythm of the poem itself. But oftentimes I use music to set the mood.  

Do you think there’s a crossover between music and literature?

Absolutely. Both are rhythmic. Both tell stories. A poem is a song stripped of its melody, and a song is a poem brought to life through sound. Before he started his career as a musician, Leonard Cohen was a poet and novelist. That’s just one of many examples that showcase that there’s so much natural crossover between the crafts. 

What writer or music artist has had the biggest influence on you?

Khalil Gibran taught me about duality. Audre Lorde and Bell Hooks taught me about power. In music, I return to Nina Simone, Florence Welch, and the haunting melodies of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

Your books milk and honey, the sun and her flowers, and homebody touch on love, loss, trauma, and healing. Is listening to music, podcasts, or audiobooks part of a healthy routine for you?

Music, podcasts, books are all part of my healing. Some days, I need a song that holds me. Other days, I need words that remind me I am not alone. 

What does it mean to you to know that your fans get to hear you read your works on the audiobook versions of your books?

I write my poetry with sound in mind—the way the words flow, the rhythm of each line. Hearing me read it aloud brings that element to life. For a reader, poetry is personal and they interpret it through their own lens. For a listener, they hear it the way it was meant to be spoken. 

What’s your earliest memory of stories being read aloud to you?

My father’s voice. He would sit with me and recite Punjabi poetry, letting the words dance in the air between us. He taught me that poetry is meant to be felt, not just understood.

Press play to listen to Rupi’s collection of Canadian gems in the latest edition of Local Spot:

Discover Argentina’s Most-Streamed Songs of Summer 2025

February 28, 2025

As summer in Argentina comes to a close, the music coming out of the South American country has been a vibrant reflection of its rich cultural diversity. From beginning to end, Spotify has been the go-to platform for discovering and enjoying the hottest hits of the season, whether it’s the infectious beats of reggaeton to the catchy rhythms of cumbia to the enduring energy of the local rock scene. 

“Amor de Vago” takes top honors

While Emilia and Luck Ra landed a pair of hits during the summer season, including “Alegría” and “QUE ME FALTE TODO, it was La T y La M who had the most-streamed song of the summer with the Malandro-assisted “Amor de Vago.” 

And though the track generated more than 10 million streams over the past three months, competition for the song of summer crown was fierce. “Parte & Choke” by Alex Krack, Jombriel, and Jøtta, and “Olvidarte” by Emilia and  Gordo, followed closely in second and third places with more than 9.3 million and 9 million streams, respectively. 

Our Wrapped 2024 data from Argentina in 2024 revealed that the most-streamed artists of last summer ended up being the most-streamed of the entire year. With “Amor de Vago” emerging as Argentina’s song of summer in 2025, could it also become one of the country’s biggest hits this year?

Tropical beats on full blast

While Argentina’s most-streamed songs of summer 2025 showcase the popularity of reggaeton, cumbia, RKT, and national rock on Spotify, streaming trends also highlighted emerging local genres.

Unlike 2024, when cuarteto dominated as the most-listened-to genre, the biggest trend in early 2025 has been guaracha. The electronic genre—which fuses Latin, electronic, and urban influences—has seen a 47% increase in streams compared to last summer. 

Tracks like “FASHONISTA” by Martinwhite and “El Mundo es Tuyo” by NEMJ—featured in our Guaracha 2025 playlist—have helped elevate this genre to mainstream levels of popularity, particularly among Gen Z listeners—their searches for the genre increased by an astonishing 300%.

Top 10 most-streamed songs of summer 2025 on Spotify Argentina

  1. “Amor de Vago” – La T y La M, Malandro
  2. “Parte & Choke” – Alex Krack, Jombriel, Jøtta 
  3. “Olvidarte (feat. Emilia)” – Emilia, Gordo
  4. “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” – KAROL G
  5. “Alegría” – Anitta, Emilia, Tiago PZK
  6. “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” – Bad Bunny
  7. “DEGENERE 👑” – Myke Towers, benny blanco
  8. “Piel” – Tiago PZK, Ke Personajes
  9. “DtMF” – Bad Bunny
  10. “Luck Ra: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 61” – Bizarrap, Luck Ra

Spotify’s top podcasts of the summer

For listeners in Argentina, summer was also the perfect time to dive into new podcasts, explore fascinating stories, engage in thought-provoking conversations, and enjoy endless entertainment. 

With a wide range of topics and styles available, Argentinian creators have undoubtedly added a special touch to sunny days and starry nights. From discussions on neuroscience, like the summer hit Creo lo que Creo, to stories about summer love such as Manual para sobrevivir a la solteria, and reflections on life itself like those in Almendrada Podcast, there was something for everyone.

Top 5 recommended podcasts of summer 2025 on Spotify Argentina

Discover even more hits coming out of Argentina with our playlist Éxitos Argentina.

Spotify Teams Up With Swedish Youth Organization Fryshuset To Amplify the Next Generation of Local Artists

February 5, 2025

Investing in the future of music means investing in the next generation of artists. That’s the driving force behind Spotify’s multiyear partnership with Fryshuset, a Swedish nonprofit youth organization. Together, we’re helping young people develop and express themselves through music and culture.

The collaboration kicked off in 2024 with music camps at Fryshuset centers in Gothenburg, Helsingborg, Malmö, and Stockholm, providing more than 100 promising young artists with masterclasses, studio time, and opportunities to create and collaborate. Get a behind-the-scenes look at their creative journeys in the film below.

The result? Fryshuset x Spotify, a playlist of 27 original songs showcasing the talent emerging from these workshops. The tracks recently debuted on Spotify and were celebrated with a release party at our Stockholm headquarters.

“Together with Spotify, we want to give more young people meaningful free time with music and culture,” said Karl Bjurman, project manager at Fryshuset. “The playlist is a tribute to young people’s creativity and an opportunity for them to share their music with a wider audience.”

This initiative comes at a crucial time in Sweden, following cuts to state funding for community arts schools in 2023. Spotify and Fryshuset aim to bridge the gap, providing vital resources and opportunities for young music enthusiasts. Future projects will include more studio sessions, training, and events to support emerging artists.

This partnership builds on Spotify’s ongoing support for youth music programs. Similar initiatives, like our collaborations with Mentivity and Youth Music in the U.K., demonstrate Spotify’s commitment to nurturing young talent and providing access to creative spaces.

Check out the Fryshuset x Spotify playlist to discover Sweden’s sounds of tomorrow.

Spotify’s Music Editors Reveal Their Picks for the Best Songs of 2024

December 11, 2024

The work of Spotify’s global editorial experts is grounded in a deep understanding of music culture. Our editors are always at the forefront of new trends, working to establish new genre spaces, introduce listeners to emerging artists, and provide context for music fans. And now, as the year comes to a close, Spotify is thrilled to present our Editors’ Picks: Best Songs of 2024—an 85-track, genre-spanning journey through the songs that made us feel, think, and move. 

The playlist builds on our Editors’ Picks: Best Songs of the Year (So Far), a carefully curated playlist of 40 songs that launched in June.

“Our team lives and breathes music, with genre experts across the musical landscape listening to thousands of songs each year,” said John Stein, Spotify’s Head of North American Editorial. “Spotify’s Editors’ Picks: Best Songs of 2024 playlist is our home for the best of the best, the songs we couldn’t stop playing and couldn’t stop talking about this year. We hope you enjoy.”

Songs were hand selected based on their exceptional songwriting, musicality, cultural impact, and distinctiveness. For each pick, our editors asked themselves: Is this song unique or in its own lane in 2024? Has it driven meaningful cultural conversation? Is this a beautiful and undeniably artistic song?

To share that editorial expertise directly with fans, our Editors’ Picks: Best Songs of 2024 playlist comes to life via our Editorial Watch Feed, where listeners will find dynamic on-screen insights and commentary from Spotify’s editors that offer a deeper dive into each song’s artistry and impact. It also features a playlist clip from Sulinna Ong, Spotify’s Global Head of Editorial, Music, introducing the full list.

 

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So without further ado, here are the 85 songs that rose to the top in 2024.
(Listed alphabetically by artist first name)

    1. “Sadness As A Gift” – Adrianne Lenker
    2. “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” – Ariana Grande
    3. “Active” – Asake, Travis Scott
    4. “One Last Dance” – Baby Rose, BADBADNOTGOOD
    5. “II Hands II Heaven” – Beyoncé
    6. “Law & Order” – BigXthaPlug
    7. “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” – Billie Eilish
    8. “S P E Y S I D E” – Bon Iver
    9. “What Now” – Brittany Howard
    10. “Honey” – Caribou
    11. “Good Luck, Babe!” – Chappell Roan
    12. “Von Dutch” – Charli xcx
    13. “Girl, so confusing featuring lorde” – Charli xcx, Lorde
    14. “In The Night (feat. Jorja Smith & Amaarae)” – Childish Gambino, Jorja Smith, Amaarae
    15. “I Lied, I’m Sorry” – Chloe Qisha
    16. “Juna” – Clairo
    17. “Open Up!” – Clothesline From Hell
    18. “Happy World” – Debbii Dawson
    19. “Breathe” – DOE
    20. “CATFISH” – Doechii
    21. “ATTITUDE (FEAT. CHARLIE WILSON & CASH COBAIN)” – Don Toliver, Charlie Wilson, Cash Cobain
    22. “Push Ups” – Drake
    23. “Broken” – Ela Minus
    24. “Starburster” – Fontaines D.C.
    25. “Feel Like Home” – Fousheé
    26. “Origami” – Freddie Gibbs
    27. “Like That” – Future, Metro Boomin, Kendrick Lamar
    28. “Mahal” – Glass Beams
    29. “TGIF” – GloRilla
    30. “Foxglove” – Haley Heynderickx
    31. “KINTSUGI” – HUMBE
    32. “Angel Of My Dreams” – JADE
    33. “Baddy On The Floor” – Jamie xx, Honey Dijon
    34. “Darlin’” – Jean Dawson
    35. “Life Is” – Jessica Pratt
    36. “Go Back (feat. Julia Church)” – John Summit, Julia Church
    37. “i need you more” – Josiah Queen, Henrik
    38. “SIN MIEDO” – JPEGMAFIA
    39. “zarcillos de plata” – Judeline
    40. “The Architect”– Kacey Musgraves
    41. “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” – KAROL G
    42. “The Straw” – Kassi Ashton
    43. “euphoria” – Kendrick Lamar
    44. “Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar
    45. “wacced out murals” – Kendrick Lamar
    46. “Suffocate (feat. Poppy)” – Knocked Loose, Poppy
    47. “pero me estoy acabando.” – LATIN MAFIA
    48. “Yes It Is” – Leon Thomas
    49. “The Ballad of Matt & Mica” – Magdalena Bay
    50. “Loud Bark” – Mannequin Pussy
    51. “Slug” – Matt Champion
    52. “No Caller ID” – Megan Moroney
    53. “Joker Lips” – MJ Lenderman
    54. “Alesis” – Mk.gee
    55. “Made For Me” – Muni Long
    56. “stick of gum” – Nemahsis
    57. “Unfinished Business” – Nia Archives
    58. “Hell of a Ride” – Nourished By Time
    59. “NADIE MÁS!” – Nsqk
    60. “FromHere (feat. Snoop Dogg & October London)” – NxWorries, Anderson.Paak, Knxwledge, Snoop Dogg, October London
    61. “Defense” – Panda Bear, Cindy Lee
    62. “RELOJ” – Peso Pluma, Ivan Cornejo
    63. “One Wish (feat. Childish Gambino)” – Ravyn Lenae, Childish Gambino
    64. “Soup” – Remi Wolf 
    65. “Don’t Mind If I Do (ft. Ella Langley)” – Riley Green, Ella Langley
    66. “APT.” – ROSÉ, Bruno Mars
    67. “Daily” – Ryan Ofei
    68. “Espresso” – Sabrina Carpenter
    69. “Please Please Please” – Sabrina Carpenter
    70. “saving flowers” – salute, Rina Sawayama
    71. “Thought of You” – Sam Barber
    72. “H.B.W” – Saya Gray
    73. “American Dreaming” – Sierra Ferrell 
    74. “Love Me JeJe” – Tems
    75. “The Feminine Urge” – The Last Dinner Party
    76. “No One Noticed” – The Marías
    77. “MILLION DOLLAR BABY” – Tommy Richman
    78. “Jump” – Tyla, Gunna, Skillibeng
    79. “Noid” – Tyler, The Creator
    80. “Sticky” – Tyler, The Creator, GloRilla, Sexyy Red, Lil Wayne
    81. “Mary Boone” – Vampire Weekend
    82. “Right Back to It” – Waxahatchee, MJ Lenderman
    83. “symptom of life” – WILLOW
    84. “booboo” – Yaeji
    85. “Pink Skies” – Zach Bryan

Stream our Editors’ Picks: Best Songs of 2024 on Spotify.

 

Users can enjoy even more commentary from our global music editors with these Watch Feed playlists:

Top Tracks of 2024 USA

Top Tracks of 2024 Global

2024 Rock songs you may have missed

Women of Pop 2024

Umami Presents: Best Afro House of 2024 

Revisit Some of Music’s Most Iconic Hits With Our ‘Spotify Anniversaries’ Video Series

October 15, 2024

Music serves as a powerful memory booster, and Spotify recently introduced a new video series that revisits top albums from some of the industry’s biggest luminaries in a compelling new way. 

In Spotify Anniversaries, artists reflect on, discuss the impact of, and share untold stories about the making of landmark albums. The episodes also feature the artists performing new renditions of beloved tracks. Accompanying EPs of those new tracks are found exclusively on Spotify.

“It’s a celebration not only of the projects, but also the growth of each artist as they revisit their classics,” shared Sarah Patellos, Head of Spotify Music Studios.

Pop icon Christina Aguilera is the latest to be featured and marks the 25th anniversary of her self-titled debut album. Filmed at Spotify’s Mateo studios in Los Angeles, the episode includes reimagined and unplugged versions of six hits from the album. Sabrina Carpenter joins Christina for “What a Girl Wants,” and mgk shows off his guitar skills on “Genie In a Bottle.”

 

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Fans who aren’t yet ready to relinquish their nostalgia can find Spotify Anniversaries episodes celebrating the 30th anniversary of Weezer’s Blue Album and the 10th anniversary of Isaiah Rashad’s Cilvia Demo.

 

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Sit back, relax, and tune in to all three EPs below.

‘Mi Primer Escenario’ ofrece a los artistas emergentes en México la oportunidad de tomar el escenario en MEXCLA Spotify

September 17, 2024

Apoyar a los artistas emergentes es parte fundamental del ADN de Spotify. Ahora vamos un paso más allá con nuestro primer concurso musical en México, “Mi Primer Escenario”. El concurso ofrece a los nuevos talentos del país la oportunidad de mostrar sus habilidades; mientras que los fans en México podrán votar por su concursante favorito directamente desde la aplicación de Spotify.

El ganador de “Mi Primer Escenario” tendrá la oportunidad de actuar en MEXCLA Spotify: Palenque, Feria y Cotorreo, el mayor evento en vivo de Spotify en México hasta la fecha, y aparecer en la portada de nuestra lista de reproducción Top México.

“Con ‘Mi Primer Escenario’ queremos darle la oportunidad a los artistas de pisar su primer escenario y compartir su música con el público”, comentó Alejandro Grageda, Artist and Label Relations Lead de Spotify México. “Desde hace algunos años hemos dedicado esfuerzos para apoyar a artistas emergentes a través de nuestro programa RADAR y otras iniciativas, es por eso que nos emociona dar vida a este concurso y junto con los fans abrir el escenario MEXCLA Spotify a un nuevo talento en México.”

MEXCLA Spotify unirá a fans, artistas y creadores en el Parque Bicentenario de la Ciudad de México los días 2 y 3 de noviembre, mostrando la diversidad del panorama musical y creativo de México, y celebrando el orgullo mexicano. El artista o grupo ganador de “Mi Primer Escenario” formará parte de un cartel que incluye a artistas como Grupo Firme, Luis R Conriquez, y Bellakath, entre otros.

“Mi Primer Escenario” es la oportunidad perfecta para que la música hecha en el país tenga el escenario y la plataforma que merece. ¿Listo para participar? Sigue estos pasos:

Etapa 1 (Del 16 al 29 de septiembre):

Graba un video de entre 30 segundos y 1 minuto interpretando una canción original y súbelo a tu cuenta de TikTok con el hashtag #MiPrimerEscenario. Los 15 videos con más comentarios serán los finalistas y avanzarán a la siguiente etapa.

Etapa 2 (Del 7 al 17 de octubre):

Las canciones de los 15 finalistas serán parte de una playlist oficial en Spotify, donde los usuarios podrán votar por su artista o banda favorita usando una nueva herramienta de Spotify. ¡Quien consiga más votos será el ganador!

Etapa 3 (2 y 3 de noviembre):

El artista o banda ganadora tendrá su primer escenario como parte del line up oficial de MEXCLA Spotify, donde interpretará 3 de sus canciones originales.

Requisitos para participar:

  • Ser mayor de edad, de nacionalidad mexicana y residentes en el país
  • Tener un perfil activo en Spotify con al menos 3 temas originales subidos en el último año. Adicionalmente, debes tener menos de 200 mil oyentes mensuales
  • Tener una cuenta activa en TikTok e incluir en tu biografía el enlace a tu perfil de artista en Spotify
  • Es importante tener al menos 3 canciones originales para interpretar en vivo en caso de ser seleccionado como finalista.

Con “Mi Primer Escenario”, Spotify lanza una nueva función interactiva que pondrá todo el poder en manos de los fans en México. Por primera vez, los usuarios podrán votar por su concursante favorito directamente desde la aplicación y ayudarles a conquistar el escenario MEXCLA Spotify.

Para conocer más sobre “Mi Primer Escenario”, consulta los términos y condiciones aquí.

Four Must-Use Spotify Features That Bring You Closer to Your Favorite Artists

September 12, 2024

We know that when fans fall in love with an artist, they can’t get enough. So when you want to connect with your favorites on a deeper level, Spotify is your go-to destination. Fans and artists interact in many different ways, especially when they’re crossing languages, borders, and cultures. Whether you’re looking to show your support IRL or hear directly from your favorite artists, here are some ways you can strengthen your relationships with the artists you love on Spotify: Listening Parties, Countdown Pages, the Live Events feed, and Clips from your artists. 

Listening Parties

Listening Parties are the live audio experience where you’ll join your favorite artists and other top fans to celebrate their new music releases. In the party you can hear behind-the-scenes artist stories, chat in real time with other fans, and listen to the music you love with the artist who made it.

This year, we’ve hosted listening parties with artists including Peso Pluma, Bleachers, Gracie Abrams, and SEVENTEEN, and there are more to come.

Listening Parties are available to Premium subscribers in the U.S., ID, MX, and CA.

Countdown Pages

Countdown Pages are the place to be when you’re eagerly waiting for your favorite artists to release new music. With Countdown Pages, fans can presave an artist’s music, preview the tracklist, watch Clips, and get their hands on must-have merch via the artist profile, Now Playing view, Search, and Home.

After you presave an album, you’ll receive a push notification on release day so that you know it’s been added to Your Library. No more missing new music!

Countdown Pages are available to Free and Premium subscribers in all Spotify markets.

Live Events feed

Our Live Events feed makes concert discovery seamless, tailored, and fun, so you never miss a show when artists you love are in town. Not only can you find concert listings based on your location and top artists, but you can also browse upcoming concerts in other cities and countries—all personalized to your taste.

Live Events Feed is available to Free and Premium subscribers in all Spotify markets.

Clips from artists

Watching Clips from artists you care about is the best way to dive deeper into their worlds. These short vertical videos let you discover unreleased tracks, hear the story behind a new song, view live performances, and so much more. All Clips are tagged to tracks so that you can easily follow, save, and stream music right from the video. You can watch Clips on Home, the Now Playing view, Countdown Pages, release pages, and more, making it easier for you to find them and create an even deeper connection with artists. 

Artists’ Clips are available to Free and Premium subscribers in 78 markets.