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After showing up for Pharrell Williams’ Louis Vuitton runway debut during Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were back out in the City of Light on Wednesday night (June 21) too — this time for Rocky’s Spotify Beach performance at the Cannes Lions festival. Rihanna, who is expecting her second child with […]

After a lengthy delay, Spotify is reportedly planning to launch its high-fidelity subscription tier later this year. The audio streaming service first introduced the idea of a Hi-Fi audio offering in 2021, and is referring to the program internally as “Supremium,” Bloomberg reports. A more expensive subscription service would address two ongoing issues for the […]

As Trevor Noah builds out his post–Daily Show career, the comedian is adding a new job to his resume: Spotify podcaster.
Debuting later this year, the currently unnamed podcast will release weekly and feature Noah’s commentary on timely topics and in-depth conversations with influential figures from around the world, the company said on Tuesday at Cannes Lions.

The series will be a Spotify Original podcast, produced under the recently combined Spotify Studios umbrella that now includes podcast shops Gimlet and Parcast. But unlike Spotify’s major exclusive talent deals of the past, Noah’s podcast will be available on all major platforms.

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“It’s really exciting to be joining Spotify on a fun new adventure where we’ll engage in interesting and meaningful conversations with some of the world’s most fascinating people,” Noah said.

The comedian previously hosted The Daily Show podcast up until he exited the late-night talk show late last year to pursue other projects. “Maybe this comes with not being raised in America, but I believe that everything should end,” Noah told The Hollywood Reporter last November of his decision to leave the show. “A lot of American business and American media is just like, ‘Keep it going as long as possible,’ but I think it’s healthy for things to end when they’re still in a good place. I want to leave before I’m burnt out, because there are many other things I’d like to do.”

Since his exit, Noah has landed a book deal, hosted the Grammys and gone on tour. He will join Spotify’s roster of podcasting talent — which includes Call Her Daddy‘s Alex Cooper, Anything Goes’ Emma Chamberlain and The Joe Rogan Experience’s Joe Rogan, among others — at a time when Spotify is adjusting its podcasting strategy, rethinking expensive star deals and laying off employees amid pressure from Wall Street to turn a profit on podcasting. The audio giant has also shed or otherwise ended many of the exclusive deals it brokered to help get its podcast business started, notably with the Obamas’ Higher Ground, Brené Brown, Esther Perel, and, as of June 15, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Archewell.

Instead, the audio company has been pursuing a wider distribution model, releasing shows like Chamberlain’s once-exclusive Anything Goes on all major platforms and focusing on its advertising capabilities.

“Spotify is the ultimate audio destination, and partnering with Trevor Noah, one of the world’s most brilliant and distinctive voices, will make for captivating storytelling that will delight our more than 100 million podcast listeners around the world,” Julie McNamara, Spotify vp and head of global podcast studios, said. “We are excited to collaborate with Trevor to create an original podcast that seamlessly combines his unique humor, insightful commentary and consummate interview skills on a global scale.”

This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.

The production company founded by Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, is splitting ways with Spotify less than a year after the debut of their podcast Archetypes.
It is unclear why the podcast, hosted by Meghan, is leaving the platform but Spotify and Archewell Audio said in a joint statement that the decision was mutual.

Archewell landed a multiyear partnership with Spotify in 2020 to create podcasts and shows that would tell stories through diverse voices and perspectives.

The podcast premiered in August last year with tennis great Serena Williams as a guest and it was an instant hit.

It topped Spotify charts in seven countries, including the U.S. and the U.K., and it won the top podcast award at the People’s Choice awards last year.

“I loved digging my hands into the process, sitting up late at night in bed, working on the writing and creative. And I loved digging deep into meaningful conversation with my diverse and inspiring guests, laughing and learning with them, and with each of you listening,” Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, said at the time.

The show also had as guests Mariah Carey, Trevor Noah, Mindy Kaling and Paris Hilton.

Tech companies have been cutting costs in a rough economic environment and Spotify has not been immune. Six months after announcing that it would cut 6% of its global workforce, or about 600 jobs, Spotify said last week that it was trimming another 200 jobs.

The company said at the time that it would be combining podcast networks Parcast and Gimlet into its Spotify Studios operation.

Prince Harry has been at the High Court of London this month. He is accusing the publisher of the Daily Mirror of using unlawful techniques on an “industrial scale” to score front-page scoops on his life. The Duke of Sussex became the first senior member of the royal family to testify in more than a century.

Foo Fighters, A$AP Rocky, Florence + The Machine and Jack Harlow will headline Spotify’s performance lineup at this year’s Cannes Lions Festival, set to take place in the South of France from Monday, June 19 to Thursday, June 22. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Florence + […]

Music streaming giant Spotify is making a new round of cuts to its podcast division following a broad round of layoffs in January and job cuts in October. In a memo to staff Monday morning from Sahar Elhabashi, the head of Spotify’s podcast unit, the company said that it would be reducing its workforce by […]

Spotify will return with another top-shelf performers lineup for their marquee four-day country music showcase, Spotify House, at this year’s CMA Fest in Nashville, slated for June 8-11.
Spotify House will once again take over Blake Shelton and Opry Entertainment Group’s Ole Red music venue in downtown Nashville for the four-day music showcase, which will feature Brad Paisley, Brothers Osborne, Dierks Bentley, Hailey Whitters, Ingrid Andress, Jordan Davis, Luke Grimes, Mickey Guyton, Old Dominion, Lady A and Ruston Kelly on the Mainstage over the weekend.

The full Mainstage lineup also features Alana Springsteen, Ashley Cooke, Avery Anna, Brett Young, Brian Kelley, Chase Rice, Chayce Beckham, Chris Young, Colbie Caillat, Conner Smith, Dalton Dover, Danielle Bradbery, Dylan Marlowe, Dylan Schneider, Ella Langley, Ian Munsick, Jon Pardi, Josh Ross, Kameron Marlowe, Kylie Morgan, Lily Rose, Mackenzie Carpenter, Mitchell Tenpenny, Restless Road, Riley Green, Sam Hunt, Tanner Adell, Tenille Arts, Warren Zeiders and 49 Winchester.

The Mainstage’s daily (and nightly) lineup is presented by Spotify’s Nashville team and Spotify’s flagship Hot Country playlist. Spotify is also bringing back the Fresh Finds stage to further support their commitment to supporting rising musical talents, with the lineup to be announced in the coming weeks.

For fans who want to hit the dance floor, Spotify House will also offer exclusive late-night DJ sets, including Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley, as well as Cheat Codes + Friends.

“The Spotify House has become a CMA Fest staple and we couldn’t be more excited to be returning to Ole Red again this year,” said Jackie Augustus, lead, country & folk, artist partnerships at Spotify. “As always, we wanted the lineup to reflect the trends and discoveries that listeners have been making on platform. Every year the genre expands into new influences and sounds, so we’re looking forward to giving the fans an opportunity to experience 2023 country in its fullest. And as always, we have a few surprises up our sleeves, so you never know who might show up on our stage…”

Country music fans can stop by Spotify House on Thursday, June 8, through Saturday, June 10, from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. CT daily, and Sunday, June 11, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT. All shows will be open to the public, and space will be limited to first-come, first-served.

A medley of sounds erupts as soon as the doors of the Spotify studio swing open. All at once, trumpets climb up and down scales, guitars are tuned before being fervidly strummed, and a tololoche player’s fingers dance across the strings of an upright bass like tiny bolts of lightning, making it impossible to look away. All the while, the group of men responsible crack jokes in Spanish, an air of excitement swirling through the dimly-lit room before the Spotify RADAR shoot kicks off. 

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At the center of this eclectic flurry of instruments lives regional Mexican music. At the center of today’s regional Mexican music, lives Peso Pluma. 

For many, the 23-year-old phenom appeared de la nada. “Ella Baila Sola,” Eslabon Armado’s smash hit with Peso Pluma, was as explosive a collaboration in the Spanish-language music space as the Hot 100-topping “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2” was for the English market. Like drill princess Ice Spice, Peso Pluma became the de facto face of a movement overnight, much to his own surprise. 

“I knew this was gonna happen, but I didn’t know at what level and what speed,” he says today. “I knew I was gonna do good in Mexico and the Spanish-speaking countries, but this went worldwide [so fast]. I’m thankful for that.”

For his early fans, Peso Pluma has been creating earworm collaborative anthems for a handful of years, through early hits like “El Belicón” alongside Raúl Vega  – which went viral on social media and brought in 10 million views on YouTube in a single month – and projects including his debut set, Ah y Qué?

To date, “Ella Baila Sola” has secured a number of firsts, most notably becoming the first regional Mexican song to reach the top 10 of the Hot 100 chart — peaking at No. 5 – and the first to top Billboard‘s Streaming Songs chart in its 10-year history.

Peso Pluma and Eslabon Armado also broke a number of Spotify records, becoming the all-time most-streamed música mexicana track in one day globally and the most streamed Latin track in the U.S in one single day last month. 

“Música mexicana is no longer regional – it’s global,” says Spotify head of U.S. Latin artist partnerships Eddie Santiago, noting the genre’s growth of 431% over the last five years. “It’s been incredible supporting Peso Pluma’s meteoric rise, and look forward to this next phase of his career.”

The Spotify RADAR program – dedicated to spotlighting and supporting emerging artists at all stages of their development – has provided a platform for artists across the globe, including The Kid LAROI, Zach Bryan, Doechii, Quevedo, PinkPatheress, and over 500 others since its start in in 2020. 

While the effect of “Ella Baila Sola” has led to unprecedented global attention on the regional Mexican space, it’s important to note that the regional Mexican genre isn’t exactly a genre. Encompassing an array of unmistakably Mexican styles of music, including norteño, corridos, banda, rancheras, mariachi and more, regional Mexican serves as an overarching umbrella term for a set of genres that had never before been afforded nuance on a mainstream level. 

Growing up on artists like Ariel Camacho, Peso Pluma, born Hassan Laija, developed his love for música mexicana as a kid spending his early years growing up in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Later, the influence of hip-hop and reggaeton also found their way into the songs he’d write. Today, he painstakingly stitches together 19th century Mexican sounds with modern genres, bringing both to the Spotify stage ahead of his upcoming debut album, and a single that he’s been teasing on social media. 

After his performance, Peso Pluma sat down to talk with Billboard about what the Spotify look means to him, his recent wins on U.S. platforms, his Doble P Tour and his hopes for the future.

What does it mean to you to be selected as Spotify’s RADAR artist?

It’s pretty big to me because I’m the first Mexican artist to do this. I’m so proud and very thankful. It’s big for the country, the genre and the industry in general. We’re doing pretty good and we’re going to keep working to share our music. 

Have you had fans from countries that surprise you?

I have a lot of fans all over the world, but the most surprising was one time I was shopping and a Chinese family came [up to me]. I never thought they’d listen to corridos in China.

What are the genres that have influenced you?

When I was a teenager, I listened to a lot of hip-hop, rap, and reggaetón. Rap culture just got into me, and I think I’m picking a little bit from every genre in the corridos I do and that’s why people like it, because it has a lot of different cultures in it. Reggaetón is the most iconic genre in my life. Since I was a kid, I liked it a lot. Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Tego Calderon.

I like Bad Bunny a lot, I listen to him all day, every day. I listen to my friend Natanael Cano, 21 Savage, Shoreline Mafia. Feid, Anuel, Karol G. I listen to everything.

What’s a genre you like that people might be surprised you listen to?

Reggae. I like Bob Marley. 

You recently played Coachella, how did that come about?

I got invited by Becky G — shoutout to Becky. She’s been too kind to me in my career, and done a lot for me. And she knows she has a friend [in me]. They got in touch like a week before, I was so excited and pretty shocked. It was so good, [the crowd] accepted us. People did scream a lot, it was a surprise for them. 

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced along your path so far?

The biggest thing I’m dealing with right now is not being with my family. Being on tour non-stop. That’s what people don’t see. They think I’m a working machine, but I’m not. But it’s part of what I like to do — it’s part of my character. 

How do you deal with those moments?

When I feel like that, I just talk to my mom and my family and that keeps me motivated. They’re pretty proud of me and thankful. 

You also did Jimmy Fallon recently, how was that?

It was awesome for me and my whole group. It was a new thing for us because it was our first time on TV and it was Jimmy Fallon. I think it went well, everyone watched it and wanted to see me perform, and I’m just thankful for Jimmy for inviting me to the show. 

You recently broke a record along with Eslabon Armado, becoming the first regional Mexican song to top Billboard’s streaming songs chart. 

That’s pretty amazing. But that doesn’t mean anything, because tomorrow I could be gone. We don’t know. I’m just gonna keep working to get where I wanna get. There’s a long way to go. 

You’ve had a lot of big collaborative moments — what’s the role of collaborations in your journey?

Collaborations have been so important in my career. I’m just thankful to too many artists who have been supporting my project, ideas and thinking and what we have to do for the genre. My album is coming too and I have a lot of solo songs coming, and that’s what people want to hear, so that’s what I’m giving them on this album. 

You’re heading out on tour soon, but so much has changed since your tickets went on sale. Are you looking for bigger venues?

Yes. Everything changed and I’m looking forward to what’s gonna happen. And my team is looking for venues. I’m sure I’m gonna do good if I do small or big venues. The tour sold out the first day, like 95 percent [of tickets] in two hours. We’re pretty excited. 

Looking ahead, what’s something you hope to accomplish in your career?

I just wanna go to the Grammys and win something, you know? There’s too many things I wanna accomplish. I want to have my album be welcomed by the people, I want it to have the same streams as singles do. I’m showing another part of la doble p to people.

I know this is far in advance, but as someone who grew up between Texas and Mexico, where do you see yourself settling down when it’s all said and done?

I don’t know. I mean, Peter Parker is from NYC and I’m in L.A. right now. Guadalajara will always be my home. That’s where my family is, and Sinaloa too. But I feel pretty good here in L.A. And if life says, “Go to Miami in a year,” I’ll go to Miami. 

In a presentation at the Music Biz conference in Nashville on Wednesday (May 17), MIDiA Research’s Tatiana Cirisano revealed the company’s predictions about the future of music streaming. Namely, the firm suspects that music streaming revenue growth, which has been in the double digits for years, will slow to the single digits, eventually cooling off from about 10% growth in 2024 to 3% growth in 2029.

“We’re in a crazy time for competing for consumer attention,” said Cirisano during the presentation, titled Where Does Streaming Go From Here? She noted that after the pandemic subsided, content providers of all kinds — from music to gaming to video — have had to accept that more traditional, in-person activities are absorbing large amounts of time for consumers once again. “The era of build it and they will come is starting to come to a close,” she continued. “You need to give people reasons to spend time on your platform.”

As part of the return to in-person experiences, MIDiA Research has found that background consumption of entertainment is on the rise, with 18.1 hours of background consumption in the first quarter of 2021 having escalated to 20.6 hours in the second quarter of 2022.

Traditional streaming services — Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and other competitors — also face competition for users’ attention from “non-[digital service provider] streaming,” or platforms where music is part of the experience but not its sole focus, such as Peloton and TikTok. “We are starting to learn that non-DSP streaming is not just additive, it might actually also diminish the cultural capital of [traditional] streaming,” said Cirisano.

While the cultural capital of streaming reached a fever pitch as Spotify editorial playlists, like Rap Caviar and New Music Friday, became many listener’s go-to source for music suggestions, MIDiA’s data suggests that that “soft power” is starting to wane, giving way to sites like TikTok which promote what Cirisano called “lean-through” music consumption.

This can be a positive thing, she explained. While “lean back,” or background, consumption — such as pre-programmed playlists and radio play — is on the rise, young people are also more likely than ever to not just “lean forward” (meaning they program what music they listen to themselves) but to “lean through,” which Cirisano defined as creating social content, curating content and re-creating content with music. MIDiA has found that the average 16 to 19-year-old spends 3.7 hours per week creating content as of the fourth quarter of 2022. More than ever, young people want to be actively playful and interactive with their music, not just listen to static playlists on streaming — though that form of listening will still surely persist.

To Mark Mulligan, MIDiA’s founder, this is a repeat of history, said Cirisano. Prior to recorded music, live bands’ music would be impacted by the audience in front of them. Now, this has taken on a new form in the age of social media, AI and at-home recording technology, signaling a return to interactivity present throughout the long history of music — and marking a change in appetite from the “isolating” and “hyper-personalized” nature of today’s popular music streaming services. “This new generation wants to be more actively involved in music… I think you’re going to have an advantage if you’re an artist that is comfortable engaging with your fans,” said Cirisano.

MIDiA Research has also found that with the emergence of hyper-personalized algorithms on streaming and social platforms, listenership fragments significantly. This leads to superstars having less of an impact, making it harder for that class of artists to earn a fruitful living from just streaming alone. In tandem with creating content and forging brand partnerships, however, these bigger names can capitalize on their fandom. This atomization of the mainstream is also pushing DSPs to differentiate themselves by, for example, focusing on genre, like Apple Music Classical, or targeting audiophile listeners, like Tidal.

In the future, MIDiA’s data suggests that next-generation platforms will create three-sided marketplaces that operate as self-contained virtuous circles. Audiences will consume music, some fans in the audience will also create using the music, and that consumption and participation will signal the algorithm and distribute the music to new fans.

UPDATE: This story was updated May 17 at 7:59 p.m. ET to note that music streaming revenue growth — not music streaming subscription growth, as incorrectly stated in a previous version of the story — is expected to fall to 3% by 2029. It was also updated to note that background consumption of all entertainment, not just music, is on the rise.

As Spotify continues in its quest to remain top dog among streaming music brands, the business adds 11 new languages and dialects to its mobile app — bringing the total number of languages on its platform to 74. 
With immediate effect, Spotify’s mobile app now also supports Spanish (Argentina and Mexico), traditional Chinese (Hong Kong), Arabic (Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Morocco), Basque, Bosnian, English (U.K.), Galician and Macedonian.

The latest rollout follows Spotify’s initial launch with 27 languages, and a second major expansion in March 2021 with 36 languages.

“This expansion will unlock an even more personal experience for our users,” reads a corporate statement, “giving them the ability to access Spotify in their native or local tongue.”

And the “more people who can use Spotify,” the message continues, “the more connections we can foster between creators and their audiences.”

Spotify already connects hundreds of millions of music fans with its catalog.

The Sweden-originated tech company ended 2022 with 205 million subscribers, up 5% from 195 million in Q3, with 295 million ad-supported listeners, up 8% from 273 million in the previous quarter.

Annual revenue for 2022 came in at 11.7 billion euros ($12.4 billion), up 21% from the previous year.

During an earning call with investors late January, CEO Daniel Ek admitted some shortcomings in the company’s strategy, and admitted that matters would “change” with regards to investment in podcasting and its recent “tightening” of spending.

“In hindsight I probably got a little carried away and over invested relative to the uncertainty we saw shaping up in the market,” he explained. “So we are shifting to tightening our spend and becoming more efficient.”

Click here to see all the languages supported by Spotify and head here to change your Spotify language settings.