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Every year, Spotify checks in with #GenZ to hear how they’re shaping streaming and the world at large. Our sixth annual Culture Next report helps brands understand what inspires, captivates and drives this generation—and how to connect with them in meaningful ways on our platform. Some highlights from the 2024 edition: 📱Gen Zs are reducing their dependence on social media in favor of more authenticity and positive connection. And they’re actually using Spotify to forge connections by sharing music and podcasts to break the ice with each other. 🕣Gen Z users spend up to two hours a day on Spotify—and more than 90% say our platform is their essential daily companion. 👀Our research shows that Gen Z user engagement with content on Spotify transfers to attention on ads at a high rate. 🧘♀️Spotify is a positive environment for advertisers to reach their audience in more moments and get more attention on their campaigns. Find out more 👉

BLENDSHIPS GenZ is craving connection more than ever — while other forms of online activities contribute to feelings of loneliness, music and podcasts are a catalyst for true connections online and irl. While social media is omnipresent, #GenZs say it’s contributing more to feelings of isolation than togetherness. In fact, 67% of American Gen Zs believe people are more lonely today than they were 10 years ago. 🎼 #Music has brought people together since the dawn of civilization, but what’s new is the technology that makes connecting and sharing easier and more fun. Spotify’s Blend feature allows two users to merge their musical tastes into one shared playlist. Gen Z users account for 60% of all Blend playlists created and shared in the last two years. 🥳 Fans can also create Blend playlists with creators like Charli XCX, Diplo and Lizzo. Gen Z made up 55% of streams of Celebrity Blends from 2023 through Q1 2024, highlighting how Spotify curates connections between fans and their favourite creators, too. 🎸 While young people live their lives online, #concerts and #IRL events are essential. 74% of Gen Zs have attended a concert/live music show in the last year. 91% of Gen Zs agreed that “sharing similar music tastes with a potential love interest connects us more deeply.” It doesn’t have to be a sold out arena for Zs to come together IRL to connect over their shared passions. Nearly half of Gen Zs have attended an in-person listening party for a new album or song. 🎙️ Fueled by the intimate relationship people have with #podcast hosts, live experiences have taken hold for podcasters too. 37% of Gen Zs have attended a live, show or taping of a podcast and 36% of Gen Zs have attended an in-person watch party for a new episode of a video podcast. Gen Zs are hosting and attending more casual events, and are tapping Spotify playlists to set the vibe. They are streaming music and podcasts over connected devices, including smart TVs, gaming consoles and speakers – showing a growing trend in communal listening. Brands have always used music to bring people together. What are the new ways they can do so, with the help of streaming platforms? Creating venues for listening parties? Organizing fan trips to concerts? Download latest Culture Next report here: https://lnkd.in/d8xr89RS Ampersand Advisory

Gen Z has an undeniable passion for music. Known for their collaborative spirit, self-reliance, and pragmatism, Gen Z turns to music as their constant companion. To provide advertisers with deeper insights into this unique generation, we’ve launched the sixth edition of our Spotify Advertising Culture Next Report. This report highlights how Gen Z uses Spotify as a refreshing escape from the stresses of daily life, whether through solo moments of self-care or shared experiences with loved ones. Explore the full report. Be sure to log into your Spotify account to access a personalized experience https://shorturl.at/SUK6W #GENZ #CULTURENEXT #SPOTIFYADVERTISING

I’m As a Spotify user who falls outside #GenZ (by a landslide), I recognize the untapped power of this platform for #nonprofits aiming to connect with younger audiences. With 50% of Spotify users belonging to Gen Z, the platform offers an intimate way to engage this demographic through #music and #podcasts, which are more than just background noise—they are catalysts for connection. Insights from the 𝘚𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘺 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘕𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵, 𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘥𝘢 𝘌𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 (2024) reveal: 🎯 71% of Canadian Gen Zs believe people are lonelier today than a decade ago, yet 64% agree Spotify is the antidote to doom-scrolling. 🎯 Gen Z accounts for 60% of blend playlists and 67% of user profile shares, emphasizing their love for shared and personal experiences. 🎯 They are active beyond the screen too: 74% have attended live concerts, showing their openness to engaging with brands and communities. Considering this data, I was surprised by a Toronto nonprofit chapter ad. It featured a Buddy Holly song (nostalgia for the #Boomers) and lacked a #CTA. Instead, nonprofits could use the valuable 30 seconds to align with Gen Z traits—#creativity, #connection, and #authenticity — while taking actionable steps: 1. 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Direct listeners to donate, sign up, or visit a website. 2. 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Share impactful stories or relatable messages. 3. 𝐓𝐚𝐩 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐞𝐧 𝐙 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬: Highlight causes they care about (#MentalHealth, #ClimateChange). Use trending music or collaborate with popular artists. 4. 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬: Promote events or create a Spotify-exclusive playlist. 5. 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭: “𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 $5 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴.” Personalize the message: “𝘐𝘯 𝘛𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘰, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴.” 6. 𝐀𝐝𝐝 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲: “𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 30 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘶𝘴—𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘵 5 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥?” Use humor, memes, or trends to engage. 7. 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: “𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘢 𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦—𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯.” #Nonprofits have a powerful opportunity to connect authentically on Spotify. By embracing concise, emotionally driven, and actionable messaging, they can inspire action and drive real results. #Nonprofits #SpotifyAds #GenZMarketing #SocialImpact

Episode #98 of 3Q has arrived, check it out on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube! Our guest: Jeffrey Bowers, Founder of WaxManagementGroup WAXMGMT 🎧🎙️🤩 Spotify Link: https://lnkd.in/g6we9muw Follow 3Q on Instagram: https://lnkd.in/d2d6hnuR With over 20 years of experience breaking down barriers to forge new paths for music artists, Jeff got his start on the major label circuit, working in A&R and catalog management for Warner Bros. Records, Atlantic Records, and Rhino Records. There, he managed creative, marketing, product and licensing strategy for seminal catalogs such as Nirvana, Sonic Youth, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis, and new alternative artists like Paramore and Portugal The Man while helping drive the vinyl revival. After a brief stint managing licensing strategy for crowdfunding platform Pledge Music, he began his career in artist management, founding Waxmgmt in 2015. In collaboration with Waxmgmt CEO and fellow manager Janis Shen, Bowers has struck unprecedented equitable deal structures that foster long-term success for artists. He represents cross-genre artists while specializing in the Soundcloud community, working with Freddie Dredd, 1nonly, LLusion, and more. #3Q #The3QPodcast

Gen Z is reshaping the way we think about music consumption and connection, and it’s clear they want something different from what previous generations demanded. Instead of dictating trends, we have to tune in and adapt to what they’re showing us. One of the most compelling insights from 𝘚𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘺’𝘴 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘕𝘦𝘹𝘵 report is the power of 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗰: • 𝟲𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 on Spotify are created by Gen Z, showing their drive for collaboration and connection. • 𝟱𝟮% 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 were created by Gen Z this year alone, emphasizing music as a form of social interaction. • With a 𝟯𝟮𝟴% 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗯𝘂𝗺 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴, music isn’t just content for them—it’s a personal expression of identity and a way to build relationships. It’s also clear that 𝗚𝗲𝗻 𝗭 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲. Rather than dismissing their tastes as trends, we need to recognize how their music and podcast choices reflect deeper cultural shifts: • 𝟳𝟰% 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗲𝗻 𝗭 attended a concert in the last year, showing that live music holds deep value. • 𝗡𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗳 attended an in-person listening party, highlighting the importance of smaller, intimate gatherings around music. • Video podcasts have seen a 𝟱𝟴% 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 in minutes watched over last year, proving Gen Z’s desire for immersive content. Their playlisting habits also show their need for 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: • Gen Z created over 𝟯𝟬𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 on Spotify in the last year, showcasing their need for tailored content. • 𝟱𝟯% 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗲𝗻 𝗭 said they enjoy making playlists for specific moods or moments, showing how much they value emotional connections through music. • 𝟳𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗲𝗻 𝗭 believe streaming services should understand their taste better, highlighting the demand for better AI-driven recommendations. What we need to remember is that Gen Z doesn’t just want entertainment—they want 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Music and podcasts are tools they use to navigate life’s pivotal moments. For brands and artists to resonate, we need to move beyond the surface and tap into what matters most: 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆. As Gen Z continues to lead how music is consumed and shared, we as industry professionals must keep listening and evolving with them. Offering them the tools to create, share, and experience music in ways that feel true to them is key—because at the end of the day, it’s their world, and we’re just tuning in. Check out the link below for Spotify's full report.

The Power of Video on Spotify! 🎬🎵 Video on Spotify has exploded over the past year! From music video clips to engaging podcast episodes and eye-catching visual ads from brands like Powerade, Just Eat, and Disney+ We’ve seen an incredible 122% increase in engagement with our video products - Sponsored Sessions and Video Takeover over the last year. Users are diving deeper into the Spotify experience, interacting more with the platform and your ads. "Tell a story that your audience can see and hear with video takeover ads. Spotify’s video ads only deliver when a screen is in view and the listener is actively browsing through music and podcasts in the Spotify app." - Discover more about our products here https://lnkd.in/eKGNf52p Digitize New Media #SpotifyAdvertising #Digitize

"It's giving 'Spotify'" "In my Spotify era" "Spotify's got rizz" ...Not sure how convincing I am as a Gen Z 😂😂 Thankfully Spotify has pulled together Culture Next, a report in which we explore how young Fans and creators connect with and shape culture on Spotify, and how Brands can tap into these insights to create more relevant campaigns. Check out the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eaSfVngy

I just recorded a conversation with Spotify Founder & CEO, Daniel Ek. This was a surreal moment for me...Spotify is one of my all-time favorite companies and a big piece of my life when I was making music in my early 20s. This week, Spotify announced a massive expansion into video podcasts and a refreshed creator program. I believe this will become a hugely important revenue stream for tens of thousands of creators in the next few years. During my conversation with Daniel, we covered: • How Joe Rogan influenced Spotify in their decision to expand more deeply into video • How Daniel thinks about the Innovator's Dilemma and why Spotify expanded to beyond just music • How creators should think about Spotify in their content mix moving forward • Daniel's take on AI in music • A peek into the future of Spotify's AI platform and how it could impact the daily user experience If you want to check it out, the full conversation is posted on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/g39xe5Hw #spotify #music #tech #ai #podcast

🎉🍒Congratulations to Spotify! With projected global ad revenues reaching an impressive $2.1 billion in 2024 (13% year-over-year growth!), it's incredible to see how podcasting ad revenue growth has outpaced music According to WARC Media, Spotify is looking to better facilitate community and connection between fans and artists." 🍒We couldn't agree more! 🍒 Podcasting isn't just about listening; it's about sharing the best moments with friends, creating stronger connection in communities and celebrating those connections Spotify, 🍒we are here to help make the sharing experience seamless and social!🎧 Read the article: https://lnkd.in/g74tvvJa #Spotify #WARCMedia #Podnews #PickedCherries #PodcastAdvertising #ListenThenShare #PodcastCommunity Spotify Spotify for Podcasters Spotify Advertising Spotify R&D Spotify News Podnews Podnews Weekly Review WARC Alex Brownsell Kim Sweers (BOAT BOSS) Ken Clinton Picked Cherries Woody Marshall Shishir Mehrotra