2020 has been an unprecedented and difficult year. It was also the one that inspired curiosity and creativity – which was reflected in the songs and podcasts played by listeners, in the new ways creators connected with fans and For memory stories that resonated the most with readers.
So we take a look back at a year of For memory to highlight the Spotify moments and stories that mattered most to us and to you.
This year, we …
Unveil the perfect playlist for you and your pet.
It’s hard to put into words the emotions that animals give us – other than pure happiness. So it’s only natural that we also want them to feel good, and many pet owners think they do just that with music. In a study on how pet owners use music with their pets, we found that 71% of pet owners play music for their pets, and that’s not all that we have learned. Check out the rest of the furry facts (read: fun) or create your own pet playlist.
Listeners connected to each other and creators with new app features like Group Session Beta and Video Podcasts.
After unveiling the group session beta in May, we took it a step further in July with a brand new feature that allows Spotify Premium users around the world to simultaneously connect to the same playlist or podcast. Regardless of the distance, you and your team members can now listen to the same content at the same time on your own devices, as well as control playback. Learn.
We also unveiled the first release of our new video podcast feature with some podcasts. Now listeners in all markets where podcasts are supported will be able to listen to or watch these podcasts as the feature rolls out, allowing some creators to bring audio and video content to Spotify. Now you can even watch video podcasts on select Android TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, and Nest Hub devices.
Launched in Russia, Croatia, Ukraine and 10 other European markets.
Our latest expansion in Europe brought the total number of markets with Spotify to 92 and marked the adoption of streaming in the region. Now listeners in Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia and Ukraine can take advantage of a listening experience comprising 60 million tracks, 4 billion playlists and localized music personalization features. Check out some of the features listeners can hope for.
Announcing new audio content from popular storytellers.
In 2019, we announced our intention to be a Audio first company. 2020 has seen a lot of new podcast content to further deliver on that commitment. This summer, First Lady Michelle Obama joined the ranks of Spotify storytellers with Michelle Obama’s podcast from Higher Ground and Spotify. This autumn, The Joe Rogan experience became an exclusive Spotify podcast thanks to a new partnership. More recently the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced a partnership with Spotify through their new production company, Archewell Audio. With over 1.9 million podcast titles (and growing), there’s something for everyone.
Supported the black community in the fight against racism and injustice.
On June 2, we used the power of our platform to support black creators, amplify their voices, and accelerate meaningful conversation and long-needed change. We are committed to supporting our employees, friends, partners, artists and creators in the fight against racism, injustice and inequity. Over this year and into the next, our support will continue to evolve, and we hope that our initial steps and actions will help move the conversations forward, promote a deeper alliance, and bring about positive and lasting change.
Explained how to customize and share your Spotify profile and playlists.
You already know that the music and podcasts you listen to are an incredible reflection of your interests and tastes. But did you know that you can customize your Spotify profile accordingly? Whether you stream from your computer or mobile, now you can update everything from your photo to your username and create a personalized music page of your own. Speaking of personalization, we’ve also enabled the ability to upload personalized covers and descriptions to your in-house playlists using your phone, just in time for gifting season.
I packed everything.
This year’s wrapped was unlike any other. Along with our name the most listened to artists, songs, albums and podcasts of the year, we also unveiled 6 new products in the 2020 Wrapped user experience, as well as 3 tips and tricks giving listeners new ways to hear and share their results. We even announced what children and families listened to on the Spotify Kids app. Finally, we gave Spotify: for the record podcast fans a behind the scenes listen to the conversation where Bad Bunny learned he was the year’s most broadcast artist.
2020 presented unique challenges, but through it all, Spotify was a source of entertainment, comfort, education, and community – and For memory was there to document it. We can’t wait to see what 2021 brings.
Want more behind-the-scenes moments and stories? Follow the Spotify: for the record Podcast.
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