Tag Archives: spotify

Spotify Is Celebrating Its 20th Anniversary at SXSW With a Star-Studded Showcase

Two decades after changing the way the world listens to music, Spotify is kicking off its 20th anniversary celebration at one of the music industry’s most iconic events: SXSW in Austin, Texas.

The streaming giant announced this week that it will mark the milestone with “Spotify 20: Live at Stubb’s,” an official SXSW concert scheduled for March 14 at Stubb’s Amphitheater. The showcase will feature a lineup designed to celebrate the past, present, and future of music, pairing legendary artists with rising voices shaping the next generation of sound.

A lineup spanning decades of music

Leading the celebration is Alanis Morissette, the seven-time Grammy winner whose groundbreaking 1995 album Jagged Little Pill helped define alternative rock in the ’90s. Songs like “Ironic,” which has amassed hundreds of millions of streams on Spotify, continue to connect with listeners across generations.

She’ll be joined by country star Ella Langley, one of the genre’s fastest-rising artists, while St. Vincent (Annie Clark) is slated to perform a special DJ set. The combination of artists reflects the theme of the event: honoring the music that shaped the last 20 years while spotlighting the sounds that will define the next era.

The concert will be open to SXSW Platinum and Music badge holders, making it one of the festival’s marquee industry events.

Why SXSW matters to Spotify

SXSW has long been part of Spotify’s story. The company’s co-founder Daniel Ek first introduced the platform to many industry insiders during a keynote at the festival in 2010, more than a year before Spotify officially launched in the United States.

Since then, SXSW has remained a hub for the intersection of music, technology, and culture, making it a fitting place for Spotify to celebrate two decades of innovation in music discovery and streaming.

Conversations and creator programming

Spotify’s presence at SXSW will go beyond just the concert.

The company is also hosting several conversations featuring major artists and executives, including a discussion between Spotify Chief Public Affairs Officer Dustee Jenkins and pop star Nick Jonas about longevity and creativity in the music industry.

Additionally, Spotify co-CEO Gustav Söderström will participate in a panel with country superstar Lainey Wilson and podcast host David Friedberg, exploring the evolving relationship between artists, technology, and audiences.

Supporting artists behind the scenes

Spotify will also offer something a little quieter during the chaos of SXSW: a “Heart & Soul” wellness space in the SXSW Artist Lounge created with nonprofit Backline. The space will provide a place for artists and managers to decompress and access mental health resources during the busy festival week.

A milestone moment for streaming

Founded in 2006, Spotify originally launched with a mission to combat music piracy by creating a legal and accessible way for fans to discover and stream music. Today, it’s one of the world’s largest music platforms and a central part of how artists connect with listeners around the globe.

And fittingly, its 20th birthday celebration is happening in a place built for discovery.

If SXSW has always been about finding the next big thing, Spotify’s anniversary showcase is a reminder of how far the music industry, and the way we experience it, has come over the last two decades.

Spotify and Uber Partnership Announcement Coming Soon

BY TER STAFF

According to reports by the New York Times, the mobile phone application Uber (which allows private drivers to offer taxi-like services to users) is expected to announce a partnership with the music streaming application and website Spotify. This will not just be a business transaction partnership that doesn’t affect customers’ experiences, as the deal will allow customers to play their own Spotify playlist during their Uber drive.

Continue reading Spotify and Uber Partnership Announcement Coming Soon

Hate It or Love It | Taylor Swift’s Decision To Pull Her Music Off Spotify

BY DAN GARCIA / HOPE GARTNER

Hate It or Love It

For our Hate It or Love It series we take a current hot topic in music news that polarizes reasonable minds in the music and entertainment world, and we have one of our writers advocate for one side of the argument and have another one of our writers advocate for the other side (trying our best to always stay fair and balanced). One of the biggest topics in music news this past month is Taylor Swift’s decision to pull her music off the popular streaming service Spotify.  While Swift issued an op-ed piece in The Wall Street Journal stating “Music is art” that should be paid for, Spotify’s CEO agreed, but noted that they have paid artists over $2 billion dollars in royalties.

Continue reading Hate It or Love It | Taylor Swift’s Decision To Pull Her Music Off Spotify