News May 24, 2016

Spotify Australia releases local insights

PRESS RELEASE:

Spotify, Australia’s leading music streaming service,this week celebrates its fourth birthday in Australia, with the release of new insights revealing just what the nation has been listening to since Spotify’s launch.

A Nation of Music Streamers:

Since May 2012, Aussies have streameda whopping 1,626 lifetimes^{^[2]}worth of music – the equivalent time it would take for a person tocircumnavigate the country on foot, 400,000times^{^[3]}.Every dayalone,1.8 lifetimes worth of musicis streamed across the country.

Putting this into context: last month, the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) announcedlocal music revenue growth was up 5% in 2015– the first upwards trend the industry has experienced since 2012 – much of which has been attributed to the uptake of streaming.

Australia’s Most Streamed Artists:

We’re all Beliebers.While Ed Sheeran ruled our airwaves in 2015, the release of Justin Bieber’s chart topping albumPurposehas seen him take the crown asAustralia’s Most Streamed Artist. Incredibly,four of Bieber’s tracks appear in Australia’s Top Ten Streamed TracksincludingWhat Do You Mean,Sorry,Love YourselfandWhere Are Ü Now.

Local heroes: Sia, Hilltop HoodsandFlumedominate.Sia topped the list asAustralia’s Most Streamed Aussie Artist, closely followed by hip hop trioHilltop Hoodswho charged up the list thanks to the release of their 2016 album,Drinking From The Sun, Walking Under Stars Restrung.Flumetook out third place, but remains unchallenged with his self-titled 2012 album retaining the crown asAustralia’s Most Streamed Aussie Album.

Troye SivanandThe Rubens make their debut.This year, newcomer Troye Sivan debuted at#11in the list ofAustralia’s Most Streamed Aussie Artists, just pipping international sensation Iggy Azalea to the post. Local rockers The Rubens also made the cut, coming in at#16.

Fleetwood Mac is “Everywhere”.Topping the list asAustralia’s Most Streamed “Legacy” Artist(artists who rose to fame in the 60s, 70s or 80s)is Fleetwood Mac (in a landslide victory). They were followed by David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Bob Marley & The Wailers and INXS.

Kate Vale, Managing Director of Spotify Australia and New Zealand said,“Spotify Australia’s fourth birthday feels particularly special this year, with recent news from ARIA confirming local music revenue growth is up for the first time in three years. It’s a huge win for the industry and local artists alike. As we enter our fifth year in Australia, we’re more committed than ever to seeing the Australian music industry grow.”

Most “Eclectic” Music Tastes

This year, Spotify also reveals which regions have the most eclectic music taste (based on number of genres streamed within a particular area).

It’s official: Melbournehas themost eclectic music taste of all.Melbournites listened to a total of 751 different genres, just beating Sydney (714 genres), Brisbane (692 genres), Perth (653 genres) and Adelaide (499 genres).

The new ‘hipster suburbs’?Ashfield in Sydney’s Inner West and Glen Iris in south-east Melbourne are Australia’s most eclectic ‘burbs, listening to a total of 354 genres and 325 genres respectively.

Australia’s “Proudest” Areas

Spotify also reveals the “Proudest” Aussie regions – those with the highest streams of gay pride-inspired playlists.

Congratulations Brisbane, Australia’s “Proudest” city:Move aside Oxford Street, Brisbane had the highest streams of pride playlists, followed by Sydney and Perth. In a surprise twist, Melbourne came in at #4.

Australia’s “Proudest” suburbs:North Melbourne, Richmond and Mulgrave are Melbourne’s proudest suburbs (by music taste), while Ryde, Bexley and Eastwood lead the charge in Sydney. Rocklea, Sunnybank and Newstead topped Brisbane’s list, while Elizabeth and Northgate were top in Adelaide. Scarborough, Leeming and Rockingham streamed the most pride playlists in Perth.

Australia’s “Proudest” regionals:Topping the list of proudest regional cities was the Gold Coast, followed by Cairns, Tweed Heads and Geelong, while Penguin in TAS, Peachester in QLD and Carters Ridge in QLD were Australia’s proudest regional towns.

Baby, we were Born This Way:Lady Gaga’sBorn This Waycame out tops as our most popular pride anthem. It was the most commonly found track across the pride-themed playlists analysed.

One of a Kind: The Most Distinctive Musical Trends in Australia

Spotify has also surfaced the artists that are mostuniqueto particular areas of the country in relative terms (i.e. are disproportionately common to that area only).

NSW and VIC keep things local.NSW and VIC are most likely to throw their support behind the local music scene, with Aussie up-and-comersBanoffee,Masketta FallandGeorge Mapleall topping theMost Distinctive Artistslist.

SA loves pop-punk and QLD listens to country.Pop-punk rockersThe Story So FarandNeck Deepwere streamed at an unusually high rate in SA, while country startsKenny ChesneyandSlim Dustyproved to be disproportionately popular in QLD.

Legacy Artists:Aussie rockersAC/DCare most loved byWAwhereasVICstream the mostThe BeatlesandShannon Noll over any other state per capita.

Spotify recently celebrated its fourth birthday bash with 400 VIP industry guests at the National Art School in Darlinghurst. Up-and-coming dance producer, Golden Features, headlined, with additional sets from DJ Levins, and Flex Miami.

AUSTRALIA’S TOP STREAMED ARTISTS OF ALL TIME

1.Justin Bieber

2.Ed Sheeran

3.One Direction

4.Eminem

5.Drake

6.Coldplay

7.The Weeknd

8.Calvin Harris

9.Rihanna

10.Kanye West

AUSTRALIA’S TOP STREAMED AUSSIE ARTISTS OF ALL TIME