No matter who are you, there are probably days when you could all use a little extra help getting from nine to five. (Or, more realistically, nine to six, seven, or even eight.)
If you’re like me, coffee and music fuel your mornings. But when—dare I say—the coffee is all gone, music is all you’ve got.
Whether you need to focus, get pumped up, or wind down, the right playlist at the right time has the ability to transform your day from dull to dope (and occasionally make up for that lack of caffeine). In addition, quality songs also have the power to reduce stress, help you connect with the moment, and give you all the feels.
So if you’re looking for the perfect tunes to carry you from the morning commute to happy hour, check out these 10 awesome playlists.
1. When You Need Inspiration on Your Commute That’ll Help You Completely Dominate Your Day
AM Commute
2. When You First Get to Your Desk and Need to Block Any Potential for Human Interaction Until After Your First Coffee
Morning Coffee
3. When You Need to Focus and Find Your Zen
Brain Food
4. When You Need to Get Pumped Up for a Big Meeting
Walk In Like You Own the Place
5. When You Hit Your Post Lunch Energy Slump and Need a Boost
Afternoon Energy Boost
6. When You Just Can’t With Being an Adult and Want to Re-visit the Days of Full House and Saved by the Bell
All Out 90’s
7. When You Can’t Stop Thinking About Your Office Crush
All the Feels
8. When You Love Your Job and Want to Celebrate It
Warm Hearts Feel Good
9. When You Hate Your Job and Need Some Motivation to Keep Going
I Hate My Job
10. When You’re Going Home and Need to Get the Office Off Your Mind
End of Day Uplift
Photo of guy on phone courtesy of Shutterstock.
USA June 4 2018
Streaming music services such as Spotify offer interesting new avenues for engaging consumer audiences. In addition to the ability to purchase audio and video ad spots on the service, brands can also sponsor Spotify's owned and operated playlists or create their own curated playlists on their brand pages.
However, before putting up that playlist of summer jams, could featuring an artist's tunes in your brand's playlist without permission from the artist trigger copyright, right of publicity or trademark concerns? Although risk must always be assessed on a case-by-case basis, here are some helpful guidelines that Spotify recommends in its updated Brand Playlist terms to avoid implying endorsements:
- Put at least 20 tracks on your playlist. In order to avoid implying an endorsement by any specific artist, the more tracks you have, the better.
- No single artist should appear more than once on any playlist. Again, if an artist is featured more often or more prominently than others, this could imply the artist’s endorsement of your brand.
- Avoid using artists that you have reason to think would be opposed to your brand. For instance, a brand may want to avoid featuring tracks from an artist who is a spokesperson for a competing brand or known to have a moral opposition to your brand or its industry.
- Playlists should be editorial in nature (as opposed to resembling a commercial for the product). Spotify suggests that just like other users, a brand should “show the world what kind of music your brand likes to listen to while partying, driving, or enjoying a cup of coffee.”
- If you already have an artist who is a spokesperson or influencer for your brand, this may be a good opportunity to showcase that artist and promote their relationship to your brand.
{ Spotify allows companies to sponsor its curated flagship playlists, or brand accounts can create “branded playlists” that evoke a brand's message.
//www.billboard.com/articles/business/8344267/branded-playlists-spotify-artists-permission-compensation
It seems like there’s a Spotify playlist for just about everything – road trips, holiday parties, taking a bubble bath, ordering promotional products. So it only makes sense for your restaurant, store, boutique, or even insurance company to have a Spotify playlist of your own.
Branded playlists are absolutely genius marketing. They are easy, free engagement, and since music is fun and personal, you’re also creating positive association with who you are and what you do at the same time. Not bad, right? … especially when you think about the fact that Spotify is 100% free!
You can learn a thing or two from the best brands on Spotify. These companies are pumpin’ up the jams and winning over the listeners!
1. Kentucky Fried Chicken
KFC France created a playlist called “Bucket Bangers” in 2019. It features hip hop tracks from the likes of Kendrick Lamar, the Beastie Boys, and Run DMC. The most unique aspect of Bucket Bangers is that many of the chosen tracks actually mention KFC at some point in the lyrics! It’s a funny, quirky playlist that completely fits the zany branding for which this chicken restaurant is known.
Give it a listen!
2. Victoria’s Secret
Since 1995, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show has been a huge event for the company. Their “Rock the Runway” playlist oozes with the same confidence as the angels, featuring hits from big pop stars and R&B artists like Miguel, Selena Gomez, The Weeknd, and Taylor Swift.
Give it a listen!
3. American Eagle Outfitters
It looks like American Eagle is good for more than just comfy jeans and sweaters. The company has over 80 unique playlists to its name, with something for every month and for big events like holidays and back-to-school season. 72% of Spotify listeners are millennials, which is the perfect target for American Eagle.
Give it a listen!
4. Gymshark
Pump the iron, and the jams, with any of Gymshark’s unique playlists! This athletic apparel company is aware that most people put in headphones while working out. That’s why they have genre-mixing playlists, all created with the help of personal trainers, lifestyle coaches, athletes, and YouTube fitness personalities.
Give it a listen!
5. Carnival Cruise Lines
Hit the open seas by blasting the “Carnival Cruise Tunes” playlist. You can listen to all the feel-good classics like “Two Tickets to Paradise” by Eddie Money, “One Love” by Bob Marley & The Wailers, and of course, “Surfin’ USA” by The Beach Boys. If this doesn’t make you want a vacation like right now, you must not be human!
Give it a listen!
Tips to Create a Spotify Playlist for Your Business
Put on your DJ hat (so probably a hipster beanie) and get started on creating a playlist. There are a few tips you want to keep in mind while doing so:
- Create a playlist that captures your brand’s identity.
- Your playlist should fit the mood or activities of your target audience.
- Be mindful of having too many inappropriate songs, especially if your brand is kid-friendly.
- Share your playlist on social media, in blog posts, and on your website.
Follow this advice and you’ll be well on your way to getting a playlist that’s not only played on repeat, but also reflects who you are as a company.
Why Should Your Business Have a Spotify Playlist?
Spotify currently has over 200 million active users every month, which means you can reach a ton of ears with your own unique playlist. The best part is it’s at absolutely no cost to you to make one! You just need a Spotify account.
Remember to carefully follow Spotify’s terms of use. The last thing you want is to get in legal trouble or accidentally appear to be endorsing an artist.
Now that’s settled, let’s get started! Here are a few song suggestions for your industry:
Sponsored playlists are different than branded playlists as you’re not creating a playlist from scratch, but rather, sponsoring one of Spotify’s generated playlists, such as “Morning Commute,” “Today’s Top Hits,” and “Discover Weekly.”
If you’re not into the idea of creating your own company playlist, sponsored playlists are a good alternative. Spotify has offered this service since 2016 and many companies like Microsoft and KIA Motors have jumped on the opportunity.
About 45% of Spotify users open the app and listen to music on a daily basis. That’s a ton of potential exposure for your company if you sponsor a playlist that’s always in rotation.
As of 2019, the most popular Spotify playlists include:
- Today’s Top Hits
- Your Favorite Coffeehouse
- Teen Party
- The Sweet Suite
- Acoustic Love
You should definitely consider sponsored playlists on Spotify if it’s within your company’s budget. It’s easy to set up and could mean a ton of newfound interest in your brand, especially if your ad is eye-catching on both the mobile and desktop apps.
Final Thoughts
Music creates powerful associations that people can’t shake once they’ve made them. It’s why so many companies had jingles in the 80s, and why even today, you’ll find music playing in the background of your favorite stores and restaurants.
With all that in mind, it’s smart for you as a company to jump on the Spotify bandwagon. It could be through a branded playlist, sponsored playlist, or a simple ad read. No matter what, Spotify is just another way you can reach the masses (and maybe get a really good dance party going in the process)!
References
Porter, J. (2019, April 29). Spotify is First to 100 Million Paid Subscribers. Retrieved from, //www.theverge.com/2019/4/29/18522297/spotify-100-million-users-apple-music-podcasting-free-users-advertising-voice-speakers
Gilliland, N. (2019, June 25). Why Spotify is Becoming the Place to Be for Brands. Retrieved from, //econsultancy.com/spotify-brands-social-advertising-engagement/
Pusztai, H. (2019, May 13). Why Brands Are Turning to Spotify as the Next Big Social Platform. Retrieved from, //buffer.com/resources/spotify/
Levine, B. (2019, May 14). KFC’s Spotify Playlist Curates Hip Hop Songs that Mention the Brand. Retrieved from, //www.marketingdive.com/news/kfcs-spotify-playlist-curates-hip-hop-songs-that-mention-the-brand/554685/
Cummings, C. (2016, April 17). Infographic: 72% of Spotify Listeners are Millennials. Here’s How They Use the Service. Retrieved from, //www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/infographic-what-marketers-need-know-about-millennials-music-habits-170869/
Host Sorter. (2019, April 29). Spotify Statistics (Revenue, Musicians, Subscribers + More). Retrieved from, //hostsorter.com/spotify-statistics/
Note Burner. Top 10 Popular Playlist on Spotify You Should Know. Retrieved from, //www.noteburner.com/spotify-music-tips/top-10-spotify-playlist.html
Pratskevich, A. How Much Do Spotify Ads Cost? Retrieved from, //blog.adstage.io/2018/04/03/spotify-advertising