Spotify has big plans to celebrate the anniversary of K-Pop ON!, its flagship global K-pop playlist designed to help listeners discover and enjoy the best of the genre. The celebration will see the launch of a special series of Spotify Singles. The artists behind these singles are ENHYPEN, SHOWNU X HYUNGWON (of MONSTA X), and STAYC, centered around the theme of “My First K-Pop Crush.”
These singles will include covers of songs by their sunbaes (senior artists) that first ignited their passion for K-pop. In that sense, these singles aren’t just a tribute to fans’ and artists’ journeys into the genre. They’re also an invitation for K-pop stans worldwide to celebrate the artists who pioneered it.
The Spotify Singles for the K-Pop ON! First Crush campaign are set to be released exclusively on Spotify every two weeks, starting with ENHYPEN’s single on February 16. This will be followed by SHOWNU X HYUNGWON’s single on February 29, and STAYC’s release on March 15. Here’s what one of the High Up Entertainment girl group’s members has said about their track.
isa’s spoilers for stayc’s spotify singles cover:
1. a new concept that stayc hasn't tried before
2. a song that she listened to a lot in 2019 when she was a trainee?
3. a new arrangement
4. has choreographypic.twitter.com/nLIsFSU2UA— iconicstayc (@iconicstayc) February 11, 2024
Spotify to offer ‘exclusive bonus content’
In addition to the music, Spotify is offering a series of exclusive bonus content on its K-Pop ON! Video Podcast and YouTube channels. This content will range from performance videos to behind-the-scenes looks. Each piece of content will allow fans to delve into the stories of the artists’ first K-pop crushes. ENHYPEN, SHOWNU X HYUNGWON, and STAYC will discuss their song choices. They’ll also reveal how their sunbaes inspired their own journeys in K-pop.
Jungjoo Park, Korea Head of Music at Spotify, expressed excitement about the campaign, stating, “Beyond the celebration of our commitment to helping K-pop travel the globe and connecting Korean artists with fans and new audiences, Spotify’s K-Pop ON! First Crush campaign is also a powerful expression of how K-pop touches lives, spreads positivity, and unites listeners regardless of where they are from or the language they speak.”
The initiative is part of Spotify’s ongoing efforts to drive discovery and bring K-pop to its global audience. Since its launch in 2014, the K-Pop ON! playlist has been “saved” by over 5.3 million Spotify users worldwide and has generated billions of streams for Korean artists, significantly expanding the genre’s reach beyond regional boundaries, languages, and cultures. The number of yearly streams from the playlist has seen a staggering 5647 percent increase globally since 2015. – K-Pop News Writer
Featured Image: We can’t wait to hear these songs! Source: Spotify Newsroom.