Hello and thanks for checking out issue #117 of the Spotify Newsletter!

It’s old news already, but I shall take a moment to comment on the predictable about-face of Crosby, Stills and Nash — now that their music can be streamed on Spotify once again, five months after the trio requested their labels remove their recordings in support of Neil Young‘s decision to leave the streaming service.

Ha! The big boycott lasted a whopping 5 months. It’s clear that the trio, or in some cases the companies that own the publishing rights, realized the whole thing is/was a joke, and it’s far better to keep the music accessible to millions of Spotify listeners.

They were foolish to link up with Neil Young’s asinine boycott, and now they’ve decided to come down from their perch and grace us with the pleasure of streaming their music on Spotify.

If Joni Mitchell were smart she’d be lined up right behind them.

All of these artists-gone-totally-mental could have ranted and raved about whatever the hell they were annoyed about and still let people listen to their stupid music on Spotify at the same time.

But no. They had take their (musical) ball and go home.

They hunkered down for the cause for all of 5 months. I think I’ll cue up Deja Vu while I finish typing this!

I love the music of all parties involved and delighted to be able to stream the music again - sans Young who is keeping up his ridiculous fight. He’ll be back. I just feel it. But this whole ordeal was a huge waste of time for all involved.

And on the Spotify / Barcelona FC partnership…. As a longtime Arsenal supporter, I am not about to shift loyalties over to the Catalan Giants, but now that Spotify is involved there might be a Barcelona/Spotify t-shirt (or two) in my future. :)

Onward and upward!

★In the SPOTlight★

🔥 Barcelona's ground is officially renamed the 'Spotify Camp Nou' as music streaming service teams up with Catalan giants

Barça and Spotify kick off strategic partnership that will unite music and sport.

Spotify will sponsor the club's senior and youth shirts as part of the arrangement

The Camp Nou site will also become an entertainment hub for the city of Barcelona, containing facilities to help boost the music and podcast scene in the capital of Catalonia.

Spotify will also be a key presence in making audiovisual content around the club's training sessions, to be published on Barcelona's social networks.

🔥 Crosby, Stills & Nash rejoin Spotify after 5-month protest of Joe Rogan

Crosby, Stills & Nash are back on Spotify in an apparent end to the classic rockers’ five-month protest of controversial podcaster Joe Rogan. The folk rockers, who pulled their library of songs off of the streaming platform in solidarity with ex-band member Neil Young, are reportedly planning to donate their earnings from streams to charities aiding those infected with COVID-19, according to Billboard.

🔥 Spotify Is Developing AI Tools To Hook Users On Music Creation

One tool will let you tweak a song’s rhythm or melody. Another can take the harmony of a pop song from, say, Justin Bieber or Drake and combine it with the melody and rhythm of a fugue by Schubert or Bach, if that’s your thing.

“You’ll be able to try all sorts of combinations,” says Francois Pachet, director of AI research and development at Spotify. “And it’s really fun.”

🔥 The surprising reason that Spotify Pre-Save Campaigns are so important

Asking fans to pre-save your music on Spotify is a popular promotional strategy, but what do these campaigns really accomplish?

🔥 Spotify launches ‘A1: The Show’ to provide a voice for Australian hip-hop

Spotify is putting its considerable muscle into a new platform for unearthing new, homegrown hip-hop acts.

🗣 Podcast Action 🗣

Spotify is testing in-app podcast creation tools

🎧 The Playlist List 🎧

Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” Enters Multiple Spotify ‘Top 50’ Charts Due to Stranger Things Finale

There's A Spotify Playlist Inspired By Love Island's Ekin-Su

Official PlayStation Plus Spotify Playlist Celebrates Monthly Game Music

🖌 Design Notes 🖌

Spotify Uses Visuals, Emotions, And AI To Create A Personalized Listening Experience

💰 Spotify Stock 💰

Why Wall Street Has Been Hesitant About Spotify

💡 Tips & Tricks 💡

Receiptify: How to create your own Spotify receipt of your favourite songs

How to organise your Spotify playlists better

Icebergify: How to Create an 'Iceberg' of Your Favorite Spotify Artists

🔥 Hot News Links 🔥

How Anitta megafans gamed Spotify to help create Brazil’s first global chart-topper

Alaysia Sierra Joins Spotify as Head of R&B

This Spotify playlist doubles as a recipe for kimchi fried rice

Eminem earns his fourth song in Spotify's 1 billion streams club

Simi named Spotify EQUAL Africa artiste for July

Proton X50, Persona, Iriz to get on-board Spotify music streaming app support with the ACO Tech Atlas OS

Asake, Drake, Wizkid, make top artistes on Spotify Nigeria chart

Spotify tries to solve its Gen Z podcasting problem

🎵 New Adventures/Spotify 🎵

Ventura Highway America, George Martin

Holding On To You Sananda Maitreya

If I Follow My Mind Jimmy Cliff

The Amorous Humphrey Plugg Scott Walker

Talking Loud And Clear Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark

Dixie Lily Elton John

Hey Jack Kerouac 10,000 Maniacs

Wishing Well Free

📧 Get in touch 📧

If you have a question, idea, request, or simply a desire to chat about Spotify, please email me at jeff.spotifynewsletter@gmail.com.

😀 Have a Nice Weekend! 😀