We hope everyone had a lovely holiday and enjoyable start to the new year. It’s 2022 and the Spotify Newsletter rolls on. Our first week back and there’s news to be noted for the Friday rundown. Nothing earth-shaking, but no less interesting to what’s happening with the audio giant.

★In the SPOTlight★

⭐️ Spotify introduces a new ad format for podcasts that puts clickable cards inside shows

The feature, which is powered by Spotify’s streaming ad insertion technology, will display a visual ad in the Spotify app when the audio ad begins to play. The cards can be customized by advertisers with their own images, text and other clickable buttons that direct listeners to “shop now” or take some other action the advertiser is hoping to encourage.

⭐️ A Few Predictions — and Questions — For Hollywood in the New Year

Spotify will have a new favorite buzzword: creator.

⭐️ Spotify Celebrates 20 Years of Harry Potter With Fan-Streaming Insights

To celebrate the beloved series and the fans who have kept the boy wizard’s story alive, Spotify peeked into Dumbledore’s pensieve to gather streaming data on all things Harry Potter.

⭐️ 4 strategies for digital growth from Spotify’s CFO

Spotify has 400 million users, and its goal is to get to a billion. Here’s how the music streaming service — and other digital businesses — can expand.

🗣Podcast Action🗣

Spotify’s Next Original Profiles Fandom Touchstones Like “Twilight” And “To Pimp A Butterfly”

🎧The Playlist List🎧

Metallica’s Music Streamed Over 1.3 Billion Times On Spotify In 2021

Who’s the Number 1 Artist on Spotify? It’s Complicated

Armin van Buuren Curates Spotify Playlist With His Favorite Trance Anthems of All-Time

🖌Design Notes🖌

Spotify Office Tour: Paris, France

🔥Even More Hot News Links🔥

As Spotify continues fight to lower songwriter pay, its top lawyer, Horacio Gutierrez, exits for Disney

Dave Grohl’s 2021 Hanukkah Covers Now Available On Spotify, Apple Music And Other Streaming Platforms

What is a private session on Spotify?

Is Cathie Wood Wrong About Spotify?

🎵New Adventures in Spotify🎵

Talking Loud And Clear Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark

New Amsterdam Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Put the Message In the Box World Party

You Can't Put Your Arms Round a Memory Johnny Thunders

Queen Of Hearts Gregg Allman

Hold Me in Your Arms The Black Keys

Disturbance At The Heron House - Remastered R.E.M.

HAVE A NICE WEEKEND!!! 😀