Spotify got a big boost from an unexpected audience this year

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While the streaming platform looks back on the biggest trends of 2020, one thing is for sure: people play tons of video games.

People streamed 55% more music from their game consoles this year compared to last year, Spotify told CNN Business.

“This year was different [any] Before and when people began to take social distance, users were looking for ways to virtually connect with each other, “said Shanon Cook, Spotify’s head of global culture and trends. Gaming seemed to be something that provided that sense of connectivity while also spending time at home. “

It’s no surprise that streaming is on the rise across the board, but Spotify told CNN Business that there were some unexpected trends this year.

Gamers tuned in early. Music streamed on game consoles between 6am and 9am was up 47% from last year. Their favorite genre? Mostly rap and trap music. Top songs streamed on game consoles included Roddy Ricch’s “The Box”, Lil Mosey’s “Blueberry Faygo”, rapper Travis Scott’s “Goosebumps”, DaBaby’s “ROCKSTAR” feat. Roddy Ricch and “Falling” by Trevor Daniel.

Spotify traffic for Travis Scott, who has deals with McDonalds, PlayStation and Fortnite, skyrocketed after performing a virtual concert in Fortnite. The streaming platform noted that streams worldwide were up 207% between April 26 and April 30 compared to the same period last year.
People were actually looking for video game music. The most popular video game soundtracks this year were from “Minecraft,” the original “Doom,” and “Death Stranding.”

2020 was also a big year for virtual artists – musicians represented by fictional personas, such as the band Gorillaz. Japanese virtual singer Hatsune Miku saw streams soar 136% this year.

In 2018, Riot Games, which makes the popular game “League of Legends,” invented a virtual pop star group called K / DA. Their name is a nod to common League of Legends lingo: the kills, kills and assists players earn in every game that are noted on the leaderboard. This year, Riot brought the group back, voiced by real singers, with a new album, whose songs topped the charts. Streams are up 109% on Spotify this year.

Riot said K / DA’s invention has helped it reach a wider audience than League gamers and get more people interested in the game’s content, it told CNN Business in a statement.

Cook said gaming and music go hand in hand as gamers tend to listen while they play.

Spotify continues to look into partnerships with gaming companies. Recently, Spotify partnered with League of Legends and continues to work with Microsoft and Sony on the Xbox and PlayStation platforms.

As the number of streams on game consoles grows, Spotify has added to its curated playlists, “by thinking about how and what people want to listen to while playing,” Cook said.

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