This year in numbers has shown that dance music has the ability to meet any moment.
A new data-driven blog post by Spotify takes us behind the scenes to showcase the dance music boom happening online, despite uncertainties posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
There seems to be a new sense of optimism in the air, especially with vaccines in distribution, that life will once again return to normal. January seemed to mark the start of a meteoric trend, as 80,000 Spotify playlists have since been created worldwide with “dance” included in the title. In some areas like the UK, the trend towards dance streaming is accelerating, with a 26% increase in playlists containing “kitchen rave” in the title having been created in the last 90 days alone.
Familiar faces are leading the way, with Calvin Harris and David Guetta taking the top two slots as dance music’s top streamed artists year-to-date. Digital Farm Animals, Anne-Marie, and KSI have claimed 2021’s most streamed dance track so far, “Don’t Play.” Tiësto’s “The Business” and Meduza’s “Paradise” with Dermot Kennedy follow close behind.
“Whilst we all eagerly await doors re-opening, it has been amazing to see the interest in the genre across the platform with both new and loyal fans turning to tracks to lift their mood, mark the arrival of the weekend, and relive dancefloor moments,” Spotify’s Dance Music Editor Christie Driver-Snell stated. “With festivals and live events set to start taking place this year, excitement is at its peak. We are seeing this reflected on the platform, with dance having an incredible year on Spotify.’’
You can read Spotify’s blog post here.