Spotify announces Hozier as the Spotlight Breakout Star of 2014

10 December 2014 - Press release

Reveals Spotlight Artists for 2015

Spotify’s annual list of future stars includes Coasts, James Bay and Raury

Spotify today announces that Irish singer-songwriter Hozier is Spotify’s Spotlight Breakout Star of 2014, as it unveils its annual list of future Spotlight stars for 2015. The Spotlight on 2015 list for the UK includes up-and-coming artists such as Coasts, James Bay, Ibeyi and Raury, all of which Spotify is tipping for greatness over the coming year.

Hozier was first nominated as a Spotlight artist in late 2013, and has been championed by Spotify ever since, which has contributed to his phenomenal success this year. Hozier’s Take Me To Church has now spent more than 48 weeks in Spotify’s viral chart, making it the Most Viral Track of the Year in Spotify’s Year in Music, and is currently number 1 in Spotify’s global chart. (See below for an in-depth Hozier case study)

Spotlight on 2015 has been compiled with the help of both Spotify’s in-house music experts and key data insights including Spotify’s Viral Charts to help predict which new artists will have the biggest impact in the coming year. The list includes artists in multiple genres from around the world, from hip-hop to folk to indie pop. Previous Spotlight artists include many who have graduated to become incredibly popular global acts including Jungle, Banks, FKA Twigs and Vance Joy.

Spotlight on 2015 artists:

• Coasts

• James Bay

• Ibeyi

• SOAK

• Becky Hill

• All We Are

• Raury

• Juce

• Laura Doggett

• Nothing But Thieves

• Seinabo Sey

• Lapsley

Kevin Brown, Spotify’s head of label relations for Europe, commented: "Spotlight is one of the ways in which Spotify can identify and highlight new and breaking artists, promote them and help build their careers. We have created successful campaigns for some of the music industry's most talented newcomers and built audiences for them amongst our 50 million-plus dedicated music fans.

“It’s been a delight to see the wonderful Hozier break through from our Spotlight programme in 2014 and hit the peak of our global chart. We look forward to 2015’s Spotlight artists finding similar success and new fans on Spotify in the months ahead." 

Spotify champions new musical talent through its ‘Spotlight’ playlists, found within ‘browse’ on Spotify, helping to get music fans closer to some of the most exciting talent around with exclusive content. Spotify also supports many of its Spotlight artists by hosting them for live sessions and one-on-one interviews.

You can listen to the Spotlight on 2015 playlist here.

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 Hozier on Spotify: A case study

Irish singer-songwriter Andrew Hozier-Byrne – better known to music fans as Hozier – has today been announced as Spotify’s Spotlight Breakout Star of 2014. Hozier was first identified as a Spotlight star of the future in late 2013. Spotify added Take Me To Church to the Spotlight on New Music playlist in September 2013, and from that point on used the many tools as its disposal - including in-client promotion and playlisting - to promote Hozier and Take Me To Church to music fans across the world. As a result, the single has now reached the number 1 position on Spotify’s global chart, as well as finding global success on other platforms, including the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, where Take Me To Church is currently at #3, and last week was nominated for a Grammy in the Song of the Year category.

Hozier on Spotify:

• Spotify supported Hozier and his lead single Take Me To Church since late 2013 when he was announced as a Spotlight artist for 2014

• Take Me To Church was added to the Spotlight on New Music Playlist in September 2013

• In March 2014 Hozier played a session at the Spotify House at SXSW

• Take Me To Church was announced last week as the Most Viral Track of 2014, now spending 48 weeks in the Viral Chart

• Take Me To Church is currently number 1 in Spotify’s global chart

• Hozier now has more than 150 million streams on Spotify from more than 10 million unique listeners

• Hozier’s success was documented by Spotify with a billboard on Sunset Boulevard last wee

Hozier commented:

“I was thrilled to hear the news about a global no.1 on the Spotify charts this week. Spotify have shown their support for my music from very early on in my career. 

“Starting out as an unknown, one of the biggest challenges any artist faces is finding a way to get music to listeners and potential fans in a meaningful way.

“There's so much incredible music being made out there, the hard part is many audiences don't have an opportunity to discover and be exposed to that music through traditional channels.

“Without that discovery, there can be little growth in fan base, and to many musicians, those listeners can seem unobtainable and the industry impenetrable. Spotify's service has been an invaluable platform for my music being discovered, enjoyed and shared.

“It's been a big part of the success of my music this past year and I'm very grateful to them for that support.''

 

Caroline Downey, Hozier’s manager commented:

“Spotify have been huge supporters of Hozier and his music from the very early days at SxSW and have been instrumental in his huge success in the US and following onto the global stage.

“We are very grateful for their support and all the support they provide for young up and coming artist who need this type of platform to get their music out to a wider audience.”

Niall Muckian, Managing Director, Rubyworks:

“We’re delighted Hozier has been recognised as a Spotify Spotlight star.

“Spotify has facilitated the song Take Me To Church going viral. It’s allowed the story to be driven by the fans sharing the music all over the world.

“It was also the perfect partner to reflect the Hozier phenomenon to the rest of the industry.”