Barbecue the Music: Playlisting USA’s Independence Day - a podcast by Chartmetric: Music Analytics for the New Music Business

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  Highlights  
  • Spotify and Apple Music are grilling up your soundtrack to one of America’s biggest holidays. So, what tracks are sparking the fireworks?
  
  


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  Mission   
  • Good morning, it’s Rutger here at Chartmetric with your 3-minute Data Dump where we upload charts, artists and playlists into your brain so you can stay up on the latest in the music data world.
  
  


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  Date
  • This is your Data Dump for Wednesday, July 3rd, 2019.
  
  


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  Barbecue the Music: Playlisting USA’s Independence Day
  
  
  • With their own Fourth of July playlists soundtracking barbecues across America, who have Apple Music and Spotify tapped to celebrate USA’s independence from Great Britain?
  
  
  • On Apple Music’s 16-song Pop for the Fourth playlist, Rihanna’s “American Oxygen,” first released four years ago, is the latest add.
  
  
  • Tom Petty’s “American Girl,” first released some 43 years ago, is the next most recent add, followed by Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the USA,” released 10 years ago now.
  
  
  • Noticing a pattern here?
  
  
  • Well, besides the not-so-subtle American themes, it’s a great platform for boosting those catalog numbers.
    • Apple Music’s Pop for the Fourth playlist has five of 16 tracks at a 50-59 valence range, but seven at a 70-79 energy range. 
    
    
  
  
  • Apple Music’s 25-song Independence Day: Hip-Hop playlist follows suit, at least with the catalog trend.
  
  
  • E-40’s “Function (featuring YG, Iamsu!, and Problem),” Raekwon’s “Soundboy Kill It (featuring Melanie Fiona and Assassin),” and Fat Joe’s “Another Day (featuring Rick Ross, French Montana, and Tiara Thomas)” comprise the most recent adds there.
  
  
  • All of those songs were released four and five years ago, but most noteworthy here are thematics.
  
  
  • This playlist is less about holding the banner for American exceptionalism and more about championing an independent, and even rebellious, spirit.
    • Apple Music’s Independence Day: Hip-Hop playlist has nine of 25 tracks at a 30-39 valence range, but seven out of 25 at a 60-69 energy range.
    
    
  
  
  • Spotify has consolidated a little of everything into a single 103-song Independence Day playlist.
  
  
  • The latest three adds include Martha Reeves and the Vandellas’ “Dancing in the Street,” which was first released in 1964 ...
  
  
  • Joey and Rory’s “This Song’s for You (featuring Zac Brown Band),” released nine years ago …
  
  
  • And Simon and Garfunkel’s “America,” released in 1968.
  
  
  • Talk about eclectic, with both catalog classics and country anthems mixed in with blues-rock, folk, and even the occasional Top 40 hit. 
  
  
  • Perhaps an attempt at a playlist snapshot of the American musical identity?
    
    
    • Whatever the case, Spotify’s Independence Day playlist has 16 of 103 tracks at a 30-39 valence range, but the distribution is noticeably more equalized than with Apple Music.
    
    
    • The most tracks, at 23, are featured in the 90-99 energy range.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • So, if you’re looking for high energy with a wide spread of moods, go Spotify, but if you’re looking for moderate energy and mood go Apple pop, and if you’re feeling extra independent, go Apple hip-hop -- at least just for your Fourth of July vibe.
  
  
  
  

Outro

• That’s it for your Daily Data Dump for Wednesday, July 3rd, 2019. This is Rutger from Chartmetric.


• Free accounts are at chartmetric.com
  


• And article links and show notes are at: podcast.chartmetric.com
  


• We’ll be off air for the holiday weekend, so happy Wednesday, happy Fourth of July, and we’ll see you on Monday!

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