Spotify celebrated the anniversary of its global K-Pop flagship playlist, K-Pop ON! , dedicated to giving listeners a platform to discover and tune in to the best from the genre. To commemorate this milestone, the world’s most popular audio streaming platform launched a special series of Spotify Singles as part of “My first K-POP Crush campaign”, headlined by ENHYPEN, SHOWNU X HYUNGWON (of MONSTA X), and STAYC
ENHYPEN, the burgeoning powerhouse of K-pop, kickstarted the series with their rendition of BTS’s “I NEED U“. Their unique take on the beloved track, produced exclusively for Spotify, was the first of three Spotify-exclusive covers by this stellar line-up of K-Pop artists, each paying homage to the sunbaes (senior artists) who ignited their passion for the genre.
“This Spotify K-Pop ON! Single means so much to us. In addition to bringing ENGENEs (our fans) a new track, this was our chance to tell the stories of our beginnings with K-Pop through a song loved by the members,” said ENHYPEN. “We’ve always appreciated Spotify’s support for our music, so it’s an honor to be a part of its K-Pop ON! Anniversary celebrations. We hope listeners enjoy our rendition of “I NEED U”, and we can’t wait to hear their First K-Pop Crush stories too!”
Following suit, SHOWNU X HYUNGWON of MONSTA X delivered a heartfelt tribute to the legendary 2PM with their cover of “I Hate You”. Infusing UK garage rhythms and R&B-inspired arrangements, the duo’s rendition reflected their admiration for the iconic track and its profound influence on their musical journey.
Rounding off the series, STAYC, the trailblazing pioneers of K-pop, paid homage to TWICE with their rendition of “FANCY”. Adding an R&B twist to the 2019 electro-pop hit, STAYC’s cover captures the essence of the original while showcasing their signature style and innovation.
These Spotify K-Pop ON! Singles are not just a nod to every fan’s journey into the genre, which began with that first K-Pop artist who made their heart flutter with their artistry and flair, but also a call to K-Pop fans around the world to join in the celebration of a shared passion for the genre, and the artists who started it all.
As part of its efforts to drive discovery and bring K-Pop to its global audience, Spotify launched its flagship playlist for the genre in 2014. Since then, K-Pop ON! has been “saved” by over 5.3 million Spotify users worldwide and racked up billions of streams for Korean artists.
The power of the Spotify platform, along with its intentional mindset of driving music discovery, has fueled the massive acceleration of K-Pop streams. Since 2018, K-Pop streams on Spotify have increased by 182% in the United States, 423% in Southeast Asia, and 362% globally.
Listen to “I NEED U – Spotify Singles” by ENHYPEN, “I Hate You (2024) – Spotify Singles” by SHOWNU X HYUNGWON, and “Fancy – Spotify Singles” by STAYC on Spotify’s K-pop ON! (온) playlist today.
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