Image Credit: Spotify

Disney+ are the first U.S. advertiser to sponsor the algorithm driven new music playlist for Spotify Free listeners.

Launched in 2016, Spotify’s Release Radar playlist celebrates its fifth birthday and more than 16 billion streams. Release Radar updates every Friday with music from the last six days Spotify thinks you’ll love. Many tune in each Friday to hear the new music Spotify has picked to suit their individual taste. According to Spotify, Release Radar is in the top-three personalized playlists for listeners around the world, while 18 to 29 year olds represent more than 50% of the playlist’s audience. All personalized playlists including Release Radar can be found under Discover New Music in the Made For You hub.

Advertisers have long been able to sponsor curated playlists. In 2019, Discover Weekly was the first personlized playlist to open to sponsorships. Earlier this year, Spotify opened On Repeat to advertisers. Today, Release Radar becomes the third personalized playlist to join the party. Rather than hearding a random selection of ads displayed and played, Spotify Free listeners will see and hear various adverts from one brand across the whole playlist. Ads are places on the playlist art, as well as audio and video messages played between songs. Spotify Premium members will be unaffected by this change.

Disney+ are the first U.S. launch partner to sponsor Release Radar. The video streaming service are promoting Billie Eilish’s concert film Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles, available on Disney+ now. Brands sponsor the playlist for one week. Sponsorships are open to brands in 31 markets around the world. Those interested can find more on Spotify’s Advertising page.

Spotify shared some of the biggest tracks and artists that have featured on listeners’ radars:

Hot tracks:

Popular artists: