Spotify Unveils 2021 Wrapped ‘K-Pop Hub Edition’

● Spotify announces most-streamed tracks of 'K-Pop Hub' playlists, as part of its flagship end-of-year campaign 'Wrapped'

● Top song from Spotify's top Korean R&B playlist 'TrenChill K-R&B' is "For You" by Lee Hi while "Rosario" by Epik High marks the highest streams in the 'K-HIP-HOP +82' playlist for Korean hip-hop

● Connecting diverse Korean music and artists with listeners around the world

Spotify - the world's most popular audio streaming subscription service - has unveiled the year-end listening data of major playlists within the 'K-Pop Hub,' which connects Korean music and artists with listeners all over the world. Based on the playlist listening data from January 1st, 2021 until November 26th, 2021, the announcement comes as part of Spotify's annual flagship campaign "Wrapped," whereby global music trends and listening habits that have defined the year are revealed.

Since the launch of the 'K-Pop Hub' in 2015, Spotify has been offering a broad collection of Korean music playlists to introduce diverse Korean genres, such as K-pop, OST, R&B, hip-hop, and indie, to its global audience. Some of the key playlists that have grown and become representative playlist brands for Korean genres within the hub include Spotify's flagship playlist 'K-Pop Daebak' with 330 million followers, 'Korean OSTs,' 'TrenChill K-R&B,' 'K-HIP-HOP +82,' and 'In The K-Indie.'

In fact, Spotify considers each of its playlists to be a brand and an important element which exerts cultural leadership within the music industry. The editorial playlists from Spotify go beyond introducing music to lead cultural trends. For instance, 'Today's Top Hits(TTH)', the world's biggest playlist with over 30 million followers as of today, has made its position as representative of what today's music is and influences more than culture. 'Rap Caviar' has become a cultural brand and the center for the global hip-hop culture. Also, 'Lorem' and 'POLLEN' have grown into a mecca for artists who break the rules and boundaries of music genres as well as the definition of music, and in doing so have captivated Generation Z.

According to this year's 'K-Pop Hub' data, the song that was streamed the most in 'K-Pop Daebak' was aespa's "Next Level." As for the 'Korean OSTs' playlist offering popular OST songs from Korea, Red Velvet's "Future," featured in the tvN drama series "Start-up," marked the highest number of streams.

Within the 'TrenChill K-R&B' and 'K-HIP-HOP +82' playlists, "For You" by Lee Hi and Crush, and "Rosario" by Epik High were placed at the top of the lists respectively. As for 'In The K-Indie,' the playlist dedicated to Korean indie tracks, "Wings," a collaboration between "So!YoON!" from the band Se So Neon and Thai artist "Phum Viphurit," was streamed the most.

In the 'Cool K'IDs Rock' playlist for Korean rock genre, "Eight (Prod.&Feat. SUGA of BTS)," a collaborative piece by IU and BTS' SUGA, topped the list. Also, the most popular song from the 'Jazzy Korea' playlist was "Care" by artist Saseon, while Sung Si Kyung's "And we go" took the first place in 'K-Pop Ballad Hits.'

In addition, "MY TREASURE" by TREASURE recorded the highest number of streams in the 'RADAR Korea' playlist, which introduces promising new Korean artists and their music, and in 'Fresh Finds Korea,' wherein undiscovered indie talents are promoted, "Rain Star *:・ﾟ" by Yongyong reached the top spot.

"Spotify has continued to make efforts to not only support the global reach of K-pop but also raise global awareness of the ever-diverse Korean music and artist scene," said Kossy Ng, Head of Music for Asia at Spotify. "We will continue to widen our global bridge, connecting more Korean artists to fans and more listeners - with the potential to reach over 381 million listeners across 184 countries, worldwide."

[REFERENCE MATERIAL] 2021 Wrapped 'K-Pop Hub Edition' Top Lists

TrenChill K-R&B

1. "For You" - LeeHi, Crush
2. "No Blueberries" - DPR IAN, DPR LIVE, CL
3. "What Do I Call You" - TAEYEON
4. "Like A Fool" - NIve, Sam Kim
5. "Amusement Park" - BAEKHYUN
6. "Apollo 11 (feat. Jay Park)" - Jamie, Jay Park
7. "Running Through The Night" - Seori
8. "Bambi" - BAEKHYUN
9. "Lovers In The Night" - Seori
10. "By My Side" - JUNNY

K-HIP-HOP +82

1. "Rosario" - Epik High, CL, ZICO
2. "MELODY" - ASH ISLAND
3. "VVS" - Mirani, Munchman, Khundi Panda, MUSHVENOM
4. "AURA (feat. pH-1) (Prod. GXXD)" - JUNNY, pH-1
5. "Error (Feat. Loopy)" - ASH ISLAND, Loopy
6. "KAZINO" - BIBI
7. "Jam & Butterfly" - DPR LIVE, Crush, Eaj
8. "Daisy (feat. pH-1)" - Mirani, pH-1
9. "FRIENDS" - lIlBOI, Wonstein
10. "ON AIR" - lIlBOI, Loco, Jay Park, GRAY

In The K-Indie

1. "Wings" - So!YoON!, Phum Viphurit
2. "for lovers who hesitate" - JANNABI
3. "Lovers In The Night" - Seori
4. "friend to lover" - Standing Egg
5. "Clouds" - O3ohn
6. "Insomnia (feat. YAYYOUNG)" - Dvwn, YAYYOUNG
7. "MIMI" - youra
8. "A Car Going Nowhere" - ESAE
9. "Youth" - Dasutt
10. "No One Told Me Why" - ALEPH

Jazzy Korea

1. "Care" - Saseon
2. "The Way Home" - Kang Seung Hun
3. "Soul Samba" - Zmeyev, Screen Jazzmaster
4. "すすきの(Susukino) N08" - Midorii
5. "Challenge" - Hyewon
6. "Hongdae Street" - COAH
7. "We Don't See Eye To Eye" - Ho Yeon Lim
8. "We Sing" - Jenny & good friends
9. "두루미" - Do&Be Sound
10. "LOVE IS" - PlaSid

K-Pop Daebak

1. "Next Level" - aespa
2. "In the morning" - ITZY
3. "After School" - Weekly
4. "Alcohol-Free" - TWICE
5. "Hot Sauce" - NCT DREAM
6. "Butter" - BTS
7. "Drunk-Dazed" - ENHYPEN
8. "FEVER" - ENHYPEN
9. "On The Ground" - ROSÉ
10. "ASAP" - STAYC

Korean OSTs

1. "Future" - Red Velvet
2. "Day & Night" - Jung Seung Hwan
3. "My Light" - Baek Ji Young
4. "Running" - Gaho
5. "I′m in the Mood for Dancing" - YUJU
6. "Here I am" - Jo Hyun Ah
7. "Breaking Down" - AILEE
8. "so this is love" - DAY6 (Even of Day)
9. "Borrow your night (Romance 101 X 10CM)" - 10cm
10. "How is it?" - Hello Ga-Young

K-Pop Ballad Hits

1. "And we go" - Sung Si Kyung
2. "RADIO" - Henry
3. "Me After You" - Paul Kim
4. "Love poem" - IU
5. "Sweet Night" - V
6. "Aloha" - CHO JUNG SEOK
7. "When This Rain Stops" - WENDY
8. "Slightly Tipsy (She is My Type♡ X SANDEUL)" - Sandeul
9. "Forever (약속)" - aespa
10. "Here I Am Again" - Yerin Baek

Cool K'IDs Rock

1. "eight(Prod.&Feat. SUGA of BTS)" - IU, SUGA
2. "HAPPENING" - AKMU
3. "She's In The Rain" - The Rose
4. "You Were Beautiful" - DAY6
5. "RED" - The Rose
6. "Where the sea sleeps" - DAY6 (Even of Day)
7. "Wishlist" - TOMORROW X TOGETHER
8. "You make Me" - DAY6
9. "Adrenaline" - Solar
10. "for lovers who hesitate" - JANNABI

RADAR Korea

1. "MY TREASURE" - TREASURE
2. "Got That Boom" - SECRET NUMBER
3. "After School" - Weeekly
4. "Ponzona" - PURPLE KISS
5. "Next Level" - aespa
6. "Black Mamba" - aespa
7. "Scared" - P1Harmony
8. "Dingo X Queen WA$ABII - Jay Park" - Queen WA$ABII, CHANGMO
9. "ASAP" - STAYC
10. "ASURABALBALTA" - T1419

Fresh Finds Korea

1. "RAIN STAR *:・ﾟ" - YongYong
2. "Vacation" - Sweet The Kid
3. "Ideology" - Claire Hau
4. "Dear island" - Bandgirin
5. "Feel Better" - KYUL
6. "Gently, By Your Side" - Siwa
7. "requiem (鎭魂曲)" - quinn_
8. "The Swing" - Seo Gi
9. "Lovers" - Budung
10. "Thru The Rain" - ​​JOE CHO