Vancouver Spotify listeners turned to music for “emotional refuge” in 2024, favoring slower tempos and themes of love and loss, according to a University of british Columbia professor.
Downtempo Sounds Dominate Vancouver’s 2024 Spotify Charts
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Teh streaming service’s year-end data reveals a preference for ballads and genre-blending artists among vancouver music fans.
- Vancouver’s top Spotify songs leaned towards ballads in 2024.
- Artists like Kendrick Lamar and Taylor Swift topped the charts.
- Rock music saw a decline in popularity among listeners in british Columbia.
- The trend towards slower songs may reflect a desire for comfort during uncertain times.
Spotify released its top 10 songs,albums,and artists in Vancouver and other British Columbia cities for 2024. David Metzer, a music professor at the University of British Columbia, observed that a meaningful number of Vancouver’s most-played songs could be categorized as ballads – songs characterized by a slow tempo and lyrical focus on love and loss.
Top 10 Most-Played Spotify Songs in Vancouver:
- luther by kendrick Lamar, SZA.
- Ordinary by Alex Warren.
- Die With A Smile by Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars.
- APT. by ROSÉ, Bruno Mars.
- BIRDS OF A FEATHER by Billie Eilish.
- Golden By Huntr/X, Audrey Nuna, EJAE, KPop Demon Hunters Cast, Rei Ami.
- Pink Pony Club by Chappell Roan.
- Sports car by Tate McRae.
- that’s So True by Gracie Abrams.
- Lovely things by Benson Boone.
Four songs in Vancouver’s top 10 – luther, Die With A Smile, ordinary, and Beautiful Things – fit the ballad description, Metzer noted. Notably, luther and Ordinary also appeared on Spotify’s top 10 lists for Surrey, Victoria, and Burnaby.
What does this trend suggest? Metzer believes the preference for slower songs reflects a broader cultural shift towards seeking comfort and emotional connection in music, particularly during times of uncertainty. “People are looking for music that validates their feelings and provides a sense of solace,” he explained.
Top Albums of 2024 in vancouver
- Hit Me Hard and soft by Billie Eilish.
- GUTS by Olivia Rodrigo.
- UTOPIA by travis Scott.
- SOS by SZA.
- The Weeknd by The Weeknd.
- the Rise and Fall of a midwest Princess by Chappell Roan.
- $ome $exy $ongs 4 U by PARTYNEXTDOOR, Drake.
- You’ll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter 1) by Alex warren.
One genre noticeably absent from Vancouver’s Spotify charts is rock music, Metzer observed, noting its diminished presence compared to previous decades. Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 hit Dreams was a rare exception, ranking No.5 in Victoria.
Metzer shared that his students in a recent popular music class described rock as “the music of yesteryear,” associating it with their parents’ or even grandparents’ generation.
