Spotify plays Santa, doling out free gifts from megastars
If you obsessively spin Sia, Shawn Mendes, DNCE, Fetty Wap, Migos, Young Thug or KoRn on Spotify, you may have a present headed your way.
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Superfan holiday gifts from Spotify include Sianta Hats, Fruitcake By The Ocean, Trapping Paper, Kornaments and "Treat You" Sweaters.
That week you played "Chandelier" on infinite repeat on Spotify may end up paying off.
The music streaming service trolled its data to find megafans of artists Sia, Shawn Mendes, DNCE, Fetty Wap, Migos, Young Thug and KoRn. A limited number of these addicts are getting themed gifts plus a personalized card from the stars themselves.
It's the latest instance of Spotify playfully emphasizing its trove of listening data. A billboard campaign in the last month poked fun at some of its users' more quizzical listening habits. But Spotify listening data has been a key factor to user growth too. Its Discover Weekly individualized mixtapes, for example, ended up being a major hit with listeners.
In Discover Weekly's first 10 months, more than 40 million out of Spotify's roughly 100 million users had tried it, and more than half of its listeners came back the following week, the company said in May.
Spotify said its new superfan gifts include (and, yes, this is how the company is describing them):
- Sianta Hats: It's a Santa hat with one key difference -- flowing from the hat's brim is a replica of Sia's trademark black-and-platinum hair.
- Fruitcake By The Ocean: To celebrate DNCE's breakout hit "Cake By the Ocean," this fruitcake won't be anything like your ordinary holiday pot-luck version.
- Trapping Paper: Wrap up this year's presents in wrapping paper featuring illustrations of the year's top trap artists: Fetty Wap, Young Thug and Migos.
- Kornaments: Instead of sparkly red balls and shiny white angels, these ornaments are hand-crafted, deviously dark pieces of art inspired by KoRn's latest album artwork, "The Serenity of Suffering."
- "Treat You" Sweater: An ugly Christmas sweater with one handsome twist -- a knitted Shawn Mendes.
A Spotify spokesman said the items are limited and not for sale, since they're supposed to be a special treat for fans. All superfans receiving gifts opted in to receive emails from Spotify, he said.