16:04Machine-translated from Azerbaijani by AIRead in Azerbaijani
Spotify Brings Young Fans Together Away From Screens
Spotify and new approaches in the music industry are beginning to turn young listeners’ online fandom into real-world communities. Phone-free concerts and special music events give people an opportunity to forge more direct connections with their favorite artists and other fans. One interesting example was a special listening event held for American singer Phoebe Bridgers’ new album, “Lost Weekend.” One of the attendees hearing the album for the first time went to the event with their sister. On August 13, one day before the album’s official release, Spotify invited approximately 400 Bridgers fans to the planetarium at the Liberty Science Center in New Jersey. Before the music began, however, attendees were required to place their phones in special magnetic Yondr pouches and lock them. This made it impossible to take photos or videos, check notifications, or browse social media during the event.
After they entered the planetarium, the lights went out and the album began to play. Various images of the night sky and nature were shown on the dome-shaped screen in sync with the music. These included a starry sky over Madagascar, the northern lights over Iceland’s glaciers, and storms in Texas. The audiovisual project, created by National Geographic night-sky researcher and photographer Babak Tafreshi, included images captured in approximately 20 countries. No computer graphics were used at the event. Keeping phones put away allowed attendees to listen to the album together without any digital distractions. No one skipped ahead in a song, checked other fans’ reactions online, or reached for their phone to write down lyrics they liked.
After they entered the planetarium, the lights went out and the album began to play. Various images of the night sky and nature were shown on the dome-shaped screen in sync with the music. These included a starry sky over Madagascar, the northern lights over Iceland’s glaciers, and storms in Texas. The audiovisual project, created by National Geographic night-sky researcher and photographer Babak Tafreshi, included images captured in approximately 20 countries. No computer graphics were used at the event. Keeping phones put away allowed attendees to listen to the album together without any digital distractions. No one skipped ahead in a song, checked other fans’ reactions online, or reached for their phone to write down lyrics they liked.