Spotify reveals listeners’ favourite Notting Hill Carnival

anthems ahead of the iconic London weekender’s first ever

virtual event

Spotify reveals listeners’ favourite Notting Hill Carnival anthems 

ahead of the iconic London weekender’s first ever virtual event

Spotify is helping fans celebrate NHC at home with celebrity takeovers and exclusive content on a dedicated microsite as it reveals the most popular Carnival songs from over the years based on users’ playlists 

Wednesday 26^th August: As an official partner for Notting Hill Carnival 2020: Access All Areas, Notting Hill Carnival’s official online event, Spotify has today revealed the most popular tracks in user generated ‘Notting Hill Carnival’ themed playlists from over the years as the build-up continues for the first virtual Carnival this weekend. 

With a dedicated microsite already up and running at www.spotify.com/carnival, listeners have the chance to get the party started this weekend with exclusive playlist takeovers from big names including Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Koffee and The Marleys as well as curated music from over 40 of the official Carnival sound systems and on-the-road DJs. Fans can also explore an exclusive portrait and film gallery by celebrated photographer Ekua King, and dedicated podcast episodes celebrating Carnival culture, stories and music. 

To get everybody warmed up for the weekend extravaganza which is moving from the streets to people’s homes this year, Spotify looked at how listeners have streamed songs in user generated  playlists under the theme of ‘Notting Hill Carnival’ over the years, and found the top 10 (in no particular order) includes Carnival classics, nostalgic throwbacks and some surprising summer anthems: 

• “Here Comes The Hotstepper – Heartical Mix” by Ini Kamoze and Salaam Remi 
• “Mamacita” by Collie Buddz
• “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” by JAY-Z
• “Insane in the Brain” by Cypress Hill
• “Get Down (feat. Stush & Red Rat) – Radio Edit” by Groove Armada
• “Gravel Pit” by Wu-Tang Clan 
• “Ms. Jackson” by Outkast
• “Mr Loverman (feat. Chevelle Franklin)” by Shabba Ranks
• “I Can See Clearly Now – Edit” by Johnny Nash
• “It’s Like That” by Jason Nevins and Run-D.M.C. 

Jamaican dancehall artist Shabba Ranks takes the top spot with listeners, as the most streamed artist on Notting Hill Carnival-themed playlists, while other popular artists* to dominate the lists include the likes of A Tribe Called Quest, David Morales, Sean Kingston, C & C Music Factory, Next and MN8. 

Taking a trip down memory lane, Spotify has also delved into the most popular songs over the years from artists in the dancehall, reggae and rap space over Carnival weekend. Sean Paul makes an annual appearance with Get Busy and Like Glue. Gyptian’s “Hold Yuh“, Major Lazer’s “Pon De Floor” and Dawn Penn’s “You Don’t Love Me (No, No No)” also crop up every carnival season. Recent release “WAP” from Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion has had a strong debut and summer classic “Murder She Wrote” by Chaka Demus and Pliers is also a favourite.

As the event moves online this year, Spotify has teamed up with Black creators from all across the world including the Caribbean, Canada and the United States. These leading creators from the fields of music, entertainment and film will help fans explore and celebrate all things Notting Hill Carnival. Through the microsite users can enjoy: 

• Lockdown success story No Signal (creators of the wildly popular NS10v10 format) taking over Who We Be, the UK’s biggest Hip Hop, Afrobeat, Dancehall and R&B playlist;
• Jamaican dancehall artist and star of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta, Spice taking over Dancehall Queen;
• A chance to explore over 40 of the official Notting Hill Carnival sound systems and on the road DJs – from Reggae and Dub, to Socca and Soulful House and everything in between;
• Podcast episodes focusing on The Black Curriculum: Sound System Culture, BBC World Service Witness Black History Month: The Notting Hill riots, Windrush Stories: Matthew Phillip, Notting Hill Carnival, and Streetmic podcast: The Beauty of Notting Hill Carnival;
• An exclusive photo and film gallery from acclaimed photographer Ekua King who shoots for i-D, Paper, Vogue and more. The gallery will feature stunning portraiture of the dozens of sound systems and on the road DJs and is curated by an all-Black creative team. Design and overall creative direction of the project was by Black-owned, London-based creative agency Paq Works and production was led by culture curators Portia Clarke and Elliott Jack, as well as support from interviewer and assistant to Ekua King, Kwesi Dean.

To find out more head to the dedicated Spotify and Notting Hill Carnival microsite at www.spotify.com/carnival.