It may be the start of a new year, but the events of 2020 continue to impact our everyday lives.
With many of us spending more time indoors, working remotely and looking after loved ones in our homes, we wanted to highlight one thing that always picks us up, keeps us moving forward and helps us stay motivated – music.
At the end of 2020, streaming platform Spotify released its intriguing ‘Wrapped’ feature, identifying the world’s favourite artists, songs and genres over the last twelve months, and insightful stats including how long we all spend humming along to our favourite tunes.
But what are the most popular music genres to listen to whilst you’re working from home? And what effect can music have on our general outlook, wellbeing and productivity?
From feel-good to fierce, the top genres that got us through 2020 included hip hop, rap, alternative rock, punk and house music. Not surprisingly, mainstream artists and chart-topping tunes were amongst our favourite songs, with The Weeknd’s hit ‘Blinding Lights’ taking the crown for most played song, with almost 1.6 billion global streams.
Our music trends also reflected the unpredictable and unsettling nature of 2020 – as many of us turned to nostalgic playlists to perk us up. The most popular decade of music played was the 1980s – the peak of new wave, electronic and hard rock – perhaps a sign of our collective emotional mindset and effort to seek comfort throughout the year.
In line with the nation’s shift away from the office due to lockdown, the creation of working from home-themed playlists grew by more than 1400%, proving our need for inspiring and motivational music to power us through our new working routines.
From relaxing chill out tunes, to fast-paced and uplifting dance anthems, the music we listen to can really optimise our concentration levels and help with overall positivity. Whether you’re looking for a melody to keep you calm or a beat to get you marching through a project, listening to a variety of music during working hours helps to lift your mood and focus throughout the day.
We can also be inspired by our favourite film soundtracks or classical masterpieces – as often the absence of lyrics can serve as less of a distraction when looking for background music.
Podcasts enjoyed a rapid growth in popularity during 2020, and with The Joe Rogan Experience and TED Talks Daily topping the list – it is clear that we search for content featuring inspirational guests, interviews and ideas delivered straight to our earphones.
So, what are team JHPR’s go-to genres to keep us feeling positive, creative and productive?
Our managing director Jennie loves a bit of 90s dance – love, life and laughter is all she believes!
Senior manager Becky has an eclectic taste in tunes, but you can usually find her singing along to 70s disco – young hearts run free, Becky!
Senior account executive Eloise chooses liquid drum & bass to power through her work – high energy and melodic beats combined, sounds like a winning mix to us.
Account executive Tamara can’t resist some RnB – much success, no stress and lots of happiness is her mantra.
Copywriter Georgina loves some chillstep electronic music to help her stay focused throughout the day – relaxed music = a relaxed mind!
Contact us today at Jennie Holland PR – as your PR agency, we can adapt and implement new strategies, strengthening your brand and business.