Spotify unveils 25 under 25 list for Singapore

Spotify today revealed the list of the 25 most influential artists under the age of 25 who are dominating the music industry in Singapore.

Eighteen-year-old Canadian singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes tops the list, boasting 25 million Spotify listeners each month and over 500 million streams of his smash, Stitches. Following Mendes are: Ariana Grande, Martin Garrix, Justin Bieber and Alessia Cara. Also included are mainstays Gentle Bones and Fifth Harmony.

To determine the 25 under 25 list, music experts at Spotify looked at a variety of factors such as the number of people listening to an artist each month on Spotify, artists with songs featured in Spotify’s top playlists and top-performing artists by genre.

The top 25 list also includes newcomers such as Linying. This indie singer-songwriter has a spot on Spotify’s Global Viral 50 chart. “These young artists have broken boundaries and are certainly leading global culture regardless of age, making an impact across the world with their creativity and music. We are excited to see music from all over the world – international, regional and local – resonate amongst our Spotify users in Singapore. With so many young listeners on Spotify, it's always fascinating to hone in on the peer artists they're listening to and looking up to," said Chee Meng Tan, Director of Label Relations, Spotify, APAC.



Spotify's 25 Under 25 (Singapore Edition):

1. Shawn Mendes: Mendes started out posting six-second Vine clips of himself singing covers, and now, at 18, the singer-songwriter from Toronto fills major venues and attracts 25 million Spotify listeners each month. Multiple tracks from Mendes' sophomore album, Illuminate, which arrived in September, are popular on Spotify, with notable standout, Treat You Better on track to give Mendes' smash Stitches (500 million plus streams) a run for its money.

2. Ariana Grande: Multiple tracks from the 23-year-old singer’s latest album became instant hits; Dangerous Woman and Into You have clocked more than 200 million streams each, and Side to Side (with Nicki Minaj), is a top 10 song on Spotify’s global chart. Grande has 27 million monthly listeners.

3. Martin Garrix: Having reached electronic dance music (EDM) stardom at 17 thanks to several remixes, Dutch artist Garrix, now 20, continues to be at the top with banger (Editor's note: very good song) In The Name of Love, which is in Spotify’s Today’s Top Hits playlist. With 21 million monthly listeners, Garrix is in Spotify’s top twenty most popular artists of all time.

4. Justin Bieber: Bieber has been on a hot streak since his comeback Diplo/Skrillex collaboration Where Are Ü Now dropped in early 2015. With follow-up monster solo hits that just keep coming at us, like Love Yourself, What Do You Mean? and Sorry - which have all passed the 700 million streams mark - there’s just no stopping the Biebs. Bieber’s collaboration with Major Lazer and MØ, Cold Water, is currently streaming more than 2.5 million times a day.

5. Alessia Cara: This 20-year-old from Ontario, Canada might have made a name for herself with a song about her disdain for teen parties, but has risen further since the success of Here, Spotify’s most viral song in the US last year (and No. 5 globally), the rhythm & blues (R&B) singer has attracted more than 13 million monthly listeners. Cara’s track, Scars to Your Beautiful, is a favourite in Spotify's Today’s Top Hits playlist at the moment.

6. Charlie Puth: With 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify, singer-songwriter Puth is one of the top players in pop music today. He gained worldwide recognition for the Wiz Khalifa song See You Again which Puth wrote, produced and sang on. His duets with leading ladies like Meghan Trainor (Marvin Gaye) and Selena Gomez (We Don’t Talk Anymore) turned to pop gold, with the latter seemingly living permanently on Spotify's global charts.

7. Fifth Harmony: This all-girl R&B group has more than 16 million Spotify listeners each month. The jam Work From Home has racked up more than half a billion listens and was a playlist staple over the summer in the US and UK (much like their Worth It from the year before). The current favourite is All In My Head (Flex) (featuring Fetty Wap).

8. Hailee Steinfeld: Steinfeld’s latest track, Starving, already has more than 160 million streams and a flight up Spotify’s global chart. The 19-year-old Oscar-nominated actress had a breakout single, Love Myself (210 million streams), last year. Steinfeld, who also starred as one of the Bardon Bellas in the accapella-celebrating movie Pitch Perfect 2, has 17 million monthly listeners.

9. Flume: Australian deejay/producer Flume just picked up 11 nominations for Australia’s Grammy- equivalent awards show, the ARIAs. Spotify listeners can’t get enough of Flume’s Say It (featuring Tove Lo) and Never Be Like You (featuring Kai). With 13 million monthly listeners, Flume (real name Harley Edward Streten), is one of the top EDM artists on the scene.

10. Zara Larsson: After winning a TV talent show in her native Sweden at 10, Larsson disappeared, grew up a bit, honed her singing chops, then made it her mission to tear up the world stage of pop music. Never Forget You (385 million streams) and Lush Life (485 million streams) feature Larsson, now 18, as a genre-bending artist, blending pop, EDM and even hiphop. Larsson attracts 18 million monthly listeners and her current track, Aint My Fault, is killing it on Spotify's Today’s Top Hits playlist.

11: Joel Adams: Singer-songwriter Adams is 19, hails from Brisbane, Australia, and has only ever released one song on Spotify. His sole ballad, Please Don’t Go, has received around 210 million streams. Now with 10 million monthly listeners, a contract with independent record label Will Walker records and a spot on Charlie Puth’s North America tour, Adams is the man of the moment.

12: Desiigner: When Panda took off earlier this year, hiphop artist Desiigner established himself as the breakout star of 2016. That song is now approaching half a billion streams. Signed to Kanye West’s record label G.O.O.D. Music, the 19-year-old from Brooklyn in New York, the US, is now scaling Spotify's charts with Timmy Turner. Desiigner (real name is Sidney Royel Selby III), attracts more than 13 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

13: Selena Gomez: Selena Gomez shed the last remnants of her children’s TV star past with the release of her sultry, coming-of-age album Revival. With multiple songs surpassing 200 million streams like Hands to Myself, Same Old Love and Good For You (currently at about 330 million streams), Gomez, 24, is now one of the leading ladies of pop music. She averages 2.5 million streams a day and listeners are besotted with her current collaboration with Puth, We Don’t Talk Anymore.

14. Halsey: Many Spotify listeners have followed pop singer Halsey’s career with great interest over the last couple of years, streaming New Americana, some 130 million times. But it’s her guest spot on the world’s biggest hit of the moment, The Chainsmokers’ Closer that brought Halsey’s stunning voice to the masses. Her solo music now averages 1.5 million streams a day, yet it feels like the 22-year-old from New Jersey is only just getting started.

15. Demi Lovato: Lovato commanded everyone’s attention with her assertive, no holds-barred album, Confident, which produced the mega title track as well as last year’s summer standout, Cool for The Summer (180 million streams). Listeners are also embracing Lovato’s Body Say, in a big way. The 24-year-old singer-songwriter attracts 10 million monthly listeners.

16. Cheat Codes: When Los Angeles, California electronic trio Cheat Codes released the song Sex earlier this year, it resonated in a big way with listeners in Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist. The track borrows from Salt N Peppa’s 1990 hit Let’s Talk About Sex and has amassed more than 320 million streams. Cheat Codes averages 15 million monthly users and right now listeners like Let Me Hold You (Turn Me On) featuring Dante Klein.

17. Daya: Singer-songwriter Daya can be heard all over The Chainsmokers’ summer 2016 hit, Don’t Let Me Down, but in the summer of the year before, her own Hide Away (215 million streams) was already setting her stage for superstardom. The 18-year-old talent from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, whose real name is Martine Tandon, just dropped her full-length debut album Sit Still, Look Pretty and the title track has had an impressive run in Spotify’s Today’s Top Hits playlist.

18. BTS: This seven-member South Korean boy band are not only known for their musical talent but also for their large social media presence. Their lead hit single Blood Sweat & Tears from their second studio album Wings is fast becoming a fan favourite. It has received over 8 million streams since it was launched on Spotify.

19. EXO: EXO, short for Exoplanet, is a boyband known for a unique mix of rap, hiphop, rock, R&B and most importantly choreography. The band has been one of the most popular subjects on the Internet ever since they debuted in 2012. Their latest single Dancing King has been bringing in the stream numbers since launch, as it is now shy from 3 million streams.

20. BLACKPINK: BLACKPINK released their debut single album Square One followed by their second single album Square Two. Although a recent newcomer, BLACKPINK's debut hit singles - Whistle and Boombayah - secured the top positions on the Billboard World Digital Songs chart. They were fastest act to hold such spots, and the third Korean artist to do so.

21. Linying: Linying first gained recognition from her collaborations with European House giants, Felix Jaehn and Lost Frequencies, leading to a No. 1 peak on Hype Machine and over 10 million plays on Spotify. She released her first single Sticky Leaves late last year, landing on Spotify’s viral charts globally. Her current popular hit single on Spotify is Alpine.

22. 周興哲 (Eric Chou): Chou’s mother insisted that he take up classical piano. From there, this artist found his passion in composing his own songs, whilst capturing the raw emotions of life. His second album What Love Has Taught Us... (愛情教會我們的事) carries one of his proudest works Let’s Not Be Friends in The Future (以後別做朋友); from being picked as the original soundtrack (OST) for a prominent Taiwanese drama to being one of his most streamed songs on Spotify.

23. DEAN: Having written chart toppers for K-Pop boy bands such as EXO, Block B and VIXX, DEAN has proven to be a hit song maker. Earlier this year, he dropped his EP, 130 Mood: TRBL, with notable standout hits such as Pour Up and D (Half Moon). He performed during SXSW 2016 in the US this year, a first for an Asian artist, and followed it by performing at K-CON. 

24. Gentle Bones: At 22, Joel Tan aka Gentle Bones saw his recent extended play (EP) Geniuses & Thieves hit No. 1 upon its release on June 2016 with the hits Run Tell Daddy and Geniuses & Thieves. Two back-to-back sold-out concerts were staged in Singapore in June.

25. MYRNE: MYRNE released his debut four-track EP Softsins on Mad Decent in November 2015, inaugurating himself as one of the only Asian artists on the roster. No stranger to the festival/club circuit, his Feels Right (Radio Edit) has garnered over 2 million streams in a short period.

Spotify is now available in 60 markets globally with more than 100 million active users*, and over 40 million paying subscribers**.

Interested?

Listen to Spotify’s 25 Under 25 playlist for Singapore

*As at June 2016 

**As at September 2016

Tour the top 25 travel destinations in the world, beginning with Turkey

The top 25 TripAdvisor destinations in the world for 2015 include a number from the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions.

Source: TripAdvisor website. Istanbul.

• Turkey is the only country with two locations listed, Istanbul (no. 3) and Goreme (no. 14). 
• French Indochina has two entries in the top five, Siem Reap, Cambodia at no. 2 and Hanoi, Vietnam in 4th place.  
• Mainland Southeast Asia is represented by Bali's Ubud, Indonesia (no. 15), and Bangkok, Thailand (no. 18). 
• The Pacific sees Queenstown, New Zealand at no. 22, and Sydney, Australia at no. 25. 
• No. 19 is Kathmandu, Nepal; no. 23 is Hong Kong, China, and No. 24 is Dubai, UAE.

Interested?

View the 2015 Travelers' Choice top 25 travel destinations

Top 25 Multinational Workplaces are all well-known brands

Great Place to Work, a US-headquartered research, consulting and training firm that helps organisations identify, create and sustain great workplaces through the development of high-trust workplace cultures, has unveiled its fourth annual 25 World's Best Multinational Workplaces* list. The list is the culmination of the world's largest annual study of workplace excellence, and recognises companies for their work culture.

To qualify for the global list, a company has to meet three criteria: being one of the top employers in at least five countries; having at least 5,000 employees; and counting at least 40% of its workforce outside the company's home country.

Google is the leader, and is listed in the National Best Workplaces lists for various countries including India and Japan.

At no. 2 for the second year in a row is SAS Institute, which is mentioned for in the National Best Workplaces lists for Australia and Korea. SAS has been on the list all four years, the company said, underscoring the company's continued focus on creating a global work environment that inspires and energises employees.

"Our employees are creating life-altering software solutions that have a global impact, and our culture motivates them to be more creative and productive. Because we eliminate unnecessary distractions and help relieve everyday stresses, our employees are happier, healthier and proud of the difference their work makes," said SAS CEO Jim Goodnight.

Ranked no. 3 and in the list for the fourth consecutive year is NetApp, recognised for being a great workplace in Australia, China, India and Japan. Tom Georgens, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, NetApp said: “NetApp has built a company where innovation and teamwork thrive. Our employees are passionate people who work as a team to make the biggest difference for our constituents—each other, our customers, communities, and shareholders. Not only are these hallmarks of a great place to work, but they are critical to our overall success. It’s an honour for our company to be recognised once again as a top workplace in the world.”

Added China Gorman, Great Place to Work CEO: “This recognition is a testament to NetApp’s transparency with employees and continued dedication to fostering trust and camaraderie. Their inclusion on this list demonstrates the company's passion to continually improve the lives of their employees and consistently adapt in a fast-moving industry.”

Source: WL Gore & Associates. Known 

for its non-hierarchical, team-based culture, 

WL Gore & Associates earned the No. 4

spot on the 2014 list of the World's Best 

Multinational Workplaces

In 4th place is textile firm WL Gore & Associates, well-known for its Gore-Tex waterproof fabric, and whose workplaces in China and Korea have received acclaim. "At Gore, we take great pride in our culture and recognise the very important role it plays in driving business success," said CEO Terri Kelly. "By fostering an environment where people feel motivated, engaged and passionate about the work they do, we are better able to tap into our potential and create innovative products that truly make a difference in the world."

No. 6 is Microsoft, listed in India, Japan, and the UAE.

Marriott is at no. 7, receiving mentions for Australia, India, and the UAE.

The China and India offices for Monsanto contribute to its 8th placing, up from no. 12 in 2013. Monsanto is the only agriculture company to be recognised again in 2014, the company noted. "This award recognises the collaborative efforts of all our employees around the world and their dedication to working in partnership with others to deliver innovative agricultural solutions,” said Steve Mizell, Monsanto Executive VP of human resources.

Cisco ranks no. 9 and is voted in for workplaces that include India and Saudi Arabia.

American Express rounds out the top 10, and is listed in India and Japan.

Other companies which are in the top 25 include Autodesk (no. 13), listed for its China offices; National Instruments (NI, no. 15), listed for China, Japan and Korea; Fedex (no. 16), listed for India and the UAE; EMC (no. 18), for China, India, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the UAE; and Daimler Financial Services (no. 19) in China, Japan, Korea and Turkey.

“NI employees share a vision for changing the world through our customers, scientists and engineers who are building systems that solve the world’s grand challenges,” said Dr James Truchard, CEO, President, and Co-founder of NI. “By focusing on innovation to drive a common purpose of making scientists and engineers more productive, NI employees enjoy rewarding careers with the opportunity to see how their work is helping to make a difference for many important society needs. NI has been able to create long-term exciting, purposeful careers around the globe in over fifty countries.”

"Becoming a great place to work is a mindset," says Klaus Entenmann, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler Financial Services. "Our corporate culture is based on a clear set of core values. Every employee has both the opportunity and responsibility to make our company a great place to work. And they do. Our highly motivated employees and our strong culture are reasons why we're able to deliver outstanding service and strong results year-over-year."

Other companies in the top 25 which are mentioned for Asia Pacific and Middle East offices include Hyatt, Mars, Accor, eBay and Coca-Cola.

“This incredible recognition reflects how our people-focused culture, and the care we show to everyone in the Hyatt family, extends to our colleagues around the world,” said Robb Webb, Chief HR Officer, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, of Hyatt's inaugural appearance in the list. “We encourage our colleagues to be innovative in every aspect of their work, and our culture is one where it is second nature for colleagues to treat one another with the same level of care and attention shown to our guests. This helps our colleagues’ personalities shine through and ultimately offers Hyatt guests a better experience.”

Mars noted that its internal training and development programmes as well as high percentage of women in management positions had been highlighted. The company said it has gradually increased the proportion of women in management roles each year, currently achieving 40% globally.

Gorman said in a blog post that the three Trust Index survey areas that have risen the most among the 25 World’s Best Multinational Workplaces since 2011 are fair promotions, transparency, and a work-life balance. "The world’s best workplaces are embracing the global wellbeing movement that has people in many countries seeking to reduce harmful stress levels. And top workplaces are showing themselves comfortable with the heightened transparency and information sharing that are hallmarks of the social technology and self-disclosure trends of the past decade or so," she said.

Enabling employees to give back to the community is also important, she added.

In conjunction with the new list, Great Place to Work is offering a free report titled The Dawn of the Great Workplace Era. Read the report here. View the associated video here, and view the lists of the best workplaces in Australia, China, India, Sri Lanka, Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE here.

*To be considered, a company must apply to – and be accepted on – a national Best Workplaces list. To be on a list, we assess the results of two studies: the Trust Index and the Culture Audit Management Questionnaire. Two-thirds of a company's workplace culture assessment is based on the employee survey; one-third is based on the company's policies and practices, as measured in the Culture Audit. More than 2,800 multinational corporations participated globally in the surveys. Of these, 429 appeared on one of Great Place to Work's national Best Workplaces lists. From that pool of companies, the 25 World's Best Multinational Workplaces have been selected.

Glassdoor shares list of top-rated companies for culture and values

Glassdoor has announced its report of the Top 25 Companies for Culture & Values, based on workplace insights shared by employees. Recognisable names in Asia Pacific include:

Twitter, which tops the list with a rating of 4.5* and the comment "the best place I have ever worked".

Rated no. 2 is PR agency Edelman, rated 4.4, which one employee says is "the only agency I will ever work for". Google was ranked no. 3 and also scored 4.4. It is called "an amazing company to work for" by one reviewer.

Riverbed is no. 4, with a score of 4.3. Facebook is rated 5th with the same score and National Instruments is 8th with a score of 4.2.

Apple is in 15th place and Nike is 16th; both scored 4.1. Disney is next at 17th, Citrix is 19th and Adobe is in 20th place; these three scored 4.0.

View the full list of 25 here.

*A rating of 4.01 or higher is equivalent to 'very satisfied'.