At Spotify, we pride ourselves in uplifting artists no matter what the size of their platform is.
With the launch of our new series #LocalToGlobal, we have curated specific playlists for each of the 50 states that showcase songs from upcoming and well-known artists from the state being highlighted on the playlist.
Today, we are putting a spotlight on five artists featured on our Massachusetts Musicians playlist. Here are five artists from the Bay State to get to know before you stream the Massachusetts Musicians playlist:
1. The Pixies
The Pixies may have started in a University of Massachusetts Amherst dorm room in 1986, but this alternative rock group became one of the most influential bands in the alt/rock movement, inspiring the likes of Nirvana, Radiohead, and Pearl Jam.
Known for their signature “loud-quiet-loud” song structures, the Pixies’s distinctive sound has been featured in successful films like Fight Club with the Pixies’s critically acclaimed song “Where Is My Mind?”.
The Pixies disbanded in 1993 but eventually got back together in 2004. To this day, they write, record, and play sold-out shows together. Stream the Pixies on the Massachusetts Musicians playlist today and join their crowd of 10.1 million listeners on Spotify.
2. Clairo
Claire Cottrill, better known by her stage name Clairo, is a 25-year-old singer-songwriter raised in Carlisle, Massachusetts.
After learning how to play the guitar through watching YouTube videos, Clairo began posting songs she recorded in her bedroom on the internet, helping to popularize the genre of “bedroom pop.”
She started gaining traction when her original song “Pretty Girl” went viral on YouTube, attracting the attention of record labels. Clairo ended up turning down significant labels in favor of indie label Fader. Under Fader, Clairo released her debut solo album, Immunity (2019), which was known for songs like “Bags” and “Sofia”. Clairo’s success continued with her sophomore album Sling (2021), co-produced by Grammy award winner Jack Antonoff. Currently, Clairo has 15.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify. With a third album in the works, you’ll want to follow what Clairo does next by streaming her on the Massachusetts Musicians playlist.
3. Gio Dee
Boston-born Gio Dee first gained traction when his song “Mind Yo Business” went viral on Vine.His success has continued, with Gio Dee receiving praise for his strong lyrics and beats, and his songs rack up hundreds of thousands of streams. Even as Gio Dee grows, he uplifts fellow Boston-based rappers, like with his recent collaboration song “Boston’s Finest.”
With 18,389 monthly listeners and counting, Spotify proudly features Gio Dee on our Massachusetts Musicians playlist, which you can stream today to support his journey toward mainstream success.
4. Brynn Cartelli
You might have first been introduced to Brynn Cartelli when, at just age 15, she became the youngest person to win The Voice, winning under the coaching of Kelly Clarkson.
Now aged 20, Cartelli has grown up and recently released her debut soul-pop album, Out of The Blue (2024). On the album, Cartelli sings songs she wrote about coming of age in her small town of Longmeadow, Massachusetts, touching on themes of friendship, heartbreak, and youthful late nights out.
With 358.9k monthly listeners and recent TikTok success with Out of The Blue’s lead single “Secondhand Smoke,” Spotify encourages you to join the party and listen to Cartelli on the Massachusetts Musicians playlist.
5. Lori McKenna
You might be surprised to learn that country-folk singer-songwriter Lori McKenna was born and raised in Stoughton, Massachusetts. Although McKenna still lives in Massachusetts, she remains one of Nashville’s most in-demand songwriters.
As a songwriter, McKenna has written for Tim McGraw, Reba McEntire, Keith Urban, and Carrie Underwood. Her songwriting has been critically acclaimed and helped her win the Grammy Award for Best Country Song three times.
Not only has McKenna found success as a songwriter, but she has also maintained a long-lasting career as a solo artist, with her first album, Paper Wings & Halo, released in 1999 and her most recent album, 1988, released in 2023.
McKenna is currently gearing up to tour 1988, with stops planned in her native Massachusetts; you will want to join McKenna’s 361K monthly listeners by streaming McKenna’s songs featured on the Massachusetts Musicians playlist.
Now that you’ve gotten familiar with these five artists and the genres that they play be sure to check them out on the Massachusetts Musician playlist. With your help, you can help these artists from the Bay State go from #LocalToGlobal.
*Not Affiliated with Spotify or any of the artists featured*
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