Spotify is launching its first playlist featuring timely news podcasts and personalised music all in one place. The launch comes as new research from Spotify reveals 43% of Brits say they would like to stay more up-to-date with current events, while nearly half (49%) are seeking ways to find more headspace in their day, with many turning to audio to do so.

Of those who want to stay more up to date with current events, 69% want to be more informed about world news, and an equal 69% want to be more up to speed on local news.

Whatever your daily routine, Spotify’s Your Daily Drive offers perfectly curated playlists to listen to throughout the day that combine relevant timely world updates from reputable news sources alongside the music you love - all put together in a seamless and unified listening experience that means no flipping between tracks and episodes.

What’s included:
• Short-form podcast news updates from a handful of curated news sources including The Times, FT, TalkSPORT, The Economist, Evening Standard, The Smart 7, and more;
• News content and fresh music regularly updated throughout the day;
• A personalised mix of users’ favourite songs and artists interspersed with tracks they have yet to discover.

Spotify’s research also looked at how people have been adapting their listening habits to suit their new routines in the ever-changing world of 2020, and found that, of those who have changed their daily commute this year, 76% have sought out new ways to incorporate more music and podcasts into their day as a result, such as listening more often at home and during daily activities like cooking, studying and exercising.

Tom Connaughton, Managing Director, UK at Spotify said: “At Spotify we believe in providing access to personalised content that our users love. That’s why we are proud to introduce a new offering in the UK and Ireland that will revolutionise people’s daily listening experience: this new playlist gives listeners the current affairs updates we know they’d like more of alongside the music they want, blended seamlessly into their day.”

Additional findings from the research include:

Top 5 current events people would like to stay more up-to-date with:

World news (69%)
Local news (69%)
Politics (44%)
Health (38%)
Science and Tech (32%)

Top 5 most popular music genres people listen to for head space in their day:

Pop (32%)
Rock (25%)
Classical (20%)
Country (15%)
R&B (13%)