In the Philippines, the top spot for music streaming is currently held by YouTube, a household name in the market. Spotify aims to steadily grow its user base to secure the position of top music streaming platform by building brand consideration and relevance, with the goal of becoming the top-of-mind youth culture platform for Filipino Gen Z.

As Pinoy Hip-Hop asserts cultural dominance, Spotify is on a mission to become the epicenter of this unstoppable force. To be the definitive home for Pinoy Hip-Hop, Spotify understands it's more than just about promoting the music —it's about earning street cred. Going deep, hyper-local and building from the ground up to become a true player in the scene.

In a bold move, Spotify doesn't dictate the narrative; instead, it hands the microphone to the true architects of the genre—the Pinoy Hip-Hop community.

Enter KALYE X, a pulsating movement that isn't just about music; it's a thunderous celebration, a declaration, and a commitment to elevate Pinoy Hip-Hop to unparalleled heights.

Kalye means ‘street’ in Tagalog, encapsulating the genre's essence, representing stories from the streets. 'X' symbolizes collaboration—a multiplier effect that Spotify aims to unleash. Through KALYE X, Spotify set the stage for collaborations pushing the boundaries of Pinoy Hip-Hop.

In the world of Hip-Hop, real recognizes real. To build our street cred, the KALYE X strategy is anchored on 3 Cs - Collaboration, Culture and Context.

Collaboration underscores the need to partner with key figures and tastemakers best positioned to represent Pinoy Hip-Hop.

Culture requires us to delve deep into the intricacies and codes of the genre, ensuring that every move we make reflects a profound understanding of the genre’s depth and diversity.

Context directs our efforts towards the right channels and thoughtfully crafting our approach to effectively engage the community. Beyond mere logo placement, it's about weaving the brand seamlessly, employing inventive and contextual methods that resonate without coming off as too hard-sell.

Through KALYE X, Spotify isn't positioning itself as a mere platform, but a steadfast ally to the community, building meaningful connections between artists and fans.

To bring KALYE X to life, Spotify orchestrated a series of initiatives crafted by and for the Pinoy Hip-Hop community. We first brought emerging and established artists together to create the first-ever original Tagalog and Bisaya tracks echoing their unique narratives, exclusively available on Spotify.

As we unveiled KALYE X, we ignited the scene, announcing collaborations and nationwide concerts, fueling excitement among fans. Taking it to the streets, we partnered with Wish Bus for free concerts in Manila, Cebu, and Davao, showcasing KALYE X artists, rap battles, graffiti installations – all celebrating Pinoy Hip-Hop culture. The movement went digital, engaging fans with hyper-localized content leading Bisaya fans to coin the term #Spotibai (bai = friend).

We then took KALYE X to the biggest stages like Wish Music Awards. From the streets of the Philippines to the global epicenter of Hip-Hop, Spotify took over NewYork Times Square featuring KALYE X artists.

KALYE X is a long-term initiative, yielding the following results to date:

49% growth in Spotify Philippines’ monthly active users

1M+ likes on the Kalye Hip-Hop playlist

44% streams growth for Kalye Hip-Hop playlist

2.6M+ streams on KALYE X Spotify Singles

8% uplift in brand consideration

5% uplift in brand love

11% uplift in word of mouth

295M+ earned media impressions

209M+ digital impressions

9M+ social engagements

Beyond the numbers, Spotify achieved what it set out to do - build street cred with the Pinoy Hip-Hop community, manifesting in artists and industry championing Spotify organically, and fans taking part in the conversation.

And if actions speak louder than words, then some have gone as far as vandalizing streets in the name of KALYE X. Davao-based Delinquent Society decided to mount a KALYE X graffiti in one of the busiest streets in their hometown. It doesn’t get more kalye than that!