When Spotify and FC Barcelona first announced they were exploring a unique approach to their partnership, and that one idea was to feature an artist on the shirt for El Clasico, I was intrigued, because as well as being an FC Barcelona fan, I am a big music fan.
So, let me get some facts about me out of the way first. That way, you’ll understand my picks later. I believe good music is good music. You don’t need to categorize it into genres and put everything in little boxes. I leave that to the award givers. They need the boxes to give the awards. I don’t need them to listen.
If I had to categorize my taste, I’d put it in two boxes. But there are no clean lines. Some of the music I like doesn’t fit anywhere. It’s just good, and that’s all I care about. My taste is varied as a result.
In broad strokes, my favorite genre is Future Bass. Future Bass or Melodic Bass is a niche category inside electronic dance music (EDM). You can usually identify it by the dance style, a rhythmic nod to the drum pattern and sometimes the hands. I listen to most EDM genres bar a few. My second favorite is pop rock. I’m also a seasoned country listener. Unpopular stance, but rock to country is not a big leap. Pure rock fans can be tribal about what qualifies as rock, but like I said, I don’t care much for genre.
Given all that, my favorite artist would probably shock some people. That would be Selena Gomez. I’m also an avid listener of Illenium, Marshmello, Gryffin, The Chainsmokers, Avicii, Alan Walker, Martin Garrix and more in that lane. For pop and “rock,” outside Selena, I’m a bit of a Swiftie. Supplemented with steady doses of Dua Lipa, Gracie Abrams, Coldplay, Sia, The Weeknd and Imagine Dragons. Some of what I listen to is hard to place, so I just call it genre-bending. Artists such as Fletcher (another absolute favorite), Carlie Hanson, Faouzia, Olivia Rodrigo and occasionally Billie Eilish. And no, I don’t listen to Sabrina Carpenter. In fact, I make it a point. Sue me.
With that knowledge, it is easy to guess my rankings for the collaborations FC Barcelona and Spotify have featured so far. Or is it?
My rankings
Top of my list is Coldplay. Most people have Coldplay down as an alternative rock band. They’re not The Stones, but they make really popular music that happens to have rock elements. Hence, alternative rock. The collaboration tops my list probably because of the timing, and of course, the result of the match. Coldplay are big, and they make really sick music, perfect for celebratory moods. FC Barcelona fans are quite fond of “Viva la Vida” as well. Really, it was a match made in heaven. Plus, Barça cleaned Real Madrid’s clock that day, at an away match no less. It was the marker of great times for the club.
Second is Olivia Rodrigo, the most recent feature. I like Olivia as an artist first, and also because some of her causes really speak to me. My favorite from her catalog is the very honest, very raw “Brutal,” but most people probably know the angsty hit “Driver’s License.” The collaboration was a success. It bridged the gap that usually marks fanbases. Age, taste and otherwise. She also made it a point to get acquainted with the women’s team, and most artists on this list usually forego that part. Of course, FC Barcelona beat Real Madrid at home and lifted the trophy the same day. Maybe that has something to do with it.
Third is Travis Scott. You’ll have noticed I’m not the biggest rap fan, but this was a masterclass in marketing. Most people probably have this at No. 1. Suffice it to say, the 2024/25 season was just that good. It was also a title-decider that FC Barcelona decided all right. Travis was a blast and brought a whole new vibe to the collaborations that hadn’t been seen before.
Fourth is RosalĂa, the club’s second feature. Everything was full circle with this one. Perhaps not the most commercially successful, but it hit home for a lot of fans. It came at a crucial game for Barça. A must-win. RosalĂa being one of the biggest FC Barcelona fans out there just made everything make sense. Barça went on to win the match 2-1 and later the league title. Go Motomami! It’s a shame I don’t speak enough Spanish or Catalan to listen to her music, but from what I gather, it’s also far from my preferences.
Fifth is Karol G. I know I said I don’t speak enough Spanish to really understand the lyrics, but Karol G is just that good. The bouncy, danceable tempo helps. Some of my favorites from her are “Bichota” and the absolute belter “El Makinon” featuring Mariah Angeliq. The collaboration came at a hard season for the club and, as a result, was not particularly memorable. The marketing was on point. It was the right move made at the wrong time.
Sixth is The Rolling Stones. Look, they’re legends. Nobody’s arguing that. But the campaign didn’t land for me, and the timing had a lot to do with it. Right idea, wrong moment. Some campaigns are better forgotten, and this is one of them.
Seventh is Ed Sheeran. He’s one of the biggest pop artists on the planet, so the logic made sense on paper. But the campaign left something to be desired. Maybe it’s because Barça lost the game in question. Maybe it’s because the vibe didn’t match the occasion. Either way, it didn’t stick.
Eighth is Drake. Again, massive artist. Again, the campaign didn’t land. And again, Barça lost the game. I’m starting to notice a pattern here. When the results don’t go your way, even the best collaborations feel forgettable. Bottom line: timing has a lot to do with it. The right idea at the wrong time is still the wrong time.
My predictions
Now, for what you’ve been waiting for. My predictions. Predictions are rarely accurate and the pool is vast. These guesses are based on logic as much as personal taste. I could miss the mark entirely. My understanding of Spotify’s criteria is that the artist has to have a recent album ready for promo, or at least an extended play (EP), or a tour in progress. Something to promote. I haven’t checked whether these artists have any of the above, but I like them for this season’s collaborations. That said, here goes.
My first prediction is Billie Eilish. Not much explanation needed. Second is Dua Lipa. Again, not much to explain. There hasn’t been a band featured in a while, so for bands, I like either Imagine Dragons or Linkin Park. In modern marketing, we’ve seen a tendency to go for the shock factor. Pivoting to something wild and unpredictable. For this, it would have to be a wildly big artist like Taylor Swift or Bad Bunny. Before you ask, Bad Bunny is unlikely because of his partnership with Adidas. In case you forgot, FC Barcelona is all about Nike.
If we stuck to wild and unpredictable, Taylor Swift would be the obvious choice. Of course, we could also see a move to country, in which case Lainey Wilson would be my pick.
K-pop is another interesting angle. The marketing would have to hit the mark because the success or lack there of would be in the extremes. No in between. Either a resounding success or an epic failure. The timing and the choice would have to be right on the money.
Why not BLACKPINK? Besides not working much as a band recently, some individual members have deals with Adidas (namely Jisoo), Puma and other Nike competitors. This isn’t a hurdle unique to BLACKPINK, as mentioned with Bad Bunny. This is a line Spotify has to walk when deciding which artists to feature, because really the collaboration is FC Barcelona, Spotify, Nike and the artist. They all have to be on the same page before anything goes through.
Post script: I wouldn’t mind seeing Gracie Abrams. Just saying.
