Deezer reinforces commitment to black artists and podcasters with global “Black Culture” channel

Paris, France—Lianne La Havas, Denai Moore, Wizkid, Koffee, SAULT, Alexis Ffrench - these are just a handful of black musicians that, surprisingly, are not as recognized as other well-known global artists. We want to change that with our new global “Black Culture” channel. Deezer is celebrating the many talented black musicians that always have and continue to greatly contribute to our music, pop culture and history.

We’re taking action to support black artists and creators. Our first step was to get rid of the term “Urban” in June 2020. It’s an outdated word and something we’ve banned internally and stopped using externally. With our new “Black Culture” channel, we’re fully committed in promoting audio content from the most talented black creators around the world. The channel is live now on your homepage and will be a permanent fixture on your explore tab around the world.

Let’s start with the music. Our editors have curated a variety of playlists to celebrate both new and legendary tracks from black musicians who have influenced and shaped, and continue to evolve genres like pop, rock and electronic. The channel will debut with brand new playlists of iconic black artists across a broad mix of genres ranging from “Black Icons of Dance” to “Black Icons of Classical.” You’ll also discover our 100% playlists of your favorite artist across multiple genres and each one is filled with their top tunes.

For those that always want to be in the know, our “Editors Picks” carousel will feature the very best new releases across all genres by black musicians. The picks will be updated weekly with brand new releases. Not just that, but you can discover black talent from around the world with playlists like “All Eyes On Jamaica,” “Afro Pop” and “Spirit.” Protest playlists like “Say it Loud” include a mix of old and new tracks full of lyrics about social justice and equal rights. We’re also supporting the black LGBTQ community, with dedicated genre playlists like “Queer Hiphop” taking pride of place on the channel.

Of course, it’s not just about music. We also want to highlight underrepresented voices of black creators and producers in podcasts like “Black Girl Podcast” and “Pod Save the People”. We’re encouraging fans to listen to podcasts to learn more about and evolve their perspectives around these issues. The channel will emphasise shows like “About Race with Reni Eddo-Lodge”, which focuses on the key voices of anti-racist activism, while “Code Switch (NPR)” examines the impact of racism on every part of society, from politics and pop culture to history and sports.

“We support the BLM movement. Throughout history, black musicians have been making music the world loves. In more recent years, black podcast creators have hosted chart-topping shows. Yet not all black creators are getting the attention and respect they deserve. We want to change that. Our new channel is a first step on a long journey. We want to make sure that there is a permanent space on Deezer where we can highlight black talent globally.” said Junior Foster, our Global Editor for the “Black Culture” channel and Head of Global Artist Relations.

Our work to support black culture isn’t only public facing. We want to improve, educate and be even more mindful in how we work together as a team. Deezer has already launched a diversity group designed to promote and support underrepresented creators. We’re also launching diversity workshops across our markets to engage our employees in the conversation.

Support all your favorite black artists and creators, and discover brand new tunes and shows, on Deezer’s “Black Culture” channel.

About Deezer

Deezer connects 16 million monthly active users around the world to 56 million tracks. Available in over 180 countries worldwide, Deezer gives instant access to one of the largest and most diverse global music streaming catalog on any device. Deezer is the only music streaming service with Flow, the unique mix of all your old favorites and new recommendations in one ever-changing stream. Based on an intuitive, proprietary algorithm and created by people who love music, it’s the only place to hear all your music back-to-back with fresh discoveries tailored to you. Deezer is available on your favorite device, including smartphone, tablet, PC, laptop, home sound system, connected car or smart TV.

Deezer is a privately held company, headquartered in Paris with offices in London, Berlin, Miami, Dubai and around the world. Deezer is available as a free download for iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows devices or on the web at deezer.com. For the latest news on Deezer go to Deezer.com/company/press