Like listening to waterfalls and birds on Spotify? Now when you play them you are helping protect them

‘Nature’ is now an official, credited artist on streaming platforms, so when you listen to them, conservation organizations will get the royalties.

Source: Fast Company / UN Live

On April 18, a new artist is debuting on Spotify and other streaming platforms, though you’ve definitely heard her sounds before—whether ocean waves, birdsong, or the thrum of falling rain. That artist is nature, and streaming her songs will help fund conservation.

The Museum for the United Nations – UN Live, a Copenhagen-based organization that uses pop culture to spark both empathy and action for the climate, has launched Sounds Right, an initiative to use the music of nature to fund conservation efforts. With nature—stylized as NATURE—as an official, credited artist on streaming platforms, conservation partners will get at least half of all recording royalties.

“We hope this will be an initiative that encourages people to reflect on the value of nature, and how our societal and economic model can do more to give back to the natural world given we all depend on it,” says Gabriel Smales, global program director for Sounds Right.

Those royalties will first go to EarthPercent, a charity cofounded by ambient music pioneer Brian Eno. Then, an advisory panel made up of conservation experts, biologists, environmental activists, and Indigenous peoples will distribute the funds. 

Nature tracks available to stream include not only those classic, atmospheric sounds like birds singing or waves crashing—“What you might describe as nature’s solo music,” Smales says—but also songs by global artists that feature nature. These tracks will be available on most major streaming platforms, and on Spotify specifically under a “Feat. NATURE” playlist. 

Read the full article by the Fast Company here.