In celebration of Earth Day, more than 30 artists from across the globe have released new music infused with the sounds of nature, ranging from birdsong and crashing waves to glaciers, moths, antelopes and rainforest wildlife.
The collection of songs is released as part of Sounds Right, an initiative that launched ‘Nature’ as an official artist on streaming platforms for the first time last year, generating significant royalties for global conservation.
The new tracks feature an eclectic mix of artists, including Grammy winners and rising stars across multiple genres. Breton musician and multi-instrumentalist Yann Tiersen, Indian pop act Armaan Malik, electronic artist Steve Angello (Swedish House Mafia), Seattle indie-rock act Syml and Indian-American singer-songwriter Raveena are among the key contributors.
They are joined by artists such as The Staves, Maejor, Rozzi, George The Poet, Rosa Walton, Penguin Cafe, Madame Gandhi, Franc Moody, and more.
Representing countries including the UK, US, India, Japan, Colombia, Russia, Denmark, and Argentina, the artists span a diverse range of musical styles. They follow in the footsteps of the likes of Brian Eno, Ellie Goulding and Lykke Li, who have collaborated with Nature previously.
Each artist has taken a unique approach to incorporating nature into their work, using sounds recorded in forests, oceans and urban green spaces. Some tracks feature field recordings from sound recordist Martyn Stewart and The Listening Planet, while others integrate the artists’ own environmental recordings.
Yann Tiersen said: “I’m grateful to be part of the Sounds Right campaign. We live in a time where the human narrative has been placed at the centre of everything. It’s time to rewrite that story. The Earth isn’t a backdrop to our ambitions – it’s a living, breathing force we are entangled with.”
Syml said: “I’m honoured to be a part of the Nature project. Nature surrounds us all, but I particularly love the nature from my part of the world. I chose some lovely sounds from the Olympic mountain range and Puget Sound region in Washington State. The mountains and waterways are a big part of how I was raised, and now I’m pleased to bring up my own children in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. No matter where we find ourselves, it’s up to all of us to take care of what was here before, leaving it only better.”
Millions are listening, and directing real funding to communities protecting the planet’s most vital ecosystems
Gabriel Smales
All the tracks can be listened to on the “Feat. Nature” playlist on Spotify and can also be found on Nature’s artist profile on major music streaming platforms. With every stream, funds are raised to support conservation projects in critical ecosystems.
Gabriel Smales, global programme director for Sounds Right at UN Live, said: “We asked a question: what if nature could speak – and be credited – through music? A year later, the answer is clear. Millions are listening, and directing real funding to communities protecting the planet’s most vital ecosystems. Further, by collaborating with Nature, artists from around the world are reminding us that music can do more than move us emotionally; it can enable us to protect what matters most. If music can make nature a collaborator, imagine what could happen if other industries followed suit.”
Over the past year, Nature has grown into a major presence on streaming platforms, with 130 million total listeners and over one million listeners on Spotify alone.
In 2024, the initiative committed $225,000 to support Indigenous and community-led conservation work in the Tropical Andes (the most biodiverse region of the world).
In under two years, Sounds Right will commit over half a million dollars to conservation projects around the world. Ecosystems targeted to start receiving funding from 2025 onwards include Key Biodiversity Areas in the Amazon and Congo Basins.
Sounds Right will release major new playlists ahead of COP30 in Belém, ensuring that music remains at the heart of the global conversation on nature protection.
Beyond its global impact, Sounds Right is also driving local initiatives to increase music fans’ connection with nature. In Denmark, nature immersion trips have been organised, with leading artists and biologists supporting young people to listen to and monitor biodiversity levels. In Bogotá, workshops on deep nature listening, meditation, and field recording are being introduced in public schools, aiming to connect hundreds of young people with the sounds of their environment.
Sounds Right partners include EarthPercent, AKQA, Spotify, and the Hempel Foundation, among others.
