Yes, it’s been eight months since my Spotify Wrapped Playlist came out. No, I’m still not over it.
Early December is an annoying time on my social media feeds, dominated by my peers sharing their Spotify data to publicly declare that they listen to obscure artists under the guise of “just doing what everyone else is” and reflecting on the past year.
I know that I’m a freak for the “Hot Hits” and listening to the same Noah Cyrus song on repeat for two weeks when I was in my feels, but like, only I can make fun of myself for that. To be confronted with the raw data on my music habits hurts. I’m not the only one feeling exposed and embarrassed by their Wrapped data though, right? To tackle this dilemma head-on, I asked others to share their thoughts about the music fad:
- “I think it’s fun, but it’s embarrassing sometimes. I went through a Hamilton phase, so that showed up A LOT after listening for one month. It doesn’t always feel reflective.” –Emerson D.
- “I think it’s an interesting insight into my personal listening habits. In the past, it has definitely shown me artists and songs I didn’t know I listened to that often.” –Zach W.
- “I know I probably listened to Kacey Musgraves’ “Rainbow” upwards of 100 times this summer, but that doesn’t mean she’s my #1. Music trends do not mean year-long loyalty. OK, Spotify?!” –Nadine F.
As 2021 nears its end, I’m already thinking about how my next Spotify Wrapped will read. Did I explore enough new music this year? Will I want to post about it? Will it feel true to the kind of music listener I thought I was?
My friends rarely question why I don’t like to “aux” during car rides––probably because they’re so busy jumping at the opportunity to play music themselves. If they did ask, however, I’d blame Spotify for my crippling sense of embarrassment about my music taste.