As Spotify Wrapped was released for the 10th year, social media users’ feeds were filled with images detailing listening minutes and top songs. An almost inescapable presence, the reports displayed people’s need to consume and consequently share their consumption.
Spotify Wrapped, which initially began titled “Year of Music” in 2016, began by simply including users’ top five songs and artists. Over the years, aspects have been added, such as podcasts, personalized playlists, badges related to listening activity, artist messages, and more.
Doubling as both a fun activity and marketing campaign, Wrapped quickly became a staple of late November and early December, almost its own holiday. Many now express their excitement for “Spotify Wrapped season,” jumping at the chance to share their taste with the world.
The rise of Wrapped was only aided when Spotify changed the format to be easily conducive to sharing on an Instagram story. As more people posted their results, the culture around Wrapped grew. Some stated their annoyance at the influx of posts while others reveled in getting a glimpse into the listening habits of the people they followed.
Junior Molly Dell initially enjoyed looking at the Wrapped posts, but over time became tired of them. “Some of them kind of got annoying because I think they were posting a lot about it, but otherwise, it was cool seeing people’s music tastes,” Dell said.
What initially began as data for personal enjoyment has slowly developed into a performative act. An Instagram reel posted by the user @_adammcgwith the text “When I realise Spotify wrapped is around the corner and I’ve been listening to trash for the past 3 months” amassed over 15.2 million views and 885k likes. Similar jokes were made across social media, stating embarrassment at users’ Wraps or judgment at viewing others.
Junior Hannah Eckley witnessed how people wanted to change their Wraps to fit in. “I’ve definitely seen things on TikTok where they’re like ‘Oh, Wrapped is not being recorded right now so I can listen to what I actually want,’ and I just think that’s kind of stupid,” Eckley said.
The performative nature of Wrapped is only exacerbated by the perceived need to listen to only ‘niche’ or ‘underground’ music. Although data-based, Wrapped could be easily manipulated. Apps like stats.fm or the website statsforspotify give people a chance to view their statistics before the release of Wrapped, making it easy to adjust listening if seen fit.
Although it was intended to give individuals a recap of their year of music, Wrapped has changed into another thing able to be cultivated to add to a person’s public image, like a carefully crafted Instagram feed or VSCO post.
Dell explained how the statistics may not have been as truthful as they initially seemed. “Partly, music taste could come from a person, personality-wise or something like that, but also I think they could listen to a specific group because they can share. Like I know a lot of people listen to Drake so they can share it,” Dell said.
Some users were faced with disbelief when posting their Wraps, boasting stats like hundreds of thousands of minutes listened or streaming one song thousands of times. Questions arose regarding the validity of such statistics and whether or not the music was listened to for actual pleasure or simply for superficial reasons. Even a candidate for governor in New Jersey sparked controversy after he admitted he lied about his Wrapped.
Ultimately, the obsession with Wrapped is all related to the need for identity. People seek to find belonging, and sometimes that can come from a like on a post. Wrapped offers an opportunity for connection and validation, necessary parts of life.
Eckley described the role that validation plays in posting, and how no one is truly exempt from it. “I think that it’s a big thing in society- public perception and everything. I think that comes in for Spotify as well,” Eckley said. “I’m a hypocrite because I’ve definitely said you shouldn’t change your music taste to please others, but I’ve definitely done it.”
In a time when the consumption of media is continually evolving, people need to reflect on their media consumption practices. Even though it can feel good to be accepted, is it truly good if it comes at the cost of listening to or watching media we actually like?
Eckley believes there may be no true way to separate the need for acceptance from sharing a Wrapped. “I think if you’re posting it you automatically care what people think. I think it’s inherently in our nature to want to be perceived as a cool person,” Eckley said. Despite motivations for listening, the simple act of posting may add to the issue.
Dell believes the best way to move forward is to disregard the desire for affirmation. “I think that [people] should listen to whatever music they enjoy, not just to please societal expectations. People should have their own music tastes because it can be very diverse,” Dell said.
‘Spotify Wrapped Day’ will likely be something celebrated for years to come. As these recaps continue to come out, it’s worth evaluating why we consume the media we do. It’s important to be aware of motivations for sharing habits. Finding a balance between authenticity and connection will be vital as society continues to shift towards a culture where every aspect of public image can be altered.
