As the Spotify Wrapped season kicks off, users are excited to delve into their listening habits and share their musical journeys with friends on social media. The platform launched its personalized year-end streaming data on Wednesday, igniting a surge of posts showcasing the top songs and artists of 2024.
This year, Spotify introduced a new feature called “music evolution,” which allows users to track their changing musical preferences throughout the year. Similar to Spotify’s “daylist,” this option provides personalized niche music profiles, reflecting different phases of users’ tastes. Additionally, users can explore their longest listening streaks for their favorite artists.
One popular theme on social media this year is the “pink pilates princess” phase, which resonates particularly with music favored by the LGBTQ+ community. Spotify has enhanced user engagement with the introduction of a personal AI-generated podcast summarizing listening habits, utilizing Google’s Notebook LM app, known for its ability to create engaging summary podcasts from users’ notes.
While many users are celebrating the new features of Wrapped, some have expressed disappointment and are calling for the return of last year’s “sound towns” feature, which matched users with cities that shared similar music tastes.
In the world of top artists, Taylor Swift once again claimed the number one spot, racking up an impressive 26.6 billion streams this year, fueled by her successful Eras Tour and the release of her latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department.” The Weeknd and Bad Bunny followed closely in the second and third positions, while Drake, despite his recent criticisms surrounding streaming inflation, secured the fourth spot. Billie Eilish rounded out the top five.
Although Drake’s diss track “Not Like Us” did not make the global songs list, it still achieved significant popularity, becoming the second most-streamed song in the U.S. with over 928 million streams. The top global song was “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter, which soared past 1.6 billion streams.
In podcasting, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy,” and “This Past Weekend with Theo Von” emerged in the top rankings, particularly after hosting high-profile guests like President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Additionally, Spotify launched its inaugural top global audiobooks list, following the introduction of 15 free audiobook hours for Premium subscribers last year. Sarah J. Maas dominated the list with her book “A Court of Thorns and Roses” taking the top spot, along with its sequel, “A Court of Mist and Fury,” appearing at number three.
Overall, the Spotify Wrapped experience not only celebrates individual musical journeys but also highlights the diverse listening community worldwide, making it a joyous occasion for music lovers everywhere. It’s a time for reflection and connection through shared tastes and favorites.