Spotify Wrapped finally enters its flop era

Over the last decade, Spotify has done an impressive job of making something quite dull – music listening statistics – into an anticipated annual event. Thanks to splashy UI design, amusing copywriting and personalised deep dives, Spotify Wrapped has become part of the festive calendar, and one that’s spawned several imitators from rivals such as Apple Music.

Spotify Wrapped took its time to arrive this year, but it’s finally here – and the company is calling it the “best and boldest Wrapped yet”. It’s certainly as colourful and eye-catching as ever, but with key statistics apparently eschewed in favour of splashy (and somewhat creepy) new AI features, some users are disappointed with 2024’s offering.

“This year’s Spotify Wrapped design is inspired by the ways pop culture thrives in a beautiful cycle of reinvention, constantly evolving and surprising us,” Spotify announced. “Unexpected genres emerge and merge, timeless influences meet fresh ideas, and what once was niche now shapes pop culture. This insight inspired an art direction that loops, transforms, and celebrates the energy of this unique moment in time. Vibrant colour combinations, playful layouts, and lively animations bring the design to life.”

As well as a bold design, this year’s Wrapped includes a couple of new features. ‘Your Music Evolution’ reveals musical phases that uniquely defined your year, while Your Spotify Wrapped AI Podcast sees AI ‘hosts’ discuss your year in music.

But despite these flashy additions, the core concept of the stats themselves appears to have disappointed some listeners. This year, top genres are missing, despite being included in previous editions (and this year’s offerings from rival services), as is the top album a user listened to.

With key metrics missing, those AI features aren’t proving a particularly welcome addition for some users. Sure, the ‘random’ patchwork genre names (such as “Heatwave Beach Reggaeton”) created by Your Musical Evolution are kind of amusing, but they’re no substitute for actual insight. As one X user puts it, “Spotify Wrapped is underwhelming and reeks of AI… there seems to be real lack of effort this year from the boring visuals to the missing genres and quirks”.

From Adobe to Zoom, we’ve seen plenty of tech companies alienate users in their vocal embracing of AI in 2024. While Spotify’s new Wrapped features might be fun, the response should act as a warning to other brands considering favouring splashy new AI tools over their core offering.