Spotify Wrapped Kicks off the End of Year Festivities, Again
Spotify’s famous year-end event, Spotify Wrapped, stirs up excitement in the hearts of music lovers everywhere. Some fanbases more than others with Bad Bunny, Taylor Swift, and Drake leading globally.
In a society of ever-growing trends, aesthetics, and cultural norms, many seek a way to establish individuality. Some express individuality through fashion, humor, and personality while others show their uniqueness through music taste.
Spotify took this and created a platform to highlight its user’s musical individuality. In 2016, the company launched Spotify Wrapped, a campaign that featured an end-of-year personal music habit analysis in a social media-centered format. Each year the design of the campaign is improved. This year, included interactive graphics and even a listener personality analysis.
The original format began as an emailed link which led to a microsite. As fans chatted and compared their results on social media platforms, Spotify eventually updated the campaign to appear in the app and directly share on social platforms. According to Refinery29, controversy arose when former Spotify design intern, Jewel Ham, alleged on Twitter that the update stemmed from her 2019 intern project. She was not credited for the fun, easily shareable platform that is now the most beloved part of the campaign, which her project proposed.
Nonetheless, fans enjoy the campaign and it has become a Twitter end-of-year ritual. After its release on Wednesday, the hashtag #SpotifyWrapped began trending on Twitter shortly after. According to NBC News, users wasted no time sharing their Spotify Wrapped with countless jokes and memes to accompany them.
it’s that time again! #SpotifyWrapped pic.twitter.com/xCwtmGvJ2D
— Miru 💤 (@Miruzzzzz) November 24, 2022
literally my spotify wrapped pic.twitter.com/2QIhAdCLg2
— wi (@folkloriannn) December 1, 2022
Some artists, in particular, dominated this year’s Spotify Wrapped. 2022 truly gifted Puerto Rican Reggaeton artist, Bad Bunny, with immense accolades for his work. He stands as the most streamed artist on Spotify, worldwide. Taylor Swift, who is the most globally streamed female artist, ranks shortly after Bad Bunny. Impressively, she also holds the title of Spotify’s crowned “Most Viral Artist of the Year.” Canadian artists Drake and The Weekend hold the third and fourth spots on this list. Lastly, it would not be a Spotify Wrapped without the mention of K-Pop international superstar group BTS, who holds the fifth spot.
Overall, this year’s Spotify Wrapped is a topic of conversation and reflection for the rest of the year. To get a head start on your 2023 Spotify Wrapped, head over to Spotify and stream your favorite artists. Happy listening.
