Spotify Wrapped takes it to another level

Spotify released in early December "Spotify Wrapped" that recaps listeners' top artists and songs from the year.

In the age of social media, people feel obligated to share everything about what they’re doing at the moment. However, sharing music is something more than just getting likes on a post. “Music is so personal to us,” OCC Communications Professor John Bell said. “When sharing music, we are, in a way, sharing an aspect of ourselves.”

Many people connect through music to share how they feel. Audio Aura is a new Spotify Wrapped segment that explains what one’s music moods have been and correlates them with a certain color. There are feelings like good vibes, wistful and happy that makes people realize who they are. When sharing music, others can get a sense of how they feel without explaining.

Today, music has changed by which people decide what songs get trendy. An artist like Olivia Rodrigo with her new album “Sour” was the most streamed album globally on Spotify. Rodrigo released an announcement video on Tik Tok about her song “Driver's License” and it gained attention. During the pandemic, Tik Tok gained popularity as people spent more time scrolling online which decreased their attention span.

Tik Tok has a major influence on the younger generation to the point where they don’t know the classics that others grew up listening to. “I remember there was one song ‘Break My Stride’ by Matthew Wilder and it's famous because of Tik Tok,” Bethany Tom, OCC Psychology major, said. “I think kids could listen to older-generation music, but it depends on what platform they get exposed to.”

However, the older generation didn’t have that exposure. “There was a time where you had to get signed by a record company,” Bell said. “Unless that happened, people were never going to hear your music.”

An app like Tik Tok can help artists get on the top charts. Then at the end of the year those songs are on the playlists. However, there is always that one artist that surprises people. “I got Harry Styles as my top artist but I only listened to one of his songs,” Sierra Wisner, OCC public health major, said.

Spotify Wrapped is one of the most popular ways for music lovers to look back on all the good and the bad from their past year. Will Spotify Wrapped continue to be one of the most admired ways to do that? Only time will tell. For now, musicians and music listeners alike will be able to enjoy it.

“The playlists give us a chance to reflect, a chance to assess, and when we share it, it gives us a chance to connect,” Bell said.