Let’s start with the basics for this year: Spotify kept its main components the same, displaying your top artists, songs, and podcasts. For unknown reasons, the top genre and the length spent with your top podcast were dropped. I'm not sure why these would be left out as they are pretty easy to track and include, especially when they were not making space for extra components, as we will discuss later.
As far as designs, I felt that they mostly fell flat. Geometric shapes merely spiraled across the screen, somewhat reminiscent of a kaleidoscope effect, but limited to a few basic colors. The design varied briefly for the monthly music evolution, but only to give us a duller rainbow road moment. Simply put, it felt lazy.
Following the lazy theme, the monthly evolution descriptors screamed AI. I’d love for Spotify to explain to me what “Pink Pilates Princess Roller Skating Pop” is supposed to mean and also ask what differentiates it from “Pink Pilates Princess Strut.” It really felt like an intern asked ChatGPT: “Generate a list of words that are girly and fun” and then threw them together in different orders for people. One of the true indicators for me was my musical theater listening habits generating “Theatrical Actor Theater”. That one might be a little too on the nose Spotify, might need to try a little harder.
Additionally, this year lacked the whimsical descriptors we have seen in the past. Why was I not told what city or mythical creature I am like last year? Surely, that is not the extent of creativity left at Spotify? I’m sure ChatGPT could have also provided them with ideas for this element as well. Tell me I’m a tiramisu because I listened to 'Espresso' a lot this year, or give me a tiara cartoon because I listened to 'The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess'. Something.
If you can’t tell by now, Spotify Wrapped 2024 was a disappointment, to say the least, so Spotify you have some big brainstorming to do for next year, especially if the price is going to increase again.