Even before this year’s Spotify Wrapped dropped, I had a hunch what mine would reveal.
TL;DR
- Spotify Wrapped reveals personalized listening data, including top songs and listening habits.
- The campaign taps into the human desire for both individuality and belonging.
- Users share their Wrapped data, fostering a sense of community and uniqueness.
- Spotify Wrapped's success has inspired similar year-in-review features from other platforms.
Remarkably, one of the tunes I've played the most was a little-known 2004 piece called “Rusty Chevrolet” from The Irish group Shanneyganock. My son introduced me to it; his buddy had been belting it out on the playground swings. My son found it incredibly amusing, and it's been a constant fixture in our home from that moment on.
Similar to mothers and fathers globally, I lament the way my child's musical preferences have taken over my audio playback. Yet, I'm also delighted to discover that our home is likely among the rare ones actually tuning in.
Spotify Wrapped is an annual campaign by the popular streaming music platform. Since 2015, the streaming service has been repackaging user data – specifically, the listening history of Spotify’s users over the past year – into attractive, personalized slideshows featuring, among other data points, your top five songs, your total listening time and even your “listening personality.” (Are you a “Replayer,” a “Maverick” or a “Vampire”?)
As a consumer behavior researcher, I've pondered the reasons behind the considerable attention these annual compilations receive. My hypothesis is that Spotify Wrapped's popularity likely stems from its vibrant, easily shareable visuals being linked to two core, albeit somewhat opposing, human desires.
Individuality and belonging
In 1991, social psychologist Marilynn Brewer introduced what she coined “optimal distinctiveness theory.”
She contended that the majority of individuals find themselves divided between two fundamental human desires. One aspect involves the requirement for “validation and similarity to others.” Conversely, individuals seek to articulate their “uniqueness and individuation.” Consequently, many of us continuously endeavor to achieve equilibrium between fostering bonds with others and preserving our unique sense of self.
During Thanksgiving, your desire for social bonds is probably well-met. At that time, you're with relatives and companions who have many shared interests. It might even feel so complete that you begin to desire the reverse: a method to express your uniqueness. Perhaps you opt to wear an outfit that truly showcases your character, or you recount tales of notable events from the preceding twelve months.
Conversely, you might experience a sense of solitude upon relocating to a different city, leading to a heightened desire for social bonds. You could adopt the fashion and product choices observed among your local acquaintances and colleagues, frequent well-liked eateries, or host gatherings at your residence as a means to cultivate new friendships.
Have it your way
Consumers frequently select products as a method to fulfill their desires for belonging and uniqueness.
Companies are aware of this and typically aim to attract customers by offering at least one of these two aspects. This is partly the reason why Coca-Cola began distributing bottles adorned with well-known individuals' names on their packaging as part of its “Share a Coke” initiative. The beverage itself doesn't change, but obtaining a Coke bearing your own name can foster a feeling of solidarity with all other individuals who possess one. Furthermore, this explains why Apple provides custom, personalized engravings for items like its AirPods and iPads.
Spotify Wrapped succeeds by perfectly harmonizing conflicting desires: the urge to be part of a group and the urge to be distinct. Observing the commonalities in your playlists and your friends' playlists cultivates a feeling of togetherness, while noting the divergences highlights your (or your children's!) Individual musical preferences. It offers me a method to express, “Sure, I’ve been listening to ‘Soda Pop’ nonstop like everyone else. But I’m probably the only one playing ‘Rusty Chevrolet’ on repeat.”
The Wrapped initiative also represents astute promotion. Spotify transforms users' distinctive, individual listening habits into compelling graphics perfectly suited for sharing on social platforms. It's unsurprising, therefore, that the Wrapped function has led to impressive engagement: On TikTok, the hashtag #SpotifyWrapped garnered 73.7 billion views in 2023. This yearly effort has garnered considerable accolades, such as a Cannes Lion and multiple Webby Awards, also recognized as the “Oscars of the Internet.”
Its remarkable success has prompted a surge of imitators: Apple Music, Reddit, Uber, and Duolingo are now distributing comparable customized “year-in-reviews.”
No other platform, however, has attained the same degree of cultural resonance as Spotify Wrapped. So, what does your compilation reveal? And will you boast about it, conceal it, or find amusement in its depiction of your habits?
Ishani Banerji, Clinical Assistant Professor of Marketing, Clemson University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
