Is Your Spotify Wrapped Really YOURS? By Kaylee-Christina Rueda

It’s that time of year again, when Spotify users gather round to see their favorite artists, songs, and genres displayed in an aesthetically pleasing personalized presentation. But if users love these year-in-review wraps, why was there so much controversy? With the rise of Artificial Intelligence, or A.I, taking over the music and art industry, many Spotify users struggle to see the initial charm of their Spotify Wrapped. 

Spotify Wrapped has gone on for around a decade, featuring a personalized leaderboard of the top 5 artists, songs, and music genres. Users find joy and connection by sharing their Spotify Wrapped with other Spotify users by finding similar leaderboards amongst the community. The concept of users having unique ways to discover their music year-in-review sparked a major interest in Spotify and Spotify Wrapped. However, this year, many users have found that their Spotify Wrapped consists of allegedly incorrect statistics, AI songs that have been promoted despite the ongoing controversy of A. I usage, and the apparent lack of creativity in the once personalized and lively annual wrapped presentations.

To discover how our school feels about Spotify Wrapped, I interviewed a sophomore at MHSHS who will remain anonymous. When asked, “How do you feel about Spotify Wrapped this year?”, the student responded: “I feel like it wasn’t bad, but that it was mostly inaccurate. I feel as if the artists I listened to weren’t included as much as I thought they would be…I thought Bruno Mars would be included because I listened to his album so many times, but he wasn’t. This student’s response reflects the recent frustration many other individuals have felt about the information displayed on their Spotify Wrapped. Additionally, when asked about the recent spark of AI,  listened to music displayed on Spotify, and the student responded: “It usually sounds bad, and I think it’s a waste of time and resources. You could be using A.I look forward to much better things, such as studying and educational help. A.I should not be used to replace art and music because real people with individuality and creativity are best suited for the art industry. This student emphasizes the controversy of AI displayed on Spotify and reveals the common idea that AI shouldn’t replace certain jobs and industries. 

When asking many other individuals about Spotify users’ opinions on this year’s Spotify Wrapped, I got a variety of mixed reviews. Half of the users believed this year’s Spotify Wrapped was unique and a great bonding experience with other users. Users enjoyed the song leaderboards and found the age comparison to the genres of music very humorous. However, the other half of Spotify users found this year’s Spotify Wrapped to be “soulless” and lacking accuracy.

After investigating the idea of Spotify Wrapped, I personally believe that the idea is a very unique and fun way for users to see the songs and genres they’ve listened to this past year. However, the usage of A.I am hurting the art and music industry due to the idea that individuals have A.I music is being promoted on their Spotify Wrapped. I have always been strongly against the usage of A.I am in jobs that should be taken by humans who possess creativity and individuality, and the music industry is no exception. Because of this, I believe that Spotify should enforce the idea of AI-generated content not being allowed on the platform to ensure a creative and authentic experience for all users.